The Shelters of Stone

By Jean M. Auel

‘The Shelters on Stone’ by Jean M Auel, is book 5 of the Earth’s Children Series. The Shelters of Stone begins where The Plains of Passage ends off. Jondalar and Ayla finally reach the Ninth Camp of the Zelandonii. Ayla and her animal friends are introduced to Jondalar’s family and their female shaman.

Recognizing Spiritual Gifts

Jondalar’s first love, who has now become the First among the leaders of esoteric knowledge, sees Ayla’s potential energy and alternative power. She supports adopting Ayla into their society. The shaman guide believes that along with her natural healing abilities, Ayla has a lot to offer the Zelandonii people. Even though Ayla refuses to acknowledge it, the soul woman feels that Ayla’s life purpose is spiritual service.

Becoming a Teacher

Ayla finds herself becoming a consultant to the leaders of the Camp, as a result of her expertise on Flatheads. Because of having been cared for by them, she is called upon to recall her childhood memories. This assists in the changing of attitudes and beliefs that have been established towards flatheads.

For the Tropic of Freedom Finders Keepers:
There are some who resist what Ayla has to offer. They go against everything she says and does, from helping a baby to be fed properly, to the truth about flatheads. Each of these people are either simply trying to cause trouble, or feel that they have valid reason for their objection.

See if you can identify the characters in this book that embody the following qualities.

1. Causing trouble for attention

2. Being the victim of circumstance

3. Blaming others for their unhappiness

4. Being hurtful simply because it makes themselves feel better or more important

5. Begging, because one has nothing and is poor, but doing nothing to change the situation for themselves

6. Feeling that they are entitled to everything that everyone else has and more, but not being willing to offer any value

7. Acting as though they are owed, for whatever reason, but doing nothing to be of service to others

How are these characters being encouraged, in one way or another, to continue with this behavior?
What is the rest of the Zelandonii community giving these people permission to become, by not addressing these issues?
How does this behavior impact on the rest of the Zelandonii people?

If we do nothing to address these issues, we are giving permission for this level of consciousness to continue. Some of these people do not want to be helped. They have too much of an investment in being who they are, because of what they get out of it. There are a few though, that, if given the opportunity to become something more, they will take it. The movie, The Blind Side, is a demonstration of this.

By giving permission for this level of consciousness to continue, what are we allowing the people who are stuck there to become?
Can we honestly say that we are offering them the opportunity to become something more?

Don’t think that you can change these things by helping others outside of you, that is not where the issue resides. As much as we see other people who are guilty of demonstrating these things, they are simply showing us what is inside ourselves. The hardest thing to admit is that we ourselves are guilty of demonstrating these actions as well – whether we do them consciously or unconsciously. First you must change yourself, then your world will change.

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