Free the Goats
By the time I climbed up on the ledge to free the goats, they were gone. At what point had I ignored a stimulating risk that caused me to pervert faith with such theatrics? Those I blamed had persisted only … Read More
Crow
Natives danced around a blazing fire. Their lively prayers were free of judgment. One of their own was going through spiritual dismemberment. Crow cawed. Flames leapt. Afterwards another soul would emerge fully alive. Because they lived in Spirit’s power, the … Read More
Ant
In Spirit Clans, David Carson tells a story about Ant. A native woman, who lost everything, met an apparition dressed in red. By trusting the ghost-like spirit, she found the ant clan restoring her life. Spirit invites us to happenings. Some … Read More
Spider
She walked out on stage, lip synced, I don’t like Spiders and Snakes, and brought the house down. For weeks, tension had been building at our small college. This group pitting itself against that one, in hopes that their contestant … Read More
Confident Knowing
Summer’s electricity jolts us forward. There, Moose bellows out a melancholy sound through fall’s vibrant colors, inviting us into winter and confident Knowing. In answering Moose’s call, I found a surprise community, too. Chilly, dark nights come in different forms, … Read More
An Arm and a Leg
I’d give an arm and a leg. In the offbeat film, Don Juan DeMarco, Johnny Depp’s character, Don Juan, asked four questions. “What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for, and what is worth … Read More
Upside Down
What if we walked through the pages of sacred text, allowing the stories to mirror our journeys? I imagine that considering our lives, in the words, would turn our world upside down. We would surely travel through our childish dysfunctions … Read More
To Be Whole
I had an insatiable desire for the Holy. I remember, as a teenager, reading Christian scripture and declaring with James and John; Yes, Jesus, I am ready to drink from your cup. Later, I was not nearly as eager to be … Read More
Leaving
Because pioneering draws me, I have experience in leaving. Over the years, I have found remembering this one thing helpful. When I make a change, all people connected to my change also have to make changes, changes they did not … Read More
Getting Hooked
Lightning flashed and thunder cracked. Shortly after, sirens blared, calling us inside, away from the debris sailing over our once safe playground. Now we would face danger of another kind, getting hooked into each other’s dramas. When we missed recess … Read More
Bullying
Authenticity is the thread that weaves through the entirety of my life’s work. Being authentic can mean doing the hard, persevering work. It may require confrontation or making significant changes, like leaving destructive situations. Bullying blocks our freedom to be appropriately … Read More
Burden Basket
One of the Native American teachings I’ve come to appreciate most is the Burden Basket. When we reach down inside to find the inner strength necessary to carry our own burdens, we are freer to live interdependently. Besides being a … Read More