2 posts tagged “pray for rain”
“During the 1988 drought, white farmers in Ohio asked (Leonard) Crow Dog
to perform a rain ceremony for them. He did, and the rain came down."
Lakota Woman, Mary Crow Dog, Epilogue
“It’s so hot and dry; everything is dying,” complained my neighbor before downing the last drop of water from her bottle. Arizona’s high desert country lay parched and cracked. Plants bowed limp under scorching days and bone-dry nights. Residents worked outdoors in early hours only, while evergreen trees released needles in a last ditch effort to conserve moisture. Everyone agonized over the prolonged drought.
Traditionally, Southwestern tribes invoke nature’s blessing through ceremony. What if the cure for drought, I wonder, is simply honoring weather spirits? So, rather than focusing on complaints, I found myself organizing a Pray-for-Rain Ritual.
I placed an ad in the local newspaper: Pray-for-Rain Ceremony, Thursday 7 pm. Airport Mesa. Did I cover all the bases for an event: date, time, place, intention and publicity? That following Thursday, nine people gathered.
To set a sacred space on Airport Mesa, we sprinkled cornmeal in a ceremonial circle, a practice gleaned from Native Americans. We positioned aquatic objects—a puppet whale, a ceramic alligator, a bronze otter and a stuffed toy dolphin—one at each of the four, main directions—North, South, East, West. In the circle’s center we placed shells, pearls, coral, and pictures of marine mammals—anything that conjured a connection with water. Finally, we burned sage in an abalone shell as each participant invited the smoke to purify all thoughts, feelings and actions.
I initiated the plea by addressing each of seven directions— North, South, East, West, The Great Above, The Great Below and The Great Within. “We call to the Great Guardian Spirits of the North, the Grandmothers and Grandfathers of midnight, mystery, winter and the great bear. We give thanks and appreciation for your work in the world and your presence in our lives . . .”
After that, each person invoked names of “moisture spirits.” Neptune, Roman sea god, come forth. Sedna, Inuit mother goddess of all ocean creatures, be with us. Maui, Polynesian god of the oceans, join us, please. Over and over the group chanted: “Moisture Spirits Return.” We shuffled and twirled around the circle, padding, so that our feet sounded like rain hitting the ground. We sprinkled water from a large sea shell and chanted the mystical words: “O-shoo-wa, O-shoo-wa! Moisture Spirits Return.”
Although the sky remained blue and the air hot, dusty and laden with pollen, we felt uplifted. In acknowledging the weather-spirits, something had changed, a shift in the atmosphere, if only in our attitude.
“Try taking zigzag steps,” someone suggested. “That’s the Native American symbol for
“Moisture Spirits, we bless you. Moisture Spirits, come forth. Pour Forth! Be fruitful and multiply.” We zigzagged around the circle. An atheist drummed. A Catholic prayed. Two pagans sang. Three evangelical Christians praised while a curious agnostic looked on. “Water Spirits, come forth. Pour forth! We love you, Moisture. We appreciate you, Rain.”
At sunset, a cool breeze softened the evening sky as a few wisps of clouds gathered. We continued to dance, drum, chant and praise. We continued to invoke Thunder Beings, Rain Makers, Moisture Spirits, Lightning Launchers and Cloud Makers
“Did you feel that?”
“A rain drop?”
“I felt one!” It started to sprinkle. Together in awe, we turned our faces skyward toward gathering gray clouds. Water droplets fell on our hands, faces and on the ground.
“Blessed be the Rain Makers!” Someone shouted.
“Blessed be the Moisture Spirits!” Others chimed in.
Suddenly, everyone was dancing, shouting and cheering with shared exhilaration while cool drops of moisture kissed our faces. The sky darkened. Lightning flashed. Thunder boomed and the rains poured down. Hallelujah!
“Thank you, Moisture Spirits!”
“Thank you, Rain Makers!”
That night I learned where two or more are gathered, in a shared sacred intent, Spirit joins in and answers our prayers.
For further information on influencing the weather,
look for Rainmaker's Prayers Anthology, Shinan Barclay, editor
forthcoming on amazon.com
PLEASE JOIN US AND HELP HEAL THE PLANET
A plea from Flash Silvermoon:
We here in Florida are suffering with a horrible drought as are many places in this country while some places are in flood..what to do what to do!!
The group mind is a very powerful thing as many of you know so I am proposing that we all get together and do a Ritual for Rain and Global Balance as we need everyone's weather to improve.
Date June 8, 7pm wherever you are.The Moon is in Pisces , a water sign!!!
Place- for the Gainesville Florida area-the boatramp on Melrose Bay at the bottom of Trout Street call me, Flash 352 475-2432 for more details.
This will be a very simple ritual. We will use a broom to stir the water and shake it to the 4 directions and above and below -- Native American style.This place is the Springhead for the entire SantaFe River System so it is a good and powerful spot.
If you are out of town or unavailable to come out here you can use a bucket instead of the lake and use your broom in the same way praying for rain and also Global Balance with weather.
I am hoping that a good number of folks show up in Melrose to really give it a good release.
WHEREVER YOU ARE THIS WILL ONLY TAKE 1/2 HR and if you can't get out please visualize the process and see just the right amounts of rain where needed and peaceful weather where needed.
BLESSINGS FLASH SILVERMOON
flash@flashsilvermoon.com
http://www.flashsilvermoon.com
"With global warming, is there a break in the chain of command?
A missing meteorological link? For centuries, with ceremony, prayer and rituals to the sky gods, indigenous peoples lived in harmony with nature." Shinan Barclay "Rainmaker's Prayers"
"We are all part of the One Life that manifests itself in countless forms throughout the universe, forms that are all completely interconnected."
--Eckhart Tolle, "Stillness Speaks"
