The Great Spirit Makes a Way continued

"It is going down into the abyss that you recover the treasure of life. Where you stumble, there lies your treasure" Joseph Campbell.

The other side of the spirit makes a way is that the phone continued to ring right up until the moment that we left Texas to head back to the desert. This time it was ringing with people who were blessed in one way or another by Masauke during the 2 weeks we spent in San Antonio. Whether it was a spiritual blessing,or steppping up to a different level, tomando un paso, receiving an instrument -- a ceremonial gourd or a ceremonial fan, people were calling in and coming by with their love offerings.

Even as we left town headed back to Mexico we stopped to meet people in different locations, often at banks, waiting for a withdrawal or a deposit, to speed us on our way. Masauke told me as we waited in the van outside one of the banks "I guess myself I feel good about the long hours of stooping over, doing the threadwork and featherwork, when I see the reaction, the response from those who end up with these instruments. One´s that they will come before the fire with or sing that spirit song or that prayer with."

Masauke says that on the rare occasion that he finds himself in the native American church ceremonies as an invited guest, "It warms my heart to see all of my children which is what I call my works of art." He remembers each one of the ceremonial insturments he makes individually as he does the healing necklaces, which according to Masauke "are done based on the person´s walk, that is, the energy that the person brings before the altar." This informs him as to which stones to use based on the stones properties. These pieces are more spirit helper pieces of spirit animal piecesin stone personalized to the individual´s personal encounter with the spirit with which Masauke travels.

It is his hope that the person and the piece, the ceremonial instrument or the piece of jewellry, become one whether to promote understanding or to provide protction when they step into the realm of the spirits. "These pieces, this altar and the work tht I do seems to attract only the most advanced and dedicated people that work with the many forms of energy." Masauke calls his altar a place where healers come to heal.

The old traditional native way of bartering is alive and well among those that still follow their traditions. As Masauke receives partial payment from a native carpenter who does fine woodwork, he hands the recipient of a ceremonial gourd and a fan he has yet to finish, the blueprints of a cedarbox which Masauke will take as the remainder of payment on his work.

While waiting in the van I overheard several calls from those who had received ceremonial items. The calls came in from Hot Springs, Arkansas; Albuequerque, NM; Prescott, Arizona. "Brother, I have receives this, I will trade it for that ... that you have. I´ll be in yor neck of the woods the first of next month. Hold that item and I will hold mine." or "Thank you for that beautiful instrument. I´m having a ceremony on April 6th. I will bless it then and use it. I have not seen this quality of carving on a gourd before. Thanks for looking out for me."

Lessons Learned: 1)Bartening is indeed alive and well and living in the true heart of the native spirit, 2) The Great Spirit makes a way for those who follow tha path of Spirit, 3) As joseph Cambell says, it is in going down into the abyss, or letting go of all the traditional securities, that we recover the treasure of life.