Memory Keepers

Bones of the Mother

Hidden in the layers of her skin

Symbols of births and unions

We support, and pave the way

All that you dream of building

rests upon our firm foundation.

At every hearth and mantle

from smallest pebble 

to highest cliff

We are mortar

We are pestle

Treasures revealed 

when you patiently

pan and sift.

Still as a statue

Silent as a tomb

Wisdom and Memories

mined from Mother's womb.

We are hammer

We are chisel

the chip upon your shoulder

the floor and walls you erect

The key piece

holding it all together

Sacred lintels

Blessed cornerstones

Sculpted with respect. 

We are the heat, 

the blood, the anvil

at every single forge.

Forming the notes

of each melodic brook

Coveted and quarried

faceted, tumbled or polished 

til we shine

Humble or precious

we are a Nation most often prized 

for how we look.

Vibrate to our frequencies

and our secrets we reveal.

We each carry our own lessons

and take our rightful place

upon the sacred Wheel. 

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. This piece, unlike many, does not focus on a single Teacher, rather it is an entire collection of Singers from the same category; so think general rather than specific. Can you guess who is singing today? 

“What are men to rocks and mountains?” 

~Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

If Tao is like a river, it is certainly good to know where the rocks are.” 

― Deng Ming-Dao

Stones have been important to people since we first picked one up to use as a tool. People from cultures around our World have attached meaning, ceremonies, and traditions revolving around Stones of all sorts; birthstones, currency, homes, medicine wheels, burial cairns, standing stones, stones on graves, worry stones, the stones of a Sweat Lodge ceremony, massage tools, sacred natural formations, mountains and caves, etc. 

I love the Native American concept of The Stone Nation because it reflects what a vast and diverse group of individuals we are really facing. Many cultures view stones as Memory Keepers; those that keep the records of all events that occurred around or to them, as well as holding memories for the Earth itself. Each stone carries its own Wisdom in addition to the meanings and symbolism we humans have attached to them, from humble feldspar to the rarest gem. 

All rocks found on Earth can be put into one of three categories: Igneous, Sedimentary, or Metamorphic. Igneous types form melted rock that has cooled and solidified. Intense pressures and temperatures deep within the Earth turn stone to magma, liquid rock, which oozes through the paths of least resistance. A wide variety of rocks are formed by different cooling rates and different chemical compositions. Obsidian (volcanic glass), granite, basalt, and andesite porphyry are four of the many types of igneous rock.  (Credit: U.S. Geological Survey) 

Sedimentary rocks are formed at the surface, either in water or on land, where temperatures and pressures are low. Usually formed of layers of differing minerals accumulated over time. Metamorphic rocks are those that were once a form of rock but changed to another under the influence of intense heat, pressure, or some other agent without passing through a liquid phase. Man made stones would form a fourth, and meteoric an odd fifth. Each Family within the Stone Nation can number into the hundreds. Asking how many kinds of rocks there are is a lot like asking how many different kinds of animals exist! 

“Life is mostly froth and bubble, Two things stand like stone, Kindness in another's trouble, Courage in your own” ! Adam Lindsay Gordon 

“The observer, when he seems to himself to be observing a stone, is really, if physics is to be believed, observing the effects of the stone upon himself.” ~Bertrand Russell 

A geologist brings order to chaos by categorizing stones. They are classified according to characteristics such as mineral and chemical composition, permeability, the texture of the constituent particles, and particle size. Quartz is one of the most well known stone families, which isn't surprising as it is the second most common worldwide, right after feldspar. A trace of quartz can be found in most stones. Quartz is often sorted by its color. Purple quartz is Amethyst. Citrine is yellow quartz.  Any micro-crystalline compact quartz without any visible crystals can be called Chalcedony. 

In a general sense, rocks and stones represent gravity, time, heaviness, silence, memory, stability, permanence, comfort, patience,  consistency, being grounded, history, and foundations. Examining the specific stone you are drawn to will give you a more detailed message. Whether general or specific, I highly recommend simply spending time with your chosen stone. Keep it handy in a pocket where you can touch/hold it often. I also recommend that you incorporate it into your meditations if you already practice, and begin exploring this option if you have never experienced it! 

Stones have a ton of lessons to teach us if we are just willing to put in the time, learn how to slow down and match their vibratory level. The first tool was a stone. Our Ancestors hunted with stones and slings, and early weapons made of or with stone. Flintknapping, one of our people's most ancient skills, is responsible today for some of the tools used in delicate surgeries! The mortar and pestle used to make our first medicines were made of stone. Graves, tombs, monuments, arches, fireplaces, homes are all still made with a variety of stones. The mill grinds our grain into flour using stones. We even run watches off of quartz batteries. How do these marvelous Teachers move in your life? 

“Love doesn't just sit there, like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time, made new.” ~ Ursula K. LeGuin