Back before humans walked the earth and laid their plans on others, two bears were born. One bear holding onto the other’s heel as they went from mother to Mother. These bears were identical in every physical way, neither having an advantage over the other. But though outside appearances were the same, one could tell them apart easily by observing their nature.
Some bear would chase Red Cardinal, while Sum bear would chase Bluejay. Some bear would chase the wave, while Sum bear would chase the wind. Each bear had it’s own mind and nature and never felt the need to do anything differently.
In those times animals could still speak. There was no reason for them to be in silent protest as they are today. None had been offended. Each had their place in the circle of past, present, and the return of past.
One day Some had a thought that he caught on a wave….it preceded the waves that brought the age of silence. He wanted to know once and for all, whether he or his brother was the greatest. He consulted the Turtles who had the most access to ancient knowledge, and asked them to build a course, a test, a way for he and his brother to determine whether Some or Sum was the greatest. And the Turtles agreed.
On the day of the contest, all nature gathered. Some and Sum were known by all and all wanted to see who would win. The Turtles decided rather than prepare the bears for what the obstacle course would ask, they would let each bear travel the distance on their own judgement with no preconceived ideas.
The course was set to revolve around Mother. The first to orbit would be the greatest.
Without further information, the Turtles shouted “Now”…and the bears took off.
Now as both bears ran, Some realized very quickly how hard it is to carry a whole bear around Mother. Winter was coming and they both had started adding insulation to their bellies.
Some bear knowing that that all parts of himself were equal made the decision to rest all of himself but his legs, and allow the legs to carry him around Mother. So some bear’s legs disconnected from the whole and ran on their way, gaining a rather quick advantage.
Sum bear saw his brother’s actions, and as usual, he did the exact opposite. Though he looked identical, he always chose differently. He decided that though his legs were tired, he wanted his entire body to cross a finish line and orbit Mother rather than let his legs experience for the whole.
It looked like Some bear was going to be the easy winner at the mid way point of the challenge, until crossing the equator, things flipped upside down, and he lost his equilibrium. He continued circling but not orbiting, and since he had left his eyes, ears, and all other senses with his body, his legs started losing their lead.
Sum bear saw what had happened as he got close to the equator. He knew he could easily leave his brother perpetually searching for the end of the orbit, but Sum bear knew that’s exactly what his brother would choose were he in the same situation. So Sum bear turned Some bear’s legs back in the direction from which they had traveled to rejoin the rest of Some that were waiting for a victory.
Sum bear easily traveled the rest of the journey using all his parts, even though choosing the sum of all the parts for the journey meant that it would be a longer time to orbit Mother.
Some bear’s legs rejoined the rest of his body and tried very hard to catch up to his brother Sum…but Some bear quickly realized that though one could travel with Some of their many parts and go faster…the wiser one chooses to use the Sum of all parts in case the world should be turned upside down.
All nature decided to store within it’s very structure the lesson learned from Sum and Some’s challenge. Nature knows that Some of it’s parts can go quickly….but Sum of it’s parts can thrive and exist orbiting past, present, and past again eternally.
So when one finds their world is upside down, an examination of whether Some bear or Sum bear is leading can be the difference between partially surviving and thriving.
Blessings!
AncientModernShaman 