Experience is the only prophecy of wise men...

At least, that's the view of Alphonse de Lamartine.  The raison d'être of the Eagle Condor Sacred Medicine Festival is the prophecy pointing to this time.  Many traditions suggest that, for the last two decades, we have been living through a pivotal time in human history.  The Prophecy of the Eagle and Condor suggests that deep in the past humanity took two divergent paths.  The 'developed' world went for technological modernisation, the scientific route of the Eagle utilising the brain, the rational and the material.  Meanwhile, 'idigenous' cultures chose the spiritual path of the Condor through the heart, the intuitive and the mystical.  These two opposing yet complementary approaches to life have resulted in very different societies which, in recent decades, have increasingly come into conflict.  There is archeological evidence to suggest Aboriginal Australians began to develop more sophisticated techology but suddenly abandoned it.  One theory to account for this is they realised the more tools they had, they more removed they became from their dreamtime.  It would appear the decision to place more importance on unseen realms, rather than improving only the physical plane alone, was a conscious one.  Not simply the default position of failing to possess the necessary inventiveness to develop technology.

Although the precise dates vary in different sources, the prophecy stated that around 1500 the two cultures would come together and the Eagle would drive the Condor close to extinction.  A cursory glance at any history book provides strong evidence that this was the case, with indigenous cultures in every continent falling victim to the rampant spread of the Eagle mentality.  The result is a world in which the intellect has been developed at the expense of the heart.  Material comfort has never been so advanced but, consequently, there is spiritual impoverishment.  The prophecy states that around 2000 began a chance for the Condor and Eagle to come together once more.  To fly in the sky together and create a new way of life for people on Earth, the best of both worlds.

Carl Jung talks about these opposing views of life.  He talks of the way science tries to classify and measure, creating averages and standards against which humans are judged.  This creates sociopolitical systems in which humans are seen as cogs in a machine, each with a prescribed function in society.  The individual human is lost in this interpretation, often subject to rules and laws that they didn't agree to and that they don't always understand.  Although more difficult, it is important to recognise the individuality of humans, each person being more than a number.  This intuitive approach allows a more complex understanding of life and the human condition.  A good example is healthcare which has become a profitable industry in recent years.  Pharma companies push their drugs onto people to deal with all kinds of mental and physical symptoms.  They don't look at the underlying cause of the condition which means it will continue to manifest.  A holistic view on all levels is needed.

Indigenous cultures have maintained an intimate connection with the land that supports them materially and spiritually.  This is slowly becoming manifest in the world of the Eagle as more people show an interest in their life-support systems.  Growing food for example.  Two decades ago most allotments in the UK were lying unused.  Now there are lengthy waiting lists for almost every site.  People are more interested in how and where their food is produced, what is being added to it and what happens to the land it is grown on.  The spiritual dimension is also becoming more popular with once exotic practices like yoga and meditation being commonplace in many people's lives.

Similarly, whilst it is important for those in Eagle nations to recognise a spiritual dimension, it is also necessary for indigenous cultures to understand the workings of the industrialised world.  Considerable amounts of natural wealth have been lost as the land rights of native peoples have been ignored in the face of  advancing industries.  Forests, minerals, water and air have all been denuded over the years and will continue to be so unless indigenous people can understand the ways of business sufficiently to protect their way of life from exploitation.

So, the prophecy is one of optimism.  It doesn't mean turning our backs on either world.  We need both the advanced technology of the Eagle mentaility balanced with the spirit-Earth connection of the Condor mindset.  If the Condor were to dominate over the Eagle we would lose many of the benefits of modern technology.  If the Eagle continues to suppress the  Condor as it has we will degrade our planet to such an extent that our quality of life will be seriously impacted upon.  This prophecy isn't something that happens to us, it is something we must bring into reality ourselves.  As the Hopi say, 'We are the ones we have been waiting for'. 

Allowing myself to be a little critical, I have to say the festival organisers missed an opportunity here.  The conference entitled 'The Condor Eagle Prophecy' invited everyone along to discuss the ideas in the presence of the shamans.  What a great chance to raise awareness of the positive message of hope contained in the prophecy.  However, poor organisation meant the conference wasn't quite up to the mark.  The shamans present didn't really explain what the prophecy was in detail, the evidence for its existence and what it means for humanity.  They didn't go into how we could return to our home countries and make a positive difference, or how the systems of control in society could be influenced for the greater good.  Not enough stress was placed on protection of indigenous cultures and their natural resources.  After an all-too-brief address by each shaman we were shown a very lengthy slideshow of images from an indigenous festival.  Interesting but a little unstructured, lacking a focus.  The speakers could hardly be heard over the noise from the kitchen and the people showing the images were setting up whilst the shamans were speaking.  Small points perhaps but if we don't get this change right - if we miss our opportunity - there's a lot at stake.  A clear, strong, united message needs to issue forth.  A message of inpiration and hope, one that provides practical advice on how we can change for the better.  How we can change ourselves through working with the plant medicines and how we can change our world through the way we live with one another and through our relationship to the natural world.  Let's leave the final word on the flight of the Eagle and Condor to Ol' Blue Eyes...