Ten of Air

The Tens represent the transition to the next cycle, following the peak experience of the Nines. Here we see the familiar sight of Canada geese flying in V-formation during the fall migration. We can almost hear the chorus of honking. In European tales of the Wild Hunt, it was said that flocks of wild geese or swans embodied the souls of the dead who flew through the winter night sky.

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Ten of Fire

A forest fire is raging, the smoke and ashes released into the air. To our “civilized” minds, a fire out of control is terrifying because it’s a threat to our homes, our towns, our animals and possibly our lives. But in the days before Europeans conquered the North American continent, forest fires were a natural part of the cycle of life. Fire is necessary to clear away undergrowth and debris and is important to the overall health of a forest. The first inhabitants of this continent knew this. At the time of the First Snow, when the forest was damp, winds were calm and the air was humid, Native Americans gathered forest debris and brush and carefully lit it on fire. These fires generally did not rage out of control because the timing was impeccable. Fires are beneficial to some species such as the Lodgepole Pine, whose cones often need exposure to high temperatures in order to release their seeds.

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Ten of Water

In the Pacific Northwest, the salmon cycle of descent and return is one of the most inspiring stories we have, whether you approach it as pure science or as a spiritual metaphor.

Very simply, baby salmon are born in freshwater streams and swim downriver to the Old Sea where they grow to adulthood. If they’re not eaten by orca whales or caught by fishermen, they make their way back upriver to the same stream where they were born. There, they turn a bright red color as they spawn, laying eggs that will become the next generation. Then they die. Their bodies rot, and what isn’t picked over by ravens and eagles is composted into the soil, turning it into fertile ground.

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Ten of Earth

In the deep forest, we come across a “nurse stump” or “nurse log,” a tree that has fallen during a storm or been cut down. As the log decays, it provides fertile ground for new growth to take root in its dying body. Insects and fungi hurry along the decomposition process. Squirrels and other creatures may perch or roost there, adding food scraps and scat to the rich humus. Soon moss, ferns and mushrooms appear, and the seedlings of new trees. Many years later, you will see full grown trees whose roots have grown over one of these nurse stumps.

In the background, an elderly gentleman walks the forest path through dappled shade and sunshine, heading for the spot that opens up into the light.

So do we pass along our wisdom to the next generation, that they might flourish as we pass on.

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