A Book about the power of the Native American Sacred Pipe in today’s World

 

Preface from "The Way of the Sacred Pipe"
Traditionally, understanding the way of the Sacred Pipe was acquired through one’s upbringing, in a society where its use was a prominent part of daily life. The way of the Pipe was taught slowly, through continued participation in ceremonies where it was used.  It took time and commitment to learn all that was needed in order to care for and use the Pipe properly. It was and is knowledge that should be passed on carefully and prayerfully.

Recently, the Sacred Pipe has become available world-wide to people who have had little or no real exposure to what it is or what it can do. People are buying Pipes in shops and over the Internet regularly. Some may have learned a little about the way of the Pipe by seeing it used at a ceremony or through a book, but seldom does this make them aware of what the Pipe really is.

I have researched books that are available about the Pipe, some of which are very good.  However, I have found none that address the nature of the living pipe.  Some books tell how to perform a ceremony, or give some basics of the care of a Pipe, but I have found none that explain those things that I feel are vital for anyone who wishes to use the Pipe.  Because of the current situation, I feel it has become important that this information become available in written form, with the hopes that in doing so, it may stem the trend of misuse of this sacred and powerful gift we received from the Great Mystery so long ago.

It must be understood that using the Pipe is a way of life, not something you just do once in awhile. The misuse or even the lack of proper care of the Pipe can cause many severe and detrimental things to happen, just as the proper use and care can lead you to becoming the highest expression of the unique wonder you were created to be.

For those who question the photographing of the sacred or putting it into writing, there are many examples of guardians of these things who felt called to put them into printed form or allowed photographs to be taken. I have many photographs of new, unawakened Pipes in this book. While it is not the tradition of many native nations, in my tradition it is allowable to display such Pipes.

While it is unfortunately true that we are in a time of unprecedented misuse of the sacred teachings of the Native American peoples worldwide, there are also those who felt it important to pass on the authentic teachings, before they are lost or distorted, through the written word.

---

---

I realize there are many who will be against this book going to print.  I have listened to concerns expressed by several people who I respect.  I understand also that these sacred ways have survived until today because they were protected over the centuries.  They were kept hidden from the public and strict rules concerning the procedures of ceremony were followed.  You will see over and over in this book my references about not being too constrained by the “rules�?  It is a very delicate balance to maintain age old traditions and also be open to the guidance of Spirit in the present situation.  If it were not for my faith in the power of the Pipe to protect itself, I would not make this information available.<O:P> There are three reasons why I have decided to make this information available to the general public. The first reason is that which I have stated previously. Pipes are falling into the hands of people who do not have access to someone to show them these ways. I do not believe we can stop the Pipe’s availability. It is something that is predestined.</O:P>

<O:P></O:P>Secondly, we are not living in the same times and situations that warranted secrecy before. We are in a very transitional time - a time where the Pipes are appearing everywhere around the world, prevalent, working towards a new way of existing. Thirdly, and most importantly, I am writing this book because I feel guided by the Great Mystery to do so. No one can say what another’s directive from the Divine is and I alone will stand responsible for the outcome of publishing this information. I have spent much time in prayer and meditation about this and after all input was considered, I felt it was the will of both the Sacred Pipe and the Great Mystery to print this book. The understanding that an individual is able to hear from the Creator without the intervention of other people is at the very core of indigenous spirituality. It is more about trusting the Power of the Pipe to communicate than trusting the individual’s ability to hear. If you truly know the Pipe is a powerful spiritual being, then you also know I stand accountable to it, not to any person.

The purpose of this book is to inform people interested in the proper use and care of a personal Sacred Pipe, but not that of a Ceremonial Pipe. The differences between a personal Pipe and a Ceremonial Pipe will be discussed, but the ways of the Ceremonial Pipe can only be passed on through actual experience and apprenticeship.

Some who read this book may complain that I am presenting “pan-Indian�?religion, that is, a mix of several tribes�?beliefs. While my traditions are Cherokee, I was introduced to the Sacred Pipe through the Anishinabie (Chippewa), and have had further exposure through the Lakota and Apache, as well as other tribes.

It is important to understand why I do not represent just Cherokee ways. I share things in this book that have helped me along my path of life. The sweat lodge and Sundance ceremonies are not Cherokee traditions; however they have been powerful influences in my life, used by the Great Mystery to heal and help me. I represent only my own personal path, the path of life that I have walked to this point.

Several years ago I attended a large gathering of native men high in the mountains of central Colorado. Before the gathering, Elders representing 110 of the tribes still active in North America had met and discussed the need for a simple guide for Native men based on the common traditions of each tribe. What they came up with was the Seven Philosophies for Native Men, which were taught to us at the gathering and have since been distributed in written form to thousands of others. Although there are many different teachings on how to be a traditional tribal man, the Seven Philosophies present only the commonalities among all tribes.

In a very small way, I am using the same approach with this book. I am presenting the common ways to use and care for the Sacred Pipe, focusing on the commonalities of the Pipe found throughout the many traditions of the original people of this continent. Throughout the book, I draw upon those traditions of a specific tribe that most clearly describe what I am trying to explain.

An example of this would be the words used to describe the Sacred Pipe. In Cherokee, Ganvnawa is the word used for an assembled Pipe. However, in Lakota there is a word for both the bowl and the stem of the Pipe. As well, I use the Lakota terms when describing the spiritual elements of both the male and female parts of the Pipe. In using examples and words from different traditions, I am not advocating mixing of the spirituality of different tribes. Rather, I am relating to you the way of the Pipe from my personal experience.

An important point which I would like to make is the ceremonial descriptions in this book do not reveal any secrets. You could try to duplicate the ceremonies but they would not work for you. All ceremonies of power are revealed to an individual by their own particular spiritual helpers. What works for me, to say, split the rain clouds, may not work for you. For you to have the medicine to do this would require that the spirits show you how they want you to do it. Why? Because as you will see presented time and again in this writing, real spirituality is based on an ongoing relationship with the Divine, not on pre-described dogmatic incantations, so to speak.

As I have stated, we are now in the prophesied Age of the Pipe and the Pipes are already spreading around the earth. Should we not do what we can to ensure they are cared for in the best way possible? In writing this book, I do so in hopes that I may honor those Elders mentioned previously as well as the Spirit of the Sacred Pipe itself.

The Sacred Pipe is central to most Native American spirituality and my hope is this information will help bring the blessing it summons to all the children of our Mother Earth. In the words of our Chief, Bob Strong Bear, “If everyone in the world had a personal Pipe and used it in the proper way, we would truly have peace and harmony today.�?That is a pretty powerful statement, but once you understand the possibilities, you might just agree.

James Medicine Tree

January 2004 <O:P></O:P>

---

 

 

 

   Smoking was an important ritual as well as something done for pleasure. A man's pipe was one of his most favoured and treasured possessions. The pipe would usually be made of ashwood, a straight piece as long as a man's forearm. This was split in half, hollowed out and bound back together again. The mouthpiece would be wrapped in rawhide which was allowed to dry and shrink until it became as hard as wood. The bowl would be made from red pipestone, shaped and polished and given a final rubbing with buffalo tallow to seal the porous stone. The pipe would be decorated with the owners personal symbols, feathers or furs from the owners personal spirit helper, strips of buffalo hide and horse hair.
   Particularly ceremonial pipes would always be adorned with four strips of buffalo hide dyed red, black, white and yellow, the colours of the four directions. Near the mouthpiece would be four braided strands of horsehair, again in the four sacred colours. Sometimes a strip of red paint ran from the bowl to the mouthpiece, symbolising the good red road of spiritual understanding that was sought by all who smoked the pipe. Around the stem of the pipe was a small circle of black to represent the world of worldly cares. Where the black crossed the red was a spot of green representing the tree of life.<O:P> </O:P>
   Where men met together a pipe would always be smoked formally before any talk took place. The smoking of the pipe was a ritual which bound all who partook of the pipe to telling the truth and keeping his word on anything said. The pipe would be offered by the host to the four directions, the earth and the sky. He would then pass it to the man on his left who smoked and passed it on to the man on his left and so on. It always went to the left as this was the direction the sun took or its journey around the world. The pipe would be filled with a mixture of dried willow bark, tobacco, grasses and herbs. If the mixture was finished before the pipe had gone full circle the pipe would be tapped and cleaned, the ashes emptied into the fire. Upon refilling the pipe, it would again be offered as before, then it would continue it's way around the circle as before. The smoke from the pipe was believed to carry the words of man upwards to the Great Spirit and all men who smoked the pipe were united spiritually.<O:P> </O:P>
   After the formal smoking of the pipe the talk would begin and each man would then light his own pipe and smoke through the conversation. Pipes were usually long but if a man had suffered some fall from grace or shame then he was expected to smoke a short stemmed pipe. One way to greatly insult a man was to clean out your pipe and empty the ashes over his moccasins.