My Stay at Spirit Mountain
My Stay at Spirit Mountain
By Celeste Jefferson
ENG-100 (Northwest Indian College)
Kathy Stuart-Stevenson
I’m at a place called Spirit Mountain (Olalla Guest Lodge), a treatment center. It was a very beautiful day in August; we were surrounded by trees and overlooking the water, a very beautiful and comfortable place. Coming up were two different days exactly one week apart. For the past fourteen years, these two days have always brought me sadness and loneliness.
My counselor asked me if I wanted to help with the spiritual circle. I had an idea of what was going to happen during this time, so I agreed to help. Normally I would have refused due to the fact that I don’t like being part of the focus of attention. I was also thinking it would help me with my self-esteem.
The day Johnny Bear and Sugar Bear came to Spirit Mountain, I was called to the office to meet and greet these two native men. They were the nicest and most humble men that I have ever met. They told me about the protocol and what they wanted me to do. After the introductions, it was time for us to join the others (my peers). I immediately started to get nervous, but got a little comfort when they put me between them while we entered the room. I was carrying this beautiful staff with deer antlers at the top, wondering what the others thought when I walked into the room with these two men.
Everyone was seated in a circle, watching us as we walked in. Feeling all eyes on us, and being the center of attention my nervousness became my center of attention, I was seated in the very middle of the room.
Johnny Bear then told a story of his childhood and his grandmother. There was humor, seriousness, and a little sadness while he told his story. I could see that he had the complete attention of everyone. The story was told with such grace and humor; it was attracting.
After the story everyone stood. Sugar Bear and I using an eagle feather to talk with, went to each and every person. I handed them the feather and asked them their name; Sugar Bear then asked who they wanted to pray for. Johnny Bear, standing behind us, chanted their prayer. The room was filled with the aroma of sage and so quiet, it was as if when we approached each person, we were the only ones there.
I was last and wasn’t asked who I wanted to pray for. Johnny Bear just started praying around me with a feathered fan, brushing me with it. I was completely awed by this and felt so serene. When finished, he then told my peers that I was now going to say a prayer for them. It caught me so off guard that I was stunned. Surprising myself I just went to the middle of the room held out my arms palms up and began to pray out loud for these people, turning slowly looking into everyone’s eyes and they looking at me with tears streaming down my face, I turned four circles while praying, crying the whole time. I now believe part of Johnny Bears prayer for me, was for me get through that.
When the prayers were done, each one of us went around the room and gave a hug to every person there. I was first to do so and while I went from person to person I had such a good feeling going through my body. Every person that I approached I had a smile for and they for me and I could see that it was a genuine smile.
On this day, it was my late husband’s birthday. The week before was what would have been our 31st wedding anniversary. After all these years, I didn’t have any lonely or sad feelings. Those feelings were replaced by warm friendly smiles given by people who are my new friends. It was the best day I had there and also the best day I had in a long, long time.
