The Bounding Bush Ceremony

It's a beautiful October 31st here in my valley. This is the weekend of our Bounding Bush Ceremony which is sort of a Cherokee Memorial Day. Chickamauga Peoples from all over the country will begin arriving here today. Even with the high gas prices, those who are dedicated to honoring the Sacred Ceremonies make the effort and pay the price to gather here.

The Bounding Bush Ceremony is one of my favorite of the Seven. It is a very healing ceremony, especially if you have recently lost a loved one. Each person invites the spirit of a loved one to be here. A special Fire is built by an arbor and one by one we each enter the arbor after offering our loved one a plate of his special foods. And the spirit of the one who has passed meets with us in the arbor. At that time we can say all the things we didn't get a chance to say before parting. Often the spirit of our ancestors will give us advice or warning. At the very least we leave the arbor with a knowing that they are not gone - they are with us if we will only take the time to connect with them.

On Sunday morning we have the Race Of The Dead where we ceremonially walk the spirits of our loved ones back toward the West. Every year a sign is given so that we know they indeed were with us. Several times it has been the Hawk who flew ahead of us while we were walking them westward. When we had gone as far as we could go the hawk peeled off and glided silently westward. One year thousands of Dragonflies surrounded us and carressed us with their wings.

As Autumn turns into Winter, we contemplate our own winter ahead. Knowing our loved ones are here with us makes it easier to let go. Death is not the end - only a change of scenery. Love never dies.