Bee Swarm

While tending the garden a few days ago, we noticed a tremendous noise like a waterfall, it turned out to be our bees swarming.  We were profoundly moved to witness this spiritual event.  

 

Bee Swarms are the Bee Colony or Bee Community's natural way of reproducing itself to form two communities.  Bee Swarms are feared by conventional beekeepers because 50-75% of the worker bees in the hive leave with the Queen Bee, therefore the productivity of the hive is reduced by the swarming.  Many bee keepers are able to catch the swarm in a new hive.  Before the Swarm leaves the hive all the preparations are made so that the old hive will soon hatch out a new Queen and continue to flourish.   The hive is full of brood (baby bees) and honey and everything is ready for the new queen to take her position!  Meanwhile the old queen with the worker, swarms, first they gather on a branch of a tree and scout bees are sent out to find a new home.  The scout bees return and by a special dance they tell the other bees the direction of the new home and depending on how excited they are they convey how good the new home is.  If the scout can convince the other scouts that she has found a good location, more of the scouts go with her to check it out, and eventually they reach a decision in a process that can take from a few hours to a few days.  

Here you can see the bees swarming, creating a noise which can be heard easily from 100 feet away.  

The natural honey bee population here has been in decline and the colony collapse disorder has been rampantly affecting mostly conventional large bee operations.  We house our bees for several purposes:  For the Spiritual Significance of Bees, and for the Misterio who likes to have bees around;  So that the fruit trees and garden can be pollenated by the bees and be very productive; For Honey; For Wax; and to make a contribution, a gesture, towards strengthening a needed balance and energy brought to the Earth and all our Relatives through the Honey Bee.  Since profit is not our motive, we did not view the swarming bees as a negative occurrence.  We were thrilled, honored and delighted to see the bees swarming as through the swarm our bees were truly making a contribution to the natural honey bee populations as they would find themselves a new home, perhaps in a old tree, in a place that they felt comfortable, as the fact is that honey bees prefer to live much higher off the ground than the conventional hive or top bar hive allows them.  

The swarming bees can be seen leaving the hive which had become too cramped for all of them.

The swarm forms on a nearby tree, although swarming bees are rarely aggressive because they are not defending a hive, we tentatively approached them, camera in hand.

There is at least 10,000 bees in this swarm.  Notice it has formed in the shape of a heart!  The vibration of the sound of these bees was truly awe inspiring and has a way of entering one's Spirit and Essence.  We affirmed that our bees would find a really good new home and continue to flourish.  We were awed by their courage in leaving a fully stocked hive to all the young bees (nurse bees who take care of the larvae), and a smaller contingent of worker bees (gather nectar) and a young (virgin) queen.  All that the bees who swarmed had with them was the nectar in their stomachs, their intelligence, and much courage!  The bees exhibited a profound selflessness, and it was a profound honor to witness this event.  We thanked the Mysteries that allowed us to be in the right place at the right time to witness this, because we might easily have totally missed it, as by the next morning, the swarm had left to their new home.  

As Paleros and Taino, this was a profound spiritual event for us.  Since we work with all the elements, and work with the Misterios behind these elements this was a blessing.  We were very excited be witnesses to this and to see the power and Mystery behind this Event.  This is not something that we see everyday, or even every year.  I am grateful to my goddaughter who told me to get a hobby and grateful that I carry my camera virtually everywhere I go.

On a more concerning note, the day after our bees swarmed the farmer adjacent to us sprayed all his hay fields with a chemical to kill the roses in the fields.  It is very disturbing to see this behavior as it does jeopardize our bees safety, not to mention the safety of our soil, drinking water, and air (as we can smell the chemical in the air).  Since we grow exclusively organic produce we are always concerned that these chemicals will drift to our crops.  What is even more concerning is the rampant use of round-up in our rural neighborhood.  We see whole fields brown and dead, killed by round up, and then planted without tilling the soil with genetically modified soybeans and genetically modified corn.  Many people link the colony collapse disorder with agricultural chemicals used on crops.  We continue to hold the vision that our swarmed bees found a good home in the forest where the chemicals will not affect them as much, and we continue to plant our hedgerow along the border between our gardens and the farmer's field to protect our organic gardens and our animals from the spraying.   

Camino to the Two Waters Where the Ocean and River Meet!

During a recent Ebo, the Mystery called for us to take the Yayi in Ebo to a Camino of Two Waters, where the Sweet Waters (River) meets the Salty Waters (Ocean).  It was a warm day, and as we began our drive to the Bay, as we were driving down the dirt road away from the Land, a squirrel ran parallel to the car leaping alongside us.  In this Camino the Animals were very active and made themselves known, all were significant, all were speaking during the Ebo, and all were considered blessings.  

When the Mysterio brings blessings in the way that they brought them on this Camino, we are extremely grateful and appreciative.  We always encourage the Yayi or Tata in Ebo to be open to the blessings and to stay focused and concentrated inside themselves so that the blessings are not wasted or taken for granted.  However we also pay attention to the energy that the Yayi or Tata brings as it also reflects the energies going on in the Ebo, often the energy that they are needing to leave behind them.

This particular Yayi was extremely scattered mentally on the way to the Bay with all kinds of ungrounded conversation and distractions.  When we first arrived at the Bay we had to travel a large circle around the whole area to find the best access point, then we went to an access point that looked promising but ended up being yet another circle, this time on foot and this time through thorns and vines.

Finally we arrived at an ideal location with clear access.  As we approached the Water we first noticed two things, the first was an Eagle and Hawk flying and disappearing into the Forest.  The second was many fish, very large, jumping powerfully in the Bay- A very powerful sign.  As we approached the initial access a Couple with a young Boy were also watching the fish and the herons which were flying by.  They made some friendly gestures, and we found a trail leading to a secluded spot by the Bay very close to where the River was entering it through marshes and reeds.

The secluded spot was a rocky beach, surrounded by manigua and by a cliff of clays, white, red, yellow, brown, very beautiful.  It had a clear view out to the Bay.  The bay was calm with several people on boats and kayaks.  The Yayi made her prayers, we divined, many blessings were present.  At one point the Assistant Yayi heard a flopping noise in the water, discovered a smaller fish in the reeds in the shallow water of the bay.  The Yayi was able to catch the fish and clean the Yayi in Ebo with the fish, releasing it back into the water.  This was an unexpected blessing, and was much appreciated by all present.

As we were preparing to leave we spotted what we thought was a turtle in the water.  As we watched and it came closer to the shore, we discovered it was a water snake, again a powerful symbol.  As we left the Bay, the energy of the Yayi in Ebo was much calmer, and remained calmer during the return journey back to the Land.  We certainly are grateful and appreciative of the Mysteries that presented themselves and the many blessings given during this Camino!

On a personal note:  I have been doing Ebos for Yayis and Tatas for many, many years.  Many extraordinary things have occurred during those ebos.  At the time I did not carry a camera, or even would have considered taking any photos.  Over the years as I have shifted my focus, I became more open to recording the events of Ebos and other processes in some way.  Several years ago one of my Goddaughters told me "Padrino you need a hobby"... it took some time but I have found a hobby!  LOL.  I take many photos, and only publish some of them using my discretion, and I have come to appreciate what a photo can capture.  The photo can capture many things that we are unable to see in the moment, or it can confirm what you are seeing in the moment.  At this time in my life, I have put much energy into helping people through divination, ebo, education and example and as I slow down in terms of the quantity of spiritual work I do for people, I am turning my energies to a deeper exploration of the Mysteries themselves!  I am also focusing my energy in documenting my work, my understanding and my experiences for the benefit of my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and especially my youngest daughter who breathes every moment of her young life the energies of the Mysteries, the energies of the Fundamentos, the Cemis and who has listened from the womb to the teachings that I have been able to express concerning all these things.  

Left Photo:  Espanta Muerto y Quita Maldicion Bano, in the Manigua overnight.  Right photo, plantas gathered for Bano for the Ebo.

The black snakes came right to us during the Ebo and were caught.  

As we were leaving the Land to go on the Camino, we witnessed a Red Tail Hawk flying high in the sky, not the amazing cloud formation behind the hawk.

CAMINO OF THE TWO WATERS

Upon arriving at the Two Waters we witnessed first an Eagle and a Hawk disappearing into these trees.

Many Herons flew by.  

The Yayi stood looking into the distance by the water of the Bay where the River was Entering the Sea.

Large Carp were jumping in the Bay with great energy and strength, a very good sign.

A fish was seen and caught by the Assisting Yayi using just her hands as the net.  The fish was used to clean the Yayi in Ebo's head, the released into the water.

This is the fish, once released.

A water snake swimming through the bay.  He came close to the shore, near where we were standing.  At first we thought it was a turtle, then realized it was a snake as it got closer to us.

The snake again, closer to shore.

The Yayi leaving the area where the Ebo took place, moving forward through the Manigua and not looking back!

Another view of the Bay where we were.

Completing the Bano of Plantas from the basket, all ingredients in terms of plants and water came from the Land directly, plus some water from the area of Camino of Two Waters.

The banos again in the Manigua.

The Yayi resting in the Hamaca after the Camino.

Preparing lunch and cooking the coffee!

The Center Tree and the Yayi's tent.

The young deer, born last year, came through the grass watching us with curiosity!

Another of the young deer, and a ground hog who walked across the path of the Assistant Tata.

A Snapping Turtle also crossed our path once the Ebo was over.

Fire Ants