by Paul Manski
Litanies are and were used in the traditions of prayer to the Virgin Mother of God, Christ, the angels, Holy Ghost and the saints in the traditional Roman Catholic Church. Recited on festive holy days. Used in times of need by the people of God.
La Gobernadora is Larrea tridentata a dominant plant of the southwest from Texas to California and south into Mexico. Understood in a similar way as an aspect of the Virgin Mary Mother of God. Plants have long been associated with prayer, the angels, saints and the Virgin Mary. Marigolds, Mary's Gold, yerba santa, St John's wort, lilies, roses, all have this connection. La Gobernadora as the governess, Larrea tridentata has t likewise this assignment.
Litanies are patterns in song, observations and notes, dialogue with place, conversations. The evidence for the pattern is the browned grass which will green again, resurrection and return is the pattern of change. At times we celebrate birth, and the passing of life and at other times invoke a healing. Inviting, cultivating change is the herbal medicine road way of rebirth. Litanies are memories recited to honor and bring forward confidence in times of challenge. Words attempt to bring forward and capture and as such are to cherished and respected. Being in a place invites words. Being in a place invites silence.
Litanies are words held that lead us to truth. Words are sound though La Gobernadora is silent to most. Yet we are not silent so words are used. With faith hope and charity, sickness is named as a false narrative, for as long as there is life the story is not finished. Miracles happen. At times the miracle is to embrace suffering. Health is the truth. With words we invoke a truth of health sometimes lost, sometimes forgotten. We also honor the suffering and pain that inevitably accompanies the journey. Joy is as real as sadness.
Litanies are vocal prayer used to affirm and acknowledge. They are used to plead for God's mercy and protection. God presents to us in silence. God represents to us in a place. We are in place. We speak for ourselves and others caught in a dream of ill health. While pronouncing the words they maybe lies at this time or forgotten buried truths. Yet we have breath. We are breathing for others who at the present time may be unable to affirm for themselves. We are speaking not so much for the voiceless but for those who voices have been stolen, we communicate beyond words. The breath like wind, which is the Holy Ghost, flows and penetrates. Words are used to focus change in the sense of moving balance. No one owns litanies or contains them, they are flowing like water, flowing like wind. The La Gobernadora, Larrea tridentata, The Creosote Bush is like water seeking the lowest places, like wind penetrating everywhere.
Gobernadora should be made into a wand, or small broom and sweep the patient from head to feet. The patient closes his or her eyes, then the hands are cupped over the eye, and a cloth covers the eye, to protect them. Then the tinctures are spit lightly over his or her face. La Gobernadora oil or strong tea is rubbed all over the body. If the patient is too weak, they may be seated in a chair. A bit of tea is swished in the mouth and spit out. This process is called sweeping, cleansing.
Litany of La Gobernadora, Larrea tridentata.
Creosote Bush Way.
La Gobernadora Larrea now comes to my assistance.
Gobernadora hasten to help me.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost, and of La Gobernadora Blessed Mary Mother of God, Larrea, Queen of heaven and earth; as it was at the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end Amen.
La Gobernadora most beautiful; pray for us.
Gobernadora my protectress, pray for us.
Abundant sure supply, pray for us.
pray with me, for me, for this child before you, show your healing way, head to toe, pray for us.
Around the head, good thoughts, pray for us.
Eyes to see your green leaf and white fuzzy flowers under turquoise desert sky, pray for us.
Ears to hear your voice of javelina dancing in the canyon, pay for us.
Mouth and tongue to bless and nourish, pray for us..
Visualive now:
Teeth to chew swallow food, pray for us.
Teeth to chew swallow food, pray for us.
Neck and shoulders supple and strong.
Spine flexible to bend.
Hands, fingers for your work of plants healing.
All digestive smooth in or out.
Legs to walk your creosote trails.
From head to toe we your children, your relatives, your family.
--Refuge of the weak, pray for us.
--Triumph of the strong abiding, pray for us.
-Creosote Bush way, pray for us.
-You painter of the Red slick rock cockscomb.
X-pray for us...
-giving leaf to ocotillo and saguaro blossoms ....pray for us.
---with root beer flowers, paguày and orange Yerba del negrita flowers, round like the sun, pray for us.
-green and sweet after winter rain...., pray for us.
-bringing moist dew and lightning rain...,pray for us.
-of Black mule deer fast sure of foot on rocky slopes..., pray for us.
--slow steady tortoise steps.
-of sycamore, cottonwood and willow creeks...pray for us.
-Green in spring, yellow in autumn, pray for us.
-of beaver and mud dams and pools, pray for us.
-of coatimundi, ring tail pointing towards
the cliffs, holding up mountains, pray for us.
--On the slopes purple prickly pear and lemon cholla buds, pray for us.
--You hear our prayers of coopers hawk and jackrabbit.
-teacher of javelina, pray for us.
-you are yellow barrel cactus fruit, pray for us.
Planter of mesquite bosque ...pray for us.
Gobernadora keeper of all in your deer house, pray for us.
-seat of wisdom spouse of Holy Ghost & brittle bush wind., pray for us.
-birther to hopeful sunrise, pray for us.
-falling star-dust songs, pray for us.
--Geminids with Orion hunting day east to night west, horizon to horizon, pray for us.
---With Jupiter in Libra and Venus in Scorpio at dawn, pray for us.
-medicine to despair, pray for us.
-mother of plant people, pray for us.
-shelter of cactus wren, cardinal, yellow breasted warbler, pray for us.
-source of hanging gardens, seeps and springs, pray for us.
-draw of suck and mothers milk supply, pray for us.
--creator of obsidian night star-shine, pray for us.
--falling star-dust songs, pray for us.
--around the elliptic your feet on the moon, your crown of twelve stars, pray for us.
--teacher of coyotes to yip-yap sing, pray for us.
-source of all bird song, pray for us.
---swoosh swoosh swoosh of wings, pray for us.
-leader of tortoise and Box turtle, pray for us.
-guide to bob cat and lion, pray for us.
protector of mole and long tailed mouse, pray for us.
streaking dusk evening sky pink, orange and purple, pray for us,.
-patience to the young, pray for us.
-From head to toe, from east to west, north to south Larrea La Gobernadora you are potent to heal, pray for us.
Creosote Bush come to my assistance.
Your pungent branches make haste to help me.
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Who made heaven and earth.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Ghost, and of La Gobernadora Larrea Blessed Mary Mother of God, Queen of heaven and earth;
In the name of Jesus, your son
bring this movement and change for healing, with all the angels and saints.
Memorare:
La Gobernadora, Larrea, Blessed Mother Mary Our Governesses, never was it known anyone who fled to your protection, sought your intercession was left behind. Inspired by this confidence we fly unto thee sinful and sorrowful. Our Mother of the word Incarnate despise not our petitions but in your mercy hear and answer them.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus in the desert
Have mercy on us.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus in the desert
Have mercy on us.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus in the desert
Have mercy on us.
O Gobernadora Larrea Mother of God,
Pray for us.
O Gobernadora Larrea Mother of God,
Pray for us.
O Gobernadora Larrea Mother of God,
Pray for us.
