Yel means wind, and Ana (Ene) means mother. Women were the caretakers of homes. They oversaw the survival of the community and were responsible for conducting tribal rituals. As the feminine aspect of the wind, Yel Ana represents a mother’s patience for her children. The appearance of Yel Ana in your life signifies that a Simoom may be blowing. Yel Ana is asking you to bolster your faith and listen to your inner voice before proceeding.
The desert nomads of ancient Turkey were wind believers known as Yörük. When faced with a simoom from the wind mother Yel Ana, they would take cover under strategically placed tarps, and patiently wait out the storm. It is hard to stay focused when the winds of change are blowing. Illness, death, jobs, loss—and even joyous events like book publishing, childbirth, or love—create an ever-changing landscape of shifting sand. Staying present with the process is key when whipping winds are raging, as mindfulness creates the space for change.
Sand dunes can move a city block during a storm. The only way to find your way back home is to become highly attuned to the signposts, such as the location of the mound, direction of the wind, or the position of the sun, moon, and stars. Desert dwellers know that dunes form at ninety-degree angles to the prevailing wind, so if the wind blows in from the east, the dunes will run north to south. [i] Are you aware of the subtleties in your own landscape? Presence will help you safely navigate any storm. A familiar nightly walk can become your ally and teacher.
[click_to_tweet tweet=”To stay present, you must also learn to let go when the time is right. You cannot hold the wind in your hand.” quote=”To stay present, you must also learn to let go when the time is right. You cannot hold the wind in your hand.”]
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Ancestral nomads were keen observers of constellations and used the temperate night sky as their map to help them navigate safely through harsh, ever-changing landscapes. Yel Ana is beckoning you to observe your thoughts carefully; they will determine the quality and nature of your experiences as you journey through life. Like shifting sand in the wind, thoughts may mutate over time. Self-mastery requires patience if you seek the truth during the inconstant phases of the moon.
If Yel Ana is pelting your backside with grains of sand, be on guard, because your mind may be playing tricks on you. Halt before proceeding, and ask, “Where am I out of sync? Am I hungry, angry, lonely, or tired?”
[i] Caline Malek, “Desert Survival: Secrets of Ancient Bedouin Navigation,” The National, last modified July 26, 2011, http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/desert-survival-secrets-of-ancient-bedouin-navigation.
