Gaea's Treasure Keeper at the Gate

Maze-maker,

Humble Earth-thrower,

Master of tunnels

in your sleek velvet coat;

almost invisible

in the shadowy doorway

to the Underworld.

Your quiet Wisdom

oft o'er shadowed

by the hum of bee and bird.

This Teacher's song

must be felt

rather than heard...

"Ignore your eyes,

let all sounds fade away,

feel each vibration and trust!

Ground yourself 
Turn sleekly Inward.

We guide you towards your goal

through the tunnels

of our subterranean maze,

and the deepest caverns 
of your soul.

Four hours at rest

Four on patrol;

My restless hands

digging through the soil

revealing the hidden treasures therein.

Wisdom from the Stone People,

sagacious roots of Plant and Tree,

and all the mysterious Teachers

found beneath our Mother's fertile skin.

Look beneath the surface.

Though it may seem

that all around you

is a matter of either dark or light,

don't go making mountains 
out of my humble home,

for there are many shades of grey

between black and white.

Burrow honestly,

Dig deep!

We will teach you how

to get the most

out of every precious breath;

How to navigate

the narrowest of opportunities

without getting stuck,

How to paralyze your prey

with just one bite,

filling your larder pragmatically

against winter's grueling rite."

For those new to the game, each poem is inspired by a Teacher found in Nature; a star, stone, animal, plant, etc that holds lessons of Wisdom for us. Can you guess who is singing today? (Congrats to Bobbi Kuschel and Stardancer for naming this Teacher!)

“To find out what is truly individual in ourselves, profound reflection is needed; and suddenly we realize how uncommonly difficult the discovery of individuality is.”  ~ Carl Jung

"You can't lie to your soul." ~ Irvine Welsh

“Don't try to comprehend with your mind. Your minds are very limited. Use your intuition.” ~Maedleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time

“Get yourself grounded and you can navigate even the stormiest roads in peace.” ~ Steve Goodier

The Family Talpidae contains all the true moles, about 20 species, which can be found throughout the temperate Northern Hemisphere (excluding Ireland), as well as a few close relatives. Moles are small mammals that have rounded bodies 6 inches long, with pointed muzzles, tiny eyes unable to see color, and no external ears. They are typically gray or black with velvety soft fur. They have short powerful legs with broad polydactyl (two-thumbed) front paws made for digging, well suited to their largely underground lives. Moles can dig up to 20 yards in a day! 

They can move almost as rapidly backward as forward. Their keenest senses are smell, hearing and touch. They are adept at picking up vibrations. Omnivores, earthworms make up the bulk of their diet, but they will eat beetles, insects, larvae, and even baby mice. They can detect, catch, kill and eat their prey within seconds, and must eat their own weight each day to maintain their levels of activity. They patrol and rest in four hour shifts. 

Their long tunnels act as worm traps where the mole can instantly scuttle to where a worm has fallen through and capture a meal. Mole saliva acts as a neurotoxin which paralyzes their prey, and they will keep larders of sedated food in the maze that makes up their home. This preparation completed in Autumn, reminds us to prepare always against the hardships of Winter.

Mole people can be very touch friendly or avoidant. They tend to be very Intuitive, and quick to pick up on changes in vibration. Mole teaches the Wisdom of having faith that tomorrow will take care of itself, and focusing on the Now. Develop your Senses/Intuition, Guidance, Introspection, Grounding, or Solitude are all important Mole messages. 

Moles are associated with all things underground like the Underworld, Death/Sickness/Healing, the Wisdom and uses of roots from trees and plants, the Wisdom of the Stone Nations, and eons of secrets hidden by the planet's skin. Moles are Gatekeepers and can guide us to hidden treasures, opportunities, and paths. 

Their sleek fur aides their passage in tight quarters as well as aiding their sensitivity. Fur or hair is representative of Sensitivity. Mole cautions us to always look below the surface and beyond our common senses. "Beware creating illusions of reality based off what you think you know!", he chides. "The easiest lies are the ones we tell ourselves." As a Shadow Teacher, self-deception is an important topic as anyone can make a mountain out of a molehill! They look at things only in variation of Light and Dark.

Mole is a good Teacher to turn to if you find yourself stuck. Not only are they excellent navigators, they get the most use out of the oxygen they breathe! They have special blood cells, their hemoglobin allow them to reuse oxygen and survive comfortably in low oxygen environments. Moles also improve the soil they live in as their activities aerate and mix the layers! Common names for them include mouldywarp, mullvad, moldvarpa, and maulwarf; all essentially meaning earth mover/thrower. No one gets around obstacles quite like a Mole.

“The mice think they are right, but my cat eats them anyways. This is the point… reality is nothing, perception is everything.” Terry Goodkind

We all have spiritual DNA; wisdom and truth are part of our genetic structure even if we don't always access it. ~Lama Surya Das

 "Focus on where you want to go, not on what you fear." - Anthony Robbins