A story within a story...

A sweat lodge, a cast, a seashell--oh my!

Terra Wise

About twenty-five years ago, on 500 acres of land in the Canadian wilderness, I participated in my first sweat lodge ceremony, this experience stood out for many reasons, not only because it was my first sweat lodge, and opened a door to many exciting experiences, but also because it happened to be scheduled soon after I had incurred an injury, an unexpected accident that brought me to this special retreat with my arm in a new cast. I had only just broken my elbow from a fall off my bike a couple of days prior. I went to the retreat unsure if I would or could even could participate in a sweat lodge in 'my condition'....

One of the two medicine men who was teaching and facilitating the sweat lodge was wearing a wonderful set of earrings made of seashells, and he had also placed a very large seashell by the sweat lodge opening along with other ceremonial objects. He gathered everyone together a couple of hours before the sweat was to begin to talk with us and tell stories. He told a story of how the medicine people, the healers and counselors of his tribe, and others that he knew of, would hang a seashell outside their tent or lodge as a symbol, a sign to indicate to the community that the 'listening therapist' was in and on duty.

This seashell was an indication to the community that no matter if it was day or night, if the seashell was hanging out in plain view the people knew they could safely enter the lodge of the healer to give voice to their private concerns and distress. The person entering knew that upon seeing the shell it meant that the heart and ears of the medicine person was open and receptive, that the listener was fully present,. They understood this was a symbol about the transformative power of empathic heart-to-heart connection, of deep and active listening. He told us the symbol let the people know they would be heard with unconditional gentle compassion, they knew they were safe when speaking their secrets and deepest truths, no matter how dark, shameful, or difficult a problem might seem, the more they felt listened to the more they trusted, not only the healer, but their own inner voice too.

Just about everyone has held a seashell to an ear and listened intently, quietly, openly. The seashell represents a special medicine (more than one) but certainly one of the medicines is about listening without judgment, listening with an open mind, at the level of the soul. And, this form of compassion, heart-to-heart listening is present when women gather in circles and share soul stories with one another.

Oh yes, to complete the story about my arm in the cast... Only 10 days after my initial hospital visit to tend to my broken elbow sweat lodge (and a few holistic healing methods) the doctor was checking on my recovery. He was saying that I would need a few more weeks in a cast and I would not be able to open my arm fully as a result of the break.-- Well, his expression upon seeing my arm float easily out to my side in a full extension was really quite something to behold! And his words too. 'Wow! Now this is quite a curious mystery'!! And the amazing experience in the sweat lodge, well that's another story.