Song of Heyoehkah, Yellow Lodge

[Prairyearth]

The following is an excerpt from the "Song of Heyoehkah by Hyemeyohsts Storm"

The purpose of sharing this here, is not the result of laziness on my part of imaginative writing, nor of ego and trying to be impressive, no, it is written here in Storm's own words as a lesson handed down to any who will listen and find the wisdom shared. It was handed down to those willing to learn and understand.

The excerpt is a chapter of the book called "The Yellow Lodge," a story written by Storm about the early days of his teacher "Estchimah" and a few of her Elder Teachers "Twin Chiefs" and "Four Sleeping Lions."
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THE YELLOW LODGE (Part 1)

"The mirror has great power," Estchimah said, looking up into Twin Chiefs' eyes.
"Yes, it has, my child," Twin Chiefs smiled.

One morning soon after, she noticed that the old man was breaking camp. She ate some dry meat and drank the soup he had prepared.
Then she began to help him pack.

"Where are we going?" she asked as she helped him to harness the dogs.

"To the mountain place where my sister lives. Her name is Four Sleeping Lions," Twin Chiefs answered.

That night they arrived at the camp of Four Sleeping Lions. But it was not what Estchimah had expected. Instead of a comfortable camp like the one Twin Chiefs and she were used to, there was rubble everywhere. The home of Four Sleeping Lions was within the ruins. The biggest surprise was Four Sleeping Lions herself. She was leaning against the door, drunk, and she looked like a scrawny, scraggy owl.

"Well! Well! Welcome!" Four Sleeping Lions burped. "Come on and make yourself at home."

"Are we going to sleep in this mess?" Estchimah whispered to Twin Chiefs.

TwinChiefs seemed to ignore her as he sat down upon a large broken stone with Four Sleeping Lions. They seemed to talk about nothing.
Estchimah looked around the small room, wondering were they could sleep in all that disarray.

"Well, my child," Four Sleeping Lions said, turning to Estchimah, "Twin Chiefs tells me that you would like to visit the power place."

"Power place?" she thought as she looked into the woman's wrinkled face. "Yes, yes," she quickly lied, looking toward Twin Chiefs, wondering.

Good!" the old woman said with a grin, "Tomorrow I will show you."

Estchimah watched fascinated as the old woman dragged herself shakily up from the floor and staggered to her cooking fire. She poured the steaming water from a blackened kettle into three battered cups. She tottered, swayed, swaggered, and bumped as she stirred the tea. But what astonished Estchimah most was Four Sleeping Lions' speech. There was absolutely no doubt the old woman was totally drunk, but her speech was clear as sunrise.

Estchinah wanted to stay awake and listen, but she couldn't keep her eyes open. She grabbed an old buffalo robe, rolled up into it, and was soon with in her dreams.

The course of a new river is never determined for it. The young stream ,must seek out its own way. Old river beds are chosen by flash floods and spring run-off. These old harmonies remember many of the great villages, because it was here the first medicines were made.

Kindness is a soft melody that is heard by the gentle pines.
To speak loudly to these is only to deafen them. Whisper your message and these pines will speak of it with all of their brothers and sisters.

The blue sky is Mother's robe, covering all. The stars write tomorrow and yesterday within the Mother's introspection. The Mother paints the sun, moon, sunsets, and sunrises for all of her children.

The wind is caught within memory of the people. Its song is of the earth's movement. Those who have lived braid the hair of the wind and dance within the simple harmonies of each whirlwind. This brings the dry times and the rains. The wind walks in the mountains, touches the snow, moves the grasses, and speaks to all who will listen.

THE NEXT MORNING Estchimah woke up alone. She looked around the dingy room to see if anyone was still asleep, but everyone had gone.
She walked out into the beautiful day, happy to breathe the sweet fresh air.

Four Sleeping Lions was staggering about her campfire, cooking the mornings meal, when Estchimah started for the stream to wash. She noticed that the old woman was still drunk, and it made her feel uncomfortable. Twin Chiefs was coming up from the stream with a catch of fish.

"I'm sorry, grandfather," Estchimah said, stopping Twin Chiefs, "but the old woman's drunkenness bothers me. When are we going to leave?"

A mixture of surprise and pity showed in Twin Chiefs face. "My child," he said gently, "Four Sleeping Lions is not drunk! She is afflicted."

Estchimah's shame made her angry, and she cursed the old woman's home and condition. "Why did you bring me to such a filthy place?" She holed, trying to hide her shame.

"This is all-important to you," Twin Chiefs said, touching her shoulder. "I have walked in many places with you, and you have always been brave. Have courage now. This is a different way, but it is teaching."

"A teaching?" she asked. "It's hard for me to believe----"

"It's hard for you to believe that you are bigoted," Twin Chiefs broke in, "and it has shamed you. This is not the home of Four Sleeping Lions. It is the visiting room. Four Sleeping Lions is the keeper of this place. No one lives here. No one can."

"I must apologize," Estchimah choked.

"There is no need to apologize to your grandmother, my child," Twin Chiefs smiled. "The old woman understands. Come! Let us cook these fish and begin our journey within the walls."

After breakfast they followed the old woman back to the entrance of the visiting room.

"It is through here," Four Sleeping Lions said.

Estchimah followed, wonder but hopeful. She imagined a wondrous place of hidden gold and sparkling gems, but as they walked it seemed as though they would never get beyond the old rooms. In some of the rooms were overturned statues and broken alters. In others were remnants of pottery and crumbling tablets. In all of the rooms was a turmoil, misuse, and decay. Finally the came to a courtyard that was formed from natural stone. In the middle of that open area was a very tiny spring-fed pool of clear, dancing water. Estchimah turned to look back from where the had come and saw only ruins built upon ruins.

"Stop here," Four Sleeping lions said as she sat down.

Twin Chiefs and Estchimah sat down, facing the old woman, and waited.

"If you will brush away this dust," Four Sleeping Lions said, as she moved her hand in a circle around herself, "you will see a symbol of the sun."

"It is beautiful," Estchimah exclaimed, as the motion of her hand revealed the painting. "What is it made of?"

"It is made of those things that are very rare to human beings," Four Sleeping Lions answered. "The shamaness who first brought me here called it the Black Shield. The Black Shield is brought into existence only when we perceive the inward signs."

"I wish to learn of this teaching," Twin Chiefs said to the old woman.
"But I am curious about this symbol. Did the builders of these ruins create it?"

"They walked over it but they did not create it," Four Sleeping Lions answered. "They dreamed and understood that the dream was important, but they ignored the Black Shield."

"How did they ignore the Black Shield?" Twin Chiefs asked.

(to be continued....)

[Prairyearth]

Black Shields Continued.........
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"They had visions concerning the inward signs, and they believed those signs to be gods," the old woman answered. "But this is not the way of the Black Shield.

"When we dream of going into the earth, we are entering into the world of the Black Shield. Within the world of the Black Shield there is every law and no law. The Black Shield is the Fountain of the Children's maze.

"The People knew of the great shield and taught concerning the double circle of authority. But before I speak of this double circle, I wish to talk to you about the lodges of learning given to the People by the Buffalo Teachers.

"There are two lodges. One is the lodge of the man, and the other is the lodge of the woman.

Let us consider the lodge of the woman first. These women had a first law which permitted no man to come into their lodge. These same women had a second law that all men must approach their lodge and ask permission to enter. If they did not, then they were forbidden to speak to any woman or girl."

"Those two laws seem to present a paradox," Twin Chiefs said, smiling and glancing at Estchinah.

"The woman's lodge as a Sacred Lodge," Four Sleeping Lions went on.
"There was no authority above the authority of the woman in that lodge. In that lodge was the world of the woman. Only things of the woman were permitted in their lodge, and all things of the woman were holy in that lodge. So when the men entered that lodge, they entered it as women. They spoke of women's things and learned what it was to be a woman, and they learned the laws of the woman."

"I have a question within my mind," Estchimah said, frowning, "but I cannot put it into words."

The two chiefs waited.

"It's the circle," she laughed. "I understand it and yet I do not."

"All things occur first in the mind --every action and every circle," Four Sleeping Lions said. "This way is called the Foundation Circle. It is also called Contrary Circle, and it is called Eastern Lodge Door. There are two persons--twins--who are the keepers of these doors. One twin puts the world around them into order in a way that pleases them; the other twin dances though everything that already exists. These twins must always balance one another. If either of them should ever rule the other, then war results. This war is always a battle between our Mother the Earth and ourselves. This can be very destructive!"

"I want no war!" Estchimah exclaimed.

"Then be mindful of the twins," Four Sleeping Lions said gently. "The female understands how to become pregnant; it is, of course, basic to her. However, in order that she might learn of the balance of the twins, she must also learn to impregnate."

"How is that possible?" Estchimah laughed.

"These things are more of the mind than you would at first believe," Four Sleeping Lions answered. "When a woman brings herself into marriage with a man, she dances with the circles of powers within and around her. This is the Foundation circle. However, if that woman does now also learn how to impregnate, she will be seized and used by everything around her. She will place herself within a circle that will victimize her. She will expect creativity to be placed within her, instead of marrying with the world around her and placing the seed of her own creativity in the outer world.

"The man expects to impregnate. It is a driving force within him.
However, the male must also learn how to become pregnant. Otherwise, he will be in direct war with his inward half and with the world around him.

"The woman opens up to everything that exists around her and is receptive to everything that has intercourse with her. She is receptive to every thought, every action. She believes she is a vessel to be filled. The woman waits for creation to occur within her. It is a very subtle realization, my daughter, but a woman of this mind believes that once she has been impregnated, the natural laws of her physical body will complete the circle of creativity, totally without any effort of her mind.

"The man's approach to this circle is to conquer, to bring submission to his demands. If the man's mind knows only the first circle, he will become a rapist and he will breed only slavery.

"The woman can only impregnate through the mind; the man can only become pregnant through the mind. Not in the mind, but through it, as you will soon discover."

Four Sleeping Lions touched the Black Shield that surrounded her patting it gently as she did her grandchildren. "To the North in this mirror," she smiled, pointing to the northern half of the Black Shield, "is the male, the aggressive. And to the South is the female, the receptive.

"When we study closely the woman's mind, we will see that she has been given the mind of the North, because she must be completely within reality concerning childbirth. However, remember the paradox:
the Foundation Circle is found within the South for the woman.

"The man is far less wise about childbirth and it's realities. He was given the mind of the South to consider these things. The man never assumes the burden of pregnancy. The woman must. Consequently, we can see how these things of the mind have influenced the People."

"I am afraid that I have become lost upon these paths," Estchimah said with a shake of her head.

(To be continued.....)

[Prairyearth]

Black Shields and Yellow Lodge continued.........

"when we enter into a new land, a new place, a new thought, a new circle, we always experience these questions, " Four Sleeping ions laughed.
"I have seen it knot many men's braids to hear these things," Twin Chiefs chuckled. "The man immediately tries to be aggressive with the teaching. He wants it to submit to his demands. His first reaction is to spread the legs of some young lady in order to fill her up with his own image. It is a fantasy of the South for the man, a fantasy with which he wishes to have intercourse. However, women react differently to these teachings. To them, the teaching holds great wisdom. They experience this wisdom within themselves and become pregnant with it."

"These questions are themselves part of the Foundation Circle," Four Sleeping Lions went on. "Let us consider these things within the realities of how men and women behave within the circle. If a man does not learn how to become pregnant with the dance of the Mother Earth, he will bring himself into direct war with her. He will not be satisfied until he has tamed the world he lives in. He will manipulate. He will try to order the world around him in his simplicity, placing in that world only what he wants to be there. He places his own image into the world around him, and demands that his efforts be multiplied. He demands multiple births. If a man approaches all things within this path of mind, he will become more and more aggressive. Soon he will be enslaving everything in the world around him. It is at this time he will become dangerous.

"Within these men there is a fear that their children are not their own, but another man's. These men will love their children and hate them at the same time. Remember, we are speaking of the men who have begun to divide the world. These men who are out of balance with themselves will become violent. This happens because they believe it becomes easier and easier to conquer the women around them.
However, they then believe that if it is so easy to conquer the women. it must surely be even easier to conquer other men. The war is begun, because these men fear that either none of the children are his or all the children of the camp is theirs. Numbers and the power of those numbers is their only concern., their only satisfaction.

"Now let us look at the women. What of them? Can they also divide their circle? If the woman's only way of perceiving is that of a receptive vessel, waiting to be filled, the she also will bring herself into a direct war with herself and Mother Earth. This happens much more subtly with a woman than it does a man, because the woman perceives within a passive mind. Instead of reaching out into the world and seeking to bring herself to completeness with it, this unbalanced woman will draw herself into an even-smaller circle of mind because her only consideration will be to become pregnant. She will feel compelled to make herself available to the men around her. This can become a force to powerful for her to resist, and it is at this time that she will begin to divide her circle. Every women quickly learns that she must be beautiful in order to attract the male. However, there is no woman alive, or who has ever lived, who believes herself to be beautiful enough. Because of this, she quickly learns how to manipulate, how to order the people and events around her to satisfy her needs. Those needs are always simple and direct. They concern themselves only with attracting men and becoming pregnant. Two very powerful forces enter into the world of this woman. She becomes dependent upon the male, and she begins to war with the female. And, Estchimah, because she herself is a woman, she comes into direct war with herself. The war that ensues between these females gives the males a tremendous advantage of mind and opportunity. Now, instead of the males pursuing the females, the order is reversed and there is a flood of females pursuing males. Because of the war between competing women, each woman becomes alone, completely separated because she cannot enter the world of men and she has cut away the circle of women.

"This way of mind not only removes her from her family, but it also alienates her from everything else. Everything either has intercourse with her or ignores her. The world around her is out of her control, she believes, and must she tolerate it.

"This brings us to the matter of the children. A child born to a woman of this mind is both loved and hated. The woman's entire world of mind, her myth, reality, dreams, and the need for creativity is literally embodied within the birth of the child. But, Estchimah, let old Four Sleeping Lions say this: there is not a woman alive, or who has ever lived, who can have her entire life, her every need fulfilled, through having children. A woman in this mind is cheated - - trapped by the birth of children.

"The older this woman becomes, the more terrified she becomes. She waits in desperate fear for the day when she no longer will be youthful. This happens because all of her mind, all of her efforts, have been placed upon her body.

"The woman with this approach of mind curls herself up into a very tiny circle. She begins to hat the world around her. She sees everything as a threat to her fragile circle. She will begin to manipulate her husband, her children, anything to maintain the walls that she believes protect her tiny world. This is when that woman becomes very dangerous: dangerous to herself, to her children, and to everything around her.

"The woman is a circle of power. When this circle is combined with the power of other women, that greater circle is the most powerful force upon all of the earth. That combined force literally dictates how the world will appear. Strange as it may seem, men only extend the world of the woman. Only the outward world is the child of the man. It is what he gives birth to, because here it is the women who impregnate the men."

The old woman stopped. She reached into her medicine pouch and brought out a necklace made of tiny crescent moons of silver and gold.

To be continued........

[Prairyearth]

Continued....

"You will wear this upon your Vision Hill, she said, smiling as she handed Estchimah the necklace. "It is a gift from the Maze."

Estchimah took the gift and placed it in her medicine bundle.

"Thank you," Estchimah said as she touched the old woman's hand.

"The men had their lodge also," Four Sleeping Lions went on. She was looking directly into the eyes of Estchimah. "And when the women entered that lodge they entered it as a men. This is another of the ways of the Black Shield.

"This third lodge is called the Lodge of the Thunderbird. This was the lodge of death and birth.

"The People learned within the teaching of the Black Shield that it was important for them to wean their children from themselves and from their camp circle. If they did not do this, their children would live, but their spirits would die.

"When each girl or boy returned from their Vision Quest the entered the Lodge of the Thunderbird. When they entered, the People of the camp mourned and wept. They lamented because the seeker they had known had dies. But when the seeker came out from the Lodge of the Thunderbird there was rejoicing and singing, because a new person had been born among them! A shield was painted, and the newcomer was given a name. This new name was celebrated.

"When this newcomer was ready to enter the fourth lodge, the Lodge of the Sacred Arrows, the mood of the entire camp was changed. Now they would watch the newcomer hold the four sacred powers of authority.

"Two of these powers were man, and two were of the woman.
There were sacred bow and lance, and the sacred herbal grass and fire.

"Sometimes new people would enter the Arrow Lodge within the same twelve moons in which they came to the camp. Sometimes it would be years before they would enter, but they always entered.

When new people came from the Lodge of the Sacred Arrows the came out with the bow, lance, fire, and the herbal sweet grass of authority. These are the words the would say:

I have come from this lodge with singing!
I am within the world!
I hold the bow and the lance of authority!
I hold the fire and the herbal sweet grass of authority!
I hold my own authority!
I have been given the power of the human being!
I have the power given to me by Sweet Medicine!
I have chosen the power of the human being!
Approach me!
I am standing among you!
I have my authority!

"Each person did this. Girl children, boy children, women and men all did this, and they had authority. It was upon their authority that they married. Within their own authority, they chose the people they would live among. Their authority determined how they lived, dressed, ate, taught, learned, and moved among the people. It is still a good way, this way of the Black Shield.

"This double circle of authority of the Black Shield is only one illumination among many that may be found within this teaching.

"All these teachings are known as the Medicine Wheel. The Wheel is all things. It is the Great Hoop among the People. This Wheel is the Sweet Medicine. What is within it is also without it.

"When we see the powers within us, it is our choice which of these powers we choose to show to ourselves and to the world. If we deny our powers, we will be only half a person because we will have chosen to smother our gifts.

"We can hide many things within the Black Shield, but the Black Shield loves us and will dream with us. The Black Shield sees all things, remembers all things, and sings to us from the center of the earth. Within us is the Power of the Universe. The Black Shield is a teaching sign, but its wonder is the symbol of the sun.

"Here is an ancient song," Four Sleeping Lions continued.

"We are gathered together within an illusion. We dance into the sunlight and touch the moon within our memory.

"The twin sign of the Black Shield is the White Shield. There is a teaching reflected upon this shield of twin circles. It is the shield of the hunter and the planter, the builder and the destroyer.

"The double circle upon this White Shield is black because it reflects it's sister shield of the West, the Black Shield. The feathers upon this shield are also black, and the feathers and the twin circles upon the Black Shield are white.

"Within our world circle we see those things of the Black Shield of the South. This is the way of the human being. The feathers upon this shield are gold, and the double circle upon its face is bright gold.

"The shield of the East is gold and the circles painted upon it are red, as are it's feathers. This is the shield of all powers, symbols, and signs. It is Sweet Medicine."

"What is the history of the shields?" Estchimah asked. "And could you explain more to me concerning this Way?"

"I will," Four Sleeping Lions answered as she lit her pipe.

To be continued...........

[Prairyearth]

It is now time to continue the telling of this story.......

"This Way grew among a powerful People of the South who lived in a great city. The people whom these Star Dance People lived among hated the Way of the Shields and what it taught concerning the dream, the earth, the stars, and the medicines.

"Here is a memorized portion of the history of these People:

"They walk among us with shields of gold, and their sand armor protects them. They come to destroy us because the have no understanding. We will go among the wild people, and we will live.

"Four Mirrors, Sweet Medicine, Erect Horns, and Medicine Coyote, all these and more were the names of the man and woman who led their People into the world of the wild people.

"These People were of a race that had built cities and temples twenty thousand years ago.

"These People who came into the land of the wild people were astronomers, builders, teachers. They were learned.

"Here is another portion:

"The Pyramid of power, the hierarchy, is dangerous because it is an artificial law. It is not real, and it imprisons the human mind as powerfully as it imprisons each stone within itself. All the stones in the pyramid support every other stone, and those who live within such a false reality are imprisoned within it.

"As an example, children within such a community do not know how to touch the earth, nor do they understand the reality of the earth around them. They believe they are ready for life. They believe the have control of their world; some even believe the have created the world that exists around them. But the world they believe supports them is a false world. If they should ever be removed from the pyramid they would falter and die. Only the very strong can stand up against such a crushing realization. This is not to say that their world is not a real world. It is real to them and to those around them, but only within the illusion their society has created."

"I am surprised to hear you speak in the manner," Twin Chiefs interrupted. "You have taught me to picture a teaching in it's bright and happy form, but now you choose not to do so yourself. Is this part of your teaching?"

"It is," Four Sleeping Lions answered. "It is best always to take the bright and happy path to any teaching, as I have said. People are like trees and store their learning within the roots of their minds. If a teaching comes to a person in a dark and fearful way, that is how the roots of the mind will perceive it and feed it."

Twin Chiefs laughed good-humouredly. "I had thought that this teaching was only for Estchimah," he chuckled. "But now I see that I too am upon the journey."

The Peace chiefs of your People must never forget this!" Four Sleeping Lions quickly answered. "We are all upon the journey, and even though we have been shown the shields and the painting of the teachings, this does not mean we must fall asleep!"

"Please continue, Twin Chiefs said as he looked at Estchimah.

"I have flown up from the center of my painting," Four Sleeping Lions went on. "It is my way to teach in this manner, but there is a problem that exists among us. It is a very old problem, which many Peoples have had to face and overcome. This problem is language. The language of the People who rule our world is a language trapped inside the pyramid of authority which the language itself has created. People of power always assume that there is a higher law than the people of the community. Our chiefs have learned this. The People of power who now live around us follow the law of the pyramid. The Buffalo Teachers knew that such a way was dangerous."

"Then our chiefs left their cities because they feared the pyramid rule?" Twin Chiefs asked in surprise.

"They did," Four Sleeping Lions answered. "The rule of the pyramid is not the rule of law. This rule is primitive. It can be used and twisted in such a way that it is above the laws of the People. The law must always come from the People and be understood by them. No law can be above any person within the community. Each person must be the equal of the law. I will speak more of this at another time.

To be continued......

[Prairyearth]

cont........

"Here is another portion;

"We saw the pyramid begin to become law for the People, and we were alarmed. We witnessed the enclosing of the thunderbird nest. We saw the children and ourselves being entombed within the pyramid.

"The mother's circle is the most important circle in the world. This is the introduction to the world for everyone.

"Every mother holds absolute power over her child. The circle the mother lives within describes reality to her, and she in her turn describes reality to her child. She does this by her every breath and action. Even her heartbeat is a model to the child.

"As children grow, they quickly learn all the invisible trails of the world they live within. They learn the language of the People the are born into. The learn both the spoken language and the unspoken language.

"Everything within this first tiny circle is a force that teaches the child.

"All human beings are individual, powers unto themselves, and each human determines a part of his world reality. But this reality we possess is only one tiny flower among the many that are our Medicine Wheel.

"The peace chiefs never sat in places of judgment to decide what was real. Never! It was their way to allow the People to seek this illumination themselves."

Four Sleeping Lions paused to light her pipe, then spoke again.

"Here is another portion, "she said, continuing the story.

"The medicine woman whose name was Carving Dogs On The Temples began to teach our young concerning the Black Shield. She told us that our children were learning the language of the pyramids, and that these children were being cut away from the principle person in the mirror of the Black Shield. The language is becoming the language of the pyramids. These children are being separated from the natural law.

"The people of the law and the astronomers had always been concerned with the gentle leaning of the children from their circle. This was acted out in the naming ceremonies, where the children were transformed into their new selves. Thus the message Carving Dogs On The Temples brought to the People's councils moved them to take positive action.

"I will describe this action, but before I do, I wish to speak about the first circle.

"Children are provided for. The father, the physically stronger of the two most important people in the child's world, is a provider, equal to the provider-mother. Each child sees this in a unique way and structures if into its own world. As the child grows, its circle grows with it until it encompasses its entire camp. That child in its own unique way introduces into its own world what it is able to perceive of the larger camp circle.


"When they have begun to understand how to dance with this larger circle, the children then begin to mimic this larger circle of the People. This is a time of change for them. The child has emerged from its second womb and been born into the world of the People. This important time is to be celebrated with ceremony.

"The ceremony is simple. The child is placed before the entire camp, and a circle is drawn around it.

"'We have noticed you are aware that we exist,' the Medicine Woman or Man tells the child. She or he does this in a loud voice, so that everyone can hear.

"'We are honored to have you among us,' the Medicine Person continues. 'Play among our lodges and know that you are welcome here. But remember this, I, your aunt-uncle, tell you this: you are yourself. That is why we have held this ceremony for you.'

"The children are very young when this ceremony takes place. They quickly structure it into their world as a matter of fact.

"From this age onward the child is given every opportunity to touch the things of the People.

"The child holds the hunters bow, sews moccasins with the moccasin maker, participates in sacred rituals. It does this not as a game, but as an equal with the shaman. It is in this way that the child sees a baby born; sees the buffalo hunted and sees how the sick are cured, sees the wounded and bleeding mended; sees the dead, sees the flowering and withering. Nothing is hidden from the child, absolutely nothing! The child touches reality!

"The child does not, of course, carry scalding water or try to drive a lance into the charging buffalo. To assume this would be foolish. The child participates in the only way a child can, which is as a child.

"But this is true only in a balanced camp, a circle camp. It is not the same with the pyramid People. The child who lives within the immovable blocks of the pyramidal camp can never do this. The peace chiefs saw this."

"Why did they not take action?" Estchimah asked.

"I will answer you briefly, Estchimah," Four Sleeping Lions replied. "But I will not criticize the People of the Pyramid because I do not recognize them nor their powers. It is for those who want such a way to argue with it," Four Sleeping Lions chuckled, "When you are caught in a trap, that is when you hear great arguments about what it is, or who was to blame for it. But to me this is foolish. Everyone in a pyramidal camp is in a fixed position. They can never really move. To move in such a hierarchy is only an illusion supported by the very myths which support the structure. People within such structure can only perceive the supporting stones around them, above or below. The realities they are taught have no relationship to anything natural. They learn only that which is relative to where they are within the pyramid.

"Anything or anyone outside the pyramid is an enemy and is either ignored, destroyed, or forced to fit. This law is very primitive, of course, and it invites destruction."

To be cont....

[Prairyearth]

cont.....

Four Sleeping Lions paused for a moment and then continued.

"Here is another portion:

"We fought this way and war was brought upon us and many fell to sword axes and arrows of our own People. In the year of the Moving Snake In The Stars we gathered together and began to move north to the land of the wild people.

"One thousand canoes, each with twelve peoples in them, set out from the great cities and moved north to find the Grandfather River.

"The Year of the Moving Snake In The Stars was three thousand years ago," Four Sleeping Lions said. "The land of the Sweet Medicine is the land where you and I now live. The Grandfather River is the river also known as the Mother of Waters," Four Sleeping Lions continued.

"Such terrible things visited us. We were torn and killed. There was much misery and weeping, and many wished to return. Three hundred canoes were all that were left of our world. Sixty of our canoes turned back to beg the forgiveness of the priests.

"Forty of the canoes of the People reached their destination. The entire journey lasted eighteen years. After the People left The World Under The Ground, the world of the pyramids, they called themselves the Lodge Builders, the Mandans. The People who were called the In The Pyramid Priests became known as the Hopi, the artisans. A part of the In The Pyramid Priests People moved further north and became the People known as Haida. All these people were to marry with the wild Peoples, and all of them were altered forever by customs of their new families.

"Here is another portion:

"Four Mirrors and his wife, Carving Dogs On The Temples, brought us overland, and we fought desperately for our lives. We met great forces of warriors who wanted us for slaves. Hundreds fell in battle. We left a trail of blood. Falling Into The Sky was stricken. His legs would not move. Four Mirrors wept and tore at his breast. Four Mirrors would not speak for one moon. We were all crying

"Four Mirrors and his People struggled north until they reached the land of the Silver People. It was in this place they first settled.

"Four Mirrors called council.

"'We are within the land of Sweet Medicine!' Four Mirrors said to the People. 'It is here we will Sun Dance and teach our children.'"

"The land of Sweet Medicine," Estchimah smiled.

"Yes," Four Sleeping Lions said, touching Estchimah's hand. "Now you, my daughter, are going upon your Vision Quest. You must be mindful of what you gather within that wonderful dance with our Mother the Earth. Each person's Quest is always the same, just as it is also different," she smiled, looking into Estchimah's eyes. "You have been born into a world in which everything has been divided into blocks within a pyramid, but your own inward world is the circle."
" You must learn how to reflect that inward world into everything that is around you."

"How can I do that?" Estchimah asked with emotion. "I truly wish to do that, grandmother."

"You must be awake," the old woman answered. "The circle of change begins with you."

To be cont.

[Prairyearth]

Heyoehkah continued:
Estchimah began to cry.

"What is wrong?" Twin Chiefs asked with concern.

"I understand the pity you have for yourself," Four Sleeping Lions said gently. "But you are dancing yourself into a closed circle. Awaken, my daughter, and speak of what is in your heart."

"What is in my heart is awful!" Estchimah said, brushing away a tear..
"You have shared beautiful dreams with me, but what have I given you in return?

"There is something else you wish to say," Four Sleeping Lions said, leaning closer. "Tell me what it is."

"The world I live in is very beautiful," she answered, hesitating. "Yet it is awful!"

"Speak of it!" the old woman commanded her. "Do not fall asleep!"

"It embarrasses me," Estchimah said, as the tears rolled down her face.

"Tell us," the old woman insisted. Her voice was kind.

"Promise you will not get angry," Estchimah asked, looking at the old woman from beneath eyelashes.

"I promise," Four Sleeping Lions said gently. "Tell us."

"All right," she said, sitting up and brushing away another tear. "I have..." she hesitated. "I have heard..." She then raised her voice.
"All my life I have heard many false and unreal things. These things were paths that twisted and turned and led nowhere. They were no better than buffalo dung." She looked at Four Sleeping Lions. "I must understand, grandmother."

"If what we have been sharing with you is the same?" She laughed heartily. "Of course it is! It all is!"

"It is?" Estchimah asked, frowning in surprise.

"Everything is dung," Four Sleeping Lions laughed. "If you try to eat that dung it will sicken you. Does the buffalo eat dung? No, my daughter, it does not! However, Estchimah, the dung from the buffalo is food for the grass. It is a circle." She smiled. "Our words are also like grass, grass for the buffalo. The buffalo eats the grass, and the power of its body transforms the grass into food. There are many people who try to keep the grass just as they find it. These people never eat grass. There are others who discover the grass and want it to stay in perfect form. When these eat the grass they refuse to let it change." She laughed heartily. "Place everything we have shared with you in the wonderful garden that is within yourself. Let each symbol be a seed of your own learning. Learn to say what is in your heart and mind. and it will become food for you. But keep it secret and it will become foul."

:I thought myself dishonest for holding doubts in my mind," Estchimah said, still frowning. "I have been afraid to go on my Vision Quest," she said, brightening up. "I have been afraid that nothing would happen. and yet at the same time I have been afraid that something horrible would happen."

"Are you afraid?" the old woman asked.

"Of course!" Estchimah answered and smiled. But now I will place whatever happens in the wonderful garden with me."

"The Vision Quest is a marriage with the Earth. Let me tell you of the four walls."

"The Four Walls?" Estchimah frowned. "I feel trapped just hearing the words."

"It is common for all People to build the four walls," the old woman smiled. "The Buffalo Teachers call it the Place Where All The Mirrors Are Hidden."

"How is it possible to hide Great Mirrors?" Estchimah asked.

"Not the Great Mirror," the old woman laughed good-humoredly, "but the little ones. To the South, in the place of trust and innocence, is the wall of your childhood. The powers that make up that wall are all the children you grew up with. The wall grew as you grew, a living wall with your beginning years. You, my daughter, are afraid to walk through that wall.

"To the North is another wall. That wall is made up of every teacher you ever had. Even Twin Chiefs and I are there, and so are you. There is every kind of teacher there, living and dead. Everything that ever taught you is there within that wall. You, my daughter, are also frightened to walk through that wall."

"To the East is another wall. That wall is made up of everything dead. All religions are there. You, my daughter, are frightened to walk through that wall."

"To the West is the fourth wall. That wall is the wall of dreams. A portion of that wall is reflected into the wall of the East, just as the North and the South walls are reflected into one another. Those things of the dead that are mirrored into the West wall are the many dreams that you have let die. You my daughter, are afraid to walk through that wall."

"Is there no way out?" Estchimah asked emotionally.

"There is," the old woman smiled. "But first we will speak of the many tiny mirrors from which the floor of that place is built. Can you guess as the nature of some of those mirrors?"

"I have no guesses," Estchimah frowned.

"Many of those tiny mirrors are from the world into which you were born.
Some of them are from the world of your mother," the old woman explains. "There are the old images in that world, the world of remembrance. Each one of those tiny old mirrors blinds you to the path that can free you from that world."

"What is the path?" Estchimah asked with fear.

"If you truly begin to question each of the mirrors you have placed in that world," the old woman answered, "or question who it was that placed those mirrors into your world, then you will see the path through the West wall."

"But you said that I was frightened to walk through that wall," Estchimah said with emotion.

"You will walk through that was on your Vision Quest," the old woman smiled. "There have been many who have walked through the West wall. They have walked through the wall in as many ways as there are People. The West wall is the wall of Dreams. Many fear that there is nothing beyond the wall and that they will be alone," she chuckled, "but these, of course, have never questioned and have never walked through the wall. Beyond the wall is reality. Within the enclosure of the walls is unreality. Beyond the wall is the great world of your own mind. It is a world as beautiful and varied as this one we call earth."

"Would you give me an example?" Estchimah asked.

to be continued......

[Prairyearth]

I have not had any feedback, nor requests to continue further. If anyone is interested, I will share the rest of the story, just let me know.

Prairy