We are a culture of other people's songs. We need to find our own, to remember a time when grandmothers and grandfathers passed on personal history and power through songs they had received directly from Spirit. These songs then became a part of the beautiful tapestry weaving together family and tribe. Song is, in the highest sense, an expression of our soul. It is not about entertainment, but is rather a direct communication of personal feeling and experience. Through song, we share with others our own unique perception of the world. Medicine songs, songs that speak directly to Spirit, have great power. They are vehicles that help us give voice and substance to that all-powerful life force moving through us. Medicine songs are born from the soul's yearning to recognize and honor self in all creation. All songs are primarily songs of the self communicating its truth to the world, but medicine songs, especially, consciously and deliberately focus on this spiritual connectedness to true Reality. A song can be very simple and carry great meaning and power. You don't have to have the voice of professional singer to get the message across. As a society, we tend to get lost in the glitter and forget about the substance. Medicine songs carry us right back into the heart of things. They are like finely tuned navigational charts leading us home. Song is a highly sophisticated communication device, through which we can speak directly with every being in the universe. So how does one use this device? First, open your heart and mouth wide and let out a deep aaaaahhhhhh of release. Next, wiggle around in your chair or sofa or bed of moss and get comfortable with your physical space. Now close your eyes and turn your attention inward, listening for our heartbeat. This is your first song. Let yourself be filled with this sound, this rhythm, and slowly begin to sound out this song, quietly at first, ever so gently, then gradually louder and stronger until you are almost shouting out the song of your heart. Keep doing this until you feel very comfortable and confident singing in this way. Each person will have a different song for the rhythm of his or her own heartbeat, so your sacred song is uniquely your own and will bring you right back to your center whenever you sing it. This exercise can be done with every part of the body, every feeling and emotion, and can be extended out to include each part of your home, your daily life, and every microscopic part of nature. There is, quite literally, a sacred sound or song for everything in creation. This is the powerful medicine truth, which was the innate cultural knowledge of the ancestors; sacred sound is truly a magical doorway to oneness with all that is. Reverend Rainbow Medicine-Walker is a ceremonial leader, teacher, and healer. She is an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation and the granddaughter of Cherokee Admiral J. J. Clark, Honorary Chief of the Cherokee and the Lakota. Her "Finding Your Own Medicine Songs" workshop will be offered October 28. To register, or for information about Rainbow's ceremonial services, call (360) 599-1199. |
Breath is life. It is also voice. When we sing, we share our sacred breath with all creation. Sacred sound is an open doorway, connecting us intimately with every being on Mother Earth. Each one has his or her own special songs through which they can be honored and communicated with. Song brought forth from the depths of the heart brings us back into harmony and wholeness within ourselves. This naturally leads to sacred communion with all that is.