As a person:
A woman of spiritual greatness and intelligence.
Qualities:
Benevolent. Celebration of life and love. Flooded with great blessings.

The Wise Woman of the Good Earth

"It was not so long ago that people had time and leisure to pause in the middle of the day, to listen to the birds, to give a friendly glance to the trees and the animals in the forest, to breathe in the spicy air with great draughts. They used to sing and dance in the middle of the day, in joy and sorrow.

At that time, a Wise Woman lived in a small house on the edge of the forest. The Wise Woman of the Good Earth she was called.

"Good morning, new day," she used to say upon waking. On this warm summer morning she was wearing her long, light yellow dress. It was woven of light yarn and flattering just to look at. The nightingale had just fallen silent, and already the melodious whistling of the blackbird could be heard.

The moist grass tickled her between the toes. Inspired by such merriment, each of her steps resembled a dance. All around her was beauty and perfection. She saw the fox lying in wait for a mouse at the edge of the forest, she saw the countless pearls of dewdrops on the blades of grass, she saw the fallen fir tree not far from her.

Thoughtfully she walked along the forest path towards the village. She had been called to help the people in a difficult time. A 9-year-old boy had fallen into the river and drowned. His older sister had given her the sad news two days ago. She knew the boy all too well. How often had she watched him doing chin-ups and other tricks by the river.

The wise woman, who learned everything about the course of events in life of animals and plants, told the villagers that she would visit them in two days for a celebration for the boy.

She knew that calm can return after the storm if one gives time to the very course of things, if one acts with deliberation.

So now, after two days, when everyone breathed a little easier and dared to feel their heartbeat again, was the day when she would meet with the people of the village to say goodbye to the boy together.

"Good morning," she said to the people who had gathered in the clearing near the creek around the white coffin of the boy. The children sat on the ground and the adults on the chairs and benches they had brought with them.

All the girls wore flower wreaths of daisies on their heads and the boys wore collars of carnations. Children's toys and stuffed animals dangled from the coffin. They were tied to it with colorful ribbons. They were to accompany the dead boy on his journey to the afterlife. His little brother placed his teddy bear in the arms of his dearest friend. A small red ball lay in the open left hand of the dead boy.

The wise woman sat in the large circle of villagers. A sweet fragrance of linden blossoms crept secretly into many an aching heart. They sang the boy's favorite songs. They told stories from his adventurous life. They cried and laughed; and they danced around the open child's coffin. Later they ate carrot cake - like on his birthdays.

Then it became silent. When the moon was in the night sky, the time came to close the coffin and lower it into the prepared grave. The children placed their wreaths of flowers on it. "Adieu, my dear child, adieu, my dear friend, adieu, my dear brother."

This was not so long ago, when people still had leisure and time to pause in the middle of the day, to listen to the birds, to give a friendly glance to the trees and the animals in the forest, to breathe in the spicy air with great draughts.

The Wise Woman of the Good Earth reminds us to celebrate our body with its wonderful sensuality in our daily activities.