Dark beautiful darkness embraces, steaming heat, the mother’s womb recreated, the most sacred place; sweat flows, warm salty streams offerings to the earth, prayers to the Great Spirit rise in plumes of sage and tobacco infused smoke; stories of loss and healing shared, cancer, suicide, addiction; steaming heat hotter, sweat poring, hot saline rivers run, hallowed songs, sacramental, to mother give thanks, to father give grace, to all the ancestors blessings; the Great Spirit smiles on her children, prayers answered, ritual eternal, timeless, ancient honored; sacred pipe passed, inhaled the soul’s purest intention, exhaled miracles; gifts from the Great Spirit, corn, nuts, cool sweet blackberries passed, to nourish the flesh; clockwise we crawl, females, White Buffalo Woman each on hands and knees move first to light, we emerge from the womb, purified, spirit filled, reborn to the world of man; the lesson carried LOVE, each moment cherish, divine, holy; soaked, exhausted to the core, eager to be cleansed once more; praise be, praise be, the Good Red Road ahead, clear for this second in time…
just LOVE…
Kip Baldwin
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“The modern habit of doing ceremonial things unceremoniously is no proof of humility; rather it proves the offender’s inability to forget himself in the rite, and his readiness to spoil for every one else the proper pleasure of ritual.” ~ C.S. Lewis