Today I light my candle and look into the flame, I see a narrowing field, at the end is a narrow path, recent rains have left a few puddles, so step carefully. There are ferns along the path and branches of maple, elm, pine and other trees are hanging over the path. It seems it isn’t used as often as it once was.
To our left is a bend of a small stream, but the path turns right and up over a small hill. The sun is in the west, soon it will be setting. We take the path over a small foot bridge that crosses the same winding stream and over the next hill. As we go on we see rabbits hopping out of our way, we see a deer and fawn bound off because we startled them as they were feeding, and a squirrel chatters at us as we pass. A few clouds are on the horizon making the sunset a bright pink with reds, oranges and purples, it is breathtaking. We find our opening in a grove of trees. A circle of wooden benches surround a fire circle. We brought dry logs and fire starters, and build a small campfire. Everyone gathers around and enters the circle. Clouds have all drifted off and the stars are twinkling above our crackling fire. We add some sprigs of cedar, and the aroma wafts through the air smudging our circle, offering protection and remind us to be grateful for healings we and our loved ones have received, and those that will find healing both for body and spirit.
Cultures around the world have offered gifts to the Universe, to gods, to Mother Earth to protect them, their homes, and their ceremonies. Some use smoke of sacred plants, some use cornmeal, some use pollen, some use tobacco, others use other things like salt, while some have used the blood of animals and even humans. An offering is not made without thought or meaning. It is not just something you have a lot of, but something you consider precious. It cannot be considered a true spiritual offering if it is not something you love, cherish, value, or even need, but are willing to give it up and offer it as a gift.
We all have different ideas of what sacred space is, some think of it as a room, a building, a corner and the way energy flows through that space, or by placing down a rug. While others think of a circle outside in a grove of trees or a circle of stones or even a drawn circle in the dirt. Some use minerals or gemstones to protect them while praying or to enhance their experience. Some of us cleanse ourselves with smoke of what we consider a sacred herb. Some use water that has been blessed or cleansed for this purpose only. Some use many things at the four directions. Some chose to always face the same direction. Some only create their sacred space during certain times of day, or week, or moon phases, or by dividing the year into eight evenly spaced holidays or sabots, or by the season. No matter where or how often we use this sacred space, we are all spiritual beings looking to make our intentions known and to place our thoughts and prayers out to be answered. This fire tonight is our sacred space.
Tonight I am asking for sharing of myths, legends, stories, cultural beliefs that will help us all to understand more paths and cultures beyond what we know. These stories are not only valuable to our culture, but are all valuable to every culture, as they have been passed down from generation to generation, they teach values that are often forgotten. In today’s society we get busy and don’t take time to learn the stories of our cultures or those of others. We have this tool now, the Internet, where we can learn many of the lessons from around the world and how similar many are, or how they relate specifically to a region or climate. Sometimes they are just simple rhymes that teach us how to predict weather, or find our direction, or a basic tenant to base all of our actions on. Others are long and involved stories that give us many lessons as well as life in the times they were told. The best have a bit of humor so it was easy to remember them and pass them down orally from place to place and generation to generation.
Please find a story/myth/legend/poem that you relate to either culturally or because of how it has affected how you think. I pass the talking stick on so that you may make an offering of these stories, poems, or just a prayer, whatever is in your heart. Thank you for joining in and sharing your beliefs.
I first heard this story when visiting the Casa Grande Ruins, it was very hot and so we could not leave the dogs in the car, so we brought them with us to tour the ruins. Under a shaded space a member of a local tribe asked us to sit and hear his story.
In the state of Arizona, the Pima Indian tribe declares that the father of all men and animals was Great Butterfly--Cherwit Make, meaning the Earth-Maker.
One day long ago, Great Butterfly fluttered down from the clouds to the Blue Cliffs, where two rivers met, later called the Verde and Salt rivers. There he made man from his own sweat.
From that day on the people multiplied, but in time they grew selfish and quarrelsome. Earth-Maker became annoyed with their behavior and decided it might be best to drown all of them.
But first, he thought to warn them through the voices of the winds.
"People of the Pima tribe," called North Wind. "Sky Spirit warns you to be honest with one another and to live in peace from now on."
Suha, Shaman of the Pimas, interpreted to the people what North Wind had warned them about.
"What a fool you are, Suha, to listen to the voices of the winds," taunted his tribesmen.
On the next night, the same warning from Earth-Maker was repeated by East Wind, who added, "Chief Sky Spirit warns that all of you will be destroyed by floods if you do not live nobler lives."
Again, the Pimas mocked the winds and ignored their warnings. Next night, West Wind spoke, "Reform, people of the Pimas, or your evil ways will destroy you."
Then South Wind breathed into Suha's ear, "Suha, you and your good wife are the only people worth saving. Go and make a large, hollow ball of spruce gum in which you and your wife can live a long as the coming flood will last."
Because Suha and his wife believed the warnings and were obedient, they set to work immediately on a high hill, gathering spruce gum and shaping it into a large hollow ball. They stocked it with plenty of nuts, acorns, water, and bear and deer meats.
Near the appointed time, Suha and his good wife looked down sadly upon the lovely green valley. They heard the songs of the harvesters. They sighed to think of the beauty about them that would be destroyed when the flood came because of the people's selfishness. Suddenly, a bright lightning flash and loud thunder rocked the Blue Cliffs. It was a signal for the flood to begin.
Suha and his wife went into the gum-ball ark and closed the door tightly. Swirling, dark clouds surrounded them. Torrents of rain poured down everywhere. For many days, the ark rolled and tossed about on the deepening sea.
After many, many moons, the downpour of rain stopped. The ark settled upon the land again, high on a mountaintop. Suha opened the door and stepped forth to see a tuna cactus growing near his feet. He and his wife ate some of the red fruit of the cactus plant. Below them, they saw water everywhere.
That night they retired again to the ark. They must have slept a very long time, because when they awoke the water had disappeared, the valleys were green, and the bird songs rang forth again.
Suha and his wife descended from Superstition Mountain, a name later given to the mountain upon which the ark had landed. They went down into the fertile valley and lived there for a thousand years. The forthcoming people prospered, becoming known as the Pima tribe.
After the story the man began to sing an ancient native song, and my dog at the time, Bingo, began to howl. I tried to hush her, everyone was looking. The man stopped and said "Let her sing, she remembers the ancient ones and wishes to join with them in song". So I let her sing. She never ‘sang’ before that or after that I know of. Although she "talked" all the time after that. She went running to him after the song as if she had known him all her life. I looked around through watery eyes to see many others were moved as well.
I pass the talking stick on to whom ever would like to share next.
