Take It Straightforward – Non secular Media Weblog

December 5, 2023

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Take It Straightforward

By Kelly Sullivan Walden, Award-Profitable Dream Skilled and Creator of A Disaster Is a Horrible Factor to Waste

Warming my palms by the blazing fireplace, on a hillside overlooking the ocean, my husband and I gazed lovingly at one another from throughout the flames, surrounded by fishermen mates we’d simply met. What a heart-melting ending to an epic journey in New Zealand, I assumed wistfully, as I sipped my frosty beer.

Simply then, a middle-aged Māori lady entered the scene, obtrusive. She paced backwards and forwards across the fireplace, eyebrows knitted collectively. I puzzled if I used to be imagining I used to be the item of her rage, and if it was precise steam billowing from her nostril.

Why would this whole stranger give me such soiled seems? What did I do to her? However I’m getting forward of myself… let me take you again to 10 days earlier than…

***

My husband and I arrived in New Zealand, on the urging of a pricey pal, to movie a documentary in regards to the Waitaha, a matriarchal, nonviolent tribe, not as well-known because the extra warrior-esque Māoris. Our pal intrigued us when he mentioned, “The world must find out about their mild, but highly effective non secular way of life.” He in contrast them to Tibetan Buddhists and the way the Dalai Lama and the chief of the Waitaha think about themselves brothers.

The following factor I knew, we arrived within the Bay of A lot area. Our greeting with the Waitaha was proper out of a film, on their Marae—a grassy, conventional gathering place the place the neighborhood “can stand and belong.” We have been led throughout the Marae towards a tangerine sundown within the course of their assembly place.

I hadn’t totally comprehended what a uncommon alternative it was for us fair-haired People to be allowed on such hallowed floor, after the horrible methods their individuals suffered by the hands of Christian European settlers. Despite that, not solely have been we given permission to enter, however we have been greeted with a sacred welcome music that introduced me to tears, adopted by every of the fifty-plus members, one-at-a-time, inserting their brow to ours, whereas sniffing loudly out and in of their nostrils. This greeting, I discovered, is a approach of acquainting spirits to 1 one other by way of breath.

I assume eyes aren’t the one home windows to the soul.

To deepen the get-to-know-ya ritual, every member of the tribe took turns singing a “soul music” (a favourite verse or melody) one which introduced them consolation or inspiration. Many of the songs they sang have been chants I’d by no means heard earlier than, whereas a number of the youthful members of the tribe sang choruses from up to date pop songs. Then they invited every of us six American company to do the identical.

I shared the music I usually sang when pattering round the home or doing dishes, from the musical Hair, by 5 Stairsteps, “Ooh baby… issues are gonna get simpler…”

After everybody was completed, final however not least, the chief Te Porohau Ruka Te Korako (or Te Porahou for brief) sang a music he mentioned was one in every of his favorites by a band known as Champaign. “Some individuals are made for one another,” he crooned, “some individuals can love each other for all times, how ’bout us?

This despatched us People right into a match of laughter and tears. Our mutual pal should’ve shared one in every of my husband’s hit songs with the Chief previous to our arrival and arrange this shock.

After the feast of camaraderie and bonding, it was time to feed our hungry bellies. Fried fish, rice, and baked beans have been served within the adjoining lodge the place we sat, family-style alongside wood tables of their jovial eating corridor.

Every second of our ten-day journey turned out extra awe-inspiring than the final, together with being ushered into sacred locations and launched to historical rituals, all of the whereas feeling embraced by the tribe with a depth of belief and… household. On our final day on the Marae, we hugged with teary goodbyes, sniffing one another with foreheads pressed, adopted by extra singing and guarantees to remain in contact.

Waving as we drove, blowing air kisses at our new mates, we glided alongside the highway surrounded by a swirling blue ocean, contrasted by jutting rocks, then by means of the luxurious inexperienced meadows, with shafts of sunshine beaming by means of. I imagined at any second I’d see Frodo from Lord of the Rings, studying a guide beneath a shady tree on the shire.

We ultimately checked right into a beachy lodge on the North Island, so the subsequent morning we’d solely be an hour’s drive from the Auckland airport. Then, within the spirit of journey, we stepped out in town for dinner. I didn’t notice how, due to having been so embraced by the Waitaha, I anticipated it will be that approach wherever we went on this overseas land. I used to be in for fairly a shock.

We ambled right into a rollicking bar restaurant and have been immediately greeted by a motley crue of fishermen, loudly celebrating their contemporary catches. The alpha of the group, sporting the leathery face of somebody who wasn’t afraid of the solar, observed we have been foreigners and invited us to their desk, which I delightedly mentioned sure to, dragging alongside a reluctant Dana.

The alpha proclaimed boisterously with gesticulating arms, “I insist that you just come again with us to feast and drink round a bonfire and pattern the fish we caught at this time!”

How might we are saying no? Properly, Dana might say no, however not with out me overriding him, “Come on, it’s our final night time. It’ll be positive.”

We piled into the automobile with a wiry man, who I spotted as soon as we have been on the highway by his slurred speech should’ve been consuming somewhat an excessive amount of. I tensed up and tried to justify we’d be okay by how competent he appeared to navigate the switchbacks up and across the canyons. Perhaps he’s used to driving drunk (as if that made it okay).

Ultimately, I took a deep breath once we swerved into our vacation spot… at a spot that jogged my memory of Sanford and Son, successful TV present from the 70s a couple of household who lived and labored at a junkyard. The garden was confettied with damaged down vehicles, assorted components, tires, and engines splayed all around the grass.

Encircled by combined and matched garden furnishings, there was a blazing bonfire and simply past perched a crooked shack. I masked my nerves by oohing and awing in regards to the gorgeous view of the fantastic ocean reflecting the sky bursting with stars. Like moths magnetized to the flames, Dana and I let the dancing orange, yellow, and pink envelop us in its heat.

The alpha, taking a liking to Dana, introduced him over to the porch on the far facet of the fireplace. In the meantime, I attempted not to consider how removed from civilization we have been, nowhere close to our lodge nor our new Waitaha household on the Marae. So when the fishermen handed us a beer, Dana and I toasted one another from throughout the fireplace with a “may as nicely” gulp, saying silently to him, “It’s been a superb experience, associate.”

As I scanned the weathered however pleasant faces across the fireplace, sipping my beer, I lastly allowed myself to chill out and revel in being flung from my consolation zone. Simply then, the brooding Māori lady I discussed earlier entered the scene. Obtrusive wild-eyed as she paced backwards and forwards across the fireplace, I puzzled the way it may very well be that I used to be the item of her rage.

I smiled at her, hoping to shift her temper by laying on the appeal thicker than honey, to no avail. In truth, she continued to tempo and grunt and glare till lastly plunking herself down on a stump of wooden nearest me like a weighted sandbag. Then, disregarding all sense of “private house,” she moved her face in about an inch from mine, to not breathe in my spirit, however to say her dominance.

Ever hopeful I’d have the ability to quell the state of affairs, I pretended this wasn’t horrifically awkward, and squeaked, “I’m Kelly. What’s your identify?”

“Madge,” she mentioned with offended sarcasm, reeking of alcohol.

“Hello Madge,”

“Not Madge, Mauuuuuge,” she corrected me as if I’d simply intentionally insulted her.

“Mauuuuuge,” I attempted to mimic her, cringing as I clearly obtained the accent flawed.

Her eyes widened, and I knew from fights I used to get in with my sister rising up, we have been at a tipping level—one false look or phrase from me would ship her past the purpose of no return. With my coronary heart in my throat, abdomen gripped in a vice, my head felt spacy.

“I seen you earlier than… you have been right here final week, attempting to steal my man,” she accused.

“No, Madge, I’m from the U.S. I’ve by no means been right here earlier than,” I attempted to reassure her, “final week we have been on a marae with the Waitaha.”

“Naw, I seen you right here… you have been attempting to get with my man!” She roared even louder, sure I used to be the hussy in query, her nostril crowding in, almost touching mine.

Then, out of nowhere, a weird picture overtook my thoughts. It was a reminiscence from years earlier than when Dana and I explored a vacationer cease off Freeway 66 in Winslow, Arizona. I remembered a model of a horny lady within the driver’s seat of a pink flatbed Ford, whereas a well-known music performed on repeat. I struggled to recollect the identify of the music, so I stuttered aloud and requested Madge, “Are you aware… the music… by the Eagles … ‘Take It Straightforward’?”

Simply then, her bloodshot eyes twinkled, as a twisted smile erupted on her beforehand scary face. As if choreographed, one of many fishermen handed her a guitar, and she or he started strumming the chords and belting out the music with the loveliest, gravelly voice. In shock at this flip of occasions, I made a decision to affix her, particularly when she obtained to the refrain, “Take it straightforward, take it eeeeeeasy!”

The alpha standing subsequent to Dana whispered, “How did she know ‘Take it Straightforward’ was Madge’s favourite music?”

I had no thought the way it occurred however “Take It Straightforward” was not only a message I despatched her, so she’d again off and go away me alone, but it surely miraculously impressed her to specific her singing present. This led to her belting out one other music, adopted by one other and one other, all of which the fishermen, Dana, and I sang alongside to.

Then she obtained one other twinkle in her eye with an excellent greater smile, flung down her guitar, and raced inside the home. Quickly after, she introduced dinner was prepared. Although we’d had an icebreaker second, I completely didn’t need to eat any meals that lady was cooking, particularly something she’d be serving me. However the males checked out me with horror saying, “Oh, you should eat any meals Madge cooks. She’ll kill you when you don’t.”

I adopted the pack contained in the shack, and pretended to eat, using my tactic for hiding meals, like I’d completed once I was little, pushing the fish below the mashed potatoes and smearing the meals across the edges of the plate.

Dana requested in regards to the live performance posters on the wall. The alpha mentioned he had been a live performance promoter within the 80s. Dana talked about he had written a music that was fashionable in New Zealand round that point along with his band. The fisherman requested, “What was the identify of the band?”

When Dana replied, “Champaign,” the man almost fell off his chair, as Madge jumped up, this time getting in Dana’s face.

“There’s no approach you’re from the band Champaign! Don’t misinform me! I fuc#ing love that band. Subsequent to the Eagles they’re my favourite.”

Any person whipped out a laptop computer and we pulled up Champaign on YouTube. Madge appeared on the keyboard participant within the video, backwards and forwards to Dana, seeing that, though within the video he was a few years youthful, it was, the truth is, him. Madge sang together with “How ‘Bout Us” much more passionately than she had sang “Take it Straightforward.” “Some individuals are made for one another. Some individuals can love each other for all times… how ‘bout us?”

Then she proceeded to attempt to steal my man! She hugged him and even tried to kiss him. Fortunately, Dana turned his head simply in time. She insisted he give her an autograph and thanked me for bringing Dana to her.

The remainder of the night time was pure delight… till I instructed it was time to go away. Madge’s forehead furrowed, and she or he pleaded with us to spend the night time and neglect our plans to return house the subsequent morning. “Simply keep!” she begged.

On the airplane the subsequent day, I whipped out my journal, and utilizing my OGLE methodology, I tried to make sense of what occurred the night time earlier than:

O: What’s the Offending conduct and/or state of affairs?

Madge thought I’d tried to steal her man—and appeared as if she needed to kill me. It was terrifying. Dana advised me that when Madge was in my face, the alpha fisherman whispered to him, “I hope Madge doesn’t punch your spouse; she’s identified for her violent outbursts.”

G: What’s Good about that offending conduct and/or state of affairs?

What’s good is that I didn’t die, didn’t get punched, poisoned, or thrown within the fireplace. In truth, I made a pal (of types) that began off as an enemy.

I used to be affirmed that my instinct, although typically oddly expressed, is there for me when my again is towards the wall, or towards the fireplace because the case could also be. I can belief the weird flashes that pop into my head—even when they don’t appear to make sense at first.

What’s additionally good is that Madge felt the necessity to defend what was hers—to protect her relationship towards the specter of somebody attempting to take or wreck what she held expensive.

L: How am I peering into the Looking Glass?

My distant ancestors (or individuals like them) have been, the truth is, invaders that took what wasn’t theirs, forcing Madge’s individuals to undertake the stance of warriors to guard themselves. Who is aware of, perhaps Madge and I have been understanding past-life karma, reconciling a debt my individuals owed hers.

E: How will I permit this example to Elevate me?

What if, as evidenced by the Waitaha and the fishermen permitting us on their sacred floor, they have been working towards radical forgiveness for the atrocities my ancestors introduced their individuals? From this angle, on the very least, I might comply with their instance and forgive Madge, or anybody else who may make a detrimental assumption about me. As a result of perhaps, on some degree, it’s true.

Moreover, I’ll keep in mind that irrespective of how upset I get or what bind I discover myself in, music can save the day, calm the savage beast, and no less than, assist us all to take it straightforward.

Quick bio:

Kelly Sullivan Walden is a world bestselling writer of ten books, an award-winning goals knowledgeable, an interfaith minister, a licensed medical hypnotherapist, a practitioner of non secular science, an inspirational speaker, and a workshop facilitator. Be taught extra at www.KellySullivanWalden.com.