THE SHAMAN'S HEART

A man asks the wounded shaman;

"Why is it you hold your beating heart in your hands?

Does it not belong in your chest?"

The shaman replies;

"It was torn from my chest and handed to me as a gift.

It is the gift of experiencing, and is part of a ritual we are

all engaged in."

"But who but one's worst enemy would do such a thing

to another,

And what kind of a gift is it that would cause one to suffer

as you do?"

Asks the man.

The shaman replies;

"It is a sacred gift, from someone who loves me enough

To have agreed to share this exquisite pain,

That they may become one of my greatest teachers

of this lifetime."

The shaman then slowly, tenderly, places his heart back

in his chest,

Closes the wound with a blessing of thanks

And a prayer that healing may begin,

And after a time to gather his strength,

Walks off down the path to meet his next great teacher ...

Or to become one ...

However the ritual might unfold.