The Summit of Bear Butte

I made it to the top. I asked for assistance to climb the final steps. Assistance came in Spirit form, and in the form of a rabbit watching me.

My fear ran under the steps and in the strong winds I reached the summit and took one quick look around and fell to my knees.

The beauty and the power I felt sent me prostrate. The same feeling made my legs go weak when I was in Amma’s presence the first time. She walked past me and I dropped to my knees involuntarily. It was if my body knew and sensed it was in the presence of a Saint.

And here on Bear Butte, I felt the presence of something Great. And it felt proper and right to remain on my knees as I prayed.

I listened and was told to take the offerings I had carried and to put them in the deerskin I had been told to bring along. Then I was given other instructions on gathering some of the sacred sage and to place all of it in this bundle.

As I did what I was being told by the powerful spirits I felt here, I continued to pray. Just as I had prayed every step of the way up. Now on my knees I prayed and all of it fell from my lips into the bundle.

Then the answer came to me. I was told what needed to be done in order for my prayers to be answered. My prayers for the planet, for everyone, the answers to all of them, were given to me.

As I neatly tied a bow around the prayer bundle with some long, thin, white deer hide, I received my commandments.

Very simple. Very, very simple. But will we be able to do this? Can I stay focused on what they are telling me?

All we need to do is stay focused on: Love, Beauty, Peace, Grace, Unity, Wholeness, Acceptance, Harmony, Wisdom, Truth, Compassion and Joy. The twelve commandments. From Bear Butte.

Our future world depends on us to honor and cherish one another and all life forms. We are all connected. We know that, but are we living that truth?

Everything that is a part of the natural world, we must understand and respect we are a part of that. We are not separate and above nature. We are nature and we must live in a natural world.

We are all connected and we are the connection.

I wanted to leave my prayers in the trees at the summit, along with the hundreds of other prayer bundles swaying in the wind.

“No. Take it with you. We will tell you what to do with it.”

And so the prayers are with me and I hold them in my hand each day and feel the power from the Summit. And I remember the commandments. They are in the bundle and like Moses, I brought them down from the mountain and I carry them with me each day.

On my way down from the summit, feeling giddy and high, I was tripping along, giving thanks each step of the way.

As my feet slid out from under me, I grabbed onto what looked like a railing for security. The railing was not attached to anything and went sideways. I laughed and felt like a cross between Jim Morrison and Ghandi.

Stoned from a natural high, I felt more clear about our future world than ever before. And the vision had never been more beautiful. I felt crystal clear and filled with gratitude.

I was the last to reach the top that day. By choice I had taken my time to reach the top. When others came, I stopped and quietly gave them a wide space. And I waited until everyone else was on their way down, so I could be alone.

Now as the sun was setting, I noticed far below me the parking lot was empty except my car.

Laughing in bliss, I continued my descent, and wondered if I could just stay in this space forever.