Sing
A sing is a healing ceremony that lasts from two to nine days and nights. A highly
skilled specialist called a singer guides the ceremony. Used in healing, sings are
attended by as many people in the community as possible because just being pres-
ent is considered healing. Some songs are only for children and call on spirits who
take care of little children. Some spiritual songs take care of adults only. Other songs
focus on specific problems, such as the song for small burns that will cool them and
keep them from blistering. To learn a single chant can take up to several years. It
takes some people 40 years of singing before they master the chants and the accom-
panying herbal preparations.Pipe Ceremony
The Pipe ceremony takes many different forms depending on how this sacred knowl-
edge was given to the various tribes. The Pipe is one of the most sacred medicine
objects and represents the universe to Native American people. The bowl represents
Earth Mother and the female powers of the universe. The stem represents the plant
kingdom and the male powers of the universe. When the bowl and stem are joined
together, the Pipe is sacred. The tobacco smoked in the Pipe is an instrument of prayer
and has come to signify the sacredness of the ritual. As the smoke of the Pipe rises, it
creates an atmosphere of prayer by symbolizing prayers going up to the Creator.
Pipes are used for private and group prayers. Prayers are transmitted in the smoke of
the burning tobacco. Participants in the Pipe ceremony are as centered and focused
as possible, since everything they think and feel is part of the prayers being offered.
As in many other ceremonies, the number four has special significance. The Pipe is
offered to the four directions and is often passed in four ritual repetitions.Vision Quest
An extremely powerful ceremony is the Vision Quest. Traditionally, it is a time of
fasting, praying, isolation, and exposure to the elements, all of which contribute to a
mystic experience with the goal of understanding self and communicating with the
Great Spirit. Questions are asked, such as How can I best serve the people? How can
I best serve Mother Earth? How can I best serve future generations? The Vision Quest
tells people who they are, what they are really supposed to do, what their life goal
should be, and the purpose and meaning of their lives. The Vision Quest begins with
a sweatlodge for purification, after which the person is taken to an isolated place in
nature and begins the period of silence and fasting. During the Vision Quest, the
individual focuses only on prayer and vision and in this way is pushed into the
spirit world. After the Vision Quest, the person returns to the sweatlodge and a Pipe
Ceremony.76 ABSOLUTE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TOALTERNATIVE MEDICINE