The Mighty Nyiragongo Volcano.

Green Man: This is the mighty Nyiragongo volcano's lava lake in Congo, Central Africa. It has one of the largest lava lakes in the world that roars and hisses night and day, as if a great dragon lives within its depths. I am mesmerized and lured toward volcanoes like a bug being pulled toward a bright light. There is even a voice deep within my primal brain that sees the glow of a volcano's lava lake, and says, "Jump!!" To that end, if I had a terminal illness with only one week left to live, I would end that week by leaping into the heart of the lava pool at Nyiragongo. What a spectacular, quick and fitting way to return to the heart of Mother Earth upon death!!

~The Green Man has Spoken~

The Goddess Pele Erupts with Anger on Kilauea.

The Hawaiian Goddess of Volcanoes, Pele is angry; no doubt furious over how humans are treating our mutual mother, Mother Nature. Just days ago, she erupted from within the bowels of her volcanic underworld with vengeance on her mind. Her long, scalding strands of orange hair are flowing from within the volcano Kilauea; unfurling down the mountain-side to choke off anything in their path. In parts, she is spraying her scorching, red blood through a new crack in the surface called a fissure. Just look at this recent footage:


She is all consuming and when her destructive strands of flowing hair reach her sister, and rival goddess, Namaka, they clash in an explosion of steam; fire and water re-igniting their eternal rivalry. So, it is best to stand back and let her vent her frustrations. Yet, her anger isn't saved just for Namaka.

(Above: Steam from lava reaching the ocean from USGS Hawaii Volcano Observatory).

Her human siblings need to be reminded now and then of the power of her magic, or face her wrath, because she will consume even the strongest buildings, if built too close to her domain. She will not be disrespected, and those who are foolish enough to do so, don't often live long enough to tell about it. That is because she builds the island how she will, and you walking across her new land, before it's ready, is a sign of disrespect. It will usually be punished by a swift fall through the thin layers of her cooling creations where your burning corpse will eventually be incorporated into new land.

(Above: Green fern growing in lava field near Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii by Kevin McCarthy. There are some rights reserved for this picture).

Yet, she is so much more than her violent outbursts show. As her black creations age, they become some of the most fertile ground to grow upon. In fact, her energy, if respected and accessed with respect, can power our energy needs. The island of Iceland is mostly powered by her geothermal emissions. They have learned to live in balance with her power and she has blessed them for it. So, for those who honor and venerate her magic she is happy to give them the best fireworks show on Earth. No rock concert can compare to her rattling rumbles, hissing steam and roaring explosions. She is the original inventor of the pyrotechnic show and truly knows how to make rocks roll!!

(Above: Pu'u 'O'o on a flank of Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano)

I will always stand mesmerized by the primeval and other-worldly forms that she takes on. It is easy to be humbled by her raw energy, as one should be. She makes us feel small but not in an insignificant way. She makes us feel small, so we don't have to try and control everything. We are apart of a bigger picture and knowing that we are just along for the ride takes some pressure off of life. Thank-you, Pele, for your magic. The Earth, and we humans are better for it.

~The Green Man has Spoken~