Santa Fe New Mexico

Communion

 

25" x 37"

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“In the mountains west of the great prairies of the northern American continent, a lone woman, known as Earthwoman by her Blackfeet village, walks amid the turning aspens of the high mountains as autumn coolness sets in. This morning is somewhat cold, but she is wrapped in a bear robe, and is warm while being blessed by the beauty of the turning season.

Much of the wildlife has already left to winter in the lower elevations, but a large magpie is hovering over the outcropping on which Earthwoman is standing. She knows that the magpies are sacred messengers, as are ravens, and relies on magpies as a part of her 'medicine' as attested to by the emblem on her deerskin shirt. This one does seem special as it continues to drop closer and closer to her. Earthwoman raises her right arm as if someone asked her to do so, and she understands that the magpie is coming to sit on her arm. A final flaring of the wings and the bird sits down upon the uplifted arm. Though Earthwoman feels no weight, the Magpie is safely resting on her arm.

After a moment of stillness and silence, Earthwoman begins to receive messages; messages about her village, about her and her family, and the time to leave and go back to the winter camps. She communes with the lovely bird for a short time, although it seems like much time has passed before the magpie rises easily on a passing breeze. Circling above, the magpie sends it's blessings to her and her camp, then sails into the distance with a single cry; “Love, love this earth.”