I am looking down upon myself.
Praying and burning sage.
Raising my arms and singing sacred songs.
Crawling into sacred space with reverence and humility.
Drumming with eyes closed.
I am sitting in the seat of my higher self.
With me is the attendance and wisdom of my teachers,
past and present (and maybe future).
We all watch me.
As I perform below, a most vivid analogy surfaces:
I am building the Sacred Road.
How I swing the pickax is not as important
as just swinging it with intention.
There are ways of swinging that are more productive.
Some people insist on their way of swinging
and to spend many years learning only their way,
and they guard their ways so tightly that they now
have very few left who actually know how to work.
I respect this way, however, because we all must “do the work” —
no shortcuts, no magic pill, no personal favors.
Some insist that this work takes sacrifice and suffering,
blood and heartache.
Some say that, although hard, our efforts should be rewarding
and full of happiness .
Only I can balance the teaching of others with my intention toward Spirit.
I am certain that most of those teachers who stand with me
believe that the goal of building the Sacred Road
far outweighs any petty differences that surface
from how we use the tools we are given…
I would not see them as my teachers if it were otherwise.
I know, also, that learning from my teachers
of how each swings the axe
helps me become a much better road builder.
And they help me become a better teacher in my own right.
I am looking down upon myself.
And I send a Made Prayer down to myself.
“Learn and teach the balanced way of building the Sacred Road”
This is my journey.
— Nate Long “Owl”