ThE GIFt AND ThE CuRse: CaSe ClOSed

This day was chock full of ceremony and symbolism. Its funny how as it happens you dont see the ceremony or notice the symbolism, but when you sit back and reflect it becomes all too clear.

Where we last left off, the Indian, had a mission to return a coin that he picked up off the ground at the Famous Spirit Tree in Croom. Today was the day for him to return the coin and rid himself of the curse that followed.

The day started at 430am, I could barely get out of bed, I was just so so tired, that I ended up snoozing my alarm till about 530 am and then heading out Late as always. I was super cautious on the drive as I knew I was making the final drive to be rid of this ill fortune that has plagued me since June 1st.

I arrived safely, and saw that Bill Hoover was indeed in the house as he had promised he would be. That's when the Ceremony began, as I took time to recount all the things that happened in the previous month, all the tales of the unusually bad luck I have had. It was a key element in the Ceremony since, It needed to be spoken, Bill was the immediate ears that the story fell upon, but the Universe was ever vigilant as well.

Mike showed up to assist and accompany me to the tree. His plan was an All day Epic, but that was soon cut short as he only came with one shoe. So Flip Flop still joined me on the journey, wearing one cycling shoe on one foot and one flip flop on the other. As we started rolling out, Mike noticed he forgot his Helmet and went back for it, as I was standing there I had noticed that I had mounted the tread on my front tire backwards. IN retrospect this was a fitting thing to do, it gave me a chance to ride forward, yet still move backwards and literally rewind the journey that I took on June 1st to get to the tree.

We made the tree, there was not much talk, I pulled out my portable smudging kit, and burned a mound of sage. I cleaned myself, then pulled out the coin and put it on the ground in about the same exact spot I remember picking up, gently covering it with brush and leaves so that no one else ever makes the mistake I made. While I sat there and blew the pile of sage in the burning shell I said several prayers. Prayers for forgiveness, prayers for humility and humbleness, prayers for awakenings, prayers for safety, prayers for good fortune, prayers for appreciation and emancipation.

I inhaled the sage smoke and stood up to let my prayers be carried into the heavens. Just as I did that I received my first omen that the ceremony was successful as a Black butterfly with white markings danced threw the smoke and came ever so close to landing on me.

Shortly thereafter I walked around and looked for an item that the Bird and I had hung on the tree long ago that the last time I visited I could not find. It was a Dolphin made of Hematite stone. I found it, and rehung it, keeping my prayers and thoughts in my mind.

I grabbed my bag as I made sure every piece of the sage burned, and packed my smudge kit. We got on our bikes and rode away feeling blessed to have finally returned what was not mine to the Spirit tree.

While rolling, I commented to Bill about the Butterfly, then I said to him, are you ready for the rain. And sure enough, not even a 10 seconds after I asked him that question, the rain began, the second omen of a good cleansing of my ill condition. Then I told him, the only way this could be better is if the Taino Spirit of Thunder joined the day, Guatauba, and sure enough, the thunder and lighting began to crack the sky and the rain began to come down harder and my legs began to push the pedals faster as I became one with the power and the energy of the storm, with every stroke ridding myself of this Ungodly curse that had befallen me.

Before I knew it we were back at the lot, I was wishing I could have pedaled more, the first time in a week or more I had made that wish. WE hid under a small cover as the storm raged on for another thirty minutes and LIghtning cracked menancingly all around us. The storm got pretty intense, and the weather turned cool, knowing that it would rain, I pulled out my jacket and put it on as I waited the storm out comfortably.

The storm stopped, the ceremony was complete and I was now free of this wreched curse.

Never again, will I remove something from around that Spirit Tree. Never again will I take from that place even though It appeared that it was not attached to any particular memorial, apparently I was wrong.

I do however pray that the prayers I said this day come true and the blessings that I asked for befall all those I directed them too.

This mission is now accomplished and I am ready to move on.


Laters,

The NaKed InDiaN