Dreamtime

I am fighting for Marina in two worlds.

The world of subtle energy and other dimensions has always been a better fit for me.

This time, though, just as it happened already once years ago, dreamtime is a challenging and tricky world that I enter with more caution.

Last night, I was climbing a high rock wall with Marina wrapped around my back, an abyss underneath that I refused to look at.

Marina had her legs around my waist, crossed on top of my navel but I had to keep readjusting them. Their tendency was to unlock and just hang down. I also had to wrap Marina's wrists with bendages that I then passed under my arms crossing my chest, then twice around my back to return them on my stomach where I tied them in a knot.

It was a super-slow ascension and I was sweating gallons.

I used all my arms strenght to lift us. Sometimes, despite my efforts, it looked like we were moving only half an inch from the ground.

I did not want Marina to realize my frustration so I started singing.

Pretty soon, I was singing a Sundance song taught me by my Lakota friends.

Tunkashila, hoye wainkte.
Namahon Yelo!
Maka sitomniyan
Hote wainkte.
Mitakuye obwaniktelo.
Epelo.

(Father, I am sending a voice.
Listen to me.
I am sending a voice
through the universe.
I will live together with all my relations.
This is what I am saying.)

I recalled a summer of several years ago, the warriors looking at the tree representing the sun in the center of the harbor.

I recalled Sidney Keith's words: -Tunkashila, I am doing this so that my people can live.-

I recalled Sidney, my Lakota elder and spuritual leader, piercing his chest, at 74. He was then led to the harbor and tied to the tree in the mercyless sunshine ofa Dakota afternoon, the ground bubbling under extreme 110 degrees.

How ridiculously easy seemed my endeavor, compared to what Sundancers have to endure.

I started pushing more with my legs and singing louder.

Look. Two eagles.

Two eagles had just started to circle the top of the mountain above our heads.

Two eagles announced by Marina's voice.

I stopped still. I feared that moving just one muscle could break the magic of that moment.

Marina had just talked. Marina had seen the eagles. Marina had articulated a full sentence.

Marina, by the way, had become lighter and lighter.

I could now move faster, using both my arms and legs.

How reckless you are, Marina.

I can't think about anything more reckless than finding the courage to learn how to breathe, see, move and talk again.

You're going to make it, babe.

It's hard, I know, but you'll make it.

We're doing this so that you can live. We're sending a voice through the whole universe. The universe will listen.

Meanwhile, Marina, let's keep climbing.