It has also, unfortunately, remained hidden from even our best and most powerful eistaa. Although they have the power of ordering and control, life and death, they still have not seen the underlying principle from which their own power flows. It may also be unhappily said that many a strong eistaa by placing herself above this greater power has demanded an allegiance to herself that contradicts the greater citizenship that we all share. Although this may be caused by selfishness and the urge for absolute control, it is basically an unknowing lack of knowledge of the hidden truth.

THREE

The Spirit of Life, Efeneleiaa, is the supreme Eistaa of the City of Life and we are citizens and beings in this city.

Efeneleiaa’s benevolence sustains our lives and the provenance of living. This rich luminescence enlightens us. To understand and know this Spirit of Life is to find meaning of self, through allegiance to Life and through kinship with all living things. Her qualities of sedate affirmation of life enable us to endure when death strikes those around us who do not know of her and her Way. We who know then come to see ourselves differently, apart from the unknowing, and see our lives and the lives of others in a totally different manner.

FOUR

When we know the Greater Truth we are possessed of a new strength, for we then have a greater and higher center of identity and loyalty.

Knowing this truth bestows upon us a power and focus of life that others do not possess. The knowledge that we are Citizens of Life provides the causality for us to join together as Daughters of Life. Although we live as other Yilanè do in cities, and acknowledge the rule of the eistaa just as others do, we live there in the knowledge that our ultimate allegiance is pledged to the Spirit of Life. We are then embued with a greater sense of allegiance to a greater eistaa that goes far beyond the realm of the eistaa of our city. We serve the eistaa of the lesser city and are loyal to her. But only as long as she does not command us to violate the Principles of Life. If this should happen then we must reject her commands and obey the greater commands of Efeneleiaa.

This higher allegiance to a superior center of loyalty by one who truly understands the meaning of Efeneleiaa enables the believer to continue affirming life, by living, when the eistaa’s wrath is turned upon her. This is a positive and not a negative act, for dying is the negation of living. It is the eistaa who orders death who has violated the Principles of Life. So what the eistaa sees as a defiance of authority is in reality an obedience to a higher authority. The opposite is also true: if we violate Efeneleiaa’s principles we die—even though an eistaa orders us to live on.

FIVE