The woman arises from the dark enveloped in shadow. She is one with the blackness that wraps around her. She begins her work, stoking the ashes from a sleeping fire stirring the embers awake from their deep slumber. As she continues to provide her attention, the sparks dance with more and more vigor catching upon the fuel she has laid at their feet. The light grows brighter with her care bringing warmth and casting a glow on to the circle around her. The flames stretch into the dark reaching out with their orange fingers. The woman continues her work alone building the fire higher, enabling the flame fingers to reach into the corners of the darkness, beckoning to those that await, that are waiting to be welcomed into the light.
The sun rises, radiating its soft glow as it peaks over the mountains in the distance. It throws its light on to the places it can reach. Its rays intertwine with the flames of the fire, creating a white brightness, and bringing life forth once more.
The woman continues her work, gathering what is needed and no more. She lets the fire burn down into the hot embers that will be used to make the morning meal, a meal that will warm those who are cold, that will fill the bellies that are empty, that will nourish those who are depleted. She stands alone in the center of her circle continuing her work and waiting for those that will come.
She gathers the skins of the animals who have selflessly served her allowing her to feed her body, and to find warmth and shelter from their bodies and bones. She lays the skins upon the earth, letting them warm and soften in the new day’s light, grounding them in the energy of the natural world.
As the sun rises higher in the sky, the woman feels her energy pull – the wind blows in encircling her and the fire. The fire smoke billows upward into the air, sending forth a temporary shadow over the circle as it blocks out the light of the sun. The smoke clears pulling higher up into the sky and the woman radiates as the natural light shines upon her. She is warrior, she is queen, she is mother, she is daughter, she is grandmother, she is Spirit.
The sun rises, radiating its soft glow as it peaks over the mountains in the distance. It throws its light on to the places it can reach. Its rays intertwine with the flames of the fire, creating a white brightness, and bringing life forth once more.
The woman continues her work, gathering what is needed and no more. She lets the fire burn down into the hot embers that will be used to make the morning meal, a meal that will warm those who are cold, that will fill the bellies that are empty, that will nourish those who are depleted. She stands alone in the center of her circle continuing her work and waiting for those that will come.
She gathers the skins of the animals who have selflessly served her allowing her to feed her body, and to find warmth and shelter from their bodies and bones. She lays the skins upon the earth, letting them warm and soften in the new day’s light, grounding them in the energy of the natural world.
As the sun rises higher in the sky, the woman feels her energy pull – the wind blows in encircling her and the fire. The fire smoke billows upward into the air, sending forth a temporary shadow over the circle as it blocks out the light of the sun. The smoke clears pulling higher up into the sky and the woman radiates as the natural light shines upon her. She is warrior, she is queen, she is mother, she is daughter, she is grandmother, she is Spirit.
The time has come and those who await appear from every direction. From across the lake to the north, over the mountains from the east, out of the forest from the south, and through the valley to the west. There are men, women, and children of all ages, all colors, and all walks of life. They look tired and worn. They look cold and malnourished, but they have Spirit pouring forth from their eyes.
She gathers them into her circle and they lay upon the warmed skins soaking in the heat from the fire. They eat what she has gathered finding strength and energy in its nutrition. They look to the woman - The woman who arises from the dark enveloped in shadow - to create light, to create community, to create love. She is the drummer keeping the rhythm of life. She is the heartbeat within all. She is the call to love.
Written by Danielle Hughes for Sacred Tree Traditions with the intention of growing love and light through the celebration of community, connection with Spirit, and the honoring of Woman.
