Yeongdeung Halmang: Respect and Balance

Korean Muism: Yeongdeung Halmang: Respect and Balance

This week Winds of Spirit pull is Yeongdeung Halmang, from the ancient history of Korea. A giant grandmother goddess who embodies the omnipresent Mt. Halle on Jesu island…watching over the mysterious land of volcanoes in the region.

When Yŏngdŭng Halmang blows in from the North it is time to pause, reflect, and align to your highest spiritual ideals before moving forward. There is a short window to adjust your values and ideals to your seasonal aspirations as this wind goddess arrives for a only a 2-week period during the transition from Winter to Spring. She will help you scatter seeds. Your visit with her will determine the quality of your 2019 harvest.

[clickToTweet tweet=”Pay attention to the signs. Are children frolicking in your life, or are the cold harsh winds leaving you listless and feeling bare? If you are out of balance, make the necessary changes before proceeding. ” quote=”Pay attention to the signs. Are children frolicking in your life, or are the cold harsh winds leaving you listless and feeling bare? If you are out of balance, make the necessary changes before proceeding. “]

To remain in balance, it is essential to understand what you stand for, and where you want to put your attention. The winds have been blowing strong and steady this week. It is a reminder to take a Wind Bath, and clear the air. My life has been about finding balance by releasing myself from things that no longer serve my goals. During a recent Wind Walk, I was shown that the energy leaks in my life were habitual behaviors that were often unrecognizable. This lack of respect for myself was robbing me of the life force energy I needed to move forward to the next level of the launching Winds of Spirit into the world. Our fascination with world events can lead us astray, if we are not clear on our mission. Try this experiment. Pick one thing you are willing to stand for. Let everything else fall away from your radar for a week.

Calm and steady waters do not require a wave to move forward. These days, there is never a dull moment, and I now know for certain that these winds have our best interests in mind.

Dawn breaks early across the fertile lands of northeast Asia, shedding light onto a complex culture whose indigenous traditions have survived for eons, despite scant documentation and strict political regimes.

Jesu is an island of 18,000 gods that adds intrigue to the history of ancient Korea. Although indigenous practices disappeared from the history books, keun-gut ( great shaman rituals) have survived typhoons, incessant winds, war, and drought. Jeju lies south of the Korean mainland, between China and Japan. The strategic military location of this peaceful community has made it a casualty of war throughout history.

Halmang Seolmundae, is a giant goddess who embodies the omnipresent Mt. Halle, and watches over this mysterious land of volcanoes. Legend speaks to a time at the beginning of the universe, when the giant Grandmother created Mt. Halle with a mere seven shovels of dirt. Some of the dirt escaped through her tattered skirt, and formed secondary parasitic cones called oerum. One legend states that Halmang Seolmundae accidentally fell into a cauldron of boiling soup, which her sons accidentally consumed. They cried such bitter tears after discovering what they had done, that their grief transformed them into rocks. These 380 oerum are the silent Generals who help Grandmother watch over the island. Each spring their tears revive multi-colored azalea blossoms that blanket Mt Halle.[4]

The New Yorker, March 29, 2015

In this non-matriarchal society, independent, hard-working women are honored, because they possess the strength of character required to fish and farm the windswept land. Haenyeo are Jeju women who make their living by manually harvesting fish from the ocean floor.[5] These women dive without breathing equipment, wearing lead weights as they descend into the sea to depths of 33 feet.[6] Farming the rocky earth brought many difficulties, including years of barren harvests, which led to famine. Their community is bound together by a strong faith, which is expressed through their rituals.

[clickToTweet tweet=”If Yeongdeung Halmang, makes landfall in your life, her arrival foretells the outcome… ” quote=”When Yeongdeung Halmang, makes landfall in your life, her arrival foretells the outcome of your endeavor. Now is time to establish an equilibrium in your life between, work, play, and ritual.”]

North

You are being invited to dance with the ancestors when Yeongdeung Halmang rushes in from the North. Community Ritual is a powerful force that sustains life. In order to gain consensus in any situation, there must be a buy-in from the stakeholders. For more than 10,000 years, during times of peace and chaos, they were able to preserve their community rituals by listening to the wise counsel of their ancestors.

Grandmother is alerting you to broaden your awareness, and be in service to something greater than yourself. Ask, “Am I being of service to others as well as to myself?” Open your eyes, mind, heart and soul. Give of yourself unconditionally, so that others may benefit from your kindness and generosity.

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