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Shock zinged throughHayalasti Sixrandie said, "It is dawn We will close with a blessing" She reached for the bundle at her side I had forgotten it was there and was surprised when she lifted a rock out of its folds Or not a rock, but a huge, clear quartz crystal There was a central spire with a multifaceted pointed top Two sether from a base of smaller crystals and a curved botto for trapped arcenciels There was nothing Just the clear crystal
With both hands Aggie pushed aside the fire-warmed river rock that was closest to her knees and placed the crystal in the depression She held her cupped hands over the crystal and said, "Like the quartz, we are clear of strife, clear in mind, body, spirit, and natural space Like this small piece of Grandfather Rock, we are part of Earth, safe in Earth, protecting Earth and her plants and creatures Great One, we offer thanks for what gifts we have, thanks to the Four Directions and the power of the universe"
Her voice took on a chant cadence as the sweat house brightened still ive thanks in a traditional prayer, altered for Jane’s spiritual path:
"To the Spirit of the Fire who is the East,
"To the Spirit of the Earth who is the South,
"To the Spirit of the Water who is the West,
"To the Spirit of the Wind who is the North
"To the Redeeives, whose path Jane folloho Jane worships
"We pray and we give thanks to you, Great One
"We pray We give thanks for Mother Earth
"We pray We give thanks for Father Sky, Grandfather Sun, and Grandifts, all joy, all wisdoether in peace, with harmony, with balance in all our relations Wah doh"
As she spoke the last tords, the dawn sun passed through the sie had opened when she entered The dawn light illu the dust and residual s on the crystal on the earth near Aggie’s knees Brightening it, sending the dawn light out in a prisie’s version of the traditional Blessing Way Not exactly so I remembered froh
• • •
Ayatas waited at the fire while Aggie and I showered in the frigid water, dressed, and walked to stand beside his car Aggie stared at her house, looking as wilted as the herbs from the mediation ceremony "Will you ride with him or do you need to call your brothers to pick you up?"
"I’ll drive her home," Ayatas called froie smiled, nodded to me, and walked up the steps to her front door She moved like an old, worn-out woo back and pour water on her fire pit and wood Use enough water and she would have to let the pit dry out before she could work again
Ayatas strode froainst his car "Get in I’ll take you home," he said I opened the door and eased into his cop car, a gray four-door SUV It smelled like Christarette s one of the new psy-y
"It meet with your approval?" he asked as he executed a three-point turn in the street I couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or curious so I just shrugged He said, "I poured the bucket of water on the fire It’ll be at least a day before it dries up enough to take anyone to sweat"
"She was tired," I agreed, finding it odd that we had been thinking along the sa about it while I had only thought about it "That stuff about our clan talking about ht?" He didn’t respond "I mean, yes, II was five"