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| FASTING/VISION
QUESTING
Through out the years I have sought out direction in my life by fasting or dream questing and have had many different experiences during this time. During this occasion, I have fasted alone or have been with others in a secluded place away from the noise and distraction of every day life. These times have been peaceful and fulfilling as it allowed me to spend time by my self in order to look within and dream good dreams. Usually, I prepare myself by offering tobacco to the grandfathers and those spirits who are with and around us. I offer tobacco as a gift and ask for a specific thing to be answered when I am fasting. Sometimes, I receive what I have requested and sometimes receive a different answer rather than the one I am seeking. The preparation takes place 30 days before the actual fasting time and can be done any time of the year. A lot of my friends fast in the fall and spring time as this is a change of season and a time for renewal and new growth. The fast may be for one day, four days, seven days or longer, depending on what the teaching you receive about fasting. When we decide to fast, we say that “I will fast up to four days”, We say up to a certain time as we never know how long we will be able to fast and by saying this we allow ourselves room to break our fast before the allotted time we have set for our selves. We humans play mind games with ourselves and if we perceive that we have failed ourselves by breaking our fast before the time we have set, we deem it to be failure. So, by saying “ up to” allows us to complete a fasting time and then we feel good about the length of time that we have spent in this sacred ceremony. As one of my traditional friends says, “ sometimes we get the answers we are looking for in the first day of fasting and then it is no longer necessary to stay in the fast.” In my teachings, we do not eat nor
drink water during the time of our actual fasting, we do not take things,
like a book during this time, except our medicine’s, (drum, pipe,
shakers, feathers, sage, sweet grass, tobacco, cedar or what ever is deemed
to be your medicines), as a book would serve to distract you from being
entirely connected with yourself. One of the things about fasting is that
many people have never been alone with them selves for 4 days. Just imagine,
4 days of being just with yourself. Peace and quiet When a person is ready to fast,
they will seek out a traditional person, who will take them through teachings
about fasting and will take care of them during their Once you have been prepared for your fast, the teacher will then take you to the chosen area for your fast and will be with you as you prepare the sacred place that is yours for the dreaming quest. Usually, a place is chosen where there is water close by or high on a mountain or hill. You will then begin by placing a circle of tobacco and cedar or sage around the place that you will be for this time of fasting. The circle is about 10 feet in diameter and where you will be through out your time there. You don’t leave that circle except of course if you need to go to the relieve yourself. When you do leave your circle, you sprinkle tobacco to close the circle and when you step back into your circle you again sprinkle tobacco to close the circle doorway. The teaching about this is that when you fast you become vulnerable to spirits around you that may want to play tricks with your mind. Thus the circle and the protection of the medicines keep you safe as the playful spirits know that they cannot cross onto the circle as you are protected by the sacred medicines. You may use a lodge while in the circle or just use a sleeping bag and a tarp for protection from the elements. In most cases, a small dome tent is used or a tripod of poles that is wrapped with a tarp. Your lodge will be where you will spend most of your time, keeping in mind that you are not allowed to leave your circle. While in your circle, you will prayer, sing your songs, talk with the grandfathers who will come to see you in your dreams. Most people who fast for their first time, share that they have vivid dreams and sleep through most of the fast. They will do their ceremonies and dream and sleep and before they know it, the fast is over. Once the fast is complete, a feast usually takes place and friends and family are invited to take part in this special time. Many times, there is a give away ceremony in which gifts are given away by the person who has completed the fast. Then the dreams are shared and interpreted by a person who is knowledgeable in this area. The dreaming fast will give you
direction and will also serve to strengthen the person who is afraid to
be alone. Many people have the fear of being in the woods or bush alone
and imagine all kinds of things during the night time. We know how our
imagination works overtime during the night time. I would like to share one of my fasting experiences with you and perhaps you can imagine what it was like for me. One fall, in the month of November, I decided to do a fall fast and headed up north to my homeland. At that particular time, one of my cousins happened to be hunting and cutting logs for an extension on his cottage. As I needed to be away from the noise of the chainsaw, I chose a small island down the lake, where no noise would filter to me. My cousin took me to the island and we agreed that he would come to check on me at sunset each day of my fast. I might add here that my last meal was at noon on the day of my fast and as it was cold during this time of the year, I used up a lot of my energy setting up my circle and lodge. None the less, I was able to prepare my circle and settle in before the sunset has set. Once in the circle, I lit a small ceremonial fire and did my offerings and prayers for my coming dreaming time. I also sang a calling in song to the spirits to come and join me during this fasting time and asked them to help me in what I was seeking. That night, there was a full moon and frost was in the air. It seemed like I was in another place and time as I drifted off to sleep. During the night, a loud splash woke me and I heard grunts and other noises drifting across the water. I wondered as to what it was and immediately offered my tobacco for protection, even though I knew that nothing could come into my circle. Having done this, I fell asleep and began dreaming of things that made no sense, ( at that time ) to me. Sometime, in the wee morning hours,
I was woken out of my sleep by a soft glowing light that was centered
just above me. This light hovered there for quite awhile as I gazed at
it and wondered where it came from and why it was here in my lodge. Then
as my eyes shifted I was able to see my parents and other relatives who
had died many years ago. When I woke in the morning, the
message that they gave to me was clear to me “always remember us
and share our lives and stories with others in our families to keep our
teachings alive and well”. Sometimes, we need to be reminded to
keep the stories of our relatives with us and to share their journeys
with others. It seemed to me that during that second night that I was being tested by the grandfathers as to remind me of humility in asking for help to make it through the night and to remind me that I am just a frail human being who needs to trust in the Creator and his helpers in guiding me in my life. I remember, quite clearly, that sometime during that long night as I struggled with the fear, it was lifted and taken way from me and I then fell into a deep sleep. In the morning, I was woken by a thumping on the outside of my lodge. It sounded like someone was throwing small stones against the outside of it and I thought, “ its my cousin, throwing stones at the lodge to wake me up”. But I had not heard a boat coming down the lake. So, I crawled out of my lodge and couldn’t see anyone, just then I heard another thump on my lodge and heard a chattering from up in the trees. A chipmunk was sitting up in the trees and dropping pine cones for his winter supply of food and I guess was talking to me and saying “ get off my island as you are disturbing me” The morning mist coming off the lake was magical and wondrous to see. As, I did my morning ceremony, I felt peaceful and contented inside. Through out the day, I just enjoyed the time of being here, on this little island and stayed that way, until my cousin came to get me before sunset. I informed him that my fast was over as I had received what I had came for and that I was exhausted by the cold. We went back down the lake to his cabin, where we had a feast and I went to bed feeling full and loved. Meegwetch ( thank you )
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for
that length of time is quite an experience. Try it sometime, if you are
a person that is very busy and takes little time to just be quiet. It
is quite a change from being on the go from morning until evening.
They
were smiling at me and I could feel the warmth of their smiles and the
love in their eyes. As I remember, the glow of the light and the faces
of my relatives then lulled me to sleep again, like I was a baby in my
mother’s arms. 