Walking in the Sacred Manner, 8-10

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8

How Ritual Evolveth

142-155

p. 142 autobiographical account of how holy woman G.L.Woman is, in her dream, spoken to admirably by huge owl-man

"I had a dream that I was fasting [for a vision]. I was [in the dream] in the Black Hills ... . ... On my altar there were ... three flags ... . ... And here came this big bird, a huge bird. ... And then it came over me, right above me, and turned into a man. It was a man that came down ... . ... [After I awoke,] I went to Minneapolis and was talking about the dream to a person [Amerindian woman] and she said, "Before he was an owl, he was a man." I just got this chill all up my back ... . When [in that dream] he came down, his face was masked, his face was covered, and he had ... little owl ears ... . I realized later that ... he had an owl's face.

The eyes were the sky. It had no eyes ...; you could see right through to the sky --

{The "snowy owl" hath "blue eyes" ("SO").} {"The name Glaukopis most likely originally meant "owl-faced" or "owl-eyed"; ... it came to mean "blue-eyed" or "grey-eyed"" ("AG").}

and this voice said, "Are you ready?""

"SO" = http://pinterest.com/pin/202028733254059802/

"AG" = "Athena Glaukopis" http://www.thaliatook.com/OGOD/glaukopis.html

pp. 143-5 autobiographical account of how blue light is indication of holy woman G.L.Woman's being assisted by bear-deity

p. 143

"So when I went to Minneapolis. This ... Chippewa medicine man ... told me, "There is a blue light around you ... It means you can travel ["spirit travel"]. It means that you can leave your body." Then he showed me how to use the bear claw to call the

p. 144

bear. ... I tried it and I called him {the bear?} ... . And when I called him I was sitting on his {the bear's?} back.


It kind of wobbled like that.

{To 'wobble' is to "NUTate" : a word cognate with /NeWT/. The newt may well be the biological actuality of the water-dwelling "dragon" : Taoist (and Bon) water-dwelling dragons are blue; blue likewise is "Blue Bear ... of ... the nature of the east wind" ("BB"), the east being the cardinal direction of Taoist blue dragon. These dragons are those whose teeth were sown (GM 152.g) in the field ploughed by the fire-breathers [blue being the color of the fire stolen by the Algonkian rabbit-god, and fire being the element of Agni whose vehicle-mount is at Man.i-pura] by Iason for the sake of Phrixos whose vehicle-mount ("guarded by a dragon" -- GM 70.m) is identical with that (sheep) of Agni.}


At the time he came there, ... he kind of rolled ... . ...

And then ... after the Sun Dance, my husband ... brought

p. 145

me a bear skull. ... Big Nose ["her principal spiritual guide"] {= Yacatecuhtli?} said, "If you don't use it [the bear-skull], it [her bear-power] will go [away] again," so I took the skull. ... So I told them, "Do you know that when you prayed I saw a bear in front of you?" "Oh yeah," he said, "That's Big Bear. We have bear medicine. ... Talk to my wife; she has bear power, and she'll talk to the grandmothers {goddesses}, and they'll help you." ... So she showed me some medicine ..., and then we had a little ceremony."

"BB" = "Blue Bear" http://www.hotcakencyclopedia.com/ho.BlueBear.html

p. 146 autobiographical account of dream of viewing 3 stars by G.L.Woman

"I had a dream -- I came to a meadow, and I could see ... a Heyoka. ... . ... he took me to a bluff, a huge bluff, and said, "You see those three stars? Three stars up there?" ... But when he showed them to me ..., they were just bent."

{The blueness of the bear is that of the sky ("a bear whose body was sky-blue and so bright that it seemed like part of the sky itself." -- "BCOM", Version 8), for it was into the pelt of a bear that the tendons extracted from the body of Zeus (whose name is identical with Skt /dyau/ 'sky') were sewn by goddess Kampe (whose name 'Bent' would refer to the "bent" 3 sticks of stars viewed in the dream on p. 146); whereupon from Arkton-nesos ('Bear Island' -- GM 149.f & .3) came the '100-handed' Hekaton-kheires (indicating the 100 koan-s obtained by squaring the # 10 of the Ox-Herding pictures; for 10 are the blue petals of Man.i-pura of the fiery elemental-spirits known to Rosicrucians as the Salamandres).} {Newt (Aztec /a-xolotl/) is the animal which god Xolotl became;

Xolotl

bear

Xolotl's two hands are reversed from each other in their right-left digitation.

just as are the two hands of Blue Bear ("DNEYRH")

Xolotl ground/grated human bones.

"the were-bear ... must be completely ... its bones pounded into powder." ("W-G")}

"BCOM" = "Bear Clan Origin Myth" http://www.hotcakencyclopedia.com/ho.BearClanOriginMyth.html

"DNEYRH" = http://www.hotcakencyclopedia.com/ho.WomanWhoFoughtBear.html#anchor8857222

"W-G" = "Were-Grizzlies" http://www.hotcakencyclopedia.com/ho.Were-GrizzliesAndOtherMan-Bears.html

{'Ladle' ("refers to a bear licking its paw") is a name belonging to the Bear-clan ("BCOM"); this would be 'Big Dipper' as the Chinese name for "Ursa major". Said "Dipper" is used (in Omoto spirit-possession caerimonies) for dipping rice out of barrels; the musical tone of the "stone flute" (to cause spirit-possession in Omoto) being perhaps aequivalent to the "Whistling" ("M") for "wild rice" in September. The "wild rice, upon which Ictinike feasted" ("BH") would connect with the decaying body whereinto Ictinike transformed himself ("TT"); for in S^into mythology the decaying corpse of goddess Izana-mi attracted into the world for souls of the dead. In this myth Ictinike's guts are extracted (as in Japanese hara-kiri); so as to indicate, perhaps, his aequivalency to Ioudas Iskariotes. Ictinike was an archer (like cemetery-god Rudra), as was Iktomi, who on account of his archery was "thrown on top of a scaffold used for burial and bound there" ("RF").}

"M" = "Moon" http://hotcakencyclopedia.com/ho.Moon.html

"BH" = "Bungling Host" http://www.hotcakencyclopedia.com/ho.BunglingHost.html

"TT" = "Trickster's Tail" http://www.hotcakencyclopedia.com/ho.TrickstersTail.html

"RF" = "Red Feather" http://www.hotcakencyclopedia.com/ho.RedFeather.html

{In the Hellenic myth, the ram is saved, while the lion is slain (GM 149.h) on mt. 'Twin'; whereas in the Christian theology, the ram is "slain from the foundation {/ysod/, one of the 10 spiro^t, # 10 alluding to the petals of Man.i-pura} of the world" (AITh 13:8), while the lion is sigil-opener (a ro^le aequivalent to that of St Thomas the Twin, opener of the secret book of the Gospel according to St Thomas the Apostle). But another exegesis is that "Ysod" is /Sodi^/ 'Spy', a characterization of St Saulos (Paulos) whom Iesous addressed, "persecutest thou me?" (Acts of the Apostoloi 9:4; 22:7; 26:14) -- indicating (by this salutation) that this spy (St Saul) was the handler (receiver of messages from, and transmitter of such messages to the chief of the secret police) of Ioudas Iscariotes, and that he was the true agent of the crucifixion.}

AITh (Apokalupsis of Ioannes ho Theologos) 13:8 = http://bible.cc/revelation/13-8.htm (The literal purport of this is, of course, that Khristos was never crucified in historic times : and therefore that the Gospels are thus false. Most varieties of Gnostics likewise deny the crucifixion of Khristos.)

pp. 147-8 autobiographical account of further encountres with spirit-helpers by G.L.Woman

p. 147

"So the first time I put them [the 3 sticks] up, the bear came to me. And when he came he shook the lodge."

{So, the "shaking tent" phainomenon of Algonkian shamanry is apparently caused by bear-spirits.}


"I see this man who stood before me with braids. As he stood there, he unraveled his braid ... -- that's how Pejuta Yuha Mani comes in, he has one braid

p. 148

wrapped and one braid unwrapped. ... .

I said, "That's the song they sing when the Sun Dancers come in."

He said, "One time when they sang that song, lightning came down, and a man walked down that lightning into the altar -- and that's what the song is all about. His name is Pejuta Yuha Mani." ...

Pejuta Yuha Mani ... I prayed for him to come, sang his song, and he came to the altar and I saw him."

pp. 150-1 autobiographical account of spiritual experiences, by holy woman Y.B.Woman

p. 150

[spirit-lights in sweat-lodge] "there are spirits in there, and I see them. Little lights ... . There are two of them --

one is red inside and white around the edge,

the other is blue [inside] and white around the edge.

They come on each side of me and sit there."

p. 151

[dream] "I had a dream about an eagle. It was still, sitting on my shoulder. ... I had a dream like that -- I have [had in another dream] an eagle on my head, too. And one that sits beside me ... . ... They [women] were [in a dream] singing, and all these women were old-time dancing, weaving back and forth. ... Those eagles flew above them, flying in a clockwise circle. They were all looking at me ..., and their eyes were yellow. ... It woke me up".

p. 154 faith-healing, according to Y.B.Woman

"That you're going to be able to help that person is a matter of faith; likewise, they person that's being doctored must have it."

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9

Ritual

156-167

p. 156 directional colored stone "friends"

direction

its stone's color; or, direction's animal

west

black

north

red

east

yellow

south

white

below

spider [cf. p. 110 supra]

above

spotted eagle

p. 157 "The rocks referred to are small, round rocks that come to the holy person and aid him or her."

pp. 158-9 caerimonial foodstuffs

p. 158

"Soup made from papa (dried buffalo ...) ... is prepared for the main course.

At some ceremonies, dog meat

p. 159

may be prepared in a sacred manner. ...

If eagle spirits are to be called upon, salmon might be added."

p. 160 the altar for public caerimonial

"The area where the holy woman is to sit is generally covered by a sage sprig ... . The altar generally comprises a sacred fence made out of four to six hundred tiny tobacco bundles. ... They are linked by a long cord ... to form a sacred fence around the altar area. ... In front of the holy woman (facing west) will be her Hocoka, or center. ... A common arrangement of this central part of the altar might be a small ... (sand) circle about one foot in diameter ... . ... Other articles, Cangleska Wakan, may be added to the holy woman's altar that reflect her personal visions, such as feathers, shells, deer tails".

pp. 161-5 caerimony conducted by a holy woman

p. 161

"The equipment she uses is chosen according to her dreams, but typical items might be her ... rawhide (Wagmu>ha) rattle, an eagle-bone whistle, a small hand-drum ... . A small bundle of sage may be passed around the room, each person taking a single stalk ... . All metal jewelry is also removed, so that the spirits may find everyone approachable.


... the holy woman draws a design into the sand using a small, sharpened stick ... .

{This is similar to the Chinese spirit-writing traced on sand in a "Phoenix hall" temple.}


This design may represent her principal spirit helper, part of a dream ... . ...

p. 162

A pinch of ... red willow bark shavings ... is taken from a small pouch and presented in the direction of the four winds, the Creator (and wingeds), skyward, and to Mother Earth. ... The woman now tells why she is conducting this ceremony and how she acquired her spirit helpers. She does this in a humble manner ..., emphasizing that she is mothing but a doorway for the spirits. ... The singers now sing one or more ...

p. 163

songs ... . These spirit songs ... are sung in a minor key by men accompanied by a small drum, and at times the holy person or spirits may add a rattle. ... The songs themselves help create the sacred access needed by the shaman ... . ...

p. 164

At this point a Wocekiye> olowan (spirit-calling ...) song is sung. ... At the conclusion of this song the spirits begin to manifest themselves. They generally appear as Peta to (small blue sparks), which begin to dance near the altar. They may move around the room, bouncing off the walls. Sounds of other helpers may be heard; these may include hooves, wings, or perhaps growls as other helpers enter and announce themselves. ... Small blue lights may dance around the patient. Some holy

p. 165

people invite each of those present to pray ... . The prayers are passed around counterclockwise. ... Each person concludes his or her prayers with the phrase Mitakuye> Oyasin (all my relations). At this point the singers set forth a Wapiye> Olowan (curing song). ... The spirits, seen as blue sparks, become hyperactive at this point and appear all over the room. ...

If dog soup is to be served after the ceremony, the singers sing a kettle song. [OR, p. 152] It is at this point that the singers give a Wicayujupi Olowan, and the spirits untie the holy woman (if a yuwipi), gathering up the cord and the Canli Wapakta into tight balls. Even the quilts are folded neatly [by those spirits] or draped over someone the spirits have designated a "doubter." [p. 219, n. 9:5 : "The spirits often give extra attention to the unfaithful. ... It is a source of embarassment ... that the spirits can read people's hearts, and results in ... teasing."] ...

At this point the holy woman reveals aloud what the spirits have told her ... . ... The last song is a Wana[>]gi Kiglapi Olowan, which politely thanks the spirits and allows them to leave."

OR = William K. Powers : Oglala Religion. Lincoln : U of NE Pr, 1975.

p. 163 directional animals, invoked in caerimony

direction

its animal

west

horses

north

buffalo

east

elk

south

"all creatures"

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10

Holy-Women Ancestresses

168-200

pp. 170-2 Bl.E.Woman

p. 170

"born inthe first half of the nineteenth century. She was a member of the Minnecojou Lakota band ... . ... She used to use birds to doctor ... . ... She would unwrap her bird skins and then call on each of the birds to sing the song it had in life. Because she could call her helpers day or night, she would do it during the day ... . ...

p. 171

The old woman ... was one who had strong powers to influence the weather. ... She had power over storms. ... Well she could do this because ... she had four little water spirits as helpers. ... One was a small fish ... . One looked like a little worm. Another was like a water bug -- the kind that move around real fast. Still another was a water spider -- the kind that walk around on top of water. {waterstrider} ...

p. 172

She had a little buckskin doll, about a foot tall. She would make this doll walk around in a little circle after her, and when [she] would laugh, the little doll would laugh and skip around -- kind of dance behind her. The people would gather close to look at this".

p. 179 R.E.Woman

"I heard some coyotes howling ... -- in fact, there were no coyotes near there at that time. ... The horses were neighing, and the cows were noisy. I thought, "Something is going on here." ... That was something. It broke the weather. Just her appearing there."

pp. 181-2 Br.E.Woman

p. 181

"An Oglala Lakota ..., was born in 1860. ... . ... finally passing to the spirit world in 1943. ...

p. 182

... "A tornado is coming, and it's coming right this way" ..." ... Grandma just pointed her pipe stem at that storm amd prayed ... . She prayed, and that storm split and went on either side, close by the house, but she was safe."

pp. 182-4 I.T.F.

p. 182

"born ... on April 18, 1906. She was an Oglala Lakota ... "... born on the same day as the San Francisco earthquake." ... .

p. 183

... she would hear and interpret ["spirit voices"]. ... She would use a lizard to doctor arthritis, letting it walk on the patient's legs. ... .

... one time, at a celebration in Pine Ridge, it grew very strange outside. The grass was waving and the dogs were barking. She looked out from under the tent to see if it was a ghost. ...

p. 184

When she died ... We couldn't find her. ... Sometime later her body was found in the badlands."

p. 184 (unnamed holy woman)

"a woman from over toward Pine Ridge. ... In her ceremonies, little deer would walk about."

{Are these "little deer" brockets, or else the munc^ak (muntjak) of Indonesia?}

pp. 184-5, 187 M.S.R.

p. 184

"an Oglala from Kyle. She was born in the early 1860's and died in 1938. She used ... Yuwipi ... . ... The woman's fingers, wrists, knees, and ankles are bound, ... and then secured, mummy-like, with more cordage. ...

p. 185

In a public display of this power, the shaman[ess] is unwrapped by the intercession of her spirit helpers. This "escape" may occur almost instantaneously. ... During the ceremony spirits manifest themselves visually, often as bursts of energy or sparks flying all over the room. The faithful may also feel or hear the presence of spirit helpers, in the form of a wind from a bird helper's wings or the sound of hooves of a deer helper."

p. 187

"She doctored with owl medicine and with ghost helpers. ... When her ceremony began, you could hear the owl make noises from one end of the house to another."

pp. 188-91 I.Woman

p. 188

"She was an Assiniboine. [p. 220, n. 10:5 : "Assiniboine people speak a dialect of Dakota called Ho> He>".] ... I guess her mother died during the night. ... As she was lying there ..., her mother's spirit was talking to her. She told her to come back to this world -- that she was going to be with her, that she was going to tell her what to do. ... . ... she was able to travel between this land and the spirit world.

[On a particular occasion,] ... a dog came and sat. It had very weird eyes, and it came and sat and looked at her, and a weird light was coming from the dog's eyes. The light was going up and down. ... The door wasn't open, but ["the spirit dog"] came through into the room."

p. 189

"she was strict in everything she did. She lived by it, and then more things came to her, so that she got to be that powerful. ... . ... she doctored in broad daylight. She put her flags up, and she doctored in that way."

"She used to doctor through the use of bird spirits. In her medicine bundle she carried a number of dried bird skins, and in her ceremonies she could make each one sing its song as it had in life. ...

p. 190

[After she had cured another woman of raging madness at a house during daylight,] Soon I could hear the sounds of birds coming from the house. It seems that today a lot of cures are performed in the dark, but in the old days they cured in the daylight."

p. 191

"She used many different things to doctor. She used herbs and also spirit helpers. ... Most of the time she doctored in broad daylight. She doctored animals, too."

pp. 194-5 Mrs. B.H.

p. 194

"from Cherry Creek, on the Cheyenne River Reservation. ... . Mrs. [B.H.] was a Mato Ihan'bla (Bear Dreamer). ... Mrs. [B.H.] died in 1979, at age ninety-six."

p. 195

[To a female patient] "she said, "... you have been hGmuGa [stricken] by the use of insects." ... She would doctor in the daylight or at night. It depended ... on what kind of ceremony she wanted."

p. 195 "All those who doctored ... had a vision that they went through."

pp. 198-9 L.K.E. (grand-aunt of M.S.'s brother-in-law)

p. 198

"She lived in Kyle. ... one little spirit -- it was a deer, ... the deer ran around in there ["during the ceremony"]. [L.K.E.] was the only one who could do that".

[cf. the woman "toward Pine Ridge" (on p. 184).]


[statement by M.S. :] "When we went to be doctored by Mrs. [L.K.E.], she put a young man on the hill ["to fast for a vision"]. That man's wife was staying there, and there was a boy and girl. ... after [L.K.E.] put that man on the hill we were staying at her house. She told us, "If you go outside, cover

p. 199

your head; it could be dangerous. There are lots of spirits roaming around during this time ["of fasting"], so cover your head." That man was up four days and nights ... . When he was to come down, we went up [the hill] there with her."


[statement by a man who had been a patient of hers :] "She was married to a man named [F.K.E.]. ...


She lived with her husband, but she had her own room.

[p. 200 "It is typical of powerful medicine men, who have acquired tremendous "power," to live in a small house separate from their wives, where they also keep their ritual equipment."]


He was the spokesman for her. ... She was a Wana>gi Wapiye>. ... I was gone {in a coma}. She had to find me on the other side {world where souls await entring the world for souls of the dead}. She was ... the only one I knew of who was that powerful. ... She died in the early part of the 1960s".

p. 199 "Neither of us had ever heard of a woman putting up men to fast. ... To fast under someone is also to be that person's student {disciple}, usually for four years."

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Mark St. Pierre & Tilda LongSoldier : Walking in the Sacred Manner : healers, dreamers, and pipe carriers -- medicine women of the Plains Indians. a Touchstone Bk (imprint of Simon & Schuster), NY, 1995.