#henk

THE LEGEND OF THE BLACK WOLF

A tale of illusion vs. truth ... Deep in the Canadian Rockies, a small mountain village of 500 people dealt with a problem that hit close to home. Over the span of a month, a rare black wolf was spotted near the village on four occasions. According to local legend, this animal was believed to be a sign of misfortune and impending doom ... During this rash of sightings, parents kept their children locked indoors, and all adults completed their outdoor work at least two hours before sunset. Though they were highly contemplative and spiritual people, the villagers fell sway to the dogmas of their own fear ... Following the latest sighting of the black wolf, village elders resolved to send their two most courageous warriors deep into the mountain wilderness to confront the wild beast before it could visit harm upon the community ... The following morning, the two young warriors, River Stone and White Lightning, set off on horseback into the desolate snow-capped mountains to track down the feared animal. For the first three hours, the two revered men rode in near silence, up an ancient path that steadily climbed high into the alpine forests. Finally, White Lightning broke the deep and awe-filled silence : “My dear brother, how do you suppose we’ll know where to find the black wolf? What if we never find it and fail in our mission? Then we’ll return home in defeat and shame.” River Stone smiled warmly at his travelling companion and replied : “My loyal friend, have no worry about the answers you seek. If the Great Spirit wills for us to encounter the beast, then that shall be so. Have faith that it’ll present itself. The ancestors are already guiding us toward our destiny.” ... The two warriors rode for another hour in silence, until they arrived at a sacred cave just off the beaten path, where a long line of medicine men and women took refuge to pray while on vision quests ... Down through the centuries, these conduits of the traditional way invoked the spirits of their ancestors there. This invocation included the chanting of mantras and the smoking of Gasha, a psychedelic herb that expanded consciousness and unlocked certain spiritual powers like clairvoyance and telepathy ... Both men dismounted from their horses, climbed into the ancient cave and sat down cross-legged. Without uttering a word, River Stone pulled a magnificent embroidered pipe from his coat pocket and packed it full of sacred Gasha. White Lightning bowed his head in reverence, as River Stone recited a prayer before taking the first hit and passing the pipe counterclockwise to his soul brother ... Within moments, the effects of the holy Gasha began to take hold, and the sounds of their ancestors’ voices began echoing through the cave. River Stone and White Lightning dropped to their knees and touched their foreheads to the ground to honour the spirit of the Earth ... The voices grew louder, before breaking into haunting cries of soulful wildness. As the sounds became more intense, the two seekers felt the ground shake and a luminous presence appear ... At that very moment, both men emerged out of their trance and gazed at the entrance of the cave—only to find a great being standing before them. It was the black wolf !!!