Pipe Ceremony

My last night in Mancos. Joya and Joanne performed pipe ceremony with me. I understand they learned from a Chippewa man. The stem is masculine and bowl is feminine, where the sacred tobacco is placed. Opened sacred space, acknowledges the Source, values of creation. Cleanse with sage. Then we pass the pipe. Bowl in left hand, stem in right. Payer. Aloud is most common, but I felt to pray silently. My heart ran too deep for words to breathe out. Then passed again, with all of our prayers within the pipe, circle the earth and smoke or place to your heart. I put it to my heart. Complete surrender. Tears barely retained in eyes. Gratitude. Humility. Heart. They sang a song sung during birth. I felt rebirth. Broken bud to flower. Challenging to leave the womb of silent inner experience. Beckoned to stand, and a blessing was shared for my journey and life with sage and the air strokes from an eagle feather. I was then gifted a hawk wing. The bird found in Fairfield. The wing removed and the rest buried with blessings. Such humility. Only heart. Crying heart. Embrace. Another adopted child. The Messenger has always been with me. They come in 12.