by Steven Johnson, DO
I had the great privilege to attend an Indian Ceremony just after the spring equinox. A group of us surrounded a ceremonial fire on a windy Spring afternoon. A ceremony of offering was generously gifted to our Camphill community medicinal garden by descendants of the local Mohican Indians whose ancestors had once walked these very lands. This was led by their leader Storm Hawk. They joined us with their families now expanded to include Indians of the Brazilian Amazon forests who had bound their fates together through destiny and love for the land.
They were there to help us ask forgiveness of our transgressions to the land through the cutting down of beautiful trees to build a building for medicinal work and to house the activities of a diverse community that included people with special needs…a building we assumed we had permission to build. The ceremony spoke to the spirits of the four directions to ask forgiveness and to invite the spirits of the land to become part of this endeavor. Storm Hawk also invited all of us present to become part of the ancestral families that still to this day see their role as protectors and stewards of this land.
In one way, as I heard the ancient songs and received their cleansing blessing and offering to the earth spirits, my soul was transported to another dimension and time when our souls were part of the nature around us and joined in universal consciousness.
Another part of me felt the deep sadness and pain that went right into my bones of how these ancient caretakers of the land were so misunderstood. You could feel it through the ancient sadness in their eyes. I reflected how arrogant I had been not asking permission with my colleagues from the elemental nature spirits of the land to join us in this endeavor.
How painful it must have been for Storm Hawk’s ancestors to watch the native spirits of the land recede in the name of modern progress. Yet, here we were now in this moment, being both forgiven and invited into their family and ancestry because we met this day at the time of the equinox out of a mutual love for the land and healing. Afterwards we all felt the bond of brothers and sisters and committed to stay in contact.
The leader Storm Hawk spoke about the ritual fire in a way that moved me and I thought perhaps it could move others of you too. He had in his possession ashes from ceremonial fires and sun festivals from around the country and abroad and from many years past. These were added to our fire and the ashes of our ceremonial fire were added to his collection of ancestral ashes. In this way our deeds and prayers for forgiveness, for cleansing and renewal were joined together through the burning fire that received our offerings and prayers; turning them into ashes which would now unite with other offerings and holy prayers from human beings far and wide. It was a beautiful moment for which words cannot easily express.
I could not help but think of the fires, storms, wars and tragedies that have taken place lately in our country and around the world. And yet from the ashes of these fires and tragedies, the best of our human nature arises. Waldorf schools are helping other Waldorf schools and people are donating money, food and resources to help people rebuild their lives. It became clear to my eyes that these deeds are like the ashes of the ceremonial fires that symbolize the good intentions of humanity. The ashes of fires and tragedy like the rising phoenix giving wings to the goodness of human beings and bringing hope for the future. We have become an extended family; a larger earth family through our love and benevolence towards each other. A larger spiritual family that crosses races and bloodlines. This imagination gave me great hope because when people gather in the spirit of love, it seems our highest angels are at work. The Mohican Indians have a saying, “ – Yo mutah mutu nutah…wipi kutah”. When pointing to his or her heart they would say, “This is not my heart…but your heart.”
In this way the pain of the past felt redeemed for me. In humbling moments like these I understand the power of goodness and hope. It is a feeling of resilience in the soul. I thought to share this poem we use in our resilience course as a closing.
There is Friendship
“Among men and women who dare to open their heart’s secrets to one another, there lives the hope and promise of friendship. In the deepening silence they will bear with love the knowing of what one has and has not done. And in this understanding, friendship shall bring to each of them the light of the spirit sun. Faith in this experience of true friendship will be the foundation of the world to come.”
– William Bento – July 27th 2004, Revised November 11th, 2010