Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to be here with you all.
My name is River Runs Deep, a spirit recognition I received, at 36 years of age, from White Buffalo Calf Woman of the Cherokee People during a Rainbow Gathering I had been invited to at Victoria Island in Canada about eight years ago. There was no cost to attend, nor did I ask for any support, donation, or fees to be present. Looking back, I know that there was a mix of people there who I sensed were both unauthentic as well as authentic. River Runs Deep is a label that resonates with me to my core, as much as my birth name, Jennifer Esther Brown, given to me by my Sicilian Greek Jewish Father and Hungarian Polish Catholic Mother, married fifty years, still alive and together.
My biological son's biological father is pure Cherokee and Scottish.
I am an agnostic/atheist, but because I am particular with labels am compelled to include that outside of this labeling I am still learning, growing, and open in terms of how spirituality is defined, and what it could mean, or means, in my life, and for the others I share this life with. I have always been inclined to feel profoundly moved, inspired, and comforted when I am immersed with nature, and so it is when I am in communion with the ocean, rivers, sand, wind, rain, sky, trees, mountains, deserts, and cosmos, that I feel as close as I may come to understanding the great mysteries and energies that are waving and pulsing through everything, seen and unseen.
Although I may not understand all of the knowledge, wisdom, culture, and truth of what each individual is here to bring forth, I come in peace with the intention of offering what protection I may from the forces in this world that, in greed, ego and soullessness, survive on the weakness and suffering of others.
Additional labels that I identify with are mother, daughter, sister, friend, independent free-thinker, unmarried, unowned, artist, musician, writer, student, college graduate, life-long learner, advocate, protector, giver, muse, comic, water nymph, tree, roots, rock, stardust, spiral, serpent, jaguar, tiger, wolf, spider, dreamer, astral traveler, shape shifter and all with one hand in the light and one in the dark.
I have adopted several mottoes for my life some of which serve me well, while others may leave room for... change.
"Why take by force that which you can have by love."
"If thou must love me, let it be for love's sake only."
"To hold a man down, you have to stay down there with him."
"Some people don't get what they deserve, and some people don't deserve what they get."
"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart."
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”
“... ...a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.”
"Of course I talk to myself. Sometimes I need expert advice."
"I used to be so uncertain, but now I'm not so sure."
"... ...I don’t want to be an emperor. That’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone - if possible ... ... ... ... In this world there is room for everyone. And the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful ... ...we have lost the way... ...Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world ... ...We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical. Our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost....
... ...the aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men - cries out for universal brotherhood - for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world - millions of despairing men, women, and little children - victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people... ... ... ...To those who can hear me, I say - do not despair. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed - the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish... ... ... ...don’t give yourselves to brutes - men who despise you - enslave you - who regiment your lives - tell you what to do - what to think and what to feel! Who drill you - diet you - treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men - machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts! You don’t hate! Only the unloved hate - the unloved and the unnatural!... ...Don’t fight for slavery! Fight for liberty!... ... ... ... it is written: “the Kingdom of ... ... ...is within man” - not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people have the power - the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure... ... ... ...in the name of democracy - let us use that power - let us all unite. Let us... ... for a new world - a decent world that will give men a chance to work - that will give youth a future and old age a security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfill that promise. They never will!... ...Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people! Now let us... ... fulfill that promise! Let us ... ... free the world... ...do away with national barriers... ...do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us... ...for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness... ...in the name of democracy, let us all unite!"
If anyone here should have inquiries, concerns, opinions or the like regarding my introduction I invite you to express yourself fully within the rules and regulations of NAFPS.
Thank you for reading and I am looking forward to contributing, hopefully in the best possible way, here at NAFPS.
Blessings Of The Highest Most Divine Loving Light,
River Runs Deep
Jennifer Esther Brown
