One of the elders had died that week.
The people sat around the fire, subdued and reflective, except for the children, who played as usual until called down by those older.
"What is death, Story Teller?" asked a young woman.
"Death is breathing out and not breathing back in," said Story Teller.
All grew quiet. The snapping and the crackling of the fire was all that was heard.
"Which is much better than breathing in and not breathing back out," he continued.
The community absorbed this information. Story Teller says strange things at times, some thought. But that is what makes him a Story Teller.
Finally someone spoke. "Holding your breath forever does not sound very pleasant."
"Right," said Story Teller. "It would be living in eternal tension. Death is a breathing out and not breathing back in. Death is a release."
'Thank God,' thought many of the older ones.
"Death points to the importance of the breath," continued Story Teller. "We are continuously breathing in and out with hardly a thought about it. We just putter along on automatic."
"Breathing is inhalation and exhalation. We use these words often but rarely stop to think what they mean."
'Uh oh, here comes the story,' thought those accustomed to Story Teller's style.
"Hale means healthy. When we in-hale we breathe in healthiness."
He paused, waiting for it to click.
Finally one said, "But when we ex-hale we do not breathe out healthiness, do we?"
"Many of us do," said Story Teller. "And my hope is that all of us will."
"Breath is a prayer. Breathing is praying. When we breathe in goodness to ourselves and breathe out goodness to others, this is called in-hale-ation and ex-hale-ation. When our thoughts and images are negative, this is called in-hell-ation and ex-hell-ation."
Folk thought about community members who were always giving themselves and others hell. They had not thought of it as a manner of breathing before.
"The healthy practice is to breathe in lovingkindness to yourself and breathe out lovingkindness to others," said Story Teller. "Do this on purpose until it is your way of being. Give it a try."
As they in-haled and ex-haled, their hearts grew lighter. Grief lessened. Postures straightened. The change was visible.
"When this way of breathing becomes your way of living, it also becomes your way of dying," said Story Teller. "Your last exhalation is a blessing of lovingkindness to all. The body is left behind and your breathing out prayer merges with the Source from which it came."
They sat quietly for a while.
Story Teller said, "Tomorrow night I will tell you how this breath relates to Yahweh's transformation."
Many arose, stretching and yawning and heading for their beds. Others stayed around the fire for a while. Breathing.
The people sat around the fire, subdued and reflective, except for the children, who played as usual until called down by those older.
"What is death, Story Teller?" asked a young woman.
"Death is breathing out and not breathing back in," said Story Teller.
All grew quiet. The snapping and the crackling of the fire was all that was heard.
"Which is much better than breathing in and not breathing back out," he continued.
The community absorbed this information. Story Teller says strange things at times, some thought. But that is what makes him a Story Teller.
Finally someone spoke. "Holding your breath forever does not sound very pleasant."
"Right," said Story Teller. "It would be living in eternal tension. Death is a breathing out and not breathing back in. Death is a release."
'Thank God,' thought many of the older ones.
"Death points to the importance of the breath," continued Story Teller. "We are continuously breathing in and out with hardly a thought about it. We just putter along on automatic."
"Breathing is inhalation and exhalation. We use these words often but rarely stop to think what they mean."
'Uh oh, here comes the story,' thought those accustomed to Story Teller's style.
"Hale means healthy. When we in-hale we breathe in healthiness."
He paused, waiting for it to click.
Finally one said, "But when we ex-hale we do not breathe out healthiness, do we?"
"Many of us do," said Story Teller. "And my hope is that all of us will."
"Breath is a prayer. Breathing is praying. When we breathe in goodness to ourselves and breathe out goodness to others, this is called in-hale-ation and ex-hale-ation. When our thoughts and images are negative, this is called in-hell-ation and ex-hell-ation."
Folk thought about community members who were always giving themselves and others hell. They had not thought of it as a manner of breathing before.
"The healthy practice is to breathe in lovingkindness to yourself and breathe out lovingkindness to others," said Story Teller. "Do this on purpose until it is your way of being. Give it a try."
As they in-haled and ex-haled, their hearts grew lighter. Grief lessened. Postures straightened. The change was visible.
"When this way of breathing becomes your way of living, it also becomes your way of dying," said Story Teller. "Your last exhalation is a blessing of lovingkindness to all. The body is left behind and your breathing out prayer merges with the Source from which it came."
They sat quietly for a while.
Story Teller said, "Tomorrow night I will tell you how this breath relates to Yahweh's transformation."
Many arose, stretching and yawning and heading for their beds. Others stayed around the fire for a while. Breathing.
very understandable. thx. b.
ReplyDeleteLoved this Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI recently started a story about a tribe with a recognized "dreamer" who provides visions from other dimensions on where the tribe is going. His welcoming phrase, when sharing a new dream with his kin, is "Sit down by the Fire". I'm feeling right at home.
ReplyDeleteQuite interesting, George. This one contains some of your word-play that's now among my favorites: "When we breathe in goodness to ourselves and breathe out goodness to others, this is called in-hale-ation and ex-hale-ation. When our thoughts and images are negative, this is called in-hell-ation and ex-hell-ation." Nicely done!
ReplyDelete