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We had not expected a living tour guide and eagerly bobbed our heads up and down to indicate "yes"-a thousand times "yes!" He nodded, took a long, quiet breath and began our lesson in creating abundance:
"Many, many moons ago, when
antelope ran free, buffalo grazed across all land, and my brothers and sisters lived in harmony with each other and Mother Earth, we would meet in this circle every fall for most important ceremony of whole year. This most sacred, vital ritual was attended by chief of tribe, medicine man, tribe elders and all of those who had achieved status of a brave-the hunters of tribe. After many days of purification through chanting, drumming and praying in our sweat lodges, we sat around this circle in silence and waited until Great Spirit honored us with a vision.
"Then, one by one, each brave would see and feel specific animals they would kill and bring to village as food for tribe in coming year. Each animal's spirit made an agreement with warrior who would be killing animal. For a period of time, their spirits would commune in beauty and harmony of their shared intention. In this time-honored way, warrior would connect with each bison, antelope and deer that he would be providing for tribe. When his vision was complete, brave announced to rest of group what he had seen and experienced."
At this point, Indian took a full breath and said in a very deliberate manner:
"And on this day, entire year's food supply for tribe was created."
He stared at us closely to see if we heard his last statement. Satisfied, he continued:
"Each warrior waited until he saw, greeted and came to a mutual understanding with spirit of each buffalo, antelope and deer before announcing to circle, 'I will bring so many buffalo, antelope and deer to tribe in coming year.' And so it went until, one by one, each brave met spirit of each animal that would come to him to be killed in next year. One by one, each warrior announced food they would provide to tribe in coming year."
Again, venerable, timeworn storyteller paused. With great passion, he looked directly into our eyes-first mine, then Tobias'. I have never felt such a piercing gaze. His look penetrated depths of my soul. Dramatically, he drew air into his lungs. Repeating his message, he declared:
"And on this day, entire year's food supply for tribe was created."
Once again, he waited until he sensed that import of his words was fully absorbed before resuming:
"After all braves had proclaimed food they would bring for coming year, chief, medicine man and elders would bless ceremony. All would leave kiva knowing that on this day, entire year's food supply for tribe was created."
Again, he waited, watching to see if we were fully digesting his last sentence before speaking again. He continued in a very emphatic tone:
"In winter when warriors could not go out hunting because there was a blizzard with snow drifts twenty feet high, chief, medicine man, elders and braves would meet again in kiva and wait in silent, expectant meditation. Soon, from wind-swept prairie and snow-covered plateaus would come a bison, a deer or an antelope. On its own, animal would find its way into tribal encampment and then into kiva circle. The creature would stand in center of circle until it recognized brave with whom it had made a spirit agreement. Then animal would walk over to warrior, stand right in front of him, and calmly allow itself to be killed in a very quick and painless way. The creature gave itself up to brave, as previously agreed in kiva, so that people would have food during harsh, winter months. For, on that special day previous fall, entire year's food supply for tribe had been created."
It wasn't until Indian told us about animals coming into circle in winter and recognizing warriors with whom they had an agreement that Tobias and I finally realized what Indian was telling us. And at exact moment we got point of story, old man disappeared in front of our eyes. Not believing our vision, we scanned kiva quickly, thinking he must have been a very fast escape artist. It was thirty feet to edge of circle and neither of us saw him leave. He vanished second we understood his message!
Driving back to Phoenix later that day, Tobias and I discussed our shared encounter at great length. We agreed Indian was telling us something far more important than how Hopi used to create food for a year. He was opening a gateway for us to understand how creation itself works.
The message Tobias and I received in kiva was simple, yet profound: power to create lies in Present, not in future. Creation happens now when declared with power, heart and strong intention. Then, that which is created in Present unfolds in future time and space according to our mutual agreements with rest of living beings of Mother Earth.
