Who's got your back?

Lady of the burning heart

0008 Queen Corvidae

0008 Queen Corvidae by Alsia Soiset, Photo found on internet by Bob Bianson. (White Ravens and Albino's Exist in the Northwest, which is quite amazing and beautiful)
Skadi reached across the front seat of her queen.  Taking the steering wheel in her hands she brought the car into a supermarket parking lot.

"Queen you must press the breaks!" screamed Trix.  She was getting ready to slap her but knew that would have it's own consequences.  Dying wasn't one of them so she thought the alternative was preferable.  Whatever was happening inside of Queen Corvidae's head it was all consuming.  She was afraid to know what had happened.

Trix focused back to the problem at hand.  Stopping this stupid car.  It just affirmed her hatred of cars.  Flying was so much more convenient and elegant and it didn't involved huge constructions of metal flying towards other hulking metal death traps. 
"Fire!" cried the queen.

"They're dead, all my children at Carkeek." When she first connected to her lover and mate she saw all her beloved children.  Then suddenly she could hear the screams and see only bright light.  Fire.  Normally her crows would know to fly away but it was an explosion of fire.  Sudden and all consuming.  Her other children that lived throughout the world could feel her cry in their heads.  Throughout the world the crow world went on high alert.  The Queen had yelled inside their heads.
"Beware to all, there is darkness afoot.  I will find it and together we will remove it.  We will destroy this enemy so completely there will be no sound, no stories about this being, we are one family, united we will have our justice." And as a whole species they knew her words were true.  The bravest warriors from all the clans across the world were already finding their way to her.  Her army of black.

Story by Alsia Soiset copyright 2014

Queen Corvidae, Trix, and Skadi

The three..

Together beyond endless time

Together they will have to face dangers

Strange beasties not of their ilk

Light and dark, grey 

Family above all else

Loyalty complete

They will fight for their own

No one else

No matter what

0007 Queen of Crows story by Alsia Soiset

She could see through the eyes of her crows.  The mother and guardian of the hive mind of her winged family.  If she wanted she could access each and every mind for information.  Her consciousness held a thousand eyes and with them the information of the human realm, the spirit realm, any realm her birds could see.  They saw in ultraviolet and polarized vision.  Crows could see so much.  Odin in his wisdom used this ability of hers and of the crows to collect information, to sift through it and report to him.  Odin could see but the reason he could was because he had the Ravens and Crows working for him.  Without them his vision dimmed.
Most of the time she only allowed a select few of her crows vision enter into her consciousness.  Otherwise she found it difficult to navigate the human form.  Her mate was one of those strong connections she monitored.  He was in charge of their large tribe.  He oversaw conflicts and held court while she was gone.  She checked in as she was approaching her destination to see Odin in Ballard. 
As she looked through her mate's eyes she saw fire.  She could feel his fear, the crows in her family were terrified.  She started loosing control of the black Mustang. 
"What the Fuck!" screamed Skadi.  She could see that her Queen was somewhere else.  She knew that something bad was happening because her Queen, the strength of her tribe was ashen and looked terribly afraid and then terribly alone. Worst of all she had lost complete control over the vehicle and Skadi was sure they were going to crash into the car in front of them.
"Something's wrong!" yelled Trix.  Trix too was feeling the waves of fear wash over her mistress.  Her Queen was never afraid.  She was fearless and somewhat ruthless in her rulings.  This was bad, very bad......
Story By Alsia Soiset and copyrighted 2014.

0006 Queen Corvidae

0006:  Queen Corvidae by Alsia Soiset
As the gentle screams of her handmaidens went on in the background as she drove towards Ballard, the All-Father, and most likely a heap of trouble she thought of what she had to leave behind.
She was responsible for one of the largest Roosts in the city.  She was the hive mind for all of the crows across the world but her home was Carkeek Park.  She liked the ocean views, the forests and she missed her mate.

As an immortal she had to learn that life and death were fluid things.  As a crow, family was everything.  Your mate had your back, your children, your parents and siblings.  As an immortal she forever lived but her family  changed and morphed over the millennia.  It didn't matter because she loved them all fiercely. 

She had left her mate in charge of the family, her precious crows.  He was well suited for the task as she had chosen him from all the male crows, but she hated to be away.  Her handmaidens were the only ones who lived as she did, immortal, gifted to her to watch and protect her.  Sigh, Skadi and Trix were the best, the most fierce excepting in the case of her driving.

"Please stop screaming you two, I think we are just about to Ballard and then I have to park this hulk of a car." She said with annoyance.  I mean, if you can't handle a car weaving in and out of traffic at high speeds what kind of bird were you anyway?

Queen Corvidae circa 1712

Queen Corvidae 0001-005 by Alsia Soiset

0001:

“Report” The Queen said. Every dawn she asked her children to tell her what was happening in the world around her. It had been the same since the day great father Odin had touched her forehead and told her to awake. He had then commanded her to gift him with her best sons to serve him. For two Ravens served by his side he saw a need for an army built on information.  A hive mind of black winged birds.

 

"Mother" They always called her thus. "Something has changed.” Indeed it had. She was ready.

 

The Queen was elegant, beautiful, sublime and the leader of an army of the most intelligent flying species in the planet. The crows….

 

STORY BY ALSIA SOISET. To be continued……

 

0002:

The Story of the Queen of the Crows:

"Mother, the clans are becoming restless.  There is something coming and they don't like it. " Her lieutenant reported to her, strain in his voice.  He was one of her many sons that served her. 

Queen Corvidae could feel it too.  It was a queasy feeling mixed with anticipation.  She just wanted whatever it was to happen. 

"Thank you son, you are dismissed back to your clan.  I think it's time I have a talk with the All-Father Odin." Queen Corvidae was tired.  The trip to get to the All-Father was long and dangerous but she had no choice. 

0002 of the Queen of Crows by Alsia Soiset

0003:

Well the trip to the all father was long and dangerous in a way. 

She really did hate changing her form into human.  Being a immortal she never aged. She was dark haired gorgeous Goth princess. She wore black of course.  To keep current with the fashion of the times she had a number of symbolically and specially placed tattoos.   She could care less about her human form, it was just a way to move among the humans conveniently.

She stared at herself in the mirror of her black Mustang.  Her eyes looked back at her almost black in color.

I'd rather be flying.  She thought that driving was so cumbersome almost profane. Dammit, where are my handmaidens? I have to make it to Ballard to meet with the All-Father.

Story and Photography by Alsia Soiset

Skadi and Trix were late to meet with their Queen, their mother….Queen Corvidae.  Her handmaidens where busy patrolling their roosting grounds.  They were passionate about their job, some could say ruthless.  Meh.  Crows served their own purposes and their clan.  All else didn’t matter.  Except in this instance.  When the Queen called they were duty bound to respond.

"Skadi, we have to get the Queen, and  we need to change into human form." Trix was not pleased to have to change. She lived to fly, to be with her clan mates.  Human bodies were cumbersome and frankly to her mind ugly. 

Skadi and Trix changed.  They wore black. No surprise.  Crow people prefer black.  Skadi had a blue Mohawk, because if you were going to be human she figured you should have fun.  Skadi was pure mischief but the Queen trusted her because she had been her handmaiden since the beginning.

 

0005:

Queen Corvidae/A Story of the Queen of Crows by Alsia Soiset -

 

"Where are they?" The Queen asked into thin air.  Her handmaidens better get here quick.  She started thinking of ways to make their lives more interesting, maybe she would have them find her something shiny and expensive.  Something sparkly. 

 

"Queen we are sorry we are late," said Trix.  She looked at Skadi accusingly.

 

"What? I can't help it if I had to put together a decent outfit."  Skadi was one to preen herself in either form.  She prided herself on her blue Mohawk and she liked her outfit to match. 

 

"Let's go girls.  I hope you brought your favorite weapons.  We are going to meet with the All-Father but I have no idea what he wants so we better go prepared.  Last time he sent us to take care of one of his messes we almost got killed."  The Queen wasn't pleased but she knew that this time Odin needed her to help with something that was of their mutual concern.

 

She wasn't a particularly good driver.  Hence the dangerous part of the journey.  Trix and Skadi looked pained and held onto the car and tried not to transform back into birds to get away.  Duty to your Queen really could be challenging...

Shaman

A Shaman sees the world

Then sees it a step beyond the ordinary

The stories of the spirits who move around us

Speak and flash images of beyond truths

Color abounds in this state, it's moreness singing 

Open to all truths, no truth just this

This

Yes this

All colors dancing, moving beyond 

Close your ordinary eyes

Open different eyes, the ones that can see beyond 

Crow spirit

Crow spirit is strong

Smart

A United clan of black winged spirits

Watchers

Clever scavengers

When I watch them I know they watch me too

I am honored they let me walk beside them

The bird of many colors

Geisha from the red blossom

The red blossom bleeds

Bleeds with passion

Not lust

She's too practical, too ruthless

Passion for making the most of each moment

She doesn't hold back

That's why she is the geisha of the red blossom....

The guardian of the heart

She stands as the guardian

Above the heart

Looking in all directions 

Seeing all 

The opportunities for love

For learning 

There are times though that the heart must rest

She guards then too

Rests alongside 

Wraps around

The heart needs rest

The mind also

That's why she stands guard

To remind gently 

Listen

Listen

The child of the red birds

Two birds

One heart

A child

The mother protects

The father nourishes

Birds have different ways of being

The child learns to fly

Her heart is complete 

Two birds

One heart

A child 

In the heart of the forest.

In the heart of the forest

There lives a guardian

Who watches the heart of the trees

Secret and precious, she loves them

Talks to them

Looks at the roots, sees the flow

Tends to the imbalances 

Touches the trunk

Strengthens the outer, the inner

Stares through the branches and leaves

Sings with the wind

Dances as they sway

All in the heart of the forest

A being of cloud and sea

These beautiful beings 

They don't conform to the rules 

They are born from the sky, the sea

They travel between as a bee to the hive

When they transform into the waters they become one

As One mind

When they ascend to the sky they become singular 

Always moving between between these realms

What messages to they deliver as they evaporate into mist?

Walking inside the clouds.

Walking inside the clouds

Visions of light and shadows 

Movement of light dancing in my hair

Singing in the distance, laughter

Swirling around me

Not solid, just out of sight...

Magical

Ethereal

Beyond sight.

Beyond the surface there are so many things to see.

You can't use your eyes.

You can't use what you think you know.

Only through seeing with your heart, your knowing, and letting go

Will you truly see.

Looking down from the clouds.

Looking down from the heavens.

They watch us.

They cannot change what we do.

So they change themselves hoping we will learn.

They show us things change from one moment to another...

It seems we have forgotten to look up, to stare at the sky.

Always looking down or at our phones.

Our minds fixed improperly - so fixed, inflexible.

Open your mind, stare into the heavens, the clouds.

Expand, be flexible....and let go.

Become like the sky - open.

She dances with dragons.

She dances with dragons.

Not here, but where the dragons live.

Inside dreams, inside the realm of magic.

She knows how to walk through the walls that separate us from them.

They are thinner than you would imagine...

Actually that's the secret...imagination and trust.

She trusts and so she arrives dressed to dance.

When you dance with dragons.

It's all circles and energy.

Her dress curls around her....

Happily spinning inside thier coils she laughs

Laughing in the pure joy of the one who dances with dragons.

The Center

Going within.

Finding the source.

Endless like the Ocean.

Vast like the sky above.

The center will bring you home.

The center is the beginning, the now.

Our heart can rest here.

Floating upon the surface, gently carried and nourished.

Not all angels are sweet.

Not all angels are sweet.

Not all angels are soft and gentle.

Some are made to be warriors.

This angel is all about what needs to get done.

Does he carry a sword?

No, he has truth.

Truth cuts deeper.

Truth can feel sharper than a sword.

Truth can lay waste to an entire empire.

It's a dangerous and precious weapon.

That's why some angels are given different wings,

Different tasks. 

Harder tasks.

Tasks that live outside light and dark.

Some angels live outside light and dark in order to serve other purposes.

It can darken and harden their edges, to protect their fierce mission.

Under the canopy

Laying under the canopy 

You can see the sunlight softly through the leaves overhead

You can see the end of summer 

Enjoying the last warmth of the sun

The last beauty of the leaves before they fall

Cave like and safe inside the canopy

Nature soothes us with her quiet song

The end of summer is upon us

Fall will be here soon and the canopy will fall 

to become the carpet underneath our footsteps

I think I'll stay here and linger a little longer

Enjoying those last moments of sunlight playing inside the leaves

Inside of summer.

The dragon lady and her clouds

The dragon lady and her clouds

Dragons love playing in the sky

They race around the sun 

And when they are tired they dive into the ocean 

Laughter and play in the deep waters

Clouds float up from their play

These clouds are magical

created from dragon breath

If you look closely they tell stories

Wonderful stories 

The dragon lady and her clouds

is the keeper of the stories

She loves the clouds and their stories

Her beautiful clouds.

The Lady of Summer

The Lady of summer is only here

for a short time

When she comes to visit

the time slows down and elongates into the warm horizon

Soft breezes and long days

Her beauty is vibrant

her clothing is that of the fully bloomed flowers

She is fresh, full of life

At the end of summer

she returns back into the summer lands

The land of fearie and of magic 

Upon her exit, the leaves dry up

The breezes cold

Life retreats into itself

Into quiet stillness.

Lost

On the pathway leading home

She turned to look behind,  

all she could see was her past.

The past was like a series of confusing roots

Looking tangled, going in every direction

But connected to something important.

Some say her past was not worthy of remembering

Looking at it she might judge that at times she seemed lost

Lost to people, to things, to her pain, to her pleasures....

All part of her connected to who she was now.

Moving forward she knew to not be afraid

to accept there would be times of feeling lost

That she would lose herself to any number of things both wonderful and unbalancing.

She would know too that she would continue to be found

Over and over again.

Chrysalis.

Chrysalis

It's time to emerge

To play, to discover the world

Oh but to stay in this comfy place!

The time is fast approaching when this chrysalis palace

Will be no more and I must dry my wings in the sun

Just so as to be correctly unfurled through the length of my wings....

Then to the dance of drinking sweet nectar!

From all the flowers I can find...

Yes it's time to be my full self colorful with wings outstretched....

Oh thank you dear chrysalis for your safety and warmth.

I'm ready now!

The celestial voyage.

On the voyage home to the golden shores

A beautiful ship awaits us

Always there is a being present to guide the ship across

This being speaks not on one word

Words would distract from the profound transition to the other shore

The sound of the water lapping against the boat

The stillness of the wind

Is the whisper that carries you across

Be Happy!

Poetry by Rowan Soiset, Age 11 by permission.

Happiness is the most important thing in the Universe

Make yourself happy, don't try to be sad.

It's important that other people are happy too

But...

Just be happy

If you need a lift 

Just ask

And someone will be there

To save you.

By Rowan Soiset 2014

Blue Meditation.

Going back to stillness.

Form and breath coalesce.

Sit with your heart and mind open like a white lotus,

Purity.

Quiet and gently focused,

Inward.

Lovingly holding light,

Centered.

Cosmic Dragon

The sun is the left eye,

The moon the right,

The cosmic dragon swims through the heavens.

Carrying the earth through the universe,

A blue egg.

Someday the earth will be born.

It will take a trillion years to travel the distance.

To the new galaxy where the egg will hatch.

The birth of the being from the blue egg is a mystery 

Only the cosmic dragon knows who or what will emerge...

My guess it's something golden, something beautiful.

Good and Strong

When you began, the world disagreed.

I looked inward at you, good and strong, you held the space.

Big gigantic beings looked at me from the trees and told me you were protected.

Then the task was external.

To protect from darkness.

How did I make it through?

Looking back I really don't know.

They tell me it's because I'm good and strong.

My task is to hold that goodness in my heart.

That truth that makes me fierce enough to persist.

To thrive.

This truth is love, and knowing so deeply that the divine is magical.

I live inside that magic every day and it keeps me safe.

It protects me because there is always a bigger monster standing with me.

I'm comfortable with them and love them for their strange beauty.

In turn, they keep me surrounded.

So it's easy to stay good, to be strong, to love and create freely.

I understand now that when you began there was never any worry.

And when I forgot and thought I was alone and unprotected the beasties where there.

Waiting to eat up the darkness that threatened....

Always there.

Love and gratitude.

That's how I can be this right now. 

Yes

Gifts given.

Gifts given,

Blessings planned.

Loss,

Movement forward,

Gifts change their form.

Who is to know what the universe intends

When things happen.

Being unattached to outcome

Is difficult.

Maybe we need to approach these things,

With delicacy, with silent approach.

Loving all the joy and the sweet sadness that life offers.

And later when we can look back,

With love and appreciation.

With new eyes.

Grateful for gifts given.

Fire and wind.

A flame can become more if the wind is willing.

The wind can wrap and coil drawing the fire higher.

If the wind is not gentle, if the wind is fierce the fire can become untamable.

So when the fire and the wind meet they must treat each other with gentleness.

The wind must support and be stable.

The fire itself depends on the breath, but it must not be greedy and consume all.

It is a delicate dance between the wind and fire.

Tensions built from need, from natures way.

What if I wanted to dance in between these forces?

What way would I have to lean? 

Maybe in the spirals I'll move, twirling and laughing,

Warm inside the the play of the wind and fire.

Firebird

The angel of unknown origin

She arrived just yesterday.

Looking at me with the full awareness of the Heavens.

Where did she come from?

I could not fathom her purpose in visiting me here.

I'm here to remind you.

I'm here to show you something you have long forgotten.

The purity of love, of innocence, of beauty.

This world can make you forget when those around you are unable to see.

I know you can see the edges and feel the texture of it.

I can feel your panic and discomfort.

Return to the original source, become quiet, sit, breathe.

And then I realized I contained the peace I sought.

Returning back to the time before I came this time.

To the moments before my first breath.

Love and connection in its purest form.

Then I remembered who she was.........

Kintsugi...the art of mending with gold.

When we break into pieces 

It feels so raw

Like there is no way to repair ourselves

Our edges feel sharp

Maybe we think it's time to start anew...throw ourselves away

When we break apart from grief

From trauma, from sadness 

There doesn't feel like we can come together again

And then....

The universe reminds you

That you are made of gold that binds each piece to each other

That this life is all about breaking apart and mending

Creating golden streaks that make you more beautiful and strong 

It's poetry and it's a breathtaking journey

Don't worry it will happen again and again

until you are ready to leave this world

Until you are melted down to your pure state

All gold 

All light.

Spirit Bird.

Her wing tips touch the edge of sunrise and sunset on either horizon.

Her vision can see the details of the forest floor and the Tibetan monks in their temples.

She can fly around the earth, the sun, into the stars.

She hunts the dark places and brings light.

She sings the old sounds of the beings who came before form.

She rests in between the old forest and the mountain.

Spirit bird watch over me.

Protect me,

Carry me, deliver me into those dark places and out again.

When I rest can I lie in inside your wings?

Can I fly into the universe with you?

Can I sing the old songs until I grow my own wings and fly alongside?

Love my spirit bird.

The Ocean, she is my jewel.

The Ocean, she is my jewel.

Sitting by her i feel the endlessness of time.

In this moment she is peace itself.

In her depths I an breathe in and out.

I know she has the power to undo the world.

Instead she continues to nourish.

She is my jewel

Big and blue

Faceted without end

Beauty that dances with strength 

With grace

So much quiet peace 

In that endless horizon.

The Moon's bride.

Pen on paper sketch.

The Moon's bride

Is bold

She must be the keeper of the secrets

Of the tides

And the different faces

That's no small task 

Boldness keeps her moving forward

But stillness is her method

Quietly she watches for right timing

Then she acts completely and without hesitation

Yes she is the perfect bride to the moon.....

Window within

If you looked inside 

All you find was shards of light

Moving, dancing to the sounds of the world around

If you saw my eyes

You might see that light

Moving and dancing as I watch you

If you saw me dance

The light is expressing itself

Joyfully 

Everyone needs a dragon

Everyone needs a dragon

Dragons love to play in the in between places

They fly and wrap themselves around things that lurk after us

But as I say, your dragon will protect you happily

Munching on the monsters

Burning away the darkness

Curling up at the foot of your bed at night

One eye half open just in case 

Yes, I love my dragon and all her favors

Everyone needs a dragon 

The lady of the three moons

The first moon was the moon of the winter.

The moon was cold and dark.

It wandered in and out of the dream world watching.

The moon would whisper truths inside these dreams.

Mostly forgotten upon awakening.

The second moon was the moon of spring.

The moon of spring liked to stay into the morning

Listening to the birds singing of love 

The moon too would sing a strange melody

The melody is filled with longing...but joyful....accepting.

The third moon is the song of summer.

The moon of summer revels.

As The stars and the moon play 

The warmth of their joy together is felt

More laughter is heard, more excitement is felt

When the moon and the stars play.

Holding Light

Holding light inside my heart

Freely given

I often stand with it pouring out

Some lost, some received, some rejected

But I cannot stop however foolish

Because love and desire for wholeness 

Is the song i wish to create in the world around me.

So let the light pour out, let the song commence...let wholeness be.

Yes.

Family Portrait

I stand between because I like being nestled in between both halves of my heart

I am lucky

To be connected. 

To be loved, and to love.

They are part of my song

They are their own song - rich and lovely

In between each note we dance together laughing

Laughing at ourselves and each other 

unafraid in our love 

This is my family portrait.

My true heart

My true heart knows

How to be strong

To beat fiercely 

My true heart knows to be still

So I can listen 

My true heart loves

Foolishly, freely, endlessly.

My true heart is simple.

Peaceful.

But sometimes I forget

My true heart is patient

Luckily. ;)

Born from completeness

In the beginning we are complete

Unmarred

We forget and become fragmented

Incomplete 

We remember and begin the journey back

Healing

Stronger we become until we are again whole

Complete

We are connected

I am amazed at how connected we all are.

Why do we disconnect then from each other? From ourselves?

Is it because to open up to this means we have to feel? To be real?

Often we feel overwhelmed, hard to protect from the information.

We have forgotten our protectors, our guides that we always had.

I don't really care if you make believe.  

Make it up to be real.  So you can open up to the amazing possibilities the world has to offer.

Walk through this world surrounded by giants so you you tap into the vastness that is.

Because when we know that we are safe then we can be open enough to help others.

To serve and help others that's the stuff that connects us....always.

Sweet nectar

Drinking from the flowers

Is sweet business.

Conducted by the senses.

It's not that silly uptight business stuff you do in your suit and tie...

But with feathers and wings.....an estatic dance...

Give me my feathers and wings, my dancing shoes....

And my sweet sweet nectar.

#bringourgirlshome

Each woman, each girl that has been taken in this world against her will 

tears a hole.

This hole inside the soul of humanity is tearing apart.

The pain of this must be amended, must be corrected before we all become irrevocably damaged.

Right now we must all turn our hearts to this because to turn away again...will mean we decided to close our hearts to ourselves and to them.

Open your fierce heart.

Let the fire burn outwards towards these girls, these women.

Let the flames burn away their captors and purify the damage done.

Feel yourself surround them in love.

See them return whole and safe.

It does make a difference to send prayers across the world.

Every time you do it, you grow bigger, your heart becomes stronger.

Every time you surround those that suffer with love it changes things.

Don't let your heart close to suffering, let your heart burst it's fierce flames around them.

Fire purifies, fire renews........the heart rules the element of fire for a very good reason.

Let your heart burn in love for them.

I pledge my heart.

My fire.