Post by Sophie on Nov 3, 2012 21:04:16 GMT -5
I’d attended countless births and I’d remained silent watching – a wise mother – until the spirits were ready to come into this world. I wasn’t in the ceremonial robes…there was a time and a place for that, and this wasn’t it. I did however cradle a well worn abalone shell filled with sand. Within that bowl nestled charcoal; the embers a low ruddy glow against the darkened safety of your cave. I’d layered the herbs together providing mingling layers of fragrance and their own herbal awareness. Sweetgrass had been dried with sage and bound with cedar; the trifecta laid across the lavender buds. With the sweetgrass I had invoked the blessing of Mother Earth’s love while the sage cleansed you of the worldly cares. I remembered what I’d been told and the layers of cedar caressed and mingled inviting unwanted spirits to leave and protecting you and this now sacred area against the unwanted influences. Yet, at the same time I brought lavender to invite the good and to protect against evil for the Great Spirit knew what evil lay outside the walls of this safe place that my daughter not of my womb had brought me to.
I knew she hurt and there was nothing I could do now, but I gently nudged her away and stepped in front of you. In my right hand, I clasped an eagle’s feather with which I drove the smoke to wash over you. The depths of my eyes met yours as I looked closely, those ages past apparent before I lifted my hand to fan the curling tendrils of protection at your heart. Swift swirling motions swept the smoke upward around the right side of your head. I continued around, my gaze never leaving your form as I moved clockwise around you, silently coaxing the tendrils to wash you and cleanse away evil while leaving you wreathed in the gentle protection. Down your left shoulder and arm to your hand and back up again before I swept down across your torso and your belly, welcoming the babies into the protection as I swept down to your left leg and foot, wrapping you still in the sweetly scented smoke.
Normally, I’d have you move and turn for me, spinning in the direction of the sun; but looking at you doubled in the contractions, there was a time and a place for improvisation. I would have done this earlier, but the storm had washed through and I still was an old woman susceptible to the aches and pains of arthritis and the dropping barometer. Fanning the smoldering herbs, the smoke spun and danced as dandelion down swirled on a meadow’s breeze. As the tendrils grew, I swept them along your right shoulder, swirling the gray coils to wash down your shoulder and then your arm, chasing away that which was unwanted and welcoming that which was wanted and leaving behind that protection. Carefully controlled motions washed over skirling down and around your belly wreathing you in the sweetness. I lingered there, caressing and coaxing the smoke to dance and curl like a lover’s breath around those precious unborn children until I swept down and over your leg and then back up.
Moving with the sun, I turned behind you, letting that smoke dance on the feather driven air currents lifting the swetness around you in a delicate wash. The motions seemed as ancient as time itself in the ritual cleansing. Would that I had a long house and the wide open spaces around us? Perhaps they were there, though this was definitely a much smaller warmer, darker cavern. Now and again, the feather pressed fresh air onto the smoldering herbs drawing more life into the curling waves of fragile gray that danced and then dissipated in your ‘bath’.
Once I’d finished with you, I had other things to do and welcome and bless. My sense of position was unerring. With the slightest of motions, I turned to the East as the feather drew up the sweet herbs, throwing delicate swirling skirling dances of smoke in offering to the East. It covered not only my slight aged form; spreading to all but shroud the room as my voice echoed in the safety. “I welcome the energy of the beginning way, the rising sun at the beginning of the day and the light of illumination. Welcome Eagle, flying nearest the heavens with the clearest of visio. I welcome the energies and spirits of the East. HO!” With that single syllable I stomped my foot and lifted the abalone shell upward, in offering
The steps seemed almost a dance now as I turned to the South, stepping lightly, though in rhythmic motions. The oil lamps and candles cast long flickering shadows that danced on the earnestly offered herbs and welcome. Cradling the shell close to my breast, I pressed there as the spirit of the eagle offered in the sacred feather drove fresh air into the smoldering coals. As Luc’s drums offered counterpoint to my words, I began again. “I welcome the energy of service to all my relatives, the heat of the noonday sun and the spirit of action in the world. Welcome Coyote spirit. I welcome the energies and spirits of the South. HO!” This time, his drum reverberated and lingered on that single emphatic word.
I’d welcomed the Eagle, and I’d welcomed the Coyote. Moving with the beat, my feet not quite shuffling, not quite walking I moved to face the west. The direction of the setting sun. Yet, I did not invoke such things. The feather smudged the herbs, drawing in air to combust the precious dried life to offer it to the ancestors. My aged form lost now in the wreathing protection it seemed I echoed in a cave; a low soft reverberation of words melding with the drums. “I welcome the energy of looking within to find the gifts of healing. Welcome Bear spirit going deep within to seek the gift of renewal. I welcome the energies and spirits of the West. HO!”
Moving to the northern point of the room I began to call to the wisest among us. Fanning the herbs upward as they swirled around in warm welcome, offering the sweetness of the grasses and sage with the protection of the lavender as I intoned “I welcome the energy of wisdom and blessing and the Grandmothers and Grandfathers who teach me. Welcome Buffalo and the spirit of giveaway, teach me to be generous and honor all that I receive. I welcome the energies and spirits of the North. HO!”
I’d called to the Eagle. I’d called to the Coyote. I’d called to the Bear and I’d called to the Buffalo. As I’d called to the ancestors invoking and welcoming to this sacred safe place of birth, I then moved to the center of the room – somehow the bed in the center of the room didn’t bother me as I stepped onto it almost as though on a cloud of sweetly offered smoke. Both hands lifted the burning herbs upward, sending the smoke to dance and splash against the ceiling of the room to cascade and swirl downward and around, lapping the tile as I sought the sky. “I welcome the energy and spirit of Above. Father Sky, Star people, and Cloud people. Welcome all that is masculine, grandfathers, fathers, brothers, uncles and sons. And that masculine energy that also exists within the feminine. I welcome the energies and spirits of Father Sky. HO!” I looked for a long time at Luc before I moved again and I swept the feather across the herbs wafting the welcome to his masculinity, the partner to your femininity.
The drums and the smoke and the flickering lights created an otherworldly safeness as I continued. The steps off the bed weren’t quite graceful, but then again, what could you truly expect since you’d put the bed there. I moved to the foot of the bed, feet dancing in the thrumming rhythm that didn’t quite match my own, but melded into its own tradition. The women in this room had come to mean something to you, and each of them seemed to be weighed and measured before I crouched down, placing my hands on the cool dark tile of the room after pressing the abalone down. “I welcome the energy of Mother Earth, the feminine principle, the energy and spirit of Below. I welcome the energy and the spirit of our grandmothers, our mothers, sisters, aunties and daughters. And that feminine energy that exists within the Masculine. I welcome the energies and spirits of Mother Earth. HO!”
I didn’t get up with the greatest of ease either, but the smoke and the echoing drums masked any discomfort that might have been here. Once more I returned to you, my hands outstretched, guiding the soft smoky tendrils around you, wafting them around your core and then mine. I moved to my Daughter not of my womb, and wreathed her in that same unbroken growing waft of skirling gray. Now I held my hands over my heart, drawing the smoke inward, wrapping it around me in offering. “I welcome the energy of Within, the principle of being connected, the energy and spirit of Within. I welcome the gifts of balance, oneness, and the connection with all things, for all things are one and all things are related. HO!”
I knew she hurt and there was nothing I could do now, but I gently nudged her away and stepped in front of you. In my right hand, I clasped an eagle’s feather with which I drove the smoke to wash over you. The depths of my eyes met yours as I looked closely, those ages past apparent before I lifted my hand to fan the curling tendrils of protection at your heart. Swift swirling motions swept the smoke upward around the right side of your head. I continued around, my gaze never leaving your form as I moved clockwise around you, silently coaxing the tendrils to wash you and cleanse away evil while leaving you wreathed in the gentle protection. Down your left shoulder and arm to your hand and back up again before I swept down across your torso and your belly, welcoming the babies into the protection as I swept down to your left leg and foot, wrapping you still in the sweetly scented smoke.
Normally, I’d have you move and turn for me, spinning in the direction of the sun; but looking at you doubled in the contractions, there was a time and a place for improvisation. I would have done this earlier, but the storm had washed through and I still was an old woman susceptible to the aches and pains of arthritis and the dropping barometer. Fanning the smoldering herbs, the smoke spun and danced as dandelion down swirled on a meadow’s breeze. As the tendrils grew, I swept them along your right shoulder, swirling the gray coils to wash down your shoulder and then your arm, chasing away that which was unwanted and welcoming that which was wanted and leaving behind that protection. Carefully controlled motions washed over skirling down and around your belly wreathing you in the sweetness. I lingered there, caressing and coaxing the smoke to dance and curl like a lover’s breath around those precious unborn children until I swept down and over your leg and then back up.
Moving with the sun, I turned behind you, letting that smoke dance on the feather driven air currents lifting the swetness around you in a delicate wash. The motions seemed as ancient as time itself in the ritual cleansing. Would that I had a long house and the wide open spaces around us? Perhaps they were there, though this was definitely a much smaller warmer, darker cavern. Now and again, the feather pressed fresh air onto the smoldering herbs drawing more life into the curling waves of fragile gray that danced and then dissipated in your ‘bath’.
Once I’d finished with you, I had other things to do and welcome and bless. My sense of position was unerring. With the slightest of motions, I turned to the East as the feather drew up the sweet herbs, throwing delicate swirling skirling dances of smoke in offering to the East. It covered not only my slight aged form; spreading to all but shroud the room as my voice echoed in the safety. “I welcome the energy of the beginning way, the rising sun at the beginning of the day and the light of illumination. Welcome Eagle, flying nearest the heavens with the clearest of visio. I welcome the energies and spirits of the East. HO!” With that single syllable I stomped my foot and lifted the abalone shell upward, in offering
The steps seemed almost a dance now as I turned to the South, stepping lightly, though in rhythmic motions. The oil lamps and candles cast long flickering shadows that danced on the earnestly offered herbs and welcome. Cradling the shell close to my breast, I pressed there as the spirit of the eagle offered in the sacred feather drove fresh air into the smoldering coals. As Luc’s drums offered counterpoint to my words, I began again. “I welcome the energy of service to all my relatives, the heat of the noonday sun and the spirit of action in the world. Welcome Coyote spirit. I welcome the energies and spirits of the South. HO!” This time, his drum reverberated and lingered on that single emphatic word.
I’d welcomed the Eagle, and I’d welcomed the Coyote. Moving with the beat, my feet not quite shuffling, not quite walking I moved to face the west. The direction of the setting sun. Yet, I did not invoke such things. The feather smudged the herbs, drawing in air to combust the precious dried life to offer it to the ancestors. My aged form lost now in the wreathing protection it seemed I echoed in a cave; a low soft reverberation of words melding with the drums. “I welcome the energy of looking within to find the gifts of healing. Welcome Bear spirit going deep within to seek the gift of renewal. I welcome the energies and spirits of the West. HO!”
Moving to the northern point of the room I began to call to the wisest among us. Fanning the herbs upward as they swirled around in warm welcome, offering the sweetness of the grasses and sage with the protection of the lavender as I intoned “I welcome the energy of wisdom and blessing and the Grandmothers and Grandfathers who teach me. Welcome Buffalo and the spirit of giveaway, teach me to be generous and honor all that I receive. I welcome the energies and spirits of the North. HO!”
I’d called to the Eagle. I’d called to the Coyote. I’d called to the Bear and I’d called to the Buffalo. As I’d called to the ancestors invoking and welcoming to this sacred safe place of birth, I then moved to the center of the room – somehow the bed in the center of the room didn’t bother me as I stepped onto it almost as though on a cloud of sweetly offered smoke. Both hands lifted the burning herbs upward, sending the smoke to dance and splash against the ceiling of the room to cascade and swirl downward and around, lapping the tile as I sought the sky. “I welcome the energy and spirit of Above. Father Sky, Star people, and Cloud people. Welcome all that is masculine, grandfathers, fathers, brothers, uncles and sons. And that masculine energy that also exists within the feminine. I welcome the energies and spirits of Father Sky. HO!” I looked for a long time at Luc before I moved again and I swept the feather across the herbs wafting the welcome to his masculinity, the partner to your femininity.
The drums and the smoke and the flickering lights created an otherworldly safeness as I continued. The steps off the bed weren’t quite graceful, but then again, what could you truly expect since you’d put the bed there. I moved to the foot of the bed, feet dancing in the thrumming rhythm that didn’t quite match my own, but melded into its own tradition. The women in this room had come to mean something to you, and each of them seemed to be weighed and measured before I crouched down, placing my hands on the cool dark tile of the room after pressing the abalone down. “I welcome the energy of Mother Earth, the feminine principle, the energy and spirit of Below. I welcome the energy and the spirit of our grandmothers, our mothers, sisters, aunties and daughters. And that feminine energy that exists within the Masculine. I welcome the energies and spirits of Mother Earth. HO!”
I didn’t get up with the greatest of ease either, but the smoke and the echoing drums masked any discomfort that might have been here. Once more I returned to you, my hands outstretched, guiding the soft smoky tendrils around you, wafting them around your core and then mine. I moved to my Daughter not of my womb, and wreathed her in that same unbroken growing waft of skirling gray. Now I held my hands over my heart, drawing the smoke inward, wrapping it around me in offering. “I welcome the energy of Within, the principle of being connected, the energy and spirit of Within. I welcome the gifts of balance, oneness, and the connection with all things, for all things are one and all things are related. HO!”