Mountainous Areas

 

Thursday, April 23, 2026

mountainous areas

 

Wild Herb Road

wild grass

mountainous areas

mountainous areas

Báshzhiné Dził or Dził Łigai Sí'án Baishan,  Yaozhidao Dzil Nchaa Si An. I know nothing about these things. If you want to know, use the pollen I mentioned before to strengthen your body; that pollen grows on the mountain we'll be going to soon. We're all two-legged people, that's all I want to say. Stop wasting time arguing and laughing at others. I don't care who you sleep with, whether your eyes are blue, how long your ponytail is, what your podcast is, or what car you drive. Now is the time to travel together, sell all your stuff, and go to these places to pray for peace. We're praying for some people right now, hoping they'll become strong. This divine mother knows their names. When I was washing angelica root in the Yak River, she said, "Oh, I remember you, you also washed angelica root in the Yak River 12 years ago." Julia met me on a path a few months ago after I spoke to a Gila lizard. Gila the Poison Lizard told me, "Paul, you'll see a beautiful woman and her sister walking along the path. She won't recognize you. She'll be walking barefoot along the creek." I thought, "Really?" And then she really did appear; we'd met before while picking thornless raspberries. She was so beautiful that I sketched her in my notebook. Fifteen years ago, she was 25 when she was soaking in the hot springs with Michael Curtingham; now she's 40 and still stunning. So, there are always beautiful things in life. Not buying lottery tickets, nor investing in some kind of "golden parachute" or anything like that.

https://youtu.be/xooAA5_WTOQ?si=ykXN--tE9QKKV7HQ

We visited these plants without hesitation, all within the influence of bio-energy. What we couldn't do, she would. I've been saying this ever since Erin and Josh came to me, when we went to the spring with its oak and bearberry trees. Hops and Indian rice grass rings grew on the red sand. We'd feed Sally's horse and then walk to Easton's house. Susan and Steve were in the sauna, and we weren't afraid of anything because we loved each other. 

There is a path of peaceful pilgrimage. Every twelve years, as Saturn returns, that sacred wandering star also returns to the heavens. So we too, returning home, striving deep within our hearts to fulfill our vows, to return to the mountains we have visited. I know some of you, like me, are old and frail, and have persisted on this path for a long time, but I tell you, do not give up, do not yield. Keep your promises and return with me to these sacred mountains. Even if you only go to one mountain, practice there, renew your lives. It is because you visit these mountains and pray together that rain pours down from their peaks. Reflect on the important moments and changes in your lives. You can see messages at birth, at age 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, and 96. This is “Sah Nageh bik'eh Hoazogo,” the path to well-being in old age. Hashoona Wasli, Hashoona Wasli, Hashoona Wasli, Hashoona Wasli, repeating it four times over. People will laugh at you, give you nicknames, but that doesn't matter. We do this so that children can thrive like orange butterfly lilies, white butterfly lilies, blue lilies, cream butterfly lilies, like the gilar lily guarding the hummingbird's nest, like alder and yellow monkeyface flowers, passed down from generation to generation, not to sell books or speak to Middle Easterners. Different things happen at different stages of life, not all the same, not all different. Thank you to this sharing community of different ages. From the foot of the mountain to the summit, sing and pray, reaffirming the promises you made. At the foot of the mountain, you look up and pray with the bushes and mesquito trees; at the summit, you look down and pray with pine pollen and cedar. What you do is focus on everything, especially your special desire for people, plants, and place, releasing your love for the people, this land, the plants, and the mountains through all your senses—in your will, your heart, and your thoughts. Why am I here? Where am I going? How can I do my best? My heart is filled with the hope for the well-being of all, without exception. This is how to revitalize, receive blessings, and give thanks. Of course, every year when the spring equinox arrives, we renew it, giving it vitality, which we call the energy of wind, wood, and liver. Like Mother Earth, all things revive, and this happens every spring. Therefore, I was praying for all those who wanted to follow the Way of the Wild Grass, and also for a person named "M," who was supposed to be responsible for teaching plant knowledge. When you pray, you cannot be fixated on making a specific change for any one person, because everyone has free will; they will do what they want, depending on their thoughts and hearts. If you are conveying positive blessings, and they want to embrace individualistic selfishness and are unwilling to share everything in the Way of the Wild Grass community, then you should let go. It was a time of war, a cult controlled this place, so everyone was on edge, constantly arguing, talking loudly and angrily, pacing back and forth, shouting things that would normally go unnoticed. Even the women you'd expect to be tending babies, baking cookies, or making sandwiches were noisy, yelling, or dressed as monsters with things strapped between their legs, carrying knives and guns, drinking like sailors on leave. Women disguised themselves as men, men disguised themselves as women, and no one could tell who was who. The world was out of balance; the seasons changed from winter to summer, and then back to winter. No one prayed; the gourd on the mountaintop was empty. No one prayed, so neither snow nor rain fell. When I told people we could pray together, they laughed at me. We all had to pray together. Do you understand what I mean? Freedom of speech, yet everywhere?

      I am now describing the mountains to the southwest, three mountains connected together like waves on water. At the foot of each mountain grow cacti, the shrubs gradually transitioning to junipers and oaks, and further up to pines and spruces. To the southwest stand three mountains, each quietly standing, at their feet the Lago Bernardella meadow, a verdant expanse dotted with five-pointed yellow flowers and swaying giant cacti bearing sweet fruit—the Joula cactus. Below them flows the South Hilla River, its banks adorned with aspen trees; to the southeast lies a black mountain; further north is the Grand River, extending north and south to the Magdalena River in the northeast, then west and north to the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Escardillo Mountains, and another majestic peak in the northwest. These are the four sacred mountains. At the summit of each mountain peak sits a gourd ladle filled with water, connected to the North Star Man and the Cassiopeia Woman, a couple who work together to gather spring and river water to flow into the valleys. All these sacred mountains must be filled with water through prayer. If they are not filled by prayer, snow will not fall, rivers will dry up, and dusty winds will anger people, making them unable to unite. We have already seen this punishment manifested in the Glen Canyon Dam, where lakes and dams are drying up. Once, there were many coal-fired power plants there, meant to improve the lives of our people, allowing them to control their own destiny with electricity and running water. The Navajo Power Plant near Litch, the San Juan Power Plant in Shiprock, the Four Corners Power Plant, the Jora Power Plant—now they are all gone, along with the high-paying jobs. Before, people could work, support their families, and their children could go to university. First, they closed the mines, then they demolished all the power plants. Then, this regime introduced opium, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana, further enslaving and destroying its people, and advocating mechanized warfare for the profit of violence, waving the Stars and Stripes. For the past 25 years, the Middle Eastern tribal Eppy network (1973-2026) has been waging genocide and ecological extinction, with Middle Eastern wars making everyone a victim of ecological extinction. All these baby boomer herbalists cannot utter the word "peace." Oh yes, we wave the banner of protest politics, but we never say "peace," never "dialogue," never "community." We have our own ecological extinction war dividend podcast, more shekels, more infidels being fed scraps. Are you going to live with plants? Are you going to pray? Or are you going to continue eating scraps?

     We call the Earth Mary, for she is eternally young. As the years leave their mark on her, she travels eastward until she sees her own reflection approaching. She continues onward until her youthful self merges with her aged self, and then, renewed, returns to her home. Among us who proclaim the peaceful pilgrimage of the commune born of free will, the name of this eternal being is "Woman," sketched in colored pencil and pastel. The sky above us is azure. She wears the dazzling blue cloak of the sky goddess. She is the wife, girlfriend, and lover of the sun. To us, she is the divine shepherdess. She wears a large hat, leans on a cane, and is dressed roughly, in a skirt and flat shoes. She has a child with her. She is a mother, and she keeps company with healing plants, which she discovered while tending her flock. She is the guardian of animals, protecting chipmunks, ground moles, rabbits, cottontails, foxes, lynxes, wolves, and bears. She is the shepherd of sheep, cattle, deer, antelope, elk, bison, and horses. She manifests as our Queen of Flowers, descending each spring like the blue-clad goddess of Easter. She manifests as our mistress of animals, a goddess dressed in blue. When we see ourselves as mortals beneath a blue veil, we stand with clear hearts, side by side with green, revealing ourselves in all directions. This is our journey to peace; may all be well. This is the path of revival, happiness, blessing, and gratitude. She manifests as the pregnant goddess of the sky, Virgo, the abundant mother, the goddess of the night sky about to give birth, bathed in moonlight. She stands beside the moon, which supports her feet. On her beautiful head is a crown of zodiac stars scattered across the deep purple lines of the sky she weaves, symbolizing the three destinies of past, present, and future. She becomes our sovereign. She becomes the three-toothed laria bush swaying in the wind in our eyes. She became, in our eyes, the queen of the Mezcal Bahadda plain, the green among queens, the flower among flowers, the lady in blue. When we contemplate those beneath the blue veil, we are with the green, in all directions, wishing all well. This is a way of revival, happiness, blessing, and gratitude; may the blessing endure. She became the pregnant goddess of the sky, Virgo, the Virgin Mary, bathed in the radiance of sunlight. She stands like the moon, supporting herself on her feet. 

      You and I have both heard about it, so I'll tell you. Those people were doing something together; they were arranging the stars in the sky. All the stars were laid out on the floor like a giant jigsaw puzzle, a hundred pieces in total. So you had to be careful walking around the hall, or you might bump into the stars on the floor. They put the Pleiades in the eastern sky to mark the first frost of autumn, and they also put Polaris and Ursa Major. They had many good ideas and did a very good job rearranging the stars in the night sky so that everyone could understand what was going to happen next. Before they were even finished, look who came in—it was Mr. Coyote. He came in dressed in men's clothes and looked very smart. He was arrogant and frivolous, pacing around and sniffing everywhere. He didn't greet anyone or say a word. He swaggered in, lifted one leg, and urinated on the floor near the door, marking his territory. Everyone said, "Why are you urinating everywhere?" So the coyote looked around, sticking his tongue out above his teeth. He looked around and said in a sharp, piercing squawk, "Why are you throwing all the stars on the floor? I have some ideas about how to arrange them." Before anyone could react, he started wagging his tail and barking loudly, howling and yelling as he chased after the chipmunks, lizards, and robins, knocking over the house with puzzle pieces. All the stars were pushed around, a chaotic mess, just like today. So it's hard to figure out that shimmering, pollen-strewn path of stars, that hozogoo, bikeneh, sahh nagah, symbol of beauty, goodness, and longevity.

     Then Mary, also known as the "Mother of Change" (Adzaas'unnadli) because she constantly renewed herself, as green as a vibrant plant, said she would do something to heal diseases. She decided to do it where the morning sun rose, and so she sat down there. She did this because she loved being a mother, nurturing life, and enabling people to live good lives. She also did this because she believed that feeling good was a power, something people did naturally in their daily lives. Since there were only a few people there, she felt more people should participate, which was one of the reasons she did this. There were many cliff dwellings and stone houses; hummingbird nests filled with white eggshells, guarded by Gila lizards; squirrel burrows piled high with pine cones; chipmunks perched on their pine cone territories; owls hooted; robins hopped; agave and sotorium nests; deer and elk nests; cougar, pumas, and bear-lions nests. The great teacher was a bioregional vitalism master of the wild herbal path, a peace pilgrim dedicated to teaching strategies of love, compassion, and empowerment in the aftermath of war cults. In a supportive and loving community, people cared for one another, regarding the sun as a merciful shepherd who knew his sheep, and the sheep knew him. The young girl Mary left her settlement and came to the mountaintop, to the place where the sun rises. Mary, through her free will and choice, existed for her people and became one with them. She seduced the sun, becoming one with him. She lifted her skirt, and the Holy Spirit's wind—the breath of the sun—entered her body by her choice. She ascended the mountain for four consecutive mornings, and the sun's breath penetrated her body four times. This unmarried girl, now a woman in the eyes of our people, was pregnant, and the people gossiped about it.

         The method I'm describing is how teachers often interact with plants, allowing us to be with them in a more relaxed way and understand them intuitively and through experience. This plant, like all plants, is a living being created by the Creator. Often, when you approach a plant, you want to converse with the Creator. Understand that this isn't just me, but the result of our collective effort. You can converse with the Creator and the plant, describing your state and your intention in using it. Or, you can directly use the plant, employing your senses of taste, smell, touch, and sight. Depending on your tradition and comfort level, you can focus on several aspects: our Creator, the plant as part of the Creator (just like us), and the specific object you are collecting the plant from. The key is that we need to understand the plant as part of the Creator's creation, and what you are doing, why it's there, and what you are doing. Of course, you can also simply collect the plant without any mystical rituals. Use this plant, buy it in a store, and use it without ever seeing where it grows—Seattle, Miami, Detroit, Michigan, Florida, or Albany, New York City, Miami, Chicago, Parron, Panguech, Bitterwater—you will go to many places to spread peace and love to your family. 

     It's up to you. Personally, this is the approach I take based on my spiritual background and herbal knowledge. Our Creator created something with this plant, and you will create something with it. As we are taught, to avoid harming others and to share the potential of these herbs to alleviate suffering, to forgive but never forget. This means not repeating mistakes. However, it's important not to be too harsh; Larrea tridentata is endemic to the American Southwest. It defines the Southwest; it's everywhere. It's incredibly abundant. Often, the harvesting of wild plants raises serious sustainability and ethical issues. Because Larrea tridentata is so common, issues of sustainability, endangered species, and wild harvesting are completely disregarded when dealing with it. 

     If possible, it's best to work with the plant itself, yourself, and the practice, never stopping gathering together to directly understand how the plant works, always together, where the plant grows. 

Nadazdi. Mount Mogolon, located in New Mexico, north of Silver City. Tesegetti, near Reserve, New Mexico, at the northern end of Mount Mogolon. Head up to Magdalena, past Sugarloaf Mountain and Datil Mountain, over the Black Mountains, Luna Mountain and Escardillo Mountain, to Sierra Blanca, all the Blue Mountains and Balddi Mountain, then south to three mountains that resemble waves on water, covered in cacti: Lagobernadora, Santa Catalina, the massive sitting mountain with her outstretched legs, Mazlatl and Pinal, all these peaks forming a circle that you must visit, all together.

She became pregnant. Only she and the deity who walked through the sky knew the ways of childbirth and healing. Nine months later, she gave birth to a child where she had been sitting. For the next four mornings, she returned there with her child each morning. On the fourth day, the child miraculously returned with her. He was fully clothed and walked back with her.

     

     You must know that she dwells in a turquoise tent palace shimmering with orange light on the western horizon, where she sleeps every night with her radiant husband—the sun. She has a sister, a twin or double vagina, who is the moon's wife, Yolkai Estsan. Estsanatlehi can rejuvenate herself every time she begins to age, completing this process in just thirty days. Thus, women have this period every month, which is the origin of her name—"Self-Renewer, Guardian of Animals, Queen of Flowers." 

       On earth, as in heaven, filled with beauty and balance, the first couple conceived a child named "The Changer," also known as "The White Woman" or "Azza Nadler." Words, language, and thoughts flowed from her lips, all contained in a bundle, inherited by the Changer. The Changer was the mother of twins; she defeated the monster, born of water, a gift from the Gila lizard. Four days later, the Changer climbed a hill and met the sun. The sun asked her to leave and build him a house in the west. She agreed, but on the condition that it be as large as her house in the east, the one her sons had told her about. "I want it to float on the western waters," said the sun, "starting from the shore, so that when the population grows, they won't visit me so often and disturb me." "I want to plant all kinds of white shell stones, turquoise, rock salt, jet, soapstone, agate, and red stone around my house, and let them grow abundantly. Then I will stay there alone, doing nothing, because my sons and sisters will accompany me." "Give me some animals to keep me company." "It is all for me; I will go west with you." He promised her, and she took with her elk, bison, deer, stags, goats, hares, and prairie dogs. As she set off for her new home, some spirits accompanied her, helping to guide the ever-growing and numerous animals. In the Black Mountains, the bison broke away from their herd and fled east; they never returned and remain in the east to this day. Sometimes, the elk also went east, never to return. Sometimes, some antelopes, deer, and other herd animals also left, wandering eastward. After some time, the woman turned westward to the great waters, towards her floating home on the shore. She still lives there, where the sun greets her every day as it crosses the sky at the end of her journey.

A house was built for her, its walls painted in various colors, and a ladder placed inside. This was so she could survive on the power of the food. Furthermore, a white corn stalk and a turquoise corn stalk stood at the entrance as pillars. Their purpose was to let her know everything. Pollen drifted onto the corn stalk to the east, and onto the one to the west. Thus, at the top of one corn stalk, a bluebird would sing regularly; at the top of the other, a corn beetle would sing regularly. At dawn, one corn stalk would sing; at noon, one corn stalk would sing; at dusk, one corn stalk would sing; at midnight, one corn stalk would sing. They were given this mission. Estersa-Essen stroked her hair, face, and body, making her healthy and strong. Then they gave her the lamb that Ka de Tize had brought, which she held to her chest as she had placed it on the blanket before. Begochidi asked what name they would give the girl, but everyone remained silent. They watched her grow older and older until she became a hunched woman. As they gazed at her, she transformed back to youth, experiencing four transformations from youth to old age before their very eyes. In the fourth transformation, however, she retained the appearance of someone around twenty years old, remarkably beautiful. Begcidi called this white-haired woman Yurtke Stan, and so did everyone else. From then on, she could age and age at will, and thus she was also known as Estersa-a-Lehi, meaning "the woman who changes color." Then, he rose from the pile of clothes and returned the lamb to Ka de Tiz, the "man wrapped in rainbows." People turned away, and he went to each of them, lifting their heads gently with his hands to thank them for their gifts. Begcidi gave him a large basket of flowers, which he then distributed to the people. They tucked the flowers into their hair, and everyone was happy and grateful again. In the flower baskets he distributed were many poisonous herbs, called John Gilwe, Tooweso, Asgbini, and Ajatohi, but no one accepted them; people only accepted the beautiful flowers, while the poisonous herbs were returned to Hogan. Those receiving the ritual sat on the south side, facing the paintings and drawings, chanting what I believe to be the symbol of Estsan-ah-Lehi, a transformative woman who never appears in any of the paintings, though she is very sacred. This symbol was an ear of corn strung with turquoise, white shells, and other beads. The diminutive witch doctor, living east of Boystown, recounted the source of the sand used in her blessing rituals: the white sand mountains below Osha. It was a way of praying for rejuvenation and health blessings filled with gratitude. The blessing incantation: The story begins with the White Shell Woman. The locals possessed Hoganji's incantation and prayers, but without pictorial guidance, they always made mistakes. The woman with the white seashell told them that she would help them, "interpret" their lives, bless them with words of blessing, arrange their limbs in a blessed manner, and teach them painting and cormorant qigong.

     She first led them to a white cornfield. She stepped on the yellow pollen and then sat under a corn stalk—the one she had planted in the middle of the field. There she chanted all the incantations and prayers, and when she finished, a bluebird flew down, perched on a cornflower pot, and sang. She knew then that she had done everything perfectly. That night, the White Shell Woman prayed, and the next day, she drew a second house out of clouds. She built another cloud house, along with chairs and a place to put her medicine basket. Once everything was ready, she sat down, placed the medicine basket filled with phlegm before her, took off her clothes, and washed her body and hair. After chanting the incantations and praying, she told the people of Earth that she had taught them these painting techniques and that they would use them to pray for new life, health, blessings, gratitude , harvests, many children, and so on.

     Sunset Waters. "After all the tribes had established themselves on this land, the sun said to the Chameleon: 'Your work here is complete; you must now go to the Land of Sunset, where, above the distant sea, I have built a house for you. I will send powerful guards to accompany you—the rulers of hail, thunder, lightning, and water. Atop the palace perches a magnificent thunderbird, larger than any other, the king of all thunderbirds. On its back are smaller thunderbirds of various colors, each symbolizing a different ritual. In the center of the palace is a large room containing an altar adorned with all the blooming and withering flowers of the world, and the souls of all birds. The main entrance faces east, guarded by a white seashell bell that sounds an alarm whenever a visitor approaches. The Chameleon came to this place, dwelling there forever, and meeting the sun at dusk.'"

    The goddess of change, also known as the goddess of the earth and the goddess of the white shell, is the source of life, the nourishment upon which all things depend for survival, and the bestower of destiny. Just as the earth experiences the changing seasons—from the growth of spring and summer to the withering of autumn and the arrival of winter—the goddess of change also experiences aging, death, and rebirth. She is the symbol of the goddess of rain and the guardian deity behind the beauty of lakes, rivers, and mountains.

Initially, the Shapeshifter was discovered by the First Man as an infant; she was raised by the First Man and the First Woman. She matured rapidly, and upon her first menstruation, a grand puberty ceremony was held, attended by all living beings. Each creature offered songs to nurture humanity on the surface of the earth and to grant the Shapeshifter the ability to create this new race, as well as the power of regeneration. This ceremony is still performed for girls entering puberty. The Shapeshifter, clad in white seashells, was sculpted into the most beautiful maiden and offered to the sun. Women are symbolically sculpted as the Shapeshifter, thus becoming the source of beauty and fertility.

Regarding the ever-changing woman, the sun issued the following decrees: "She will care for her children and provide them with food. Wherever I go on Earth, she will govern the rain of women. I myself will control the rain of men. She will govern the vegetation in all places and benefit the people of Earth."

The mother is paramount as a symbol of life-giver. Saints are born from the earth's womb; ancestors are born from the womb of the mother of all things; all kinship originates from the mother's womb. The father conceives, but his connection with his children is established through the mother. Siblings are bound together by birth. The word "children" itself implies "born of the same womb," emphasizing the importance of the mother, not the father, in the parent-child relationship. Plants are seen as the "clothing" of the earth and mountains, a gift from creation, a manifestation of the mother's annual renewal.

   The "Woman of Metamorphosis" ('asdza' na'dlehe') is the most captivating. The sun is radiant and possesses a distinct personality. The "Woman of Metamorphosis" is a woman with mountain-like qualities. No matter how much we know about her, everything about her remains a huge question mark. She is the mystery of procreation, life born from nothing, the world's last hope, a puzzle constantly being solved and resurrected, literally a continuous rebirth.

Although the sun god's instructions to the White-Shelled Woman (also known as the Color-Changing Woman) also support my view: "The White-Shelled Woman will go to where I live... She will take care of her children and provide them with food. Wherever I go, she will control the rain of women. I myself will control the rain of men. She will control her vegetation and benefit the people of the earth."

In the sand art, the earth and sky are contrasted, forming a pair; while the ever-changing woman contrasts with the sun. In mythology, the earth and sky are primordial, giving birth to coyotes and badgers.

Equating the "Transformed Woman" with the "White-Shelled Woman," the story portrays the "Transformed Woman" as the first and most ideal baby, discovered under supernatural conditions.

The first man reported to his wife that a dark cloud had shrouded the central sacred mountain for four days; eventually, the mountain was covered in rain, indicating that a supernatural event was taking place. He sang as he came to the foot of the mountain and heard the cry of a baby. He found the baby lying in a cradle made of celestial messengers—two short rainbows lay vertically beneath the baby; red sunlight crisscrossed, shining on the baby's chest and feet. A curved rainbow stretched across the baby's face. The baby was enveloped by a dark cloud, beneath which lay dark, blue, yellow, and white clouds, flanked by jagged lightning bolts, through which a ray of sunlight pierced.

The first man, not knowing what to do with the baby, took it home and gave it to the first woman, who raised it with the help of a phantom god who could speak.

The newly discovered infant had eyes as black as charcoal and no blemishes (impurities) on its body. The first person and the talking god agreed that it should be fed with collected pollen, mixed with wild game broth and dew from beautiful flowers. The Salt Maiden said she wanted the child, and presumably the child was given to her. People believed that, because no one cared for it, the sun fed it with pollen. With this supernatural food, it grew exceptionally fast, its development a miracle.

The puberty ceremony of the "Transformation Woman" was the first and most grand in history, setting a precedent for later generations. The girl, dressed in a magnificent gown made of white seashells, was named—there was a debate over whether to name her "Transformation Woman" or "White Seashell Woman," but both names were ultimately retained—and then people sculpted her appearance by kneading and pressing, making her the most beautiful girl in history. All this effort was to please the sun god; people baked cakes for him, and she ran eastward many times for him. When she had her second menstruation, a ceremony was held, and she raced to please the moon god. A rainbow, undoubtedly a messenger of the sun god, approved of the ceremony and said to her, "This is the true White Seashell Woman." From then on, various accounts of the "Transformation Woman's" life and the basic characteristics of her gaining power have remained largely the same, so we can pause briefly to explore another version of her origin.

People wandered aimlessly, many devoured by monsters, leaving only four: an elderly couple with their two children, and a young couple. They discovered a small statue of a woman carved from turquoise. A talking god appeared, instructing the people to go to the summit of Mount Tekoy in four days. There, they encountered the gods. The gods brought the turquoise statue, and the white-faced figure corresponding to the talking god brought an almost identical white seashell statue. The talking god and Saktkoyan transformed the turquoise statue into the Shapeshifter, and the white seashell statue into the White Seashell Woman. At the same time, they transformed an ear of white corn into a white corn boy and an ear of yellow corn into a yellow corn girl. Afterward, the gods dispersed, taking the boy and girl away, leaving only the Shapeshifter and the White Seashell Woman alone on the mountain.

These stories include tales of "transformed women" attempting to have sex by exposing themselves to sunlight and water. At the time, people did not understand sexual relationships, but in one story, a girl just entering puberty, and in another story, two teenage girls, sexual desires had already begun to emerge.

After the Chameleon and the Sun had intercourse, the First Woman warned her that it was dangerous to leave home alone. She replied, "I am not ignorant," indicating that the Chameleon possessed supernatural powers and needed no instruction. While gathering seeds, she encountered a white creature riding a white horse and wearing a white robe—the Sun. He invited her to meet him in a specially constructed shrub hut. The First Man built this hut for her, and the Sun visited her for four consecutive nights, after which she became pregnant.

Before the monsters in the world are eradicated, the shapeshifting woman's home is in tco'l'i'i.

Many sources indicate that life at that time was extremely difficult, requiring a great deal of labor, and the main sustenance consisted of seeds, berries, and small rodents. After the twins' first departure, the story primarily revolves around the "Changing Woman." Apparently, she lived the life of an ordinary woman for a time, managing household chores, while the children returned home to report, rest, replenish their energy, and gather information about their next adventure. After defeating the most ferocious monster, the Demon Slayer and the Water Child visited the Sun again, as many smaller evils remained to be eradicated. The Sun gave them five rings—black, blue, yellow, white, and multicolored—each with a large sword of the same color attached; he also gave them four large hailstones of the same color as the previous four rings, instructing them to ask their mother how to use them. The Changing Woman protested, saying that the Sun had never actually visited her home, only seen him from afar, and said she would try to do something with the rings. Using the rings, hailstones, and swords, she unleashed a fierce storm aimed at uncovering all evil and danger, no matter how well hidden. She said that all evil had now been conquered; when the wind whispered the name "old age" in the demon slayer's ear, she refused to answer even when asked four times. This event led to tolerance of forces "between good and evil." 

Although she gave birth to children destined to slay monsters, whose exploits made them war goddesses with the power to fight all enemies, the Goddess of Change cherished peace. When the gods gathered to discuss the war between the Dark Thunder and the Winter Thunder, the Goddess of Change was the first to enter. As soon as the topic was raised, she declared firmly, "I did not give birth to these children to wage war, but to completely eradicate the monsters from the world." No sooner had she finished speaking than the Monster Slayer stood up and said, "I will not go to war with you. My mother does not approve." The Child of Water also refused to participate in the war for the same reason.

The "Transformer" is involved in many events, but they cannot be arranged chronologically; in fact, there is no need to, for she and her will are eternal. The secondary theme—the "Transformer's" westward migration—is almost as important as the primary theme.

The twin gods overcame the main obstacle to human survival on Earth. When the sun god redistributed the gods, he especially desired that the chameleon reside in the west, and prepared a luxurious dwelling for her there. The gods repeatedly persuaded her; the house was described as exceptionally beautiful, exactly like the sun god's house in the east. Each direction corresponded to a jeweled horse; in the center of the house, at the base of a perfect corn stalk, stood a jet-black horse, with twelve ears of corn growing on each side of the stalk. A black songbird perched atop the stalk. Food included pollen, jewels, and holy water. As a final temptation, the gods promised eternal youth and the path to perfection (sa'a na'yai bike xojo'n), but even this failed to sway the chameleon.

Granting her the power to control rain and vegetation, listing the most coveted clothing and accessories—none of this could sway her. Even the insults of her monster hunter rival—a native—who spoke ill of her ignorance were of no use. Finally, when the power of war—the gleaming light, the clanging of flint armor, and threatening words—was awakened, she agreed.

The leader gently told her that doing so would ruin her own plans, since it was she who had proposed distributing the Holy People to different places. Although she had compromised, she still pleaded, "Maybe there will be no one there at all, and I will be very lonely." The leader assured her that the Holy People would often gather at her place and eventually instructed her on the relocation.

To repay his kindness in helping the twin brothers, Sun asked for her permission. This reveals the extent of her control over her powerful husband and sons: she couldn't tolerate her sons making promises on her behalf, nor could she tolerate anything Sun did that would benefit her. In this version, the transvestite describes the house she would be willing to accept in the West. She wants it on a small island far from the coast so she won't be bothered by too many people. She also wants animal companionship. Sun fulfills all her requests.

Women's control over childbirth and reproduction has grown ever stronger, extending to everything on Earth. Feeling lonely in her Western home, she created new life and guided them on how to reunite with their Eastern relatives.

The many gifts bestowed by the goddess of color change were rituals or celebrations, too numerous to list here. Her will was infinitely benevolent. She bestowed upon humankind many songs, created horses, and promulgated laws governing fertility and infertility. She once attended the rain child's chanting, washed and bathed him, and laid out his clothes; on another occasion, she brought sacrificial food. At gatherings of the gods, her appearance was highly revered; when she arrived, the other deities would bow in respect.

In the simple ceremony on the final day of the Archery Hymn, the chanter guides the sick to a sand painting, symbolizing the eternal rebirth of the Shapeshifter. The story of the Eagle Hymn contains a creation myth. The Shapeshifter lived on Rotating Mountain, her five domed huts now turned to stone. She rubbed her skin from beneath her breast to create two women, the White Shell Woman and the Turquoise Woman, who later became wives of monster slayers.

The RP version of the "Ball Song" story explains that the Witch of Change is the mother of five daughters, one of whom is the Ballad Witch. The Ballad Witch's son is the Scavenger, who is the hero of the ballad.

     In the story of "The Twins," the White Seashell Woman is the sister of the Color-Changing Woman. The twins always believed the Color-Changing Woman was their mother, but in reality, she was their mother's sister. While traveling east, they found the Sun Wife's house, built entirely of white seashells. We cannot be certain whether this wife is the one who lives on Earth and urged them to find the Sun, or whether there is more than one such woman. In any case, when the Sun returns at night, she is angry with him, questioning his behavior on Earth—an attitude typical of the Sun's celestial wife.

After the statues were created, the White-Shelled Woman and the Shapeshifter (sisters since they were created at the same time) lived together on the Rotating Mountain. She was the mother of the youngest son, the "Child of Water." The White-Shelled Woman played a minor role in the children's lives. One day, after the children were discovered and the great monster had been deceived by the Shapeshifter, the White-Shelled Woman climbed to the mountaintop and looked around, seeing many monsters rushing towards their home. She told her sister what had happened, and the sister stirred up a storm, forcing the monsters to return. When the Shapeshifter prepared to travel west, the White-Shelled Woman chose to go to Mount La Plata. She wandered there for five days, feeling unbearably lonely, until the speaking god and other deities took pity on her and created more people from corn. To indicate that this was a secondary or secondary creation, the text continues: "There was no singing or prayer during the rituals, and all the rites were completed in one day."

White shell

The next morning, people searched for her in vain. They believed she had gone to Tseyi', stayed there for a while, and then gone to Mount Río de la Plata to live forever in the white seashell house prepared for her. The little girl had a dream in which the white seashell woman came to her and said, "My granddaughter, I am going to live in Mount Río de la Plata. I love you and wish I could take you with me, but I fear your parents would grieve for you. But when the drizzle falls on your dwelling, be sure to look for me in the rain, for I will be there."

In *The Song of the Eagle*, the White-Shelled Woman and the Turquoise Woman are sisters, both created by the Shapeshifter from the skin rubbed beneath her breasts. Their story, like that of all these primal women, recounts their wandering and hiding to escape monsters, their desperate search for meager sustenance, and their unspeakable loneliness. Finally, a talking god and xactc'e'oyan gave them corn. A monster slayer visited their camp, taught them how to hunt, and eventually took them home to be his wives. He taught them ritual purification and bestowed upon them beautiful garments. He also gave them long hair, long eyebrows, bright eyes, and smiling lips.

The Corn Girls, using their urban tricks, snatched the Monster Slayer from the White Shell Girl and the Turquoise Girl. Their appearance was identical to the White Shell Girl and the Turquoise Girl; only their bold behavior distinguished them from the Navajo girls. This is an example of secondary identity: the Shapeshifter created two girls remarkably similar to herself, who were then replaced for a long time by two clones sent by the Deer Lord. 

Mountain Places

Mountain Places

Báshzhiné Dził or Dził Łigai Sí'án White Mountain, 

Dzil Nchaa Si An. I don’t really know anything about these things and if you want to know you should make yourself strong with the pollen i was talking about, that grows on the mountain we will go visit together soon. We are two legged people that is all I am saying. Stop wasting time arguing and laughing making fun of people. I don't care about who you sleep with or if your eyes are blue, if your pony tail is long, or your podcast or what car you drive. This is the time to travel together and sell everything you own and join together to pray on these places for the wellbeing. There are people we are praying for right now that they will become strong. This divine mother knows their names. I was washing angelica roots in the Yak river and she said, "Oh I remember you, you were washing angelica roots in the Yak river 12 years ago.", Then Julia met me on a trail, a few months ago after I had been talking to a gila monster. The Gila monster told me, "Paul you will see a beautiful woman and her sister, keep walking on the trail. She will not recognize you. She will be bearfoot walking on the creek." I thought "Oh really?" Then there she was and we had met picking thornless raspberry flowers. I drew her picture in my notebook because she was so beautiful. She made a glycerite with Michael Cottingham, we were soaking in a hot spring 15 years ago. She was 25 years old then and she still looks like a beautiful girl at age 40 today. So there are these good things in a good way. Not selling lottery tickets or golden parachute investments.

https://youtu.be/xooAA5_WTOQ?si=ykXN--tE9QKKV7HQ

We visit these plants without any filter in the biospirit hit zone. What we will not be able to do, she will do. So that is all I have been saying since Eileen and Josh were by my side and we would go up to the spring where the oaks and manzanita grow. There were root beer flowers and indian rice grass circles in the red sand. We would feed Sally’s horses and walk down to Easton’s. Susan and Steve were making sweats and we were not afraid of anything because we loved each other. 

Owning the Peace Pilgrim way. Every twelve years with the Saturn return, the holy people wandering star returns up there in the sky. We do same, return and deep within our wellbeing we work to complete our vow to return to mountain places we been to visited before to visit again. I know some of you are like me, old and worn out, doing this a long time, I am telling you, do not quit. Do not give up. Keep your promises and re-visit these sacred mountains with me together. Even if you visit only one mountain, to to the work there renew your bundle. It is because you visit these mountains and pray together that the rain falls, from the top of the mountain. Think back to your own rites of passage and changes. You can see the messaging birth, age 12, age 24, age 36, age 48, age 60, age 72, age 84, age 96. This is, 'Sah Nageh bik'eh Hoazogo', the old age well being road. Ha'shona waslii, Ha'shona waslii, Ha'shona waslii, Ha'shona waslii, always four times. People will laugh at you and call you names but that doesn't matter, we are doing this for the children to come like the orange mariposa lily, like the white mariposa lily, like the blue lily grass, like the creme colored mariposa lily, the gila monster who guards the hummingbird nest, for the alder tree medicine and yellow monkey flower children, generation after generation, not to sell books or bow to middle eastern tribes, or replace people with machines or talk into microphones. All different kinds of things happening at different times in your life, not all different not all the same. Grateful with this commune of sharing at different ages. Singing praying from bottom of mountain to where you go near the top, to renew your promises made before. At the bottom you are praying with creosote aristilochia mesquite looking up at the four directions, while on the top you are praying with pine pollen, cedars looking down in all four directions. What you are doing is paying attention to everything especially your special intentions for the persons, plants and place in the will, in the heart, in the mind, with all the senses to break out love our people, love our place, these plants and mountains. Why am I here? Where am I going? How to do it in the best way? In my thoughts are wellbeing for everyone without exception. This is the rejuvenation wellbeing blessing thankful way. Of course every year when the estafiate comes up we renew, we rejuvenate it calling it the wind, wood liver energy. The rejuvenation like that of Mother Earth happens each year at springtime. So in this way, I happened to be praying for a long time going back and forth for everyone wanting to follow the Wild Herb Ways and for someone named ‘M’ becaused he was supposed to be teaching about the plants. When praying you can not care about effecting a specific change in a specific person because they have free will and what they want to do is what they are going to do based on what is in their mind and in their heart. If you send positive wellbeing and they want to embrace the selfishness of individualism for their own not wanting to have all things in common in a commune Wild Herb Ways sharing all ownership, then you let it go. It was a time of war and a cult had taken over so everyone was on edge, arguing, talking in a loud angry voice, pacing back and forth, yelling and screaming when normally whatever it was would not even be noticed at all. Even women who you would expect to be taking care of babies and baking cookies or making sandwiches were quarrelsome and yelling with a loud voice or strapping items on between their legs creating monsters, carrying knives and guns, drinking like tattoo sailors on shore leave. Women were pretending to be men and men were pretending to be women and no one could tell which was which. There was  imbalance and the seasons would go from winter to summer then back to winter. The prayers were not being said and the gourd dipper bowls at the very top of the mountain were empty, no one was praying there, so the snow would not fall, then rain would not fall. People laugh at me when I tell them all of us can pray together. All of us must pray together. Do you hear what I am saying, free speech, no reach?

      I am talking now about the mountain in the south west, three mountains together like waves on the water, each with saguaro at the base, creosote into juniper and oaks, growth into pine and spruce. There are three mountains together in the south west each one a nicely sitting there mountain there whose feet are in La Gobernadra meadows, waving green with five pointed yellow flowers, waving, big cactus trees with sweet fruit, cholla. Below is the south Gila river with cottonwood trees between them, to south east a Black mountain, farther north is the Rio Grande north and south to Magdalena in the north east then west north to Sierra Blanca, Escadillo and another great mountain lying down in the north west. These are the four sacred mountain areas. Somewhere at the top of each of these mountains is a gourd dipper, filled with water, connected to the north star man and the woman Cassiopeia who are a couple working to pool the water of springs and rivers that flow down to the valleys below. All these sacred mountains must be filled with water by prayers. If they are not filled with prayers then the snow will not come, the rivers will barely flow and dusty wind will make the people angry and no good for working together. We have seen this working to punish them with the damn at Glen Canyon, where the lake and damn are drying up. Where there were many power plants burning coal to better the lives of our people so they could control their destiny with electricity and running water. NGS Navajo Generating Station near Li’chi, San Juan Generating station at Shiprock, Four Corners Generating Station, Cholla Power Plant now they are gone and the high paying jobs are gone. A man could work and have a family with children and they go to colleges. First they closed the mines and tore all the power plants down.  Then the regime government brought in opium, fentanyl, crystal methamphetamine and marijuana to further enslave and destroy with the cult of violent for profit mechanized war star stripe flag waving. All this 25 years of geno-eco-cide, fof the middle east tribe Eppy network 1973-2026, mideast war everybody an ecocide dividend casuality all these boomer herbalists who can not say peace, oh yes we advertise protest politiks but we never say peace, we never say dialogue, we never say commune, we have our eco-cide war dividend podcast check, more shekels more shiksa goyim fed slop. Are you going to sit with the plants? Are you going to pray? or are you going to fed slop?

     We call the earth by this name, Mary, for she never grows old. When her age began to show, she simply walked toward the east until she saw her form coming toward herself. She kept walking until her young self merged with her aging self and then, renewed, returned to her home. Among us who proclaim the commune peace pilgrim life born of free will, the name of this eternal was pastel drawn with colored pencil Woman. The colour of sky above us is turquoise blue sky. She wears the sky-goddess cape dazzle blue. She is wife girl friend lover of the sun. She becomes for us the divana pastora, the divine shepherdess. She wears a big hat and has a walking stick, her clothes are rough, she wears a skirt with flat shoes for walking. She has a child with her. She is the mother who works with healing plants because she met them caring for the sheep. She is the keeper of animals, of chipmunks and ground moles, of rabbits and cottontails, of fox, bob cat, wolf and bear. She is the keeper herder of sheep, cows, deer, antelope, elk, buffalo and elk. She becomes for us the queen of the flower world of flowers, coming every spring as Easter La Dama azul. She becomes for us the mistress of animals, The Lady in blue. As we consider ourselves those of us above ground under the mantle of blue, we make it clear by becoming clear, standing with the green, in all directions. This is our journey to peace through peace may all be well, This is the rejuvenation wellbeing blessing thankful way. ings always. She becomes the pregnant sky woman, Virgo, fertile mother La Señora of the night zodiac stars about to give birth, clothed with glory of moon light. She stands with the moon, as the moon supporting both her feet. On her head of beauty is a wreath crown of the 12 star signs along the ecliptic we know as the zodiac, strewn across the dark purple thread she weaves of sky, that are the three fates past, present and future. She becomes for us  la gobernadora. She becomes for us the Larrea tridentata, creosote bush waving in the wind. She becomes for us the she being the queen on mescal bajada flats, greening of queens, flower of flowers, La Dama azul. The Lady in blue. As we consider those of us above ground under the mantle of blue, we stand with the green, in all directions, may all be well, This is the rejuvenation wellbeing blessing thankful way, blessings always. She became the pregnant sky woman, Virgo, La Señora, clothed with glory of sun light. She stands as the moon supporting both her feet. 

      The men We and I were told, so I tell you that they were doing something together, arranging all the stars in the sky. All the stars were laid out on the floor, like a giant jig saw puzzle in one hundred pieces. So you had to be careful walking around or you might bump the stars laying on the floor of that meeting house. They put up the Pleiades so in the eastern sky marking it for the first frosts of Autumn and the bear stars with Polaris turning around. They had a lot of good ideas and were doing good work, rearranging the stars of the night sky so everyone could understand what would happen next after that and after that. Before they could finish, look who walked in through the door, Mr coyote walked in. He came by and was sharp dressed in a man’s clothes. He was arrogant and frisky. He walked around sniffing everything with his nose. He didn't greet anyone or say anything. He wandered in and lifted his leg, peeing on the floor, near the door way and marking his territory everyone said, “Why are you pissing all over the house?” So coyote looked back and forth, sticking his tongue out over his teeth to the side. Looking this way and that, He said, in a barking snapy quack, quack voice, “What are you doing with all the stars on the floor? I have some ideas on how all the stars should go.” Before they could do anything he started wagging his tail, making a loud barking voice and howling and yap yapping and chasing chipmunk, gila monster and robin around the room, knocking over all the pieces of the puzzle. All the stars got pushed around in a big mess like they are today. So it is hard to figure out the star pollen dazzling star path of hozogoo, bikeneh, sahh nagah, of beauty and a good old age.

     Then Mary who is also called changing Adzaas'unnadli, because she renews herself, her self being the green of plants that return. said she would do something for a remedy. Thinking she would do it where the Sun first shone in the morning, she seated herself there. She was doing this because she liked it, to be a mother and carry life, so that people might live in a good way. Also she was doing it because to feel good is a power and strength and something people do in normal everyday situations. There were few people and she thought there should be many and she did it for that reason too.

      There were many cliff houses, stone houses, hummingbirds nests filled with white shell eggs guarded by gila monsters, squirrel houses with pine nuts, pine cone chipmunk areas, owls hooting, robins hopping, agave and sotol houses, deer and elk houses, cougar, bob cat and bear houses there. The Great Teacher is a bioregional vitalist teacher of Wild Herb Ways, a peace pilgrim wellbeing advocate teaching love, compassion and empowerment strategies within the war cult dividend. Who being together in a communal supportive environment  authenticate caring embraces Sun sky father as the good shepherd who knows his sheep and the sheep know him. Mary maiden Mary went from the settlement to the top of a high mountain and went where the rays of the rising Sun first strike. Mary used her free will and choice to exist and become for her people. She seduced the Sun and joined herself together with him. She raised her skirt and the “breath” of the Sun which is wind of the Holy Ghost at her choosing over took her entered her. She went up the mountain four consecutive mornings, and four times the breath of the Sun penetrated her. This girl who had never been married was now a woman for her us our people, became pregnant and the people were making remarks about it.

         The way that I described, is the way that teachers often work with a plant in order for us to hang out, spend time in a rather relaxed way, with the plant and understand the plant intuitively and experientially. This plant, like all plants is a living being, made by Creator and often times when you approach the plant you want to speak with Creator. You have to understand, none of this is coming from me, it is us working together. Have a conversation between yourself, Creator, and the plant in terms of describing your condition and your intentions for use. Or simply use the plant, as it is, using your sense of taste, smell, touch, sight. Depending on your tradition, and what you are comfortable with, you want to focus on several things, our Creator, the plant which is part of creation as we are, and the specific person for who you are gathering. The idea is that we need to understand the plant within creation made by Creator and then what you are doing, why you're there, and what you're doing. Of course it's possible to just gather the plant, without any woo woo mumbo jumbo. Use the plant, buy the plant at a store and use the plant and never see where it grows, Seattle, Miami, Detroit Michigan, Florida or Albany, New York City, Miami, Chicago, Pahrump, Panguitch, Bitter Water, many places you will go to spread peace and love for your families. 

     It's up to you. For me though this is my approach according to my spiritual background and herbal understanding. Our Creator has created something with this plant, and you are going to create something too with this plant. To do no harm and share the possibility of mitigation of suffering by these herbs, as we are taught, to forgive but never forget. In the sense of not doing the same mistakes over and over. Yet it’s important not to be too heavy handed, Larrea tridentata is the southwest. It defines the south west, it is everywhere. It is plentiful. Many times with wild harvested plants there are serious sustainability issues, ethics of harvesting a wild plant. Considerations such as sustainability, endangered plants, wild harvesting are not at all part of dealing with creosote because of its extreme availability. 

     It's good to work, if you can, with the plant itself, yourself and practice together never stop gathering together, getting into how the plant works in a face to face way directly, always together where the plant grows. 

nadazdi. The Mogollon Mountain, in New Mexico., north of Silver City. Tsegqtee Near Reserve, New Mexico., the north end of Mogollon Mountain. Up tp Magdalena, across sugar loaf and Datil, above the Black range, Luna and Escadillo, Sierra Blanca all the Blues and Baldy, then south to the three mountains like waves on the water with saguaro La Gobernadora, Santa Catalina, the great sitting mountain and her feet stretched out Mazlatl and the Pinal, all them in a circle you must visit, everyone together.

She became pregnant. She and the one walking around back and forth across the sky, were the only ones who understood about fertility and healing. After nine months she gave birth to a child there where she sat. She went back to the place with her child early each morning for four mornings and on the fourth, the child walked back with her. He was entirely dressed as he walked back with her.

     

     You must know she lives in a turquoise tent palace at the glowing orange western horizon, where each night she beds down her luminous husband, the Sun. She has sister twin or double vagina of Yolkai Estsan, the moon's wife, Estsanatlehi was able to make herself young each time she began to age, accomplishing this in thirty days, so women have this time every month thus her name, the "self-renewing one keeper of mistress of animals, queen of flowers”. 

       On Earth, as in Heaven, full of beauty and balance, the first man and the first woman had a child, Change Woman, also known as the White-painted Woman or Asdzą́́ Nádle. She is accompanied by items flowing from the mouth and tongue that are words and speech and thought, both of which are in a bundle that Change Woman inherits. Change Woman is the mother of twins, she defeats the monsters, and is born for the water. She is the gift of the Gila Monster. At the end of four days Change Woman went up the hill and met with the sun, who asked her to go away and build him a house in the west. She agreed on the condition that she build a house as big as the one she had in the east, and that her sons had told her about. "I want it made floating in the western water," he said, ""from the shore so that in the future, when the people increase, they will not bother me with too many visits. I want all kinds of white stone shells, turquoise, halite, jet, soapstone, agate, and red stone planted around my house, so that they will grow and increase. Then I will be alone there and have nothing to do, for my sons and sister will go with me. Give me animals to go with. All this for me and I will go with you to the west." He promised her all these things and she made elk, buffalo, deer, long-tailed deer, mountain sheep, jackrabbits and prairie dogs to go with her. When she started for her new home, some divine people went with her to help her guide her animals, which were now in excess and increasing daily. At Black Mountain the buffalo broke away from the herd and fled to the east; They never returned and are still in the east. Sometimes the elk went east and never came back. Sometimes a few of the antelope, deer and other herd animals left and wandered east. After a while the woman changed to the big water in the west and went to her floating home beyond the shore. Here she still lives and here the sun meets her when her journey is done, each day as it crosses the sky

A house had been built for her, designed in various colors on the outside, and inside a ladder had been provided. The purpose of this was that she would live by the strength of this food. and too a white shell cornstalk and a turquoise cornstalk were set at her entrance and were made as uprights of the entrance. Their purpose was to make all things known to her. Pollen flowed down on the one to the east and on the one to the west. So at the tip of the one a bluebird regularly gave its call, at the tip of the other a cornbeetle regularly called. One would call regularly in the morning, the other at noon, one in the evening, another at midnight, and one at dawn. They had been made to do just that.

Estsa-eson stroked her hair and face and body to make her good and strong. Then they gave her the lamb that Kai de-Tizi had brought her, and she held it to her bosom, as she had laid it on the blanket. Begochiddy asked the people what name they would give this girl, but all were silent. And while they watched her, she grew older and older until she was a bent woman, and even as they watched her, she grew younger again, and changed before their eyes four times from youth to age, but in the fourth change she remained about twenty years old and she was very beautiful. Begochiddy called the white-haired woman Yultkay Stan, and the rest of the people called her by that name. From this time on, she could always be as old or as young as she wanted, and for this reason she was also called Estsa-ah-lehi, or the Changing Woman. Then he rose from the heap of clothes and returned the lamb to Kay-des-tizhi, the Man-wrapped-in-a-Rainbow. And the people turned their backs to him, and he went to each one and took his head in his hand and lifted them a little and thanked them for their gift. Begdey gave him a large basket full of flowers and gave the flowers to the people who put them in their hair and all were happy and grateful again. In the basket of flowers which he passed around were many poison grasses called Johnjilway, Toh-owhetso, Asgai-binee, Ajah-tohee, but no one received them; they only received the good flowers and the poison grasses were returned to Hogan. The person to whom the ceremony is being given sits to the south of it, the drawings and painting and sings, what I believe is the symbol of Estsan-ah-Lehi, the transforming woman, who never appears in any painting, although she is very sacred. This symbolic object is an ear of corn, strung on strings of turquoise, white shell, and other beads. The short little one, a medicine man living on the eastern side of the Boy, gave the following origin of the sand used in her ritual of blessing from the White sand Range below the osha mountain. This is the rejuvenation wellbeing blessing thankful way. blessing the chant: The story begins with the White Shell Woman. The people of the land had the chant and prayer belonging to Hozhonji, but because they had no painting to guide them, they were constantly mistaken. The White Shell Woman told them that she would help them and would “read” upon them, and use good words upon them, and arrange their arms and legs in a good way, in a blessing way and teach them the painting, the osprey qigong exercises.

     She first took them to a white cornfield. She made her feet in the yellow pollen and then sat herself under a stalk of corn. This corn cob she had planted in the center of the cornfield. Here she said all the chants and prayers and when she was finished, a blue bird came and perched on the cornflower bowl and sang. In this way she knew that she had done everything perfectly. During the night, the White Shell Woman prayed and the next day she made her second painting of her house from the clouds. He built the cloud house again and the chair and the place for the medicine basket. This done, he took the chair and placed a medicine basket full of sputum in front of him and took off his clothes, washed and bathed his body and hair. He finished with a chant and a prayer and then told the people of Earth that he had now taught them the drawings and would use them for rejuvenation wellbeing blessing thankful way, blessings, crops, more children or whatever.

     Water of the sunset. "When all the tribes had been established on this present earth, the Sun said to Changing Woman, `Your work here is finished; you must now go to the place of the sunset, where, far out over the great waters, I have built a house for you. I will send powerful guards with you the Hail, the Thunder, the Lightning, and the Water Ruler. The Wind, the Rain, the Clouds, and the Light have helped me make a beautiful house for you, and I wish you to live where I can meet you in the evening.' This house was built on a beautiful island called `Land that Floats on the Water.' In it were four rooms on each of its four floors, for which there were ladders of black jet, white shell, turquoise, and abalone on the four sides. On top of the house there was a multicolored thunderbird, larger than any that has ever been see, who was the chief of all thunderbirds. On his back he carried small thunderbirds of all the ceremonial colors. In the center of this palace was a large room with an altar decorated with all the colors of every flower that had bloomed and faded on earth, and with the spirits of all the birds. The main entrance was toward the east and was guarded by a white-shell rattle which gave the alarm whenever a visitor approached. To this place Changing Woman came to live forever and meet the Sun in the evenings.

    Changing Woman is also called Earth Woman and White Shell Woman. She is the source of life, the giver of sustenance and destiny to all beings. As the Earth goes through seasonal changes - from the growth of spring and summer to the dying of fall and the coming of winter - so Changing Woman can attain old age, die, and be reborn. She is the symbol of the Female Rains and the presence behind the beauty of lakes, rivers, and mountains.

In the beginning, Changing Woman was found as a baby by First Man; she was reared by First Man and First Woman. She matured quickly, and at the time of her first menstruation a puberty rite was held to which all creatures came. Each creature offered groups of songs to bring Earth Surface People into being and to enable Changing Woman to create this new race and give them the power of regeneration. This is the rite that is still held for  girls entering puberty. Dressed in white shell and molded into the most beautiful of maidens, Changing Woman was given to the Sun. Women are symbolically made into Changing Woman and are therefore wellsprings of beauty and reproduction.

Concerning Changing Woman, the Sun made the following decree: "She will attend to her children and provide their food. Everywhere I go over the Earth, she will have charge of female rain. I myself will control male rain. She will be in control of vegetation everywhere for the benefit of Earth People."

The symbol of the mother as the giver of life is most important. Out of the womb of the Earth, the Holy People emerged; from the womb of Changing Woman the ancestors came; From the womb all relationships are traced through the womb of the mother. The father brings about conception, but it is through the mother that he is related to the children. Brothers and sisters are related to each other through their having been borne in the same womb. There is a word children which means "those who came from the same womb" and which places the emphasis of parentage on the mother rather than on the father. Vegetation is considered the `dress' of the earth and the mountains, a gift bestowed at creation, a function of Changing Woman's annual rejuvenation.

   Changing Woman ('asdza' na'dlehe') is the most fascinating appealing. Sun is attractive, his character obvious and clear. Changing Woman is Woman with a mountain quality. No matter how much we know about her, the total is a great question mark. She is the mystery of reproduction, of life springing from nothing, of the last hope of the world, a riddle perpetually solved and perennially springing up anew, literally.

Although Sun's decree concerning Whiteshell Woman, another name for Changing Woman, also contributes to my opinion: "Whiteshell Woman will go where I live. . . . She will attend to her children and provide their food. Everywhere I go over the earth she will have charge of female rain. I myself will control male rain. She will be in control of vegetation everywhere for the benefit of Earth People." Mirage Talking God and xactc'e'oyan decorated her with all kinds of herbage and flowers wherever they grew.

In sandpainting Earth is set off against Sky, the two making a pair, whereas Changing Woman is really a contrast to Sun. In myth Earth and Sky are primordial, having given rise to Coyote and Badger.

The identification of Changing Woman with Whiteshell Woman is one story that represents Changing Woman as the first and ideal baby, found under supernatural conditions.

First Man reported to his wife that for four days a dark rain cloud had hovered over tc'ol'i'i, the central sacred mountain; finally, the mountain was covered with rain, an indication that supernatural events were taking place. With song he approached the place and he heard a baby cry. He discovered the baby in a cradle consisting of sky messengers-two short rainbows lay longitudinally under the baby; cross-wise at its chest and feet were red sunrays. A curved rainbow arched over the face. Wrapped in a dark cloud, the infant was covered with dark, blue, yellow, and white clouds, held in by side lacings of zigzag lightning with a sunbeam laced through them.

First Man did not know what to do with the baby and took it home to First Woman who, with the aid of Mirage Talking God, reared it.

The eyes of the newly found babe were black as charcoal and there was no blemish (impurity) anywhere on its body. First Man and Talking God agreed that it should be fed on collected pollen moistened with game broth and the dew of beautiful flowers. Salt Woman said she wanted the child and, presumably, it was given to her. It is thought that since there was no one to nurse it, Sun fed it on pollen. Nourished on such supernatural fare, it grew remarkably fast, developing with miraculous speed.

Changing Woman's adolescence ceremony was the first and most elaborate ever performed, and set a precedent for the future. Ceremonially dressed in whiteshell, the young girl was named-there was an argument about the names Changing Woman and Whiteshell Woman; both were retained-and she was modeled by kneading and pressing; thus she became the most beautiful maiden that ever existed. The entire effort was to make her pleasing to Sun; a cake was baked for his benefit and for him she ran several times to the east. At the appearance of her second menses there was a ceremony at which she raced for Moon's benefit. A rainbow, undoubtedly Sun's messenger, indicating approval of the ceremony, spoke to her: "This is truly Whiteshell Woman" Since from this point on, various tales agree about the essential features of Changing Woman's life and attainment of power, we may pause for a moment to consider a different story of her origin.

The people had been wandering and so many had been devoured by the monsters that only four, an old man and woman and their two children, a young man and woman, were left. They found a small image of a woman fashioned in turquoise. Talking God appeared to the people, bidding them to come to the top of tc'ol'i'i in four days. There they found an assembly of the gods. They had brought the turquoise image with them, and White Body, the counterpart of Talking God, had one nearly like it made of whiteshell. Talking God and xactc'e'oyan transformed the turquoise image into Changing Woman, the whiteshell image into Whiteshell Woman. At the same time they transformed an ear of white corn into White-corn-boy and an ear of yellow corn into Yellow-corn-girl. Then the company dispersed, the gods taking the boy and girl with them and leaving Changing Woman and Whiteshell Woman alone on the mountain.

The stories include Changing Woman's attempt to have intercourse by exposing herself to sunlight and water. People did not yet understand sexual relations, but the girl who had just reached puberty in the one case, the two maidens in the other, had sexual desire.

After Changing Woman had had intercourse with Sun, First Woman warned her of the danger in going away from home alone. She answered, "I am not entirely without knowledge," indicating that Changing Woman was endowed with supernatural power which did not depend upon instruction. Going to gather seeds, she met the white creature on a white horse with white trappings who turned out to be Sun. He instructed her to meet him in an especially prepared brush shelter. First Man built this for her and Sun visited her four successive nights, after which she became pregnant

Until the world had been cleared of monsters, Changing Woman's home was at tco'l'i'i.

Numerous references agree that living was hard and required a great deal of labor, subsistence consisting primarily of seeds, berries, and small rodents. The story after the first departure of The Twins concerns Changing Woman slightly. For some time she evidently pursued an ordinary woman's life, keeping the home to which the boys returned to report, to rest, and to get new strength and information about the next adventures.

After they had killed the worst of the monsters, Monster Slayer and Child-of-the-water made a second visit to Sun because there were still numerous lesser evils which had not been overcome. Sun gave them five hoops-black, blue, yellow, white, and varicolored-to each of which a large knife of the same color was attached; in addition, he gave them four great hailstones colored like the first four hoops, telling them to ask their mother what to do with them. Changing Woman, protesting that she had never been visited by Sun but had seen him only at a great distance, said she would try to do something with the hoops. By means of the hoops, hailstones, and knives she caused a fierce storm calculated to find every evil and danger no matter how well hidden. She said that now all evil was conquered; when Wind whispered the name of Old Age into Monster Slayer's ear, she would answer no question about it, even when asked the fourth time. The episode led to the tolerance of the powers 'somewhere between good and evil' 

Although she had borne the children destined to kill the monsters, which feats made them the chief war gods with power against all foreign dangers, Changing Woman stood for peace. When the gods assembled to consider the war between Dark Thunder and Winter Thunder, Changing Woman was the first to enter. As soon as the subject was broached, she said decisively, "I did not bear these children to go to war, but to rid the world of monsters." Thereupon Monster Slayer stood up and said, "I shall not go to war with you. My mother is not in favor." Child-of-the-water refused to go for the same reason.

Changing Woman participates in many events, but it is impossible to get them into temporal sequence; indeed, it is not necessary to do so, since she and her decrees are immortal. A secondary theme, the removal of Changing Woman to the west, is almost as important as the primary.

The Twins had overcome the major obstacles to human life upon the earth, and Sun, in reallocating many of the gods, particularly wanted Changing Woman to live in the west, where he had provided a luxurious dwelling for her. Numerous attempts were made at persuasion, the house being described as unusually beautiful, a duplicate of Sun's house at the east. A horse made of a jewel substance belonged to each of the respective directions; there was a jet horse in the center at the root of a perfect cornstalk, which had twelve ears on each side. On the cornstalk's top sat a black songbird. Food was to consist of pollens, the precious stones, and sacred waters. As a final inducement, eternal youth and the road of perfection (sa'a na'yai bike xojo'n) were offered, but even these did not affect Changing Woman.

The gift of power over rain and vegetation, the enumeration of the most desirable garments and ornaments all failed to move her, as did even the disrespectful words of Monster Slayer's counterpart, Reared-in-the-earth, when he told her she had no sense. When, finally, war power-flashing, rattling flint armor and threatening words-was invoked, she consented.

The leader of the party spoke to her gently and told her that she was frustrating her own plan, for she herself had suggested the assignment of the Holy People to different places. She put up a plaintive plea, although she had actually given in: "Perhaps there is no one there and I may be lonesome." She was assured that the Holy Sky People would often meet at her place, and final directions were given for the removal.

Sun asks her consent as a reward for his help to The Twins. Her control over her powerful husband and sons is demonstrated by her indignation at the thought that the boys could make a promise for her or that they should think that anything Sun had done would benefit her. In this version Changing Woman described the house she would accept in the west. She wanted it to be on an island reasonably far from shore, so that numerous people would not bother her. She would have the animals for company. Sun granted all requests.

Changing Woman's power over reproduction and birth extends to all that exists on the earth. Becoming lonely in the home in the west, she created new people and directed them how to reach their relatives in the east.

Many of Changing Woman's gifts are rites or ceremonies, not fully enumerated here. Her decrees are kind. She gave man many songs, created the horse, decreed fertility and sterility. She was present at Rainboy's chant, where she made suds for his bath and laid out his clothes, and at another time brought in ceremonial food. Her presence at an assembly of the gods is pointed out with special respect; other gods bow their heads when she comes in.

The simple rite in which the chanter leads the patient onto the sandpainting of the last day of the Shooting Chant represents the perpetual rejuvenation of Changing Woman. The Eagle Chant story includes an incident of creation. Changing Woman was living on Whirling Mountain, where her five hogans have since become rock. She rubbed epidermis from under her breast and created two women, Whiteshell Woman and Turquoise Woman, who became the wives of Monster Slayer.

RP's Bead Chant story explains that Changing Woman was the mother of five daughters, one of whom was Bead Woman, whose son was Scavenger, hero of the chant.

     The story of The Twins, Whiteshell Woman was the sister of Changing Woman, who The Twins believed was their mother, although she was really their mother's sister. When they journeyed to the east, they found the house of Sun's wife, which is of whiteshell. It is impossible to tell whether this wife was the same woman who, living on the earth, advised them to go to Sun, or whether there are more than one of a kind. However this may be, she was angry at Sun when he returned at night, and questioned him about his behavior on earth, an attitude stereotyped for Sun's sky wife.

After the creation from the stone images, Whiteshell Woman lived with Changing Woman (who, because she was created at the same time, was her sister) on Whirling Mountain, and was the mother of the younger 'Twin,' Child-of-the-water. Whiteshell Woman figured in the life of the children only in a minor capacity. One day, after the children had been discovered and Big Monster had been deceived by Changing Woman, Whiteshell Woman went to the top of a hill to look about and saw a number of monsters hurrying in the direction of their home. She reported to her sister, who raised such a storm that the monsters had to turn back. When Changing Woman was ready to depart for the west, Whiteshell Woman chose to go to La Plata Mountain. For five days she wandered about, consumed with loneliness, until Talking God and the other gods took pity upon her and created more people from corn. Perhaps to indicate that this is a secondary or subsidiary creation, the text continues: "No songs were sung and no prayers were uttered during the rites, which were all performed in one day."

Whiteshell

The next morning the people looked for her in vain. They believed she had gone to tseyi' where she stayed for a time before she went to La Plata Mountain to dwell forever in the house of whiteshell that had been prepared for her. The little girl had a dream in which Whiteshell Woman came to her and said, "My grandchild, I am going to La Plata to dwell. I would take you with me for I love you, were it not that your parents would mourn for you. But look always for me in the gentle rain when it comes near your dwelling, for I will be in it."

In the Eagle Chant, Whiteshell Woman is the sister of Turquoise Woman, both created by Changing Woman from epidermis rubbed from under her breast. Theirs, like the story of all these primordial women, is a tale of wandering and hiding to escape monsters, of a quest for food meagerly rewarded, and of incredible loneliness. Eventually Talking God and xactc'e'oyan gave them corn. Monster Slayer visited their camp and taught them the use of game, eventually taking them to his home as his wives. He showed them how to cleanse themselves ritualistically and gave them beautiful clothes. He provided them with long hair and eyebrows, bright eyes, and smiling mouths.

The Corn Maidens, who with their urban big city dominant culture tricks won Monster Slayer away from Whiteshell Woman and Turquoise Woman, looked exactly like them, and it was only by their bold manners that they could be distinguished from the Navaho girls. Here, then, is an instance of sub-identification: Changing Woman made two girls who were close models of herself and they were for a long time superseded by two other girls sent by Deer Owner who were their replicas