Sacred earth Prayer Circle Mar. 28, 2012

Sacred Earth Prayer Circle Facebook 3-28-12
I have lit my candle, the flame is dim, and darkness is all around. We have come out to Yavapai Point at the Grand Canyon to watch the sunrise. We have been waiting for what seems like hours, huddling together for warmth. We have no campfire so we each have our flashlight as there are no lights here and we have a lantern we have circled around; each telling of their anticipation waiting for the first light. Some have been here before; others have never seen the Grand Canyon and are waiting for what others are telling them they will see. No matter how many photos you have ever seen of the Canyon, nothing can compare to seeing it firsthand.

The night is clear, and the stars have been bright. We have watched the crescent moon and stars move across the sky. It is still cold this time of year and we all are bundled up. We are not sure how much snow we might see in the canyon thismorning. It is 28o F. so we move around to each take our turn at the outside of the circle. There is no wind, it is perfectly still. The stars are beginning to fade and the sky is turning pale lavender with a pink stripe on the horizon. We each ask for guidance and say a prayer before the sun rises. 

As it gets a bit lighter the canyon walls begin to appear, more and more detail can be seen. Ravens are beginning to take to the air and birds of all kinds are chirping and calling for the sun to come up. We can see a light fog down into the canyon by the river and some snow is scattered over the canyon shelves. A few morning clouds are on the horizon, but nothing to obscure the sunrise. Various hues of pinks and purples give way to blues and yellows as the sun peaks its first rays over the rim. As it gets higher in the sky the layers of color in the rocks become much more prominent and the color changes with each minute the sun get higher in the sky. The view is breathtaking and then suddenly a huge condor swoops past us, and his wing span is so wide he makes it dark again for the moment he passes. We watch as he drifts on down into the canyon hunting for some breakfast. The colors of reds, gold and grey rocks against the white snow and greens of the juniper, cedar and pines are absolutely beautiful. Now that we can see all the way down into the canyon and see the mighty Colorado River flowing and the white caps over the rocks so far down. The air is crisp and so clear it hardly seems what we see is really so far away. The ravens come to sit on the rail seeming to talk to us, possibly telling us a story of how the canyon came to be. 

I bring a bit of sage I had brought and held my arm out over the cliff, “May we each appreciate the majesty of Mother Earth. The beauty here reminds us of the many places on this earth of beauty, I ask that we also see beauty in the smallest of things in our everyday lives. May each of us take responsibility to do what we can to protect her for future generations.” I crumble the sage and allow the morning light breeze to take it from my gloved hand. The sun’s rays are already beginning warm the air. A grey feather falls in front of me and I catch it. 

Many blessings of healing for body, mind and spirit. May we all feel the inner peace of turning our worries over to the healing energies that come from all directions, and from within. Allow them to work. The sun has healing power in that it helps to make the nutrients we and all life needs for survival. May all go about their day knowing they are not alone. All of us are keeping each other as well as those you love in our healing light energy of the Creators web spun through us all. I am grateful to be here this morning and for all of you who have joined me.

As I turn to pass the talking stick to the next who wishes to speak, I notice all the mouths are still hanging open in awe around me. I smile and offer the talking stick, poking you to get your attention to take it….when a raven lands on the stick! I look at him and tell him "thank you for joining us". He hops down then flies off over the canyon, higher and higher until he is but a dot in the sky. May he carry our prayers up to the Creator.

Sacred Earth Prayer Circle Mar. 26, 2012

Sacred Earth Prayer Circle Facebook Mar. 26, 2012
This evening I light my candle, one of the scents of the sea. The saltiness of the air, the sound of the waves, the gulls calling overhead, the sun warmed sand between my toes.

We walk along the long beach in our bare feet, avoiding the seaweed, collecting driftwood, and seeing our footprints wash away in the surf. Many of us are filling our bags or pockets with shells and pieces of coral. A flock of low flying pelicans pass us as they search for their dinner in the calm ocean waters. As we walk along we see some dolphins playing just off the coast.

The gentle sea breeze plays with our hair and the sea oats along the shoreline. We walk across a shallow spot, where mangroves are snuggled into the cove. The water is so shallow the sand looks pink under it. Tiny little fish nibble at our toes, and while it is nice we continue on down the beach. We come to a beautiful spot where the palm trees seem to form a perfect circle, a perfect spot to have our gathering. Until we walk on this spot, the sand was smooth, only the prints of tiny bird feet and crabs who have crossed this sand since the last storm. We place the wood we gathered along the way into a small pyramid and start our fire. The breeze is almost gone now, the gentle waves have calmed even more to just a slow steady lapping on the beach. A few gulls and other birds have gathered to watch what we are doing, but stay back from the fire. The air is still warm and the sand is holding the heat from the day. We can see only blackness as we look out to the horizon now, the sun has gone down, the only difference between the sea and sky are the stars, and with their reflections we can’t see where one ends and the other begins.

When someone tosses a piece of driftwood back out into the sea, we all turn to watch it slowly float out to continue on its journey to another place, another time, we watch until it disappears. “Look up!” it’s a shooting star, and then another. We are blessed to be gathered together to watch this show.

We each have brought gifts to share, herbs to cleanse this Sacred Space of sage, cedar and sweetgrass. Each person in our circle, one by one, adds something to the fire. A poem, a story, a prayer.

Suddenly the birds that have remained fly up in a rush. Through the brush comes a golden retriever, he just comes over and joins the circle, as if he had been with us all along. We all reach out to him but he sits there and appears to smile. He accepts petting but never moves, watching the logs and rising smoke. A slight scent of wet dog has mingled with the salty air. He has come to let those who feel lonely that none of us are ever alone. We are all connected by the web of life. All paths are always welcome here. and within the circle of friends who post here may you find great strength and companionship. 

Tonight as I think of ones who are in need of healing and prayers, I also look out at all of you, and see you too have needs. I have brought some lovely leaves of variegated arbor vitae to symbolize the undying friendships we are forming from many cultures, to place in our fire and ask that they bring us to new friends and new awareness of each other. I also have some Iris blossoms to ask that we respect and honor each other and Mother Earth. With these offerings I ask each of you in your own time to take the talking stick and share your stories, prayers and blessings with us all.

Sacred Earth Prayer Circle Sunday Mar.25, 2012

Sacred Earth Prayer Circle Sunday 3-25-12 Facebook
Tonight as I light my candle and the scent of sandalwood fills the air, I am drawn deep into the flame. I can also smell the cedar and juniper trees that cover this land.

We walk from a dirt road down what once was a path, now over grown with brush. Was the path made by humans, cattle, elk and deer? It’s hard to tell, but it is a path so we follow it through the sometimes thick brush and other times scrub cedar and juniper bushes and then tall splendid pines. We can see the sun setting against a distant snowcapped mountain. The ground is soft in places from recently melted snow. The grasses are still brown from last years growth, with some new growth just beginning to grow. 

The path seems to be taking us back around in the direction we came, are we walking in a circle, or labyrinth? We continue on, gathering pieces of dead wood of fallen trees as we go for out fire. Be careful here, don’t slide, the mud is slippery past this rock. I hung onto the rock as I went around, and noticed on the far side was a petroglyph of a birdlike character, and point it out for all to see. We begin to go up a small hill and the grasses thin out, this hill is well worn, and not much grows here. Then we see them. Rocks, carefully stacked to make a circle, perhaps it once was a kiva, or room of some sort, the rocks have in places fallen down and others look as though they were moved aside and stacked in piles. Most of the circle was intact enough to see in once had been a taller wall. The center is deeper than the surrounding earth, and in the center there is a second circle, it has some old charred wood in it. Still we debate if we should use this for our circle tonight. It could have been a sacred place, we are not sure. But since there has been a fire in it fairly recently we decide it is the best place to place our small fire as we don’t want to start a fire in the forest. 

Once the small fire gets burning the sun has left only an orange and purple glow on the horizon. The stars and planets begin to make themselves visible, the darker it gets the brighter they become. A large bird swoops above and disappears into the trees, everyone guesses what it was because it moved so swiftly we did not see for sure. The sounds of night begin to sing, crickets and night birds; rustles in the grass, of unseen inhabitants. We each take a spot on a section of wall or on the ground within the circle, as it feels protective.
This area once was inhabited by ancient peoples, perhaps this was one of their buildings, or maybe just an old pen for sheep or cattle, it doesn’t matter. It feels as sacred space to us. Tonight I brought cornmeal to use to create our sacred space and I scatter it around but somehow it seems unnecessary. Sage grows everywhere surrounding our hilltop. I can’t see who it is through the fire, but someone begins to softly play their flute and another sing an old blessing song in a language most do not know, but somehow our voices follow along, it comes from deep within the ancient memory of place and time. 

When the song was finished I take from my pack a braid of sweetgrass, and as I set it to smoke next to the fire, I ask “May all the ancestors bless this circle and help us to know what it is we need to know”. I feel the chill of the night air and gather my blanket around me. “Creator, bless this circle and accept these gifts and prayers in the spirit in which they are given, from our hearts.”

I can hear the heartbeat of Mother Earth, I can feel it beneath my feet. There are other visitors of the fourlegged ones who are watching us but keeping their distance. An owl makes his voice known.

We are all connected. Science calls it string theory and it goes throughout our Universe and possibly beyond. May we cherish that interconnectivity/energy as it is our connection to Creation. Let us be grateful each day for what we have been given and protect the Creators creations, as we would our own, because we are connected to that Source Energy, always. 

I pass the talking stick to you, it is your turn. You May add your voice here, or on Facebook. Add a prayer, a gift (like an herb, flower, song, poem, or story). Each prayer/entry that is read and shared goes on to add voices to the Earth Energies, increasing the power of each prayer.