You don't know what you don't know
My first experiences with the Kayapo Indians were as a young teenager when my grandfather used to take me there during school holidays.
Later I was to spend almost two years with the tribe, during which time I received my formal initiation as a Tribal Medicine Woman.
As a teenager growing up in a well to do family in Rio de Janeiro I was much more familiar with the urban jungle than the natural jungle of the Amazon Rainforest.
My heart went out to the Kayapo Indians when I was faced with their primitive living conditions.
In my young naivety I had visions of helping them improve their health standards as I would share with them some of the wonders of modern medicine.
I was in for the shock of a lifetime.
As I spent more time with the tribe and the Medicine Man shared more and more of their sacred philosophies with me I started to realize that these "primitive" people had an advanced understanding of the forces of nature.
Much of what we considered "superstition" and "primitive" beliefs were underpinned by an advanced understanding of the energetic nature of life.
How was this possible? Nobody had told them about Quantum Physics.
My belief systems were assaulted with a diverse array of tribal beliefs, some of which just seemed ludicrous at first, while others simply could not be ignored.
As I gained a deeper understanding of the philosophies shared by the Medicine Man even the beliefs which at first seemed ridiculous started to make sense.
I had come with the mission to share modern western knowledge. Thinking of myself as a missionary, a savior to the tribal people whom I had grown to love. As time went by I felt deeply humbled and realized that I was the one receiving the education not the other way around.
One of the great lessons I took away from this powerful period in my life is that "You don't know what you don't know".
Our mind is very protective of our existing belief systems. Most people crave certainty and security and as a result their mind tends to belittle any beliefs that challenge their existing beliefs.
While this tends to create a false sense of security it comes at a very high price. It can cost us countless opportunities. It can even make us totally blind to what is possible.
If you truly want to become the best you can be then you need to be willing to explore alternative points of view and not just at the surface level.
In Love and Gratitude,
Antonia Ruhl
Later I was to spend almost two years with the tribe, during which time I received my formal initiation as a Tribal Medicine Woman.
As a teenager growing up in a well to do family in Rio de Janeiro I was much more familiar with the urban jungle than the natural jungle of the Amazon Rainforest.
My heart went out to the Kayapo Indians when I was faced with their primitive living conditions.
In my young naivety I had visions of helping them improve their health standards as I would share with them some of the wonders of modern medicine.
I was in for the shock of a lifetime.
As I spent more time with the tribe and the Medicine Man shared more and more of their sacred philosophies with me I started to realize that these "primitive" people had an advanced understanding of the forces of nature.
Much of what we considered "superstition" and "primitive" beliefs were underpinned by an advanced understanding of the energetic nature of life.
How was this possible? Nobody had told them about Quantum Physics.
My belief systems were assaulted with a diverse array of tribal beliefs, some of which just seemed ludicrous at first, while others simply could not be ignored.
As I gained a deeper understanding of the philosophies shared by the Medicine Man even the beliefs which at first seemed ridiculous started to make sense.
I had come with the mission to share modern western knowledge. Thinking of myself as a missionary, a savior to the tribal people whom I had grown to love. As time went by I felt deeply humbled and realized that I was the one receiving the education not the other way around.
One of the great lessons I took away from this powerful period in my life is that "You don't know what you don't know".
Our mind is very protective of our existing belief systems. Most people crave certainty and security and as a result their mind tends to belittle any beliefs that challenge their existing beliefs.
While this tends to create a false sense of security it comes at a very high price. It can cost us countless opportunities. It can even make us totally blind to what is possible.
If you truly want to become the best you can be then you need to be willing to explore alternative points of view and not just at the surface level.
In Love and Gratitude,
Antonia Ruhl
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