Olive Branch

As Maya grows, she is confronted with unresolved conflicts in her life, both familial and personal. Guided by Laughing Heart and her mentor, she learns the power of forgiveness and peace. The olive branch becomes a symbol of the resolution of old wounds and the end of generational conflict.

This song comes from this excerpt from the memoir I am writing called “Waking Lucid”.

OLIVE BRANCH
All this life I have found it very difficult to forgive. Many lifetimes ago my wife and my brother had an affair. It devastated me. I felt the only dignified thing I could do was to start a war with my brother and his family. This feud was still going on in this life until a shaman journeyed for me and created a truce.

We met under an olive tree, Purpostratius, Emotia, Milo and me, an olive branch. Milo insisted that whoever was talking would hold me in their hand, to remind the others that it was their turn and not to interrupt. Purpostratius began. 

“ This has gone on too long. I know it was me who exiled you both but we cannot continue like this. It’s too debilitating. For everyone. I was unforgiving. I was wrong, you two were wrong, but I added to the mistake and we’ve all dearly payed for this. How can we forgive each other and move on?”

Emotia reached for the olive branch. “ You took my children away from me. You ruined my life. And you didn’t even look back.”

“I’m looking back now…”

“I hold the Olive Branch, you’re interrupting me.”

“Yes, of course. My apologies.”

Emotia continued, “It’s been so many years, so much damaged done. I don’t know that I can forgive. I don’t know that I can forgive your unforgivingness.”  

Purpostratius opens his hand for me to be handed to him, “ That’s fair, I know I set a whole chain of tragic events in motion. I had no idea. We were new souls, strong minded and impulsive. We were both uncompromising and we’ve payed dearly. The question is, what can we do about it. Right here now. How can we make this right?”

Milo reached for me. “ I learned so much about myself from all of this. I looked up to you Purpostratius. I wanted to be like you. I abandoned myself to be like you. I thought by having your wife I could be like you. And now I also want this to be over. I felt so bad for what I had done that I left. I went out into the forest. I wanted to die. But what I discovered was something unexpected. I felt held by the forest.” 

We sat in silence for along time and  then Emotia reached for me. “I realized that in a way we can do no wrong. If we’re careful and make few mistakes we grow more comfortably but more slowly. If we make big mistakes we grow quickly but more painfully. Purpo, you Milo and I made big mistakes but we are here to correct the trajectory of our lives.You say you want this to be over, Purpostratius, but are you willing to make amends? Are you willing to do something that shows contrition?” 

Emotia hands me over to Purpostratius. “I believe I would be willing. However, I don’t believe it’s just me that has to make amends. We’ve all played a part in this.”

Emotia grabs me tearing off a leaf and yells, “I have payed! I have been severely punished by all this. And you sat by cold with your edicts and principles. I need to know that love is more important than your damn principles!”

Milo grabs hold of me. “I believe you two are looking for some kind of compromise, between love and truth. Is that correct? Tell me if I’m wrong. ”

Purpostratius grabs me firmly. “I agree, I am looking for a balance. Emotia, when we were together you filled a hole in me and when you were gone the hole was so obvious. It’s taken me eons but I’ve come to value the love that you demonstrate so easily. That’s why I’m here, talking with you.” 

He hands me over to Emotia, “I’ve never heard you talk that way. It touches me that you value me like this. I do believe in the significance of our origin, that we were once one and split into two.”

Handing me back again, “ Yes, I honor that too. I also believe that were coming together for more than just ourselves. We’re healing more than our own issues here. Every couple has to deal with the split between truth and love, between masculine and feminine, and if one pair figures it out it helps everyone.“ 

Finally, I could not keep myself silent anymore. “Okay you three, I believe you could use some facilitation.”

“Who said that? Is there someone up in this tree who’s been listening to us?”

Milo took me from Purpostratius and held me up saying . “While I was in the forest, I discovered this branch. I could not believe when I first heard it’s voice. I looked everywhere but soon realized it was this branch talking. It is how I learned about interconnectedness. I brought it here today because I knew we would need help. Are we willing to have it help us?”

“I guess so but since when do branches talk and furthermore how can it help us?” , asked Purpostratius.

“I am an olive branch. I represent reconciliation. For many years, I was in the possession of Eireen, the Greek Goddess of Peace. I have brought made divided people together in forgiveness. I could do the same for you.”

“What would it entail? “ , inquired Emotia.

“What would we have to do?” , added Purpostratius.

“It’s simple. You all hold me at the same time and simply and earnestly say to one another, I forgive you. The power invested in me through my long association with Eireen will lift the resentment, hatred and betrayal and dissipate it into the universe. In short, the energy that got stuck in all of you will be returned to source. But you must be earnest. Think about it. Feel into it. Is this something you can all do?”

Purpostratius responded first. “ I’ve already said it. I’m ready to put this behind us.”

Milo added, “I’ve been waiting a long time for you two to be ready.”

Emotia concluded, “ I’ve done negativity for eons. There’s nowhere else for me to go except to forgive.”

I continued, “ Okay, then everyone hold onto a piece of me. Be careful to not pull off my leaves. We’ll need them for the process to complete.”

When everyone was connected through me I started the flow of forgiveness.

Milo said, “ I forgive you Purpostratius and Emotia and I hope you too can forgive me.”

Purpostratius was next. “I forgive you Emo and Milo. I sorry for the suffering I’ve caused you both.”

Emotia finished with, “ There were times when I hated the world and myself. There were times when I did not want to be alive. However, I have repeatedly seen that when I have not been able to forgive someone it’s because I haven’t been able to forgive the same abomination in myself. I forgive you Milo and Purpostratius.”

With these words my leaves began curling and a grey film rose like steam into the air, ascending above everyone’s heads and floating up into the clouds and beyond.

Emotia was concerned, “ Olive Branch we’ve ruined your leaves!”

I assured her, “It’s ok. I can grow them back.”

“How long does it take” Purpostratius asked. 

“It’s uncanny, it always happens like this,  but just in time for the next feud that comes my way.”

Then Milo pulled out the box that was my home. As he lifted me in I said, “You three, it’s been an honor. Go in peace.”