Sacred Fire Ceremony with Cherokee Grandfather John Red Hat


by Dorothy K Daigle - Date: 2007-04-01 - Word Count: 350 Share This!

Setting: Sitting around the late evening sacred fire with Grandfather Red Hat.

Tonight the sacred fire seems especially warm and inviting. We squeeze into the circle, and sit on a log close to Grandfather. We listen to the boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, as the tribal drums beat in harmony with the pulse of Mother Earth. We close our eyes and hear the crackling of the sacred fire. We smell wood smoke and feel a blanket of soothing warmth wrap its arms around us. Purifying odor of sage smoke permeates the air. The gentle chatter of autumn leaves flapping in the cool, light breeze soothes our anxious mind as the spirit of nature gently caresses our soul. We open our eyes and see millions of diamonds twinkling in the dark, night sky. We sense the awesome presence of Creator and the hope and compassion of the ancestors.

"Grandfather, why are you crying?"

Grandfather brushes a hand across his face, and continues gazing into the sacred fire. "The wind speaks to me," he whispers softly. "My time grows short."

The howling of coyotes can be heard in the distance; a howling that seems to magnify a despairing, apprehensive feeling; somewhat like the lost, anxious feeling of a ship captain who does not have a map to tell him how to find the harbor.

Everyone sits quietly in the unbroken circle around the sacred fire waiting for Grandfather to continue speaking. The silence looms heavily, broken only by the crackling fire and the talking drums, until a young child's voice is heard. "Grandfather, what does the wind say?"

Grandfather sits quietly for a long moment, gazing into the fire. "The wind tells me we have lost the way of the ancient ancestors." There is a quiet pause as he closes his eyes and inhales deeply. "The ancestors weep."

The boom, boom, boom of the talking drums continues. The hot fire spits out glowing sparks and the flames reach high into the sky, as if trying to seek out the place where eagles fly.

Cherokee Grandfather John Red Hat's teachings around the sacred fire continue in the book, Red Hat Speaks.


Related Tags: soul, spirit, nature, smoke, ceremony, drums, sacred, fire, creator, cherokee, ancestors, gandfather, sage

Dorothy was taught by Cherokee elder and wisdom keeper, John Red Hat Duke, for over ten years in Keetoowah Cherokee spiritual ways, in Eastern philosophy, and in Judaism. She was raised Christian so she has a good working knowledge of Christianity. She now follows no religion but strives to walk the Red Road spiritual path according to Jesus' teachings. She received her call from Creator in the fall of '92, and was then taught by the great prophet Elijah for four years. She was given four assurances by Creator when He called her. She was told that she was anointed by the Holy One of Israel, that she would be protected until this work was done, that Creator would go before her whenever He sent her somewhere, and that she did not have to prove herself to anyone. She is Creator's witness. She carries wisdom of many years of living under Creator's guidance and direction.

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