Furs and Feathers

Inside the kiva, the walls were draped with buffalo hides decorated with colorful geometric patterns. Huge deer antlers were suspended near the ceiling, adorned with beads and feathers of red, blue and gold. Prayersticks with ritually bound feathers and graceful blue-tipped Corn Mother fetishes hung from hooks on the walls.  Several large blue drums trimmed in red and white feathers stood about the floor.

Sipapu

In the center of the kiva stood the sipapu, its large open mouth descending into the earth. 

Difficult Journey

Meredith looked about with uncertainty. She felt drawn to undertake this difficult journey and to uncover the answers to the burning questions that troubled her. She yearned to understand more about herself, to find her soul, but she was filled with misgivings and teeming questions about her journey.  

She must climb into the sipapu and descend into the underworld. Only there would the world of the Spirit be revealed to her. She wanted nothing more than to be a conduit for this vast power beyond herself. Perhaps it might be channeled towards healing the environment and saving the earth from oblivion.

She also knew that this might be a hazardous quest. She might fall and die in the underground world. Or she might set off some cascading process, an avalanche or an earthquake, that could swell out of control. She hesitated.

Doubt

At length she became aware of the shaman watching her. Doubt must be written on her face. It was time to make her choice.  Should she choose truth or safety? Journey or quit?

She paused to summon the spirit within herself that was the closest thing to god that she had ever known. She asked it which way she should go. Then the image came to her of her mother and father smiling to her and waving. And Shaman Far Heart had seen them! If she followed him, she might find out what had happened. She might even see them for herself.  

With this hope her last doubts were dispelled, and she moved resolutely towards the shaman. She would go!