She awakened under a sipapu with moonlight streaming through the opening of the round kiva, covered in moonflowers, holding the black luminous pearl in the cup of her hands at her heart, growing larger until it encircled her heart, and she sang,

I am White Medicine Flower, the Virgin Bride of Raven. I offer the Moon Crystal and come this night to consecrate the union with the Beloved. As each Moon flowers, I vow to consummate the mystical union with the Great Mystery.

Here I will build an altar and grow Love Lies Bleeding, Amaranthus, and Moonflower and make my shield of white deerskin with the blood of Raven to call my Beloved with my song.

Raven, I long for you, as the Moonflower for the Moon, the Moon for the Sun. Beloved I yearn and pine, question, doubt. Why don't you come to me, release me from my unconsummated desire?

No Eagle's flight captures my soul, but yours. My eyes stare long into the Moon's Light, for a glimpse of your blue-black wings.

Obsidian lover of Dreamtime, I meet you, shameless in desire, waiting for your descent, eyes silently cast downward, as a white shaman Stallion flies winged in the night toward the Moon.

Clothed in white, I offer gold incense to Raven, loose my hair, flowing free in the wind, and run bare-breasted, hesitating at the moonlight, liquid river before casting myself to the depths within.


After the lodge ended, Teri stood outside for a long time by the fire, staring at the January Full Moon overhead rising high above the mountains in the East. She could still feel heat in her hands as if she were holding the black pearl sphere, charged with Light energy. Looking into the Moon, she could see the outlines of the faces of two lovers, their mouths about to touch.

She did not sense Josseph approaching her until he stood quietly beside her. Without words, she lightly embraced him, their faces touching, then thanked him for the healing she felt she'd received in the lodge. He smiled back at her in the moonlight, and she felt his dark eyes suffuse her, as she'd seen the glowing yellow eyes of the white wolf penetrate her heart inside the lodge. They shook hands, and he invited her to come again for another lodge, and she warmly agreed.


She curled next to Lawrence who wakened from his sleep as she'd quietly entered the room, after Mariah dropped her off late in the night.

"How was the sweat?" he asked her sleepily, placing his arm around her shoulders.

"It was good," she answered dreamily, feeling herself overtaken by sleep from the long evening. I'll tell you about it in the morning," she said, drifting off.

The next morning, Teri woke, refreshed and relaxed, and pulled her meditation pillow underneath her, waiting for Lawrence to join her as they usually began the day with each other in morning practice.

She started to close her eyes, noticing a red rose in a small vase on the corner table in his room. She reached for the card attached to it, which was addressed to her. She opened the tiny card and read the message.

A Winter's Rose

Lovers don't finally meet somewhere.
They're in each other all along.

Rumi.

She was holding the rose, smiling, as Lawrence walked into the room, sitting down next to her on his own pillow.

"Thank you, Lawrence," she murmured, smiling at him, as she closed her eyes, and they began the meditation.