Welcome, Grandfather

Today I went to a Native American sweat lodge ceremony. The purpose of this ritual is self-reflection and purification, as well as connecting with nature.They had 20 of us sit in a 15 ft diameter tent surrounding a pit of fiery hot stones. There were 4 sets--one for each of the seasons and cardinal directions--and with each set they added 7 more stones to the unbearably hot tent. With each stone that entered the tent, we had to say "Welcome, Grandfather" in unison. The stones represent the old, wise men meanwhile trees are symbolic of femininity. We were supposed to communicate with the stones to find wisdom in our mind, body, and soul. Every few moments the group leader would pour water onto the rocks, which would hotbox the canvas tent with scorching steam. The tent was pitch black, so many ended up undressed by the end of the sets.


With every set of stones came a different theme:

1. Leaving things behind you and wishing/praying for your future (i.e. "I want to let go of my childhood and accept responsibilities with optimism")
2. Making wishes/prayers for other humans (i.e. "I hope my cousins experience life with an open mind")
3. Making wishes/prayers for the earth and non-humans (i.e. "I need humanity to appreciate nature so they will stop destroying it")
4. Saying what you are grateful for (i.e. "I am grateful for scented flowers and my ability to love")

The conversation was a free-for-all, when anyone could speak when they felt compelled, and everyone would say "Aho" in unison when one was done speaking. Not only did I find extreme honesty and compassion for those who I shared the experience with, the natural body high that we all felt after we exited the tent was fantastic.









I feel as though the Native Americans are the closest [in our dimension] to understanding what life is all about.






This beautiful artwork is done by Inka Essenhigh


















This is fantastic artwork by Xavier Nuez. I particularly found his artist statement significant because of how uniquely his art is produced:

"These images are extreme close up photographs of chinaware that I’ve re-glazed and repainted.

I select plates that already have designs on them (usually floral). I then apply a crackle glaze and different colored paints, which give them extraordinary textures and colors. They are less than an inch across and are extremely fragile due to my unusual process.

The tiny designs break down and flake away just days later, but with care, my photographs allow their brief but beautiful lives to be captured forever."