Peace Pow-Wow

Tonight we had a peace pow-wow led by John Perkins, shaman extraordinaire and author of "Confessions of an Economic Hit-Man." I've always been intrigued by him and am glad that it was tonight that I got my first dose- what a dose it was! He started by breathing fire in all four directions and then bowed out to the drummers and thunder beings, who worked together to provide us all with an unforgettable evening. I was so entranced and caught up in dancing with the group in a circle around the gigantic altar, that it took me about four songs to notice that the flashing light outside the windows was not in fact a strobe, but the most intense, phenomenal, thunderstorm I have ever experienced.

There were multiple bolts of lightning at once, on top of each other, in webs, all around, the sky was black, yellow, purple, gray. Jagged white lines shooting straight down to earth. Gaia. The drumming building, crescendoing, inside. This being Omega it didn't take long before half the staff members (including myself) were shirtless and doing cartwheels on the grass, calling to the thunder, opening up our bodies and souls to receive it. We retreated into awnings only when the storm was literally on top of us, and even then a few ecstatic bodies went careening across the lawn, only to be dragged back like naughty schoolchildren by Steve Cleaver, M.O.D.

We finally went back inside to rejoin the "dry" dancing once the thunder had moved on- we were read a bedtime story about the creation of the night, and then, wrapped in blankets, we kneeled to say good-bye to the ceremony and its breathtaking altar.

I feel powerful. I have released once again the entertaining but petty dramas of this summer, and re-connected with my soul. I have learned many lessons, but this cycle is coming to an end. I feel ready for the next step of the journey, whatever it may be.