Storms and frozen car saves my life. Tuesdays storm along with my not feeling well was the start of a series of events that I believed saved my life. I cannot explain why I felt sick on Tuesday. It was an odd sort of feeling that caused me to go back to bed midday and call in sick.

Many of you know me well enough that my work is a priority and illness does not visit me. This day, I called my contact person and said I could not come in. This is the beginning of a series of events that seemed unrelated at the time.

Wednesday, I arrived at work feeling good but sensing something was not right with my car. Weather not the best but much better than the day before and drove home without incident.

Thursday, the 3rd and final day for this contract. Another storms blows in and the Band closes down sending all home for the day. Because 3 of us live in Alban and one car was already warmed up, 2 of us (myself being one of them) left our cars buried in the snow. The driver was steady and good.  The trip took twice as long as normal but we all made it home safely. The plan for Friday was that our driver would pick us up early to return to the Health Centre.

Friday, I have another contract further down the highway. Up at 6 a.m. and ready by 7:30 a.m. No one has shown up. 8:00 a.m....no one has shown up. I call my friend and neighbor who is the driver. Her car is frozen! Plan B...her adult grandson is driving in from a nearby village to gather us up and take us into the Health Center.

By 9:00 a.m. we arrive. I am late for my other contract. By the time her grandson was so kind as to start my car, clear it from the snow and load my gear into the trunk, it was 9:30 a.m. I made a call to the other location explaining the situation. The contact person says..."Go home. We will make it up as I need a workshop for the youth. Call me next week." This gift of time allowed and supported the following events.

Ahhhhhh....home. Roads are better this Friday a.m. than last night. Car is warm and I am on my way. Something feels wrong. You know that gut wrenching energy kind of wrong?! That is what I am feeling.

(Back flash... Wednesday, I had called my mechanic about a chronic problem and said I could tell it was reoccurring. He assured me that all was good and I explained about the contract trip to Kitchener coming up this weekend. He said if anything happens to take it to the dealer there and he will make it right.)

Back to Friday morning's drive home. Going north on Hwy 69 now and coming up to the right turn onto Hwy 64. I signal, move into the short turning lane, braking to slow the car down and to negotiate the turn.

The car slows to a crawl. The car does not stop! It is continuing to crawl slowing forward and the brake peddle is down all the way! My heart is racing and I am feeling a low level sense of panic. "Breath", I tell myself and push harder on the brake.

I make the turn safely, put on the 4-ways and continue to crawl along the highway testing the brakes as I go. Suddenly, the brakes appear to be working again and I make it home. Quickly into the house, I call the car dealership and make an appointment for 12:30 p.m. and it is now 10:30 a.m.

Back into the car. Do you believe in prayer?! I do and that is what was occupying me as I travel along Hwy 69 north, along the 17 bypass in Sudbury, down the Kingsway to the car dealer. "Made it." I sighed softly under my breath. "Made it."

I cried upon arriving at the customer service desk. After all, it is healthy to feel the feelings. The Customer Service Rep waited patiently while I composed my self and explained the situation. The Service Manager saw me and came over to apologize that he was on his way out to a doctor's appointment and would look after the car upon his return in a couple of hours. So be it. It is what it is...going with flow now.

Upon returning at 2:00 p.m., the Service Manger was ready to receive me. The news bitter-sweet. The master brake cylinder was going. That is why the brakes were failing. Okay... that can be fixed. The next bit of news was delivered with integrity ... the engine block is cracked and the car needs another engine. (pause...take in the info...breath...listen) He said that his techs should have caught this back in June 2011 when I first brought the car in with oil leaking into the cooling system.

Here is where the integrity comes alive and it's Light helps to heal the situation. He is crediting the cost of the initial June 2011 repairs to this new invoice to replace the engine and the master brake cylinder. Again....I cry! This time with joy and a sense of relief.

When I look back at this series, of what appeared at first to be completed unrelated, I see clearly how the Divine has protected me.

I feel so grateful ... I am very thankful.

Keep looking for the positive and you will see it in abundance. Thank you Creator and all the Divine Helpers for keeping me safe.

Warmly

Time passes.  How much?  I could not tell you because there is no sense of time in this well room.  Suddenly, I become aware of a woman watching me.  When I stopped walking, she asked, "Are you able to fly here?".  My answer was short.  "No.", I replied.  Come with  me she said.

When we walked into well, another door way appeared that opened to a long corridor.  We walked down the dimly lit passage way toward the bright light up ahead.  When we arrived at the end of the tunnel, there before us was a barn about five stories high.  On the floor, were cows resting.  The floor was crowed with content cows.  "Can you fly in here?", she queried?  "No", I said, "Because there are too many cows and I won't be able to lift off!"  "Come with me." she said with her usual gentle approach.

We made our ways through the resting cows to the far side of the barn.  There, she opened to doors to a large outdoor padlock.  The ground with a thick mud.  The sky was blue and the sun shown brightly... lighting up the landscape.  "Can you fly here?", she asked again.  "No, because the mud is too thick and I won't be able to get off the ground."  was my answer.  "Come with me.", she turned and maneuvered amongst the cows back to the tunnel opening.  I followed quietly as she led me back to the cement room.  Silently, I understood that I was to continue to walk in circles and chant, "I can fly!".

I lifted straight up toward the ceiling.  There on the small wooden shelf was a living miniature of the Director of the Second Stage Facility where my children and I were residing.  She simply said, "Doreen, you are trying too hard."  As she spoke these words, I was looking at the reflection of my face in that small mirror.

My body lowered itself once more and the pattern of walking and talking continued to repeat itself.  Once in awhile, jumping into the air to take flight.  There it was!  I was floating and moving into the well and over the stairs.  Part way up, gravity took hold of my body.  I walked back down the stairs and into the room.  Repeating the same actions and words.  Jumping into air not knowing what to expect.  Now too, I was remember the Director's words, "Doreen you are trying to hard."  "Relax, focus, don't try to hard, just let it happen", were the sounds of self coaching in my mind.  Time moved forward.  I jumped into air.

I was floating again!  And, moving out into the well.  This time, straight up the center of the well.  The line of women and formed now to the half way point down into the well.  They were grabbing at me.  As I lifted upward, I said, "Don't try to hold on to me.  I will come back and show you how to fly!".

With these words, I exited the well opening.  I was flying...flying high into the sky.

This is the vision of 18 years ago.  The vision is unfolding now.  In my next blog, I will share the details of this unfolding vision.

Warmly

Eighteen years ago my life was in flux.  Not small undulating waves of change but roller-coaster heights and lows.

This facet of history begins while I AM residing in a second stage facility for battered women and their children.  My moon cycles aka menstruation had become irregular and the colour of the flow a dark unhealthy brown.  Diagnostics revealed uterine fibroids.

These are usually non cancerous (benign) tumors.  Along with this came the discovery of some cysts on the ovaries.  It was apparent that the removal of the uterus was necessary for the wellness of the entire body.  At my request for the ovaries to also be removed, a surgical date was set.

The procedure moves along with the ease of a well disciplined orchestra.  Each person knowing their part and movements flowed as if all were one.  The recovery was smooth. My mind was on being back with my children and reconnecting with the Community work that I had become involved with.  That is yet another story.

One day (not evening), as I lay in the hospital bed resting, a heaviness pervaded my body.  The heaviness was more like a need to slide into a restful state of meditation.  Giving into the desire, my eyes closed and my breathing took on a new rhythm.  The scenes began to unfold in full and vivid colours.

For the purpose of ease of reading and time, this vision will be revealed in more than one segment.

The day is a summer day with blue sky dotted with soft white clouds.  The air is fresh and the sounds of families having fun fills echoes from all around.  The children, my ex-partner and I are finishing a picnic.  It appears that I am doing all the pick up and cleaning up.  The grass is so green and appears well groomed.  How could I not miss that being the only one putting away dishes and folding the picnic blanket.  My ex-partner and the children have started making their way to the fair.  They have walked through the opening in the split rail fence that separates the picnic area from the green-way and then beyond to the fair grounds.

Along the way, my ex-partner is careless dropping empty containers.  I walk along behind picking up after him.  Upon reaching the entrance to the fair, my ex-partner is no longer a part of the scene.  As the children and I move into the din of laughter and screams of frightful joy, a skyscraper size slide looms before us.  The children want to walk what looks like the stairway to heaven in order to enjoy riding down the slide on small pieces of carpet.

At the top, I see tarps off each side of the slide near the bottom of the run.  There are people under the tarps reaching out.  I do not know why.  The slide is four lanes wide and only the outer lanes would be affected by this strange doing.  The children are cautioned about the tarps and to wait for me.  "Be careful!", I announce.  They do not hear because of their enthusiasm.

Once at the bottom of the slide, the sounds and smells still filtering through the air, my children are no where in sight.  I watch myself in the vision.  I AM calm.  My attention is captured by the sight of a well protruding from the ground a short distance ahead.  Odd, I did not see that from the towering slide.  It is there now.  Al line of women has formed.  Intrigued and no longer hearing or smelling the sounds of the fair, I make my way to the well.  As it is in visions, I was transported from above the ground to being in the well.

It is interesting to note that there is a spiral staircase that makes it way around the inside of the well.  There are no handrails.  The stairs are the same brick as the well. No supports are visible.  The stairs seem to have grown out of the side of the well and appear well anchored.

A doorway appears behind be and across from the stairs.  The well and room are well light.  The room is concrete, somewhat square and a pig-tail light suspended from mid-ceiling and a small wooden shelf high up on one wall with a rectangular mirror propped up on it.  There is a woman walking around in a circle in the room.  She is saying, "I can fly. I can fly.  I can fly."  repeatedly as she walks.  I join her.  It is an unconscious act driven by something deep within my Spirit. I am repeating the same words.

Suddenly, this woman is gone!  I am alone feeling safe and secure.  I continue with walking in a circle and repeating, "I can fly."

Tomorrow, I will continue to share this vision.  At the conclusion, I will interpret it's meaning and how relevant is was and is now.

By the way, I walked on the treadmill today.  Yesterday's walk was 20 minutes.  Today's walk was 21 minutes.

I AM looking forward to returning tomorrow.  Be well and happy.  Remember...Bliss is at the core of our Being.  It is natural to seek happiness and sustain it.

Warmly

 

 

 

How often have I said, "I will use the treadmill.  I will watch my portions of food.  I will stop eating late at night."?  The answer is that I have made the random statements all to often.  They have been said without the energy of commitment.  No one has been asked to be a witness to my Life.

For the past several month, I have participating, learning and applying a process or methodology of healing call Quantum Healing.  Others may know it as Trans-formative Healing.  Wonderful and liberating Light has streamed through the openings created by letting go of the past.

This morning upon physically awaking, I experienced another awaking.  A conscious awaking.  The event happened in a quiet and potent way.  A beam of light flowed from my unintended words of "I will..." and connected with a dot where the intention of keeping my words was breathing quietly.

The Light gave more Life to the Intention!  As my body laid there feeling alert to the breath of Intention growing stronger, I know that it was necessary to ask someone to witness my declaration of Intention and Action.  That is it!  The larger breath is Action.

In conversation this morning with Dorothy, I shared this experience.  I asked her to bear witness that I AM using my treadmill at least once a day.  I asked her to witness also that I will be Blogging at least four times a week if not daily.

One of my values that is active in my Life is the value of Keeping my Word.  It is apparent to me that keeping my word to other people has dominated my Life.  So much so, that keeping my word to my Self seemed worthless.  What to do?!  How to change this?!

My choice to invite witnesses was clear and immediate.  Seemingly, drawing upon the active value of keeping my word to others would transform into keeping my word to my Self.  A wave of energy moved through my body.  An energy that disturbed the old beliefs and complacency of old patterns.

I felt excited!  I was looking forward to some time on the treadmill after all.  In the small room of the lower level and the silence of the morning, I pressed the 'start' button.  There was no upbeat music or television making noise.   The hum of the treadmill motor droning out a slow rhythm was the conductor and the sense of commitment was alert.

Some one was singing.  It was me!  Spontaneously, words of Self encouragement and praise were flowing with ease.  Then, I heard the words  "I can fly. I can fly.  I can fly."  over and over again.

This is very significant because when I was forty-two years old (I am now sixty years young) and recovering in the hospital from a major procedure, I was given a vision.  This vision is now unfolding.  In the my next Blog, I AM sharing the details of this vision.

Until then, remember to keep your word not only to others but also to yourself.  Invite those you trust to witness your Life.

Warmly....

June 2, 2011

A regular day filled with a list of 'to do'.  Starting out like most days, breakfast is light and the latte is hot and frothy.  Open the garage door.  Enter car.  Engage engine.  and... We are on our way!

The air is cool and the sun is hot hot hot.  First stop is the computer store in the East End of Sudbury (North Star Computers).  Great service and friendly people.  Still everything seems like an ordinary day.

Pulling out of the parking area onto Falconridge, initially I felt that taking the Hwy. 17 bypass (even with construction) would make the trip to the next stop shorter than going through town.

As I approached the lights at the Kingsway, my gut said, "Go through town."  Having learned some tough lessons from not listening to my gut, I took the right turn toward the downtown.  A very short distance (just a couple of blocks) and stopping for the red light, the day changed from ordinary into extraordinary!

Steam.  Yes, you read it correctly.  Steam.  Steam was rising out from under the hood and the thermometer gage was rising fast.  "Oh my God.", I kept repeating.  A feeling of panic wanted to set in.  I was in the left driving lane and it was early lunch hour traffic.

It was as though the driver next to me could hear or sense my panic and my need to get into the right lane.  When the light changed, the driver next to me didn't move ahead, I was able to hit the gas and safely enter right lane.

Knowing the area fairly well, I knew that the Honda Dealer/Repair was two lights down.  With great anticipation, the car made it.  My heart was pounding as I rushed in and asked for help.  Initially, the person at the service desk said that there was nothing that they could do that day.

Not accepting that, the negotiations and suggestions began.  In very little time, a mechanic was checking out the source of the problem.  There it was.  A split in the rad hose and coolant had sprayed on the engine.

Arrangements were made and I was transported to Enterprise Car Rental a couple of buildings down.  I thought, "This is my lucky day."  My car seems to have a minor problem and I can rent a car for a day or two. Hmmmm, so I thought.

Because I choose not to use credit cards and because I did not have any 'household' bills i.e. phone, cable, hydro or the like on me to prove my residency, Enterprise Car Rental refused to rent me a car!

Did it matter that I was previous customer in March of this year? Did it matter that I have a driver license, medical card and even a perscription with the current address?  No, it did not matter.  Their policy would not allow the personnel to rent me a car.

With a quick call to Honda, I explained the situation to the young man who had so capably helped me.  When my cell phone rang back, it was with the most astonishing good news.  The young man checked with the General Manager who approved loaning me a used car off the lot!

With very little paperwork, I experienced the compassion and high quality customer service ethics of Palladino Honda.

As it turns out, my car's problem is greater than expected.  However, God, our Creator in all the Divine foresight, has ensured the cost would be covered.

Not only will the head gasket be repaired but also some upcoming maintenance items such as a water pump and timing belt would be looked after.  The cost is reasonable and the time line for the repairs even more than reasonable.

My life is 'blessed'.  My spirit is filled with gratitude.

Thank you to the Angels from the White Light that nudged me to head toward town.

Thank you to the personnel at Palladino Honda for your excellent service and your ability to value your customers.

 

It was the last big snow storm of the season.  It was also the day of the Japanese Sunomi.  It was March 11, 2011.

The storm started Thursday night about 6 p.m. Traveling to Espanola Ontario was dangerous at best. I could feel something was very wrong. Although visibility was poor, I experienced a new phenomena. I could hardly 'see'. For more than 20 years, traveling long distances in all weather conditions was a piece of cake. My confidence was strong and I felt safe driving my 1998 Honda Civic. This time was different. This time my spirit sensed a danger.

The purpose of this trip was two-fold. One purpose was as a keynote speaker and the other was as a workshop facilitator at a Native Youth Wellness Conference.

Upon awaking Friday morning, the weather outside looked worse than the night before. I said to my assistant, "I wonder if the conference has been cancelled due to weather?" With making effort to call some contacts in the Community, no one seemed available. My commitment to keeping my word is strong. So, we ventured out into the storm being sure to leave earlier than usual.

It was 8:15 a.m. I was driving 50 km in a 90 km zone. Roads were slick and the snow still falling heavy. My gut was tight. My breath was shallow as I felt the energy of impending danger. Then, it happened.

The car was sliding ... not fish-tailing. It was sliding at an odd angle. With all my driving skills, the car's speed became a turtle's crawl. But the car's movement across the lanes of Highway 17 West did not stop.

Coming east bound was a transport truck. It seems far enough way that there was a hope of making it across the lanes to the snow bank on the opposite side of the road. The truck driver was going fast...too fast! Then, it happened.

I braced myself. The centre of the logging truck was now right in front of me. I could hear both my voice and the voice of my assistant say, "Ohhhhhh nooooooo" as it was far away from my physical ears.

Everything went white. There was no sound. The car spun around several times. Another bump. The car stopped. It took me a moment to focus. The frantic sound of my assistant's voice asking me if I was okay. My eyes stilled closed. Another voice. A young man talking to my assistant. I am fully alert now.

He is carefully taking her to his pickup truck across the road. I assess the situation. My purse contents are somewhat scattered on the passenger side floor. Quickly, they are scooped up and put back into the purse. The young man is at my car door talking. "Turn off the engine. Turn off the engine. There is smoke!", he says.

I look out the window that has no cracks and see that I have no engine. It is gone. But, I try to put the car in park and turn the key. All the while softly saying, "There is no engine. There is no engine." He helps me out of the car and across the highway.  His voice is gentle and caring. This is my first glimpse of Jan. Her face is bruised from the impact with the air bag. Her glasses are gone. Some blood sits thick on her lower lip. She is panicked. "I can't see!", she repeats over and over again. There is no glass in her eyes.

The next voices are two women. One on either side of the pick up truck. They were traveling behind us. One woman announces, "I am an off duty paramedic." The other woman is a paramedic in training. Jan is in shock and the loss of her eyesight is temporary. Her neck also hurts. I am sitting in the back seat feeling untouched by the accident. My mind is clear and my body is without pain.

Jan is transported to hospital. I stay behind with the OPP who are now on the scene. The on duty paramedics make yet another attempt to talk me into going with them. I opt to stay on the scene. I feel surprised at how I feel. After a short talk with the police officer, I collect luggage and laptop bag from the truck. It occurs to me that pictures will be needed. Inside the laptop bag is my electronic camera. I proceed to take a number of pictures of the car and the general scene. The OPP are taking statements from the young man and the two women.  I am making calls to the insurance company, my adult children and the conference people.

When all is said and done, the younger OPP officer transports me to the hospital and helps to expedite my intake. Jan has been processed and treated. She is still quite shaken. Her clothes were cut off and she was upset about that. I brought her travel bag and she has fresh clothes to change into.

Finally the ER doctor does his examination. He asked, "Did you wear a seatbelt? Did your air bag deploy?". "Yes", I replied. There are not marks or bruises except a small "L" shaped bruise on the left knee. The doctor expresses his disbelief. "You have angels protecting you.", he declares. His words ring true.

The angels were there when the car and transport collided. The angels were there in the form of the young man and two women to whom I owe a deep sense of gratitude. They were there in the presence of the OPP officers and the medical staff both on the scene and in the hospital.

Jan is fully recovered. We used bear grease as a natural healing agent. Within 5 days, her face had healed.

I extend heart felt thanks to all the Earth Angels and the Divine Helpers of the White Light.

 

Maggie Dean, Artist…a story of Like attracts Like

It was a few months ago while attending a Woman’s Business Showcase in Van Leek Hill Ontario that I met this most talented and good hearted woman. There she was in the main reception room with her wide brim hat, her bright smile, a stained glass piece resting on an easel, a brightly coloured box and raffle tickets.

After wondering, somewhat aimlessly through the many rows of displays, I found myself back in the reception area. The raffle turned out to be a fundraiser for two food banks. Happily, I purchased $10 worth the tickets and donated another $10 without expectation. Maggie encouraged me to have more tickets for the extra money. My response was that sometimes, we need to give without expectation. This is afterall a good cause.

We began to chat. There was an energy of familiarity about her. We felt like we had met before. During the conversation of discovery, Maggie asked if I had been on the radio. “Yes, CKON in Akwesasne.” I replied. Oh! Maggie became animated and filled with the energy of delight. She knew who I was from the radio although we had never physically met before. Maggie sold her tickets and we chatted for a short while longer.

The day came to an end and. Home was welcoming and I had company when the phone rang later that night. On the other end of the phone was the same effervescent voice I recalled from the reception room. It was Maggie. She was beside herself with the news that my ticket had been drawn for the stained glass piece. Because of the distance between us, we agreed to meet at the 2 Bean Cafe in Alexandria. This is a good half way point. Besides, Kasey serves great food and the coffee is ahhhhhhhhhhhhh delicious.

While meeting over lunch, I asked the name of the artist that donated the stained glass. Much to my amazement, Maggie said, “Me, Maggie Dean!” What a double delight. To have won this beautiful piece of art and to be with the artist as well.

Maggie Dean had decided that more funds were needed for the local food banks and took up the campaign to raffle on of her pieces of art. She and I both gave from our hearts without expectation. We share much in common. One of the other things we share in common is that we both introduce ourself by first and last name!

It is time to reconnect with Maggie Dean. Thank you Maggie Dean for being you.

Here is her website! Please take some time to visit there.
http://www.artseo.ca/anglais/artists/d/Dean_Maggie/Dean_Maggie.html

You’re fired!

Imagine being treated in a way that clearly gives the message that you are not important! This first six months more than abundantly provided such situations. My house and car insurance company. My cell phone carrier. An eye doctor and an eye glass lab. There are more and perhaps by the end of this blog, I will recall them.

Firing a person or company does not come easily. It comes from self respect. It an ability that swells up from the depths of dignity.

The insurance company sent a letter demanding access to my credit rating based on the rational that a good credit rating makes a good driver. Oh, YES! That is what they touted as the reason. Further to this imperfect logic was the threat that if I declined, I would be charged the highest possible fee for the insurance.

Whoa! Talk about unhealthy policy. This one takes the cake. Not only was I expected to accept this demeaning and impersonal treatment but I lived with being their customer since 1980 and never once had a rep or agent contact me about my needs.

Needless to say, I called the head office and said, “You’re fired!” That same day, I registered with a local company. Now, I receive calls, personal visits and warm professional support that meet my needs.

While away on a long business trip, I called into the office and picked up messages. One was to call my cell phone carrier about my account. So, I did call them. At the other end, I was informed that my phone was ‘hotlined’. “What is hotlined?” I asked. This is when the phone company rigs your phone that any call you attempt to make will automatically go to their customer service center. “Why?!” I asked. The response shocked me. I was told that because a payment was not successful in going through on the credit card, They asked me to verify my card number. How inconvenient. I inquired, “Why didn’t you just put it through again? There is money available on the card.” The answer…”this is our policy.” After verifying the card number and the payment flowed through like an open river, I asked what would have happened if I needed to make an emergency call? The answer?! That’s right…”this is our policy.” Once I announced that the company was fired, and put on hold, the next surprise was a man. A man at the ‘escalation desk’. A short conversation ensued. He admited that how this was handled was poor. He apologized. In my mind, I asked the question, “How often is too often to be put in harms way over a few dollars?” My conclusion is that once is too often. “You’re fired!” The account closed July 1st.

You get the picture. Respect is an important part of any business. Business and respect can and should coexist. Business without respect will dry up, turn to dust and disappear.

When you feel that policy is being pushed down your throat, that you are not important as a customer or client, that you are being threatened into compliance…breathe…centre your Self…make a decision from the depths of your dignity and say…You’re fired!

Dignity is the state of poise and self respect that inspires respect.

Teachings…

My travels this month held very special events. My struggle is to give details of a series of sacred circumstances while remaining humble because of the very same sense of sacredness.

I had the honour of staying with a family in a First Nation’s community. There were few appointments. This proved to be a Divine decision. There are often unforeseen reasons that lead to astonishing circumstances.

This is my first blog. It is important to state that in this Earth life, I am fully aware of my white skin. It is just as important to state that my Spirit holds the colours of all four races. This knowing came about ten years ago when presenting myself at a gathering of people on Christian Island an Ojibwa Community. That is a story for another time.

Another important truth…For knowledge to live, it must be shared with a good heart and a good mind. That is what occurred. Knowledge and teachings were shared.

I was invited to a pipe ceremony and given permission to open my pipe bundle and participate. The facilitator of the ceremony is a gentle and spiritual man. After speaking the words that begins the ceremony, he channeled teachings on humility. I felt my focus intensify as my mind absorbed the words that flowed through him. It was real…genuine. We smoked our pipes in prayer. Then, the ceremony came to a close.

After the ceremony the facilitator mentioned that his pipe was showing signs of needing a new stem. I asked him if he had given his pipe a cedar bath. “No. I was not taught that.” he replied. “May I show you?” I asked. He answered softly, “Yes.”

That evening I boiled the cedar offering prayers of gratitude. Cleaning the pipes took time. Pipes because mine also needed a cedar bath. We both carry a Thunderbird pipe. After a while, the facilitator’s female life partner put her hand on my shoulder and said, “You are very patient.”

I found myself saying that it was easy to be patient cleaning the pipes because our pipes teach us patience. They wait for us to open our bundles and utilize them. (As was the case with our small group, the pipes had waited a long time for us to come back to them.) That is patience. Now that our bundles, after many months of being closed, were open, I felt happy to give them this time and handle them with such care because that is what they give us, time, patience and care. Then I asked, “When did you last feast your pipes?”

Each person looked at the other. The answer came, “We were not given that teaching. Will you show us?” “Yes.”, I said. All this happened on a Thursday night. Friday night the pipe and other sacred items in the bundles would be feasted.

When the items were set out, I felt the Spirit move me to channel a teaching. We sat in our circle. I picked up the bowl and stem of the pipe and put them together. Then the words started to flow through me.

“The bowl and the stem are two. When they come together, they are one. The pipe and the carrier are two. When the carrier holds the pipe, they are one. The pipe with the carrier and the sacred plants are two. When the sacred plants are used in ceremony, all are one. The pipe with the carrier and the Angels/Spirit Guides from the Light are two. When the Angels/Spirit Guides are called into the circle, we are one. In our ceremony, we gather as individuals. When the opening words are spoken, we are one. Our Creator is at the center. When the Creator is included, we are one. We are whole. We are complete.”

The feast food was set in the center of the circle, left over night and taken away in the early the following morning. The facilitator directed that we would smoke our pipes in ceremony Saturday night. We gathered in our circle. Our pipes were waiting for the connection of oneness. I looked to our facilitator to speak the words that are spoken at the beginning to open the ceremony. He looked back at me, closed his eye and when he opened them again, he said, “Doreen. Spirit tells me that you are to conduct the ceremony tonight.” Silence settled into me as I looked back at him. “But…”, I said. “But, I am white and honoured to carry this pipe because it came to me in the correct way.”

“Spirit directs that you facilitate this pipe ceremony.”, he said quietly and with a strength that comes from knowing one’s truth. I bowed my head and ask for guidance. Then, the words came. I asked the gentle, spiritual man to speak the words that begin the ceremony. He did and we sat in oneness and were whole in the Presence of our Creator. More teachings flowed through me. While I channeled the teachings, my spirit recalled the words spoken Thursday night. The teaching about humility.

There were many teaching shared in our small circle. We discovered that we were both teachers and students.

Now, I feel that I have honoured the sacredness of these events. For this, I am grateful. There are more events. They will be shared at another time.