Saturday, January 31, 2004

Nice, Hot and Muddy

Tonight I had the fortune and previledge of experiencing my first sweat lodge ceremony. The ceremony is held at an older native american man's home every friday, we got there at around 5:30 pm and a nice big fire was already burning brightly with volcanic rocks burried underneath, after being introduced to everyone, shaking hands and small talks, the ceremony began by one of the elders burning some sweet smelling tobaco by the fire and sending prayers, we then stripped to our swim-trunks, each sent a prayer to the fire and went inside the iglo shaped lodge, kneeling, thru the small opening and sat down on the dirt ground one next to another tightly with knees bent upwards to the chest so that everyone, about 20 men, could all fit. The elders sent prayers, the man in charge of the fire brought 7 rocks in, 4 for each direction of the compass or the 4 stages of life, 1 for earth, one for the skies, and one for people, they put some of the sweet smelling tobaco over it and the lodge was filled with a nice tastey smoke, they brought in a metal bucket of water, or as they called it water of life, poured some over the rock and the drumming and chanting began, the elders chanted at first, but as it got hotter everyone participated, the chants were prayers in their languages and felt easy on the soul and the drumming was hypnotic. After the first round of songs they opened the small cloth door for fresh ait to come in, and elders spoke wise words about bringing about goodness through prayers, they brough more rocks in and so it went for four rounds, each round was hotter from the previous round with the accumulative heat of the combined rocks, the tip of my ears were burning but it felt good. The elders had a lot of wisdom in their talks during the airing breaks between rounds, this was a beautiful experience, I felt close to earth and all the different walks of people present there, from the elder natives, to the hispanics, to the white people and to myself, the iranian, amazing how simple it is for different people to come together and share one love, one spirit together with respect. After the ceremony we all went inside the house and had one of the tastiest home made meals, tortillas, stew, rice and beans and potatos, truly hit the spot, I think this is gonna become a new tradition for me, peace and respect goes to my native american friend who introduced me to this, I truly feel elated.

Monday, January 19, 2004

Danger Ball

Danger Ball is a ball exactly size of a volyball but with the grippy texture of a basketball, like a mini-basketball, it's black in color, and the catch is that it weighs 10 pounds. Danger ball wasn't meant to be dangerous at all, in fact it is sold as "medicine ball" for people with joint problems to lift it as a way to get the exercises recommended by their physical therapists but when it's thrown at people intentionally it earns its nickname, danger ball.

Last year I had the fortune of spending a great deal of time at a friend's house who owned a danger ball. Playing danger ball was a party favorite, people loved getting knocked outa their spot by a speeding 10 pound ball hurled at'em, drunk or sober, men and women, short and tall alike. It was always a great mystery what would happen (or what would break) when someone missed catching the dangerball, once a stray ball hit the computer on the floppy button and ejected the floppy 8 feet out, another time it landed on a synthesizer and scared the bejesus out of the people involved. Danger ball is not a sport for weak hearts, do not try it at home boys and girls.