— SACRED TIME —

Sun Dance (summer window)

approximate window: June 21 – July 31 · Native American traditions · Peoples and regions

Historical window

Esoteric and historical meaning

Great renewal ceremony of the Plains nations around the sacred tree: one offers their own pain and flesh for the life of the people.

Operative mechanics — ritual acts

·Purification in the sweat lodge before the ceremony
·Fasting from food and water for the duration of the dance
·Dancing facing the central tree from dawn to dusk

Traditional foods

·Full fasting for the dancers
·Breaking the fast with water and berries

Offerings

·Tobacco bundles tied to the tree
·Sage, cedar, sweetgrass burned

Taboos to respect

·No photography or recording
·Do not participate without an invitation and guidance: closed ceremony

Associated symbols

Cosmic tree · Eagle feather · Sage · Circle

Note for paradigm shifting

To be studied with respect: a living and closed tradition. Grasp the principle (offering physical endurance), do not copy the form.