“We have the opportunity to build a Rainbow bridge into the Golden Age. But to do this, we must do it together with all the colors of the Rainbow, with all the peoples, all the beings of the world. We who are alive on Earth today are the Rainbow Warriors who face the challenge of building this bridge,"
~Brooke Medicine Eagle, Daughter of the Rainbow, Crow and Lakota ~
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Sacred Pipe
The sacred pipe is a spiritual artifact, a religious altar, always to be treated with respect and care, and used only in a sacred manner. Our sacred ritual for connecting physical and spiritual worlds.
"The pipe is a link between the earth and the sky, the pipe is our prayers in physical form. Smoke becomes our words; it goes out, touches everything, and becomes a part of all there is. The fire in the pipe is the same fire in the sun, which is the source of life."
There have been many stone and ceramic pipes that have been found by archaeologists throughout North America dating back to 4000 and 3000 B.C.E.
The pipe ceremony invokes a relationship with the energies of the universe, and ultimately the Creator, and the bond made between earthly and spiritual realms is not to be broken.
Each part of the pipe—stem, bowl, tobacco, breath, and smoke—is symbolic of the fundamental relationships among plants, animals, humans, elements, and spiritual beings that keep the cosmos in motion. In pipe ceremonies, numerous pinches of tobacco signify prayers of blessing for each part of creation and the whole cosmic community. Thus the bowl of the pipe is filled symbolically with the whole sum of existence. As the tobacco is lit by the fire, inhaled and exhaled as smoke, these prayers of blessing become visible offerings.
the person reaching out to the spirit world has no fear: "Most of us are not afraid of the Great Spirit. We don't fear something that has given us our life."
There are different kinds of pipes and different uses for them. There are personal pipes and family pipes as well as pipes for large ceremonies.
The ceremonial tobacco is usually very strong, the tobacco used in North America is nicotiana rustica
tobacco and a mixture preparation the type of tobacco used depends on tribal custom in the pipe ceremony.The pipe a pinch at a time is loaded with tobacco, or a tobacco mixed with sweet smelling herbs, barks and roots such as Cannabis, bayberry, bearberry, mugwort, lovage, red willow inner bark, wild cherry bark, white willow bark, birch bark, and many others indigenous to a local area.
usually the smoke is not inhaled, but puffed into, then out of the mouth in each of the four directions, acknowledging Father Sky, Mother Earth, and the Great Spirit as the pipe is smoked and passed from one person to the next around the circle.
The pipe holder stands holding the bowl of the pipe in his left hand, the stem in his right
pointing the stem to the East. He sprinkles a small amount of tobacco on the ground as an offering to Mother Earth and The East.
look to the east power. The east is where the sun rises, and the sun brings us knowledge, the essence of spirituality such as meditation practices. Without knowledge, we become ignorant and cause harm to ourselves and others.
"The East is Red. The East is where the Morning Star rises, the Star of Knowledge. Red is for the Rising Sun which brings us a new day and another chance to learn. We thank the Great Spirit for each day we are allowed to live upon Mother Earth under Father Sky, Tunkashila. We pray for Knowledge, for from Knowledge comes Peace"
The pipe holder faces the South and again gives tobacco to Mother Earth, south power, which brings us bounty, medicine, and growth.
"The South is Yellow. Yellow is for the color of Spring and the warm south wind, and the yellow hoop. While we load this pipe, we give thanks for our strength, growth, and healing that is brought forth from the south wind. We use this as a time of planting so that the seeds may grow into a new life."
The pipe holder faces the West and again gives tobacco to Mother Earth, continues to load the pipe the West power, while thinking about the life giving rains and the ever present spirit world
"West is Black. West is where the Sun sets. West is were the Spirit Helpers live and black stands for the Spirit World. We will all go to the Spirit World and we will all know one another and our deeds. We seek our spiritual wisdom in the West and pray for help from our Spirit Guides".
Next, he beseeches the north power, the source of endurance, strength, truthfulness, and honesty, which are qualities needed to walk down a good path in life.
"White is for the North. The White Giant covers Mother Earth with the white blanket of snow. White Buffalo Calf Woman, Ptecincala Ska Wakan Winan, came to us from the North. We stand here seeking endurance, and health from the North".
Next to be acknowledged is the earth spirit.touches the pipe to the ground, and says, "Mother Earth, I seek to protect you." Since Mother Earth depends on the sun's life giving energy, the pipe is then held up towards the sky.
"Green is the color of Mother Earth. We are all part of Mother Earth, each rock, each four legged, each two legged, all creatures, plants and minerals. We are all related. We respect our Mother Earth and protect her".
Lastly, the pipe is held straight up to the Great Spirit, the Great Mystery, the unexplainable source of all life. These words are then spoken: "Oh Great Spirit, I thank you for the six powers of the universe. Great Creator of us all, Creator of all things, Creator of the four directions, Mother Earth, and Father Sky, we offer this pipe to you".
"Father Sky in union with Mother Earth are our true parents. Father Sky gives us energy for our lives and heats our bodies and our lodges. We are thankful for Father Sky".
Now the pipe is lighted, and passed around the circle sunwise from east to south to west to north, returning to the east, each person free to offer a prayer or saying if they choose.
On completion of its journey around the sacred circle the pipe is capped with sage or bark, and separated, the stem from the pipe, set aside in its pouch until it is smoked again. The typical pipe pouch has separate compartments for the pipe and the stem so that they do not touch when not being used in ritual ceremony.
THE PIPE CEREMONY
An entire ceremony surrounds the use of the personal pipe for praying, which allows you to adopt the correct frame of mind for the prayer.
Smudge yourself, and all items to be used in the ceremony.
Prior to handling the pipe, ensure that you have smudged. Also, when the pipe is removed from its container, it must be smudged as well. When you join the pipe, be aware that you are creating a sacred moment in time. As you handle the pipe, use your left hand to hold the bowl, and your right to hold the stem.
As the pipe is filled, describe the reason for this Pipe Ceremony, or simply ask for guidance.
Loading the pipe is done in four steps, each honouring the four directions. When the pipe is loaded, it should be lit from something besides your trusty Zippo. If you are near a sacred fire, use it to light a small twig, or better yet a sweetgrass braid, and use that to light your pipe.
During each step, offer a pinch of tobacco to that direction, and address the spirits of the direction, asking them to hear you when you pray. Place the tobacco into the pipe bowl and repeat for the next direction.
Once the pipe is started and is smoking well, rotate the pipe clockwise twice to indicate a change in directions, and point the stem‐end to the direction being addressed. You may need to draw on the pipe between directions to ensure that it continues to smoke; avoid inhaling the smoke – it is meant to go to the Creator, not to you. Proceed as follows, rotating between each direction, and again at the end: Kwey to Wàbanong, Spirit of The East, Keeper of the Animal World. Thank you for the all two‐ leggeds, the four‐leggeds, those that swim, and fly, and creep, and crawl. Let me learn their medicines and their teachings so that I may share them with others in a good way. Kwey to Shàwanong, Spirit of The South, Keeper of the Plant World. Mègwetch for all that grows lush & green on Mother Earth and gives us food to eat and oxygen to breathe. Let me learn their medicines and their teachings so that I may share them with others in a good way. Kwey to Epangishimodj, Spirit of The West, Keeper of the Stone World. Mègwetch for the stone people, the rock people, the Sacred Mountains, and the Thunderbirds. Let me learn their medicines and their teachings so that I may share them with others in a good way. Kwey to Kìwedinong, Spirit of The North, Keeper of the Tree world. Mègwetch for the Sacred Trees: the Cedar, the Poplar, the Birch, and the Willow, the White Pine, the Maple, and the Oak. Let me learn their medicines and their teachings so that I may share them with others in a good way. Kwey to Nòs Kìzis (Father Sun), Keeper of the Sky Nation: the Cloud People, the Star People, the Aurora Borealis, and all the others. Let me learn their medicines and their teachings so that I may share them with others in a good way. Kwey to Djòdjò–Aki (Mother Earth), the ground we walk on, whose water is our life‐blood, and whose breath is the Four Winds. Let me learn their medicines and their teachings so that I may share them with others in a good way. Kwey to Kichi Manidow, who is the Centre of all things. Thank you for allowing me to know you in my heart, and for reminding me of my reason for being. Let me recall my original instructions, open my heart to your guidance, and realign myself to your service. Mègwetch, Mègwetch, Mègwetch, Mègwetch After all the tobacco is burnt, clean the bowl, and take the bowl & stem apart. As you wrap each separately, and put them away, listen/pay attention to the Gifts of Spirit offered. If any message is received for others, it should be shared in a respectful & appropriate way.
As you smoke the pipe, again acknowledge each direction as you take a puff. Release the smoke deliberately; as it rises toward the sky, it takes your prayers with it. If you wish, smudge yourself by guiding the smoke over your head with your free hand. Between each direction, turn the pipe stem in a circle clockwise to honour the four cardinal directions.
Finally, when the tobacco has been consumed, separating the pipe is a way of telling the spirits that you are finished. Clean the ashes out of your pipe, and dispose of them in a thoughtful way: for example, in a sacred fire, or at the roots of a tree. Carefully wrap your pipe and put it away. As you do all this, be aware that your prayers have been heard, and offer your thanks for the attention of the spirits.
Should you be involved in a pipe ceremony conducted by a Pipe Carrier, the pipe may be passed around. If so, you accept the pipe stem with your right hand and the bowl with your left. Take a puff, and again release it thoughtfully as a prayer. Turn the pipe stem clockwise through a full circle, then pass the pipe to the next person stem first. If for some reason you do not wish to smoke the pipe, or if the tobacco has been exhausted, then you can simply touch your shoulders with the pipe stem and pass it along.