Tobacco Smoke as a Sacrament: Elder's Meditation of the Day - March 10, 2009

"I know Grandpa told me that to smoke is wakan (holy). The smoke you inhale represents the spirits of everything you put into the pipe. When you breathe in the smoke, you are asking to become one with everything or to become whole."
--Dr. A.C. Ross (Enhanamani), LAKOTA
The smoke allows us to go from the Seen World to the Spirit World. It is in the Spirit World where we are all connected. In this way, we can become one with all things. Our pipe is sacred. We need to be respectful of our medicine. When we smoke the pipe, we need to have good thoughts because these thoughts are shared with the Spirit World. The pipe, the smoke, the spirits, our thoughts-these things are Wakan.

Great Spirit, today, let my thoughts be Wakan.

So, see it's like that, which is on these 3 nights of full moon and 3 nights of new moon, I roll a smoke and go out in the moonlight and sit and pray for wicosin ni wioki mi takuye oyacin (Health & Help for All My Relations). Why I talk to Creator, the Spirit Keepers of the Four (6) Directions and give thanks for: my life; life on this Unci Maka; peace on earth; food, clothing & shelter for everyone; for healling the heart of my loved one(s); healing the abuse that both the vicitims & the perpetrators have suffered...and on & on & on like that.

I want it all to be balanced...to be good, to be healthy...to be at love & peace w/ Creator and for all the non-two legged realatives of ours as well.

I guess you can say I Want It ALL....and I believe that it can be so, which is why I'll Never Give Up...why each & every day I'll continue to give thanks and talk to Creator on behalf of All My Relations.

Mi Takuye Oyacin