the sage stalks and light one on fire.
I waved it
around me and then danced on the outskirts of the crowd. Letting the smoke of
the sage take over the night air. I remember Darla taking her incense and doing
something similar. It made me laugh thinking about her and our little dance.
Only now I know
our little dances were much more than that. She was trying to keep me safe. But
from what, or who?
“Sage is a
healing herb. Breathe it. Let it come into your soul. We are in need to heal
our village,” I repeated, making my way behind the crowd as they swept the
smoke close to their bodies.
I made my way
back to the rock. I laid the smoldering Sage on the rock to let it continue to
simmer and picked up the Cedar stalks.
I lit them.
“If everyone
would bow their heads.” The cedar began to smoke. I had no idea how to pray,
but I’d seen it many times when I went to church with Oscar and his uncle
Jordan. It was the only time Darla let me go to church. “Please drive out all
the negative energy and bring good influences into our village.”
Everyone had
their eyes closed and heads bowed when I went by them, waving the burning cedar
over their heads.
I made it to
Gerald. He opened his eyes in shock, threw his hands over his mouth, and took
off into the dark night.
“Shhhh.” I
quieted the crowd down. As I continued on my cedar trip around the group, I
heard someone make a comment about Gerald and how I must’ve driven his evil
spirit off.
Without
hesitation I repeated the ritual of putting the smoldering cedar on the rock
next to the sage and picked up the sweet grass, lighting it on fire.
“Everyone!” My
voice boomed into the darkness. “Lift up your heads, pray into the smoke. Sweet
grass carries your words in the smoke up to the gods.”
As if the gods
had really spoken, all the four-legged creatures and fireflies gathered into
the circle, all their heads to the sky. Remembering they might be good souls
that have come back, I made them part of my speech.
“All creatures
are welcome.” I shook the smoky sweet grass up and down as I walked around. “We
are all one!”
I gathered all
the clippings in one pile and let them burn together. I rubbed my hands
together in the smoke and then brought the smoke to my body, letting it run all
over me. I especially brought the smoke up to my head to cleanse any nightmares
I might have.
With the smoke
billowing above me, I lifted my hands and closed my eyes. “We are entering into
the unseen powers of the plants and with the spirits of the ceremony.”
Where in the
hell did that come from? I opened one eye to see if everyone was watching.
They weren’t. They were taking it all in.
“As all good
relationships, there has to be honor and respect if this relationship is going
to work!”
I fell across
the rock for a dramatic ending. I waited for a few seconds before I got back
up, so everyone had an opportunity to open their eyes and see me.
“Good night.” I
bowed my head waiting for everyone to leave the circle. “Good night.”
With my head bowed
toward my feet, I watched Mr. Prince Charming making his figure 8 around my
ankles, and purring as if he was letting me know that I did a good job.
“Wee bit of a
drama queen?” Oscar clapped his hands together.
“Where were
you?” I asked, keeping my voice down because not everyone had left. “I looked
for you.”
“I was standing
by one of the trees in the woods. I didn’t want to knock you off your game.” He
laughed. “Besides, I don’t have a spiritual gift and was not invited to the
party.”
“But I thought
you had to in order to live in the village?” That didn’t make sense to me. I
could’ve sworn I heard Izzy tell me that. There was so much that had been
thrown at me, maybe I had gotten it all mixed up.
“I don’t know
about that.” He pulled a Ding Dong from the pocket of his jacket. “Want
company?”
I grabbed it and
split it in half.
“I’m always up
for your
I waved it
around me and then danced on the outskirts of the crowd. Letting the smoke of
the sage take over the night air. I remember Darla taking her incense and doing
something similar. It made me laugh thinking about her and our little dance.
Only now I know
our little dances were much more than that. She was trying to keep me safe. But
from what, or who?
“Sage is a
healing herb. Breathe it. Let it come into your soul. We are in need to heal
our village,” I repeated, making my way behind the crowd as they swept the
smoke close to their bodies.
I made my way
back to the rock. I laid the smoldering Sage on the rock to let it continue to
simmer and picked up the Cedar stalks.
I lit them.
“If everyone
would bow their heads.” The cedar began to smoke. I had no idea how to pray,
but I’d seen it many times when I went to church with Oscar and his uncle
Jordan. It was the only time Darla let me go to church. “Please drive out all
the negative energy and bring good influences into our village.”
Everyone had
their eyes closed and heads bowed when I went by them, waving the burning cedar
over their heads.
I made it to
Gerald. He opened his eyes in shock, threw his hands over his mouth, and took
off into the dark night.
“Shhhh.” I
quieted the crowd down. As I continued on my cedar trip around the group, I
heard someone make a comment about Gerald and how I must’ve driven his evil
spirit off.
Without
hesitation I repeated the ritual of putting the smoldering cedar on the rock
next to the sage and picked up the sweet grass, lighting it on fire.
“Everyone!” My
voice boomed into the darkness. “Lift up your heads, pray into the smoke. Sweet
grass carries your words in the smoke up to the gods.”
As if the gods
had really spoken, all the four-legged creatures and fireflies gathered into
the circle, all their heads to the sky. Remembering they might be good souls
that have come back, I made them part of my speech.
“All creatures
are welcome.” I shook the smoky sweet grass up and down as I walked around. “We
are all one!”
I gathered all
the clippings in one pile and let them burn together. I rubbed my hands
together in the smoke and then brought the smoke to my body, letting it run all
over me. I especially brought the smoke up to my head to cleanse any nightmares
I might have.
With the smoke
billowing above me, I lifted my hands and closed my eyes. “We are entering into
the unseen powers of the plants and with the spirits of the ceremony.”
Where in the
hell did that come from? I opened one eye to see if everyone was watching.
They weren’t. They were taking it all in.
“As all good
relationships, there has to be honor and respect if this relationship is going
to work!”
I fell across
the rock for a dramatic ending. I waited for a few seconds before I got back
up, so everyone had an opportunity to open their eyes and see me.
“Good night.” I
bowed my head waiting for everyone to leave the circle. “Good night.”
With my head bowed
toward my feet, I watched Mr. Prince Charming making his figure 8 around my
ankles, and purring as if he was letting me know that I did a good job.
“Wee bit of a
drama queen?” Oscar clapped his hands together.
“Where were
you?” I asked, keeping my voice down because not everyone had left. “I looked
for you.”
“I was standing
by one of the trees in the woods. I didn’t want to knock you off your game.” He
laughed. “Besides, I don’t have a spiritual gift and was not invited to the
party.”
“But I thought
you had to in order to live in the village?” That didn’t make sense to me. I
could’ve sworn I heard Izzy tell me that. There was so much that had been
thrown at me, maybe I had gotten it all mixed up.
“I don’t know
about that.” He pulled a Ding Dong from the pocket of his jacket. “Want
company?”
I grabbed it and
split it in half.
“I’m always up
for your
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