Category: Quotes

“There is a river flowing now very fast…”

July 17, 2026

I’ve recently been reminded of the Hopi Prophecy about the river flowing now very fast, an invitation to let go of the shore, and see who is in the river with you… I’ve included the Hopi Prophecy below, in full, which includes so much more that what I remembered when I heard it for the first time. It feels so relevant to the times we find ourselves in right now. Is this the Hour? Are you in the middle of the river with me?

Attributed to an unnamed Hopi elder, Hopi Nation, Oraibi, Arizona ~

“You have been telling the people that this is the Eleventh Hour, now you must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour. And there are things to be considered…

Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.”

Then he clasped his hands together, smiled, and said, “This could be a good time!”

“There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are torn apart and will suffer greatly.”

“Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above water. And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally, least of all ourselves. For the moment we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.”

“The time for the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.”

“We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

… give the gift of being present

September 4, 2024

“One of the most loving, intimate gifts you can offer someone is your presence. You. Fully present in your time together (in person or in communication). In your words. In your responses. In your emotions and affection. Multitasking is celebrated in a toxic, rushed, anxious, task-based culture. It can also send a signal: I don’t care enough about you to give you my full attention. Being half-present can be more harmful than being momentarily absent. Relationships heal and thrive on presence. Create a sacred culture in your life. Give the gift of being present.”
Jaiya John ~ freedom worker, poet, author, teacher, and speaker
https://jaiyajohn.com/

out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing… don’t go back to sleep

October 31, 2022

The following quote is taken from Rumi’s longer offering titled ‘A Great Wagon’. It’s directed the foundation of my practice. To meet you where you are and to connect with the essence of who you are, beyond the judgements, conditioning and so forth that attempt to govern our lives ~ whether they be external or internal. Whilst there are obvious actions we can agree are universally wrong, this is essentially about dropping all of our pretences, masks, burdens and fears for awhile, and just be present with what is, in ourselves and in each other.

“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase
‘each other’ doesn’t make any sense.”

The poem continues with the following which is equally powerful for me. An invitation to be brave, to keep awakening to yourself, to cross the many thresholds life presents us with, to keep going.

“The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don’t go back to sleep.
People are going back and forth across the doorsill
where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don’t go back to sleep.”

Extracts from ‘A Great Wagon’ by Mewlana Jalaluddin Rumi ~ poet, scholar, theologian, Sufi mystic