Topic: An Introduction to the Thunder-beings

[Jennifer-]

An Introduction to the Thunder-beings
Copyright © 2000 by Samudranath

Excerpt from Cities of Lightning, the first full and accurate presentation on the mystical revelation and Tantra of the Thunder-beings in the Oriental traditions. The Thunder-Beings are the Lords and Mothers of Enlightenment. The essence of the Oriental traditions is the experience of enlightenment, of perfect tranquility and bliss. This experience is fully attained through the Thunder-Beings, through their clear-light blessings, and through their power and wisdom.

Quite often when people hear about the Thunder-beings it is in the context of shamanic traditions, the traditions of indigenous peoples who supplicated Deities of the Storm to sustain their crops, to bring beneficial rains and avert harmful storms, to heal and drive away negative forces. Since beginningless time people have worshiped Thunder-beings. The early cultures were initiated by Thunder-beings, and their belief systems were established by Thunder-beings. Thunder-beings created the universe, the world and all life; they gave people food, shelter, fire, the first language, law, wisdom, the arts, spiritual sciences, and all knowledge. They cared for the people as parents care for their children. And the people worshiped them with jeweled hearts, as Father-Mother, as creator, sustainer and destroyer, not through primitive rites, but in simple yet sophisticated and Holy ways.

The Thunder-beings are behind all pure religious transmission, both ancient and new. If you look into the worlds religious traditions, if you look into their origins, you will discover that the tradition, the view or set of beliefs about the universe, spirit, nature, life, etc., come from Thunder-beings. We know this because tradition relates it, that Omniscient Wisdom-beings taught the early people, either directly or in profound dreams and mystical visions of thunder and lightning.

The God of virtually all God-centered traditions across the globe is a Thunder-being, or multiple Thunder-beings. It is a universal belief that the God and Goddess, the Omniscient Wisdom-beings who stand as the Crown Jewel of all wisdom-traditions, are Thunder-beings. Their theophany or mystical visitation is universally one of storm-display. This means not only that he-she functions this way in the atmosphere, but that everything they do, all activity, manifestation, revelation, has Wisdom-thunder-power behind it. It means that all people are related to Thunder-beings, that the most sacred beliefs of all traditions come from the hearts of Thunder-beings. If we pray to them we might experience the truth of this as perfected masters of the past did, we might prove the existence of sublime Wisdom-beings for ourself. They are invisible, yet out of compassion they reveal themselves; everyone can experience them in nature; they are manifest in the storms, lightning, rainbows, in the stars, the sky, stones, oceans, animals, people, and elements. We live with them. We participate in their majestic dance or play. They are within the body-mind-heart of all beings. They manifest as creative thoughts. We know them through love within our hearts. They are our inherent perfection, our pure positive qualities and activities, our health and harmony. Know this is how close Thunder-beings are to us. Because they are within our mind we might experience them directly and instantaneously, like lightning, to receive guidance, inspiration, insight, wisdom, love - to help self and others.

They are perfect and free of suffering; there is no more sublime Source of Refuge. Because they are fully within our mind we can attain the same state free of suffering. We can achieve this while on earth in this body. In fact in Oriental traditions, this body is imperative, this life is taken to provide a means of attaining the highest wisdom and perfection. Thunder-beings have provided the perfect means to attain perfection for all beings.

The Thunder-beings are a related family of divine beings who bring about weather changes such as wind, rain, thunder, lightning, snow, mist, hail. With their mind they control the hot and cold elements, or you could say positive and negative charges, to cause all weather changes, and to control the universe and minds of all beings. Through their power abiding in the atmosphere they nourish the earth and protect the people. The Thunder-beings sustain the life on earth. Thunder-beings use water and wind to cleanse the earth's surface. They penetrate to cleanse the soil through lightning, and in winter send down a glorious electric blanket after the whiteness of the Absolute, to totally neutralize the harmful causes of disease. They make the earth pliant and fresh, suitable for spontaneous gentle life explosion and balanced transformation. Growth is radiance, the flow of divine iridescence. Thunders have been worshiped since ancient times as inseparable from the earth, as Lords and Mothers of fertility. Through lightning they cause rain. Rain nourishes all beings. It recycles polluted waters by purifying them in the charged clouds. Through lightning they directly purify or enlighten the air we breathe, water we drink, the earth we cultivate. The electricity purifies the domain of all beings, invisible and visible. Indirectly Thunder-beings put nitrates in the soil; the lightning burns the air, the burnt air falls in the rain to assist in plant growth. The electricity of lightning touching down is a vitality which helps the seeds and plants to grow and which destroys harmful influences, such as diseases that choke off life. The lightning also provides ozone which keeps the ozone layer from dissolving due to human endeavors. In the ancient tradition of India, called Sanatan Dharma, this life-force was called pranas or "breaths" and is the living essence of lightning. Through the lightning all life has been initiated or created, is sustained, and will be destroyed. In all traditions it is Thunder-beings who govern nature and all life; they are the creators. They sustain balanced life, and destroy imbalance, the cause of suffering.

Even though there is great noise and seeming chaos, destructive rage in storms, in truth this is merely a means of ushering in peace, of clearing great obstructions. Because there are strong obstructions to peace in the world, there need to be stronger means to destroy or clear those obstructions. (This is why Thunder-beings appear fierce and wrathful). Everything Thunder-beings do has the effect of bringing about peace. Because so many beings are ignorant, have made poor choices, there is much turmoil in the world. Thunder-beings are perfect and beyond suffering, nature is their manifestation; it is quite beautiful and harmonious. Where there is calamity, the cause is poor human activity, such as war and pollution. Nature is controlled by Thunder-beings through wisdom and love, through Enlightened Minds. It is tranquil and ebullient within, the Spirit shines through it. On the surface it is impermanent, and therefore suffering. In its heart, in the heart of all things, it is beyond suffering. This is our potential. The Spirit shines through us, works on us by working through us, blesses us by working through us. Through a clear mind it works to establish peace and harmony in the world. It works through our compassionate endeavor. We merely have to choose it. If we choose it, to help others, to live for others, to make others happy, and if we abstain from harming others, there will be true lasting peace on earth. There is little peace on earth because there is little peace in our hearts. In order to establish it we must work for it diligently, through meditating, and through compassionate activity. Meditating increases our wisdom or insight, our capacity to be of true help to others. Wisdom is the light of the Thunder-beings shining through our heart.

[Jennifer-]

Thunder Beings: a Conversation with WolfWalker

by Wolfwalker (Written by Jamie Sams)

"It is a story told by the ancient Storytellers
from grandmother to grandchild on down the line...."

"Tonight I wanted to speak of some of the spirit beings that Native Americans look to for guidance and direction. The Thunder Beings are one such grouping of spirit beings that are mighty teachers and bring with them a time of renewed energy and creativity. In fact, they are currently also attending this gathering, BTW, because there is a great storm right outside my window ...gggg....so if I suddenly pop off , its 'cause of their fire sticks came a little too close....

The Thunder Beings speak of the Divine Union, which in the personal sense is the marriage between the male and female in each of us. This marriage creates usable energy or enhances our natural growth potential by providing us with the get up and go we need to make our dreams a reality.

The Thunder Beings make up the love call of the Sky Nation, the fire sticks or lightening bolts, are a rare gift from Father Sky to his lover, Mother Earth. The Thunderers who accompany a storm carry the mating call that announces the Divine Union of Earth and Sky. The Thunder Beings are the host of lovers who give energy to the Earth Mother.

The Thunder Chief proclaims the beauty of the love between Father Sky and Mother Earth. The Fire Sticks create a bridge between the two lovers and are a physical expression their love for one another. Through this intricate mating dance, the Earth Mother is reenergized so that life may continue through the nurturing rains who feed her body.

Since the Earth is magnetic, she needs the electric energy supplied by the Thunder Beings. The Rain People recycle the moisture of Sky World and give back to the Earth Mother so that her body may feed all the things green and growing. It is the cloak of Father Sky that covers the Earth Mother in a mantle of blue each day, and the Cloud People manifest his love for her every day when they form and the thoughts of their combined ideas take shape. It is the Hail-lo-way-ain, or the Language of Love in Seneca that Father Sky speaks to the Earth Mother.

When Mother Earth needs the love and warmth of GrandFather Sun to support the needs of her children, we see thunderstorms, lightening, rain, as their bodies dance the Sacred Dance of the Divine Union.  The Thunder Chief calls out in the Hail-lo-way-ain, the ancient language of love, for the Earth Mother to prepare herself for her bridegroom....the Fire Medicine, the passion, that comes between them, is the Fire Sticks, the lightning that returns needed energy to the Earth Mother. This act of love between Father and Mother can be gentle and tender, or torrid and passionate. This lovemaking is experienced as climatic shifts and weather changes by the Children of the Earth.

Floods, and fires, hailstorms and tornadoes, hurricanes, and typhoons are the freedom of nature. In every case it is the fulfillment of our Earth Mother's needs and must be looked at from the viewpoint of the greatest good for all living creatures. Great Mystery has a hand in all acts of the Universe and this world and each act supports the need for growth and change.

[Jennifer-]

            How the Thunder Beings can help each of us when called upon?

            The Thunder Beings, as I said earlier, are mighty teachers of change and renewal. They are powerful medicine and should not be called upon lightly to aid a person. There are times in our lives when change is inevitable. Growth is needed but is difficult for a variety of reasons, mostly what we see in our own minds.

            Our personal renewal, which Nature reflects, can be brought about by cleansing our fears, cultivating new growth, releasing old habits, or allowing ourselves to be loved and protected. The Thunder Beings bring us raw energy we need to renew and change, reshape our lives. We humans are Catalyzers, electromagnetic bodies, receiving and giving energy. We are the bridge that connects Earth and Sky when we are in harmony.

            Like Mother Earth and Father Sky, we are both male and female in nature. The command of usable energy comes when male and female are in balance within us. By asking the Thunder Beings to assist us in tapping into this raw energy and utilizing it creatively, we learn how to reshape and renew, creatively grow and change.

            When one comes to the Thunder Beings to seek assistance, one must come in humbleness and humility, with the intent of being an empty vessel or channel through which the energy may flow through us to be used as we need, but also to return to the Earth Mother once it is no longer needed, as we receive, we must give back as well.

            It is in using the language of love, the Hail-lo-way-ain, that we learn to walk in balance and to love ourselves, as well...the male and female of us each. It is only in loving ourselves, bringing the male and female side of each of us, into harmony that we can begin to walk in Beauty on the Earth Mother. The Thunder Beings can show us the way, but we must remember that what we take, we must give back threefold, as well, and that what we do now on this plane will affect 7 generations of our children and our children's children.

            To take without gratitude or acknowledgment is imbalance. To give too much to others without replenishing the self is imbalance. To wait for energy to come to us without actively seeking what we need is imbalance.

            The Thunder Beings teach us this balance, there is neither hoarding, misuse, neglect, leaking or denying the energy from Father Sky to Mother Earth. When her need is fulfilled, the storm is ended. When she requires more rain and energy, then Father Sky sends the Fire Sticks with the Thunder Beings to replenish his bride. This then is the circle of the Creative Life-force that naturally flows between us the Original Source, Great Mystery. Use it properly or lose it.

            First, energy is neither good nor evil..it just is...its all in how we use it....such also is the power and energy of the Thunder Beings, also called Wakinyan. Wakinyan brings storms that cut like a knife through the building heat of day. Wakinyan sends the lightning, the Fire Sticks, that flash and sear. The booming voice of Wakinyan can either give courage or instill deep dread.

            Great Mystery created Wakinyan to oversee the caretakers of the Earth...to assist them in their role....Wakinyan is electric energy and courses through all things. Wakinyan cleanses and destroys. His great wings bring sudden and terrible winds. The raw energy of Wakinyan's eye changes the vision of a human. Wakinyan is also the force of truth: he strikes down anyone who does not speak the truth when holding the Sacred Pipe. His spirit eye opens with the flash of lightning and sound of thunder. Careless use of Wakinyan's gift of energy means imbalance."

            <Jack> The NA symbol for lightening is a zigzag line with a fork at the end. It has tufted feathers at the tips to denote the winged power. The belief is that lightning branches out into a positive and negative offsetting balance. The balance of life.

            "Yes, it is also seen with a cup at the bottom of that lightening bolt, ready to accept and hold the energy sent by the Thunder Beings. This symbol is often carved on staffs, or seen on medicine shields as a symbol of power.   Yes, balance is always the key. One must be in balance, in harmony in order to walk the path of Beauty."

            <Jack> Any path you choose must be walked in balance.

            <Diana> Just a comment that that balance is the key here.

            <Krakers> As I listened to your story - I was struck by it's similarity to the symbolism and structure of the I Ching. All of the central themes and "characters" are also found among the metaphors used by the ancient Chinese Taoists. Although the compiler's of the I Ching did not anthropomorphize the powers to the extent that native Americans did -they still covered the same ground and relations.

            <Jack> Actually Krakers, there are many similarities between the Eastern and Western ancient beliefs. Even in many cases the linguistics are so close as to defy coincidence. "All roads lead to Mecca!"

            "I am not surprised, as there is much similarity between Eastern thought and Native American. It is only in the more modern Christian, Jewish and Muslim religions that this thinking of nature based balance and harmony shifted from the individual doing for the self to the individual being done to. Yes, that is the path of Beauty, Jack. There are many roads to the same place."

            <Jack> The art is finding your road and staying on it.

            <Diana> All true paths run parallel, but arrive at the same place.

            "Just as there are any number of different experiences for each person traveling that path. No two experiences will ever be the same. The thing to keep in mind, is that is it a journey, a process and not a stationary state of being. We learn to walk in balance when we begin to reconnect to ourselves, our roots, our Mother and all the spirits of this plane. The more of us that walk in balance, the more we can heal our Mother and keep her beautiful and healthy. It that energy from the Thunder Beings that can help in our own healing process."

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[Michael]

These buggers visited me last week - the very night I read your first posts about them.

they are delightful... well at least I have always felt that way.

One night I was witness to one of their wars - that was many years ago now, but I still recall the overwhelming vast dramatic canvas upon which they fought, and the consequences down in the human world. But so long ago, and never seen anything like that since.

[Jennifer-]

These buggers visited me last week - the very night I read your first posts about them.

 

I felt you within the wind when it entered me