From the women of Ramaruri:

• Stop worrying about all the things on your ‘to do’ list and think about today
• Just take care of one thing at a time
• Carry on even though it may be hard
• Make the most of what you have
• Just get on with it
• Learn to ‘walk your life’ without fear in your heart
• Pray well and expect things to work out even if it seems impossible
• Master simple tasks..this is what sustains us and provides a sense of fulfilment
• Take pride in all you do
• Harness the value in experience – tradition matters -it is a supportive foundation
• Express gratitude – even when there appears to be nothing
• Trust in others and entrust yourself in matters of the heart
• Have faith
• Forget about the past – let it go
• Live in the moment
• Pay attention to nature
• Femininity is a strength
• Walk towards well-being – be positive
• Be Happy

Michelle arrived in Mexico with expectations that she was embarking upon an adventure fuelled with excitement and one that would provide her with answers to an underlying frustration about not being able to attract what she wanted in terms of a good relationship in her life.  Time was passing and her chances with it!

She left with a feeling of inner peace and upliftment, having been immersed in a community which offered far more than shallow stimulation.  Her journey took her into a place which she had never ventured before as she became inspired by the level of contentment engaged by the Ramaruri tribe.  They taught her how to transcend the obstacles and challenges of existence by harbouring the best possible attitude towards life.

What better example than this to provide a clear example of people who understand how to ‘feel alright’ no matter what the presenting circumstances might be.  Surely this is what we are aiming for when searching for solutions to problems?   It isn’t easy to function from a perspective of negativity.

The time honoured wisdom of the Ramaruri tribe may not be new or particularly astonishing.  It is not much of a secret…we may have heard it all before.

The difference is that they walk their talk…they walk the path of positivity and know how to implement this attitude in their daily life.

They noticed when someone in their midst found it difficult to to do this and were able to offer advice from a position of skill.

Michelle came away with a new found confidence that will no doubt remain with her and plenty of reminders of how to refocus her thinking and thus her energy.

Her experience altered her perception of ‘quality’ as the uncomfortable rough sleeping arrangement that greeted her and which had seemed so lacking, were transformed into the most ‘cosy’, warm and hospitable of environments as she began to recognize the inherent values that supported the structure of the community.

The very word ‘value’ delineates wealth and it is from this foundation that prosperity emerges.  By finding the hidden wealth in a situation, we can generate value, developing a firm inner bank which encompasses all the elements that align with the potential to succeed.

Just as it is better to plant seeds in good soil, nourishing them to produce a healthy, abundant crop, then a mind imbued with enriching thoughts will encourage the seeds of prosperity to grow.

To watch the programme go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk You will find it on the BBC IPlayer, Tribal Wives Series 2, Mexico

Rafaela lives with her husband, children and grandchildren in a community called the Raramuri in a remote mountainous area in Mexico on the edge of the Copper Canyon, a tropical fertile area which exceeds the dimensions of the Grand Canyon in America, being much deeper and wider.  The word Raramuri means ‘walk strong’ and is descriptive of the manner in which this tribe functions in order to survive.  Running on foot is a way of life as this is how they communicate with other homesteads and transmit messages to each other. They have to be able to conduct marathons over days and a fundamental attribute of the Raramuri is one of stamina.  Here, in this isolated part of the world, people live together in conditions that would be perceived by us as being deprived, having to get their daily water from a spring some distance away. They endure food shortages due to droughts and also as a result of men leaving the community as there is little paid work there. The remaining families rely heavily upon a small government disbursement for which they must travel many miles to obtain each month.

They live in tiny concrete or ramshackle wooden dwellings but still maintain as much of their tradition as possible despite material scarcity.

Michelle Frost, an actress and writer from the UK spent a month with these remarkable people and emerged better for the experience rather than worse. 

At first, Michelle encountered her own negative feelings as she found it difficult to cope with the limitations of life in the Sierra Madre Occidental, with no television, modern conveniences or toilet paper!  But she quickly discovered that simplicity won the day as she struggled to make a circular tortilla, which is a mainstay ingredient of the diet there, and failed.  She came to the conclusion that making tortillas was indicative of her approach to life after Flora, Rafaela’s daughter pointed out that her caution was getting in the way of creating the right shape, which would come easily were she just to grind the dough and make the tortillas.

Chopping wood was another obstacle for Michelle as once again a normal household task became a challenge to master.  Rafaela made the observation that this was because Michelle was thinking too much about it and worrying about the outcome.  All she needed to do was to let go of her ‘bad thoughts’. Eventually, Michelle managed to produce some chopped wood which left her with a sense of fulfilment.

Next she attempted to run in an event which would determine the victor in a race designed to elevate esteem for the family member participating in the community.  Michelle was pitted against a 16 year old girl who really wanted to win, because doing so would provide her with standing and a better chance of success as she would be more likely to marry well were she able to have the esteem of being victorious.

Naturally, Michelle, not being used to having to run at high altitude, found herself in a very fearful state of mind prior to the race and was unable to complete it because of sickness. However just by having a go she felt better and was delighted that she didn’t pull out as her taking part ended up benefiting the young girl to whom it meant so much more, the outcome ensuring her credentials as someone who had the endurance factor…..a characteristic of value in the Ramaruri community.

Her experience with the Ramaruri highlighted her default settings of anxiety, sadness and confidence issues, which to her surprise were addressed, not with the aid of a self help book or a workshop, but in the real life circumstances with which she found herself and by the keen insights of Rafaela and her daughter who had grown up in the presence of the local healer, who was Rafaela’s late father.

So it was Rafaela who provided her with a herbal drink on arrival to help Michelle to sleep after the long journey.  It was Rafaela who asked her to accompany her on a treacherous descent into the Copper Canyon to retrieve a special plant that would help a small child recover from intense fear and it was Rafaela and her daughter who made the following observations:

 

Prosperity is a word which when ‘thought’ upon brings to mind concepts associated with good fortune and a state of affluence which in turn is hardwired into our brains as being connected with money. 

Quite rightly so as the dictionary definition of prosperity contains reference to economic growth and financial well being.

But is being ‘well off’ completely dependent upon the pursuit of money and does the road to success offer any alternative routes to an abundant life?  And does a well stocked bank account guard against diminished health? Where do we stand as information becomes more readily available via the expansion of technology and how do we translate this in our own world to accumulate wisdom?

Could we be forgiven for concentrating upon the problems brought about by personal lack of funds, the struggles in the current economic climate and the endless focus on crises in the news?

Are we actually destined for prosperity and is this a matter within our control or do we give up all notions of achieving the distant dreams of yesteryear when everyday reality strikes as surely as the sun rises and sets?

Do we even have time to contemplate such questions as events take over the steering of our life rendering us incapable of doing anything other than accommodating the effects of immediate circumstances?

How can we provide for our family when we are in a position of lack and how do we cope with juggling between work and responsibilities.  What possible opportunities are there when we lose our job or become ill?  Why do these things happen to us and what have we done to deserve them?

If only we could win the lottery or be bestowed with an inheritance, then everything would be fine. Money will make everything alright!  Providing of course, one could get beyond the idea that these things only happen to others….they are the ones that have all the luck!

The answers to all these questions are more readily available than you might think because to all intents and purposes they lay hidden within us, rather than ‘out there’ somewhere.  This is good news to anyone who has spent time searching and looking for solutions, but not getting much further than that!

The big secret is how to access these answers. We have come to rely on external sources so much so, that the concept of using ourselves to acquire instruction is quite foreign.  Plugging ourselves back into our very own ‘human resource centre’ may require a bit of help but tapping into our innate intelligence is an art that can very easily be learnt.

The billion dollar self improvement industry is testimony to the fact that as life presents us with challenges and obstacles, we seek ways to overcome them, looking for guidance in the form of quick fix solutions as well as long term ones and we look for hope, where there has been none. 

What is not always apparent to us is the wealth of essential wisdom stored in our genes and nowhere is this more evident than when we are triggered by realizations stemming from observations of human endeavour.

As an example, following is an account which illustrate some pearls of wisdom that come from two women who have no books to reference, but rely upon the knowledge passed onto them from parents, grandparents and ancestors, together with their practical applications of this knowledge.