a St. John’s-Tide Tale ToldFar, far away & just as long ago - In a certain realm - there lived a regal family who wisely governed a mountainous land with 3 rugged hills - There high atop the middle knoll, the noble family comfortably lived in a glorious homestead, surrounded by rich woodlands. In the valley there were many abundant gardens adorning the fertile mount, as far as the eye could see. Fresh-faced farmers, shepherds, & craftsmen happily worked their trade. The cows were contented, & all was well. After 7 generations, a shift could be felt, in the mountain heights – a disharmony crept in, effecting in particular the hill to the South. The folk living there were suffering because of a drought & their land had become barren. And so it was that because their neighbors were downtrodden & sad, the noble family felt a prick to their happiness & good fortune. Which caused them to turn their thoughts to how they could help. It was the Whitsun-tide season, a time when their 7 children always gathered for a great feast. But, the family could not fully enjoy it, knowing others suffered. / The mother & father were old now, but they remembered hearing from their great grandparents that on the highest peak to the North, there flowed an ancient healing spring - & it was said, that just 1 drop of that healing water could cure any ill. /For many years it was thought to have gone dry, but recently it was rumored, that the underground spring, had been stirred back to life by a holy man who knew the secrets of the ‘Waters of Life’. So, the mother & father were inspired by the notion to ask their 7 children if they might travel all together to the North peak to bring some of the healing water & bestow it on their ailing fellows on the other hill to the South. The 7 siblings readily agreed to undertake the adventure. It was not an easy journey. When they came to the biggest city in the valley, the oldest of the 7 was hypnotized by the bright lights, which sparked a deep-seated unconscious greed, that drove him to want to stay, & seek his fortune there. & so it was, that in order for the others to go on, the next oldest became the leader. She secretly thought of herself as the prettiest of the sisters. And when they came to the next village, she couldn’t resist her craving for attention from those who her admired her, so she decided not to go on. That meant that the remaining 5 were led by the next oldest, & since he had grown up 3rd in line, he never had much ambition. He didn’t like the idea of having to be responsible, & so when they came to the next town, his indolent nature got the better of him. He sat down in the village square where he could relax & simply pass the time. Now it was only 4 that set off, led by the sister, who, now that the going got tough, became the jealous type. She couldn’t help but to compare herself with her siblings - & finding herself coming up short, she couldn’t bear to go on, stopping at a crossroads where she could act as the gatekeeper. Now it was only the 3 youngest left to complete the journey. & the path up the mountain was getting steeper with every step. The next village they came to was known as having the best chefs in all the world, & the oldest boy of the 3, who could never get enough to eat, wished to stay there where he would be well feed. That left the 2 youngest girls who kept up the climb; ever reminding each other along the rugged way about their mission to help their suffering neighbors. After many a hard day, with nothing in sight, they finally came upon an assembly of humble huts, where, the people lived a life devoted to study, scorning anything to do with the life of the senses. The second youngest who thought of herself as the smartest of the family, felt called to join them – A belittling wrath overcame her as she sought to justify herself to her sister - which only served to fire up a guileful pride in the babe of the family, who now became the only one left to continue the mission. As the youngest sister, climbed up the hill alone, she felt a deep sense of purpose & joy-But, she also struggled with her feelings of pride, even as she knew that the mission she was on was not about her glory, but a service to others. It was nearing sunrise when she stepped over the ridge on that high North peak / There, she saw a sparkling pool that was fed by the ancient spring. What had made it flow again, she asked herself? As if in answer, she spied a gaunt, bearded man dressed in animal skins, who was standing with the Sun at his back. He leaned down, tracing his knobby forefinger in a figure 8 on the surface of the clear water. The girl watched with interest. The wild man looked up-no surprise showed on his weathered face. He called out, asking her name. She told him, ‘I am Mary. & who are you that moves the water’? ‘I have been called Adam, the first man, Elijah, I have had other names & faces, as have you; but for today, you can call me by my title: John’ - ‘Come, refresh yourself here at the water’s edge, & share my meal of nuts & berries’. They stared at each other, chewing slowly. When the repast was finished, John spoke in a thundering voice - a wild wind, that pierced her very soul. John offered Mary the Water of Life; which she took, & drank, that her spirit would never thirst again. And as he bid her to wade in the water, standing tall in its crystal-clear depths, he told the child from whence the Font of Living Water, had come. He said the Source flowed from the Being of Love, who had been sent from beyond the Stars to conquer death, & bring healing to all people. The Forerunner went on to say, that the healing must begin with a change of heart & mind. As he spoke, the Sun became brighter, & the first man became the messenger: “The voice of one calling in the loneliness - Prepare the way - make straight the path – Repent - for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Mary nodded, & John lowered the child’s head into the welling spring of the eternal - & with a swoosh - her aura separated from her physical body – causing her many lives to flash before her minds ‘eye – past, present & future – vices, & virtues -interweaving in the streaming - revealing her karmic destiny. Then she saw the face of the One whose head & feet she had once anointed with holy oil - & when she could go no further – like a newborn, she arose from the amniotic wellspring with a fresh breath of life. Her first sight – The first man stretching his gnarled hands out over her head in a blessing. And from his calloused palm – a single drop of the Living Water anointed the crown of her head – healing Mary of the last remnants of her false pride, filling her with humility – her true essence . At high noon, together, John & Mary filled the big blue bottle that the young girl had carried up the hill. Spilling tears of joy - she sang her thanks & praise, which carried her like the music of the spheres back down the mountain, after she bid the Baptist adieu. & “Mary treasured up all these things, and pondered them in her heart”. She soon stopped at the philosopher’s enclave where she found her dear sister, telling her all about the Forerunner, & the Source of the Living Waters. Then, in a flash of inspiration, it came to her, to do as he had done. So from the blue bottle she let a droplet of the healing water touch her sister’s eyes, & forehead. In that instant the intoxicated wisdom dissipated from her sister – she shook her head knowing that she could never be truly happy separated away from the world, her eyes open only to a book. And with that thought, the virtue of self-forgiveness opened in her to form true wisdom. And together the 2 youngest siblings walked on. They soon came to the town renowned for its culinary delights. It was easy to find their brother partaking of another 12-course meal. Mary told him about John & the Source of the Living Waters, & as she spoke, the youngest sister anointed her brother’s throat with a drop of the healing water – & with that, the brother was finally able to feel full, & content; his gluttony abated with the virtue of temperance. He stood up from the table, left a nice tip, saying he was ready to go with them to heal others. Going downhill became a dance, & they soon arrived at the outskirts of the crossroads where their jealous sister had made herself the gatekeeper. After they told her about John’s call to change their hearts & minds, & as the youngest sister put a drop of healing water on her jealous heart, she felt a stream of goodwill wash the green-eyed monster away. After that she willingly joined her siblings, helping to carry the heavy bottle of healing water. When they came to the next village, their brother was sitting right where they had left him in the town square. He was glad to see his siblings & pleased to hear about John & the Source of the Living Waters. And when the youngest sister placed a drop near his solar plexus, the lazy brother felt a surge of fortitude lift him to his feet. At the next village, they found their lusty sister out & about, enjoying all that her suitors had to offer. They shared with her what they had experienced & what the youngest had seen & learned at the mountain top spring. & when she received a drop of healing water on her heart, her desirous craving became a devotion to serve others, & she gladly joined her siblings. When they arrived at the 1st village at the base of the hill, they discovered that their oldest brother was already very successful in business, but when they began to talk, he confessed that he felt like he was in a bottomless pit. He was relieved to see his sisters & brothers – open to hear of their adventures, & ready to be reminded of the true reason they left home for their journey. He received a drop of healing water on his feet – & a wave of charitableness sweep over him. And he made up his mind that as long as some people were struggling, he must use his entrepreneurship to help others help themselves. And so it was, that all 7 children – who thru their trials, had become young adults, made their way back to their homestead at the top of the middle hill, where their mother & father, welcomed them with open arms, listening attentively to their experiences which led them to repentance & wholeness.
Then it was their turn to receive a drop of the Water of Life - on their hands. Once the Living Water was applied, the mother & father remembered, that long, long ago, all 3 hills, were, in reality, not separate nations, but all one & the same kingdom. They realized that their ancestors had in deed taken the very best for themselves, leaving others with far less. This brought the realization, that true healing requires a sacrifice - That those who have more, are meant to give more. And so, the noble family vowed that they would work to reunite the kingdom thru: Equity & Equality in the Political/Rights realm – an Inclusive Sister & Brotherhood, in the Economic realm - & Diversity & Freedom, in the Educational/Cultural/Religious realm. This encouraged each of the siblings to share the gifts from their experience of meeting their vices, & working to transform them into virtues, with the help of the Living Waters. So they invited all their neighbors to come out on the longest day – the height of Summer – to work out the details of how they could once again unify the kingdom & bring prosperity to all. The complete healing of the kingdom will take many Seasons, but now it has become a new tradition, at Midsummer, like in the days of old, before the division into nations, to light bonfires, to acknowledge the power of the Sun that shines for everyone, giving its light freely to all.
And so it is that as the Sun begins its slow decrease after the Solstice – We the people, must add our spirit spark to the Living Waters as a call to metanoia – a call to change our hearts & minds. ~hag
a recording of the Tale toldGet into the Seasonal Swing with these other recorded offerings:
St. John the Baptist & Uriel the Archangel of SummerAn Experiential Festival with Mysteria Mystica Americana (MA) Leading Thoughts & Images by ~hag as a member initiative for MA
“The Forerunner & the Archangel Uriel”Musical Performances w/ Lucien Dante Lazar; Speech w/ Geoffrey Norris; Eurythmy w/ Elizabeth Carlson; Practicum w/ Lisa Dalton; Leading Thoughts by hag
Front Range Anthroposophical Café presents: Summer Solstice ‘RING of FIRE’ with Hazel Archer
Last Chance to join us for a Farm to Table Brunch in support of Zinniker Farm - The oldest continuous Biodynamic Farm in the USASaturday 28 June 2025 11 am - 1:30 pm at The Chicago Christian Community 2135 W Wilson Ave, Chicago, IL 60625 Menu includes food fresh from the farm:
More info. & RSVP to join us for brunch with Aidan & Alisyn and Mark & Petra. Can’t join us in person? You can always make a donation or become a paid subscriber with all contributions going directly to the farm…
If you want to support the Biodynamic Farming done on Zinniker Farm, you are invited to become a paid subscriber, with all donations going directly to the farm
Greetings Friend, you currently a free subscriber to Cognitive Ritual. Thank you for receiving my workings freely offered. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription. ALL donations go to support Zinniker Farm - The oldest Biodynamic Farm in America! Together we can spiritualize the Universe. XOX ~hag
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Monday, 23 June 2025
Far, Far Away
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The Wisdom That Comes from Walking with God Fresh Manna by Pastor Tim Burt
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