| p>I've been favoring a sore foot this past week, one | | | | affections. I stood apart and smiled, watching her like a |
| of those mystery pains that come along, bothers you | | | | hawk so we wouldn't get tossed out for some |
| awhile and then, one day, it's gone. The odd thing is | | | | infraction of the rules. |
| that I can trace its start to the day when I returned | | | | Eventually, as the night wore on, things loosened up a |
| home from an overnight trip to the desert to observe | | | | bit, and I was invited to sit with an Indian couple who |
| and participate in an Indian ceremony over Labor Day. | | | | Jazz had befriended. I was even offered some |
| Labor Day weekend has special meaning for me, as | | | | tobacco, which I was happy to accept, from "White |
| my father passed away on that day some fourteen | | | | Cloud" - the woman who offered explanations of |
| years ago, and so I feel it coming, the end of summer, | | | | what was happening within the inner circle. |
| the passing of yet another year that he departed this | | | | Children played around the outside of the ring, and |
| earth; a time of remembering, a time to honor his life, | | | | were scolded to stay off the trail of tobacco that |
| and a time to take stock of all that has happened in his | | | | encircled it, keeping the bear spirits from escaping and |
| absence. | | | | causing untold havoc in the camp. |
| This year, a friend from work invited me to a ritual | | | | After several hours, the dancers took a break and |
| honoring the Bear spirit energy; in Indian lore, the bear | | | | would reconvene at midnight for healing, more |
| signifies the healer energies. It seemed appropriate, | | | | drumming and dancing, encouraging the bear spirits to |
| since I have been working as a healer (Reiki, a form of | | | | bring healing to the camp, and its petitioners. I returned |
| hands-on healing) for many years and have been both | | | | to my campsite, which was my SUV that I had |
| a student and teacher in the healing arts. | | | | outfitted with sleeping pads and blanket, just room |
| Since my youngest child left for school, my only | | | | enough for me and my Jazz. I knew I couldn't enter the |
| responsibility is for my dog that was welcome to | | | | circle with my dog, and she wouldn't stay quiet waiting |
| accompany me, I was told. The three-day weekend | | | | in the car. We made our best attempt to sleep while |
| lay before me with no other pressing plans and nothing | | | | the drone and rhythm of the drumming and chanting |
| to look forward to but a crushing heat wave. An | | | | carried through the night air all night long. |
| adven-ture to the desert, a night under the clear | | | | My dreams were filled with strange pictures and sleep |
| star-filled night sounded like the perfect opportunity to | | | | was sporadic, so the layers between dream and |
| break out of my comfort zone and experience the | | | | wake were difficult to separate. Indians danced in my |
| rhythms of the universe. | | | | dreams in mountains as well as in the tribal ring, not 100 |
| Waiting until the heat of the day passed, I left my | | | | yards from where I lay. Jazz was fitful in her sleep, |
| house for the two hour trip and headed north, following | | | | too, on guard against coyotes or critters that crept up |
| the ocean's cooler temperatures before turning | | | | in the darkness, only their smell alerting her sensitive |
| eastward to head over the mountain range and into | | | | nose. |
| the desert. I watched the car's thermometer pass the | | | | The pulsating drumming finally died down just before |
| 100 degree mark, thankful for the air conditioner that | | | | daybreak and I slept a light sleep till dawn. The early |
| struggled to keep the car cool. | | | | morning sun woke me, and we headed out for a walk |
| It was past 6 P.M. before I found the camp grounds, | | | | while the camp ground slept late, exhausted and spent |
| nestled deep in a long canyon, some eight miles off the | | | | from the long night's vigil. Jazz was free to run and |
| main highway down a gravel road. A sign posted at | | | | chase bunnies in the desert expanse, no other dogs |
| the entrance stated its Indian heritage, under which | | | | were roaming that early and the coyotes had all run |
| was written "No Dogs, No Alcohol, and No Drugs". | | | | for cover in the light of the day. |
| The beer in my cooler could be easily avoided, but not | | | | I had missed the healing ceremony, but I wasn't sorry. I |
| my bouncy, 65 pound boxer. And a return trip over a | | | | had a glorious hike in the early morning, watching the |
| winding mountain pass didn't seem a likely option either. | | | | colors glow in the rising sun without another person in |
| I drove in, looking for my friend's RV amongst the | | | | sight for miles. When I returned, campers were slowly |
| many campers. I discovered it without too much effort, | | | | emerging, preparing to go into the huts for purifying |
| but it was vacant. The people had all gathered in a | | | | sweats. None of the Indians I saw in the morning |
| central dining area where a long line formed from the | | | | showed much more than a brief grunt of |
| kitchen facilities. My friend met me, his baby in arm and | | | | acknowledgment in my direction. I was the white |
| filled a plate of food for me, though, with my dog in | | | | woman who had brought the dog. |
| tow, I'd have to eat outside. A table filled with family | | | | My friends were still buried in their RV as I emptied |
| and friends allowed me to sit with them, though none | | | | water from my ice chest, reloaded it into my car and |
| greeted or spoke to me. Only the children rushed up to | | | | drove slowly out. It would be baking hot soon and I |
| meet my wriggling social dog, curious to know her | | | | could beat the heat home and be sitting in my pool by |
| name and her breed and anything else they could | | | | noon if I wanted. |
| discover. | | | | Jazz was quiet coming home. She knew there were |
| Before I had finished my food, an Indian elder came to | | | | miles of winding roads and settled in for the duration. |
| advise me that I would have to put my dog on a leash, | | | | Traffic was non-existent as we sped home. The |
| scowling at me for bringing in a nuisance. I quickly | | | | farther I drove from the campground, the stuffier |
| stood to leave, though the dog was surrounded by | | | | became my head, until it was possible to breathe only |
| kids anxious to play, patting her and generally making a | | | | through my mouth. Over the mountains and down into |
| fuss of her, while she lapped their faces and made | | | | the village I drove, stopping briefly on the roadside for |
| friends where I couldn't. | | | | water and a stretch, feeling light headed and woozy, |
| We walked back to my car, several of the local dogs | | | | probably from heat. |
| stalking her and circling her as if to move in for an | | | | Made it home in record time, emptied my car and |
| attack. I shooed them away, but they followed closely, | | | | collapsed in the cool darkness of my bedroom with |
| watching our every move as if to say we'd better | | | | the air conditioner running on high all day, not to emerge |
| watch our steps or else. The dogs seemed to pick up | | | | from my cocoon. The whole day left me drained and |
| the adults' attitudes towards me, tolerant, but not | | | | sickly, Jazz stayed with me, snoozing peacefully on |
| happy about our presence. I leashed my dog for her | | | | my bed, both of us just catching up from the odd night |
| own safety as well as to keep the Indian elders from | | | | in the desert. |
| going on the warpath. | | | | When I returned to my office after the weekend, my |
| The couple who owned the property later met me | | | | friend who had invited me told me that the ring of |
| and explained their position, that in the past dogs had | | | | protection had been broken in the night. Bear spirits |
| bitten some of the children, and they didn't want to | | | | had escaped and many people were met with various |
| have any of those incidents. I understood, nodded in | | | | catastrophes, some greater than others. He had |
| agreement. It was already quite obvious that my dog | | | | suffered a break-down in his RV just a few miles |
| was not mean to children, or anyone else, but that | | | | from his home, and was forced to have it towed. |
| wasn't the point. Rudy, the Indian man, a Bear spirit | | | | The gremlin of a bear spirit had jumped into my body |
| himself, took to my dog, and "Jazz" to him so much | | | | and refused to let me go for the whole next week, |
| that he decided my dog would be welcome at the | | | | clinging on to the side of my right foot. I could walk on |
| ceremony, but that we should stay toward the back | | | | it, but each step was painful. A call to my go-to guy, a |
| so as not to bother anyone. He offered me an | | | | crow in the Indian spirit world told me to soak my foot |
| opportunity to come into the circle and have a healing | | | | in the pool while pointing to the North Star to help to |
| when they beat the drums for the bear spirits to | | | | release it, better yet, go to the ocean and let the bear |
| emerge late in the evening. | | | | swim free. The ocean did coax the bear from my |
| Throughout the long evening of drumming, dancing, | | | | foot. |
| chanting and conjuring spirits, we stayed a respectful | | | | I didn't receive any messages from my father over the |
| distance back, observing with a kind of wide-eyed | | | | weekend, and I didn't get any special healing. I did come |
| wonder, like kids watching their first magic show. Jazz | | | | away with an appreciation for my own beliefs...that |
| every bit as curious and drawn in as I. An elder circled | | | | whatever healing I need may come my way as |
| round a few times, making sure we stayed out of their | | | | needed, through the spirit of He who heals all: Jesus. I |
| ring, and scouting for cameras that may be recording | | | | pray that the bear spirits who were loosened upon |
| the ceremony. | | | | that desert night found their rightful place within this |
| Jazz roamed to the end of her leash, introducing | | | | great universe of ours, reaching the ones in need. |
| herself to anyone within its reach as only a dog can | | | | Perhaps the bear who got me was a gentle reminder |
| do, licking faces and generally inserting herself into their | | | | that I shouldn't step foot on a path not my own. |