Post by Jeff on Jun 16, 2006 19:09:31 GMT -5
This will strike some of you as strange.
At Christmas 2005 I was given a sacred pipe by my father in law. Part of me does not understand why he did this, since I know nothing of the songs and ceremonies that surround it. I called Justin when I got it, and asked him to prepare a ceremony for us. We undertook this with Andy Adams and Rick at the new year’s eve party. Since that time I have been most careful to keep the stem and the bowl separate. This is one of the few things I know to do.
When Rick and David were down to McAllen, I attempted to perform a ceremony for them. But Rick stopped me saying that I was dishonoring the ceremony. I believe he was correct about this. Fortunately, David felt that he could officiate, and the three of us made a new peace.
I think of this pipe now as one of our group’s sacred artifacts. I have tried to be careful with it, and I am willing, if the group deems it appropriate, to entrust the pipe with a more appropriate keeper. In other words, I want the pipe to have a meaning for us, and I have no ego attached to it. That would be sacrilege, I think. Tonight I talked to Joe and he agreed to sing the songs for us at our next gathering. I think David is prepared to officiate again, as well.
Here is what I think should happen: There can be no ceremonies that David and Joe do not agree about. The stem and the bowl will only come together when they deem it appropriate. I offered the pipe to both of them, but they both say that I should keep it for now. I asked them both if I could decorate it. And they said that I could, though I might not since I am so ignorant of what would be appropriate.
David and Joe have both agreed that we will perform another ceremony, this one more formal than the first two, at the Christmas/New Year’s Eve party this year. If you wish to participate, you should contact either of them, since they will be able to tell you what may be required, fasting and the like I imagine.
David said he felt comfortable with Justin officiating at future ceremonies, so that may be a possibility. But I will never do it. I suppose that it is my job simply to keep the pipe. I made it known to David that if something were ever to happen to me, then he Joe or Justin should assume responsibility for the pipe.
There are ceremonies for many of life’s most important moments: death, purification, marriage, the birth of a child, the making of relatives, etc… As for me, I want all of these events to pass through this group ritual. Tonight Joe and I discussed whether this could be done in good faith. I think we agreed that it could. (Right Joe?)
For better and for worse we are a tribe. I am sure that we’ve all at one point hated the idea of The Group. Still, here we are. I believe that we should now take steps to prepare for our own eventual demise. And I see in this object a means to make our individual passings less burdensome to The Group. I also see a means of allowing us to experience a more formal recognition of our mutual presence in each other’s lives.
At any rate, talk to David, Joe, or Justin if you wish to participate in the ceremony at the Christmas Party. I will bear the bundle to our gathering. What we wish to make of it, we will.
Jeff
At Christmas 2005 I was given a sacred pipe by my father in law. Part of me does not understand why he did this, since I know nothing of the songs and ceremonies that surround it. I called Justin when I got it, and asked him to prepare a ceremony for us. We undertook this with Andy Adams and Rick at the new year’s eve party. Since that time I have been most careful to keep the stem and the bowl separate. This is one of the few things I know to do.
When Rick and David were down to McAllen, I attempted to perform a ceremony for them. But Rick stopped me saying that I was dishonoring the ceremony. I believe he was correct about this. Fortunately, David felt that he could officiate, and the three of us made a new peace.
I think of this pipe now as one of our group’s sacred artifacts. I have tried to be careful with it, and I am willing, if the group deems it appropriate, to entrust the pipe with a more appropriate keeper. In other words, I want the pipe to have a meaning for us, and I have no ego attached to it. That would be sacrilege, I think. Tonight I talked to Joe and he agreed to sing the songs for us at our next gathering. I think David is prepared to officiate again, as well.
Here is what I think should happen: There can be no ceremonies that David and Joe do not agree about. The stem and the bowl will only come together when they deem it appropriate. I offered the pipe to both of them, but they both say that I should keep it for now. I asked them both if I could decorate it. And they said that I could, though I might not since I am so ignorant of what would be appropriate.
David and Joe have both agreed that we will perform another ceremony, this one more formal than the first two, at the Christmas/New Year’s Eve party this year. If you wish to participate, you should contact either of them, since they will be able to tell you what may be required, fasting and the like I imagine.
David said he felt comfortable with Justin officiating at future ceremonies, so that may be a possibility. But I will never do it. I suppose that it is my job simply to keep the pipe. I made it known to David that if something were ever to happen to me, then he Joe or Justin should assume responsibility for the pipe.
There are ceremonies for many of life’s most important moments: death, purification, marriage, the birth of a child, the making of relatives, etc… As for me, I want all of these events to pass through this group ritual. Tonight Joe and I discussed whether this could be done in good faith. I think we agreed that it could. (Right Joe?)
For better and for worse we are a tribe. I am sure that we’ve all at one point hated the idea of The Group. Still, here we are. I believe that we should now take steps to prepare for our own eventual demise. And I see in this object a means to make our individual passings less burdensome to The Group. I also see a means of allowing us to experience a more formal recognition of our mutual presence in each other’s lives.
At any rate, talk to David, Joe, or Justin if you wish to participate in the ceremony at the Christmas Party. I will bear the bundle to our gathering. What we wish to make of it, we will.
Jeff
