Chapter 14

A TYPICAL GATHERING

The love that passes between each other is the greatest work on the vibration of the earth.

Although each was different, we soon came to recognize and look forward to typical parts of a Gathering. There were six: introductions, stories, "traditions and ceremonies," meditations, personal messages, and leavetakings. One flowed seamlessly into another, but to give you the flavor of a Gathering, I include samples of each in this chapter. More stories, meditations, and messages follow in later chapters.

Introductions

Gatherings with Pretty Flower started with introductions. People usually introduced themselves and said a greeting; Pretty Flower recognized newcomers and asked them about themselves. These introductions usually initiated a period of naming. Pretty Flower often gave participants new names, asking for permission first. We came to realize that these new names were often names the person had had in a previous life or lives. She herself usually named the women, often giving them nature names or names pertaining to a beautiful part of the universe. Some of these names were Little Flower, White Lily, Woman of the Star, Sister of the Howling Wolves, Sister of the Moon, Deer (or Dear) Diane, Waterfall, Rose, and Shining Star. Often she told a story or made a comment about the name.

If the participant was a man Pretty Flower acknowledged the present name or gave a different name in English. In rare instances she gave a man or a boy a nature name. Names she herself bestowed included Gem Gardener, Dawn of the Mountain, Warrior of the Clouds, The Strength of Ten (With Peace in His Heart), Gentle Warrior, and Shadow of the Pines. In general, however, she did not consider it proper to name men herself. With warriors - that is, men - naming was a private, almost secret, matter. It seemed only a warrior could bestow the name of the warrior, and the giving of the name was a teaching of truths connected with that name. Pretty Flower could not teach what she had not experienced. So, in our sessions, when she wished to give a man a name, she often made way for a warrior, who came through to bestow the name.

After the introductions and the naming, Pretty Flower would chant - and as I have said, these chants were wondrous in their variety and expressiveness. In the introductions, Pretty Flower had comments and insights not only for individuals within the gathering but had messages for the gathering itself. Here is an example.

'..This is a wonderful, cozy group this evening. We are small in number in physical form, and I would inform you, not that you might feel crowded, but we are many in spirit form. And we are blessed in the presence of many upright beings, who have decided upon a visitation to this particular vibration this evening. This, my friends, has much to do with the present vibration of this room, of which we all are creating. There is much happening this evening, and it is a pleasure to be partaking of this communion...

The Little Stories

After the introductions and chants, Pretty Flower usually told a story. If she herself told it, she usually called it a "little story." Pretty Flower's little stories seem simple, but they pack a powerful wallop of truth. Some are short, some are quite detailed. I think this form is valuable as each person perceives the nuggets of truth at his or her own level of comprehension. Pretty Flower cautions us not to compare one's understanding to another person's perception.

THE STORY OF THE COYOTE

The story begins at the beginning and at the end, both at the same time. That means that it is part of a circle, and that in itself is another story. This story of the Coyote begins with the wonderful, wonderful fuzzy cub. And he is the color of the silver moon. And he is the color of the nip in the winter wind. And he is the color of a cold, black, wet nose. And he is small, and he is, even though he is small, at the very beginning, left to fend for himself. And as he does, and standing on shaky legs, he begins to look around. And the coyote cub knows no fear, for why should he? And as he looks around, he believes that he is the master of his destiny and of his space. And he makes a small sound which he believes is a monumental sound, and he makes it. And then, what happens? Mother returns and she pushes him over with her nose. One simple movement, and he is rolling on the ground. And he is most happy to be in the space with his mother. And here is the father, and the father is the master of the area. He is the master of the great rock. He is the master of the hearth of the cave. And none dare come to that space. And he knows that, even as he stands on the rocks, so strong. And there is the family. As the days continue, and as the weeks continue, and as the moon turns many times, round and round, the cub grows, and grows, and grows. And there are many life experiences that he feels within his vibration. And through the many, there is the mother and the father, who push him over with their nose, even at this age, because he allows that to happen because it is part of his life.
And one day, he knows that something is different. He feels this in his body. He feels it in his bones. And in the blood flowing through the veins, he feels something is different. On his journey for the day, he knows something is different. He walks differently. He jumps the river differently. He sniffs the air differently. And as he experiences the newness of the day, he experiences the change that is happening within and without. And he decides that maybe he won't - but maybe he will return home. And he returns to the cave. And his father is not quite sure that the growing cub belongs in the cave. He is quite different this evening; however, he enters the cave and he goes to his mother. And she knows that she will not push him over with her nose. She does not even rise. She continues with her vibration. And there is a warning that goes through her that says, "Something has changed. Who is this?" And that evening, they all rest on tense legs. And they are all very much aware of each other's movements.
And as the evening progresses into the darkness of night, there comes over the horizon, the moon. The moon, in all its splendor, comes over the horizon, and it casts its light upon the earth, and upon the side of the rocks, on the side of the cave, where the three beings are residing. And the father feels the pull of the moon in his very blood. He feels it pulling him. And he stays where he is. He has much wisdom and practice at the energies of the moon. The mother, in her position, is not looking at the father, and is not looking at the son. The mother is keeping her nose under her paws, and her being is in total alert. And as she is in tune with the energies of the moon, she knows as the female, that it is her companion. And there is not a muscle moved in her body. And the change continues.

And as the change continues, we see that the only thing that these three beings are doing is being alert. And the change continues and in the veins and in the being of the once-cub is the pull to the moon - is the pull to the vibrations of what we think is the wild, and what is actually a marriage of the vibrations of the moon and the changing vibrations in the once-cub. As that marriage takes place between the energies, there is more change. And there is release of the tension, as there is knowledge in the father and in the mother of what is taking place in the once-cub. Now, the once-cub does not know what is happening. He does not think about what is happening; he feels different. And he knows that the light around his being is brighter and brighter, and the moon is beckoning. And as the beam comes down to the once-cub, he is alert and he lifts his head, and he stands. And he opens his mouth to allow the energies and vibrations of the moon to enter his being. And, as the elixir pouring into the vessel fills his being, it makes the change possible. And as the elixir of the moon in a vibration and in a circular motion runs through the being of the once-cub, it, like a magnet, attracts any part of the cub remaining, and pulls to itself, and upon exiting requires a sound. And the sound is a wonderful howl. Is a wonderful howl from the coyote that is a marriage like no other, between the coyote and the moon...

If we were to think of that story a little, we would see that some of our beliefs are a little different, would we not?

Ceremonies and Traditions

Sometimes, instead of or in addition to a story, she presented material we called ceremonies or traditions. These involved a change, during the session, to a different entity, often a warrior. The warrior spoke of his own ceremony or tradition, which involved warriors. Pretty Flower spoke of ceremonies and traditions that were her experiences and truths. The warrior's voice was deeper than Pretty Flower's. He sat erect on the chair (she had a tendency to curl into the chair), commanding great energy and force.

At one Gathering, a man asked for the teaching of a ceremony. A warrior appeared in full strength of his being and began this great teaching.

THE DANCE OF THE BEAR

One moment, there would be a change of energies. One moment. We would begin at the beginning, which would be the Dancing Bear. There would be a purpose to the Dancing Bear, which would be at the discretion of that being who would be surrendering to the Dance of the Bear.
The purposes are many. And at the base of all the purposes the Fathers of the People would have the recognition that there is deep within their breasts a desire to be one with the universe. And so, the Dance of the Bear - whether the purpose be to gain possessions, to gain love, to gain that being to be at your side forever, whether it be for riches - the Dance of the Bear teaches us to relinquish those desires and recognize that in our breasts we have the desire to be one in the universe.
Those who are being taught the Dance of the Bear know these facts and they also know that whatever their wishes are, will be fulfilled in the dance. And each comes with a tiny secret in his being as to what that great wish would be. And even though he knows that those wishes will be dispersed, and the one wish in the breast to be one with the universe will remain, he still carries the wish in the hopes that perhaps he might be able [to] carry that wish through the dance to the end. So that the wish might be granted.
And some of the wishes are not what we would call "poison wishes," some of the wishes are for the health of the grandmother. There are wishes that we would think of in that term, so there would not be a judgment of any man or being upon any wish that he thinks that his neighbor might have, or upon any wish that he might have, in the back of this being, where secrets are being kept.
And so we prepare for the Dance of the Bear. And we would come forward, as the preparation requires a time in thinking, not here [pointing to the head], in thinking in the entire being what those wishes are. And as those wishes come forward, we allow them to be in our presence. And we weed our gardens, and we come to those wishes which we will not allow ourselves to pull from the garden. They will not budge! Those wishes are the truth. Those wishes are the ones we cannot relinquish; try as we may, they remain with us. And we would be truthful beings, and we would know that there would be a wish for something that our being would judge as wrong and we still have that wish, even though we say, "I do not wish that." It is still there in the garden, and will not be budged.

And so, we come, after a period of being with ourselves, to a time when we recognize the truth about ourselves, and we recognize most of the wishes that we cannot simply abandon. And then we know what our Dance of the Bear would be. And those Great Fathers and those Teachers who many are present this gathering, would know, they would advise those who are preparing their first time for the Dance of the Bear, that if there are many wishes, there are many purifications through the Dance of the Bear.
And then the young warriors would go to their spots where they are with themselves, and they would look again at their wishes. And they would recognize and know deep within their being that they will be purged of those wishes, and they know how they cannot simply abandon those wishes, and they know the intensity of their Dance of the Bear. And, when the time and the courage seem to come together, there would be a cleansing of the being within and without.

There would be a beginning, the beginning would be to mix in a spot in the earth the mixture of ground shells from that creature which lives on the water's edge, and some dew, gathered at the time when the moon is hiding from our visions. We would mix without hands that mixture with some water from the falls of life, and then we would make a paste and we would take that paste and cover our beings on every spot. Then we would go to the forest and we would dig with our hands for the roots and the roots would be the color of the sun. And the hot corn sun - and we would find that root. And we would make a presence to the plant that that energy would allow itself to be with our being, used in the preparation and purification of the being within - as the coating on our being shows that we are in need of purification, and the plant at the time would relinquish the root. And then we would take the dirt on the root, and rub on our being. Then we would take the root and we would push away the outer layer so that we see the gold, the bright color of the sun. And we would take a twig, a piece of the mint, the refreshing mint, to remind the inner soul that it is a temporary happening, and we put the mint around our teeth, and in our being in the mouth, and then we chew.
Nothing this day has gone to the mouth before that mint. And then we would take the most powerful golden root, and we would chew, and we would consume the entire root. The size of the root is what is necessary for the moment. (And when we opened the earth and the root presents itself, we again have an inkling as to the Dance of the Bear by the size of the root, and the awareness of the warriors would see the vibration of the root.) And we would continue to consume that root and we would be grateful to the plant and to the Mother Earth and to the Fathers above and around for this sting on our tongues and for the burning as the throat feels the vibration of the root.
Then we would cover the earth, and we would recognize that we are not at this time in a position to bestow blessing on that part of the earth which has been opened and closed, and we would ask the Fathers to bless that spot. We would then go to our private vibration, where we would bring the leaves from the forest and we would curl our bodies to a ball, obey the vibration of the sun, we must be in the vibration of the sun. And we would stay, and the pains that would happen within the beings, we would be most grateful, as the vibration of the root is pulling those poisons from our being and cleansing within. And we would stay in that position until the dawn of the next day.

In the dawn of the next day, we would rise and in that spot in the earth we would allow the root to come back from the top and from the bottom. And we would allow that process to continue, we are in most grateful position, the more that happens - the greater the cleansing. And then we cover our leaves in the spot. Then we would go to the falls of the heavens, and we would take the sand. We would take the sand of the earth and we would take the moss of the earth, and we would carry these vibrations to the falls of heavens, and we would come to the water's edge and in our meditation, we would cleanse the outside of our body. And we would rub the sands with movement, to remove any from our body, and we would stand beneath the falls. We would take the moss and we would put the vibration of green on our bodies.

The vibration of green would cover our entire body and we would be clean within and without. And then the Fathers of the tribe would be standing in a circle near that spot and they would open their circle for the warrior. And he would come forward. And he would be on his body placed a skin of the Bear. And the Fathers of the Tribe would be in Holy Ground, and the warrior would be in the skin of the Bear and the Dance of the Bear would begin. The moment the skin of the Bear touched the skin of the warrior. And the energies of the skin of the Bear would be in the skin of the warrior.
And the warrior being the first time, would feel the electricity of the movement. And he would be aware that he is in the energy of the Great Bear.

And his dance would begin. And the dance would begin. As the paws and great claws of the Bear touch the ground - and the arm of the warrior is the arm of the Bear - and the warrior dances around around around, and he would dance from here to here to here to here. And in the movement of the Bear, the wishes of the warrior come forward to his being. And shake his head though he may, those wishes will not go away. He feels those wishes pounding in his very being. And they will not go away. And he knows that his body is being pulled this way and that way and there are movements he knows not. There are sounds that come from his being he knows not.
And he is in the energies of the Bear and those wishes will not go away. And the Bear dances and dances and dances. And the Bear takes the claws of his being and he pulls at the flesh, that he might remove those wishes. The warrior knows in his being that the Bear, the Holy Bear, is purging his being of those wishes. So that something else might be there. Something else might be there.

And that process continues for as long as it may take, for the wishes of the man are great. And there is a moment when the being of the warrior knows that he cannot hold on to those wishes one moment longer. And he throws them away. They are not there! And his being is purged of the wishes of man. And in his breast, a great fire builds and builds and builds. And he feels that the energies of his being, of the warrior, are building and he knows that his spirit is one with the universe.
And in that taste of that vibration he knows that nothing will replace that vibration. To be in the presence of the Universal Energies of the Fathers - nothing will take that place. And when that realization is here [marking drawing of circle, star, and pyramid on the forehead], the energies of the Bear have completed their work and the skin of the Bear simply falls to the earth, and the young warrior is carried by the Fathers to the Holy Grounds.

We would not speak of the Holy Grounds at this time. There is much healing to be done in the body of the warrior as there are many spaces on his body where the gouges of the claws have removed his flesh and his wishes. And in the Holy Grounds, there is a revitalization of the body of the warrior. [She chants.]

The Questions

The question period was a time for personal messages. Participants asked for guidance on physical, emotional, or spiritual matters; queried her about herself; raised questions about a past life or lives; and asked for comment or guidance on questions of public interest. Sometimes she answered matter of factly; many times she answered in parable or story form; but she always had a message or reading for each questioner.

Once we asked Pretty Flower why she was doing this work. What was the purpose of the Gatherings? It would be the purpose of these vibrations in the earthly plane to be in the works, so to speak, of enlightening and broadening the outlook and vibration of man on the planet of the earth. We are here to assist in the uplifting of the vibration of the planet - and sometimes the young children are lost - and we but take their hand and point them in the right direction. Then they can fall down and stand up as they learn the process. But we must, at some time, sometimes, even vibrate them so that they will not stay asleep forever! And we would do it with much joy! Here Pretty Flower talks to the parents of a boy who, when he was about two, was almost electrocuted in an accident involving Christmas tree lights. Paralyzed, he had, through intensive physical therapy, regained limited movement and speech. When Pretty Flower gave this reading for his parents, he was about five.

READING FOR DANNY'S PARENTS

...We would find that the wonderful vibration of the boy, Danny, would be trying to make a decision whether to remain on the vibration of the planet Earth or not. And we find that the challenges that he has set upon his soul for the vibration of this time have been many. And there is a decision of the spirit as to whether he would be vibrating or whether he would be moving on to another realm. And we would find that there would be much love surrounding that being. And that he would be working within his being and the lessons of expressing love. And he would but respond to the sounds of love. He would but respond to the tones of the chimes. He would but respond to the sounds of the birds. He would but respond to a cold wet nose of a friend animal upon his being. He would but respond to the leaves of the fall. He would but respond to the elimination of the rules and regulations for a short period only to be able to be - just to be.
And he could but be in the outdoors - just to be. And there would not be a concern for what he can do or what he cannot do - how he could perform in one instant what would be almost expected of his brother. In another form, what might be expected of himself. For he is but vacillating between beliefs that are present around him. And if he could be allowed to vibrate as himself. And would be that the mother would be with him and that they could be atop the mountain -and that they could make sounds together with the freedom within. And that the sounds would be whatever would be coming forward. And that the man, the man of sound within his life, the man who loves him with tenderness, the man who caresses his being, would be the greatest channel of love for the child.
And there would be, if possible, the environment of the country. Of the mountains, of the waterfalls, of the furry animals - so that the spirit friends, and the angels, and all those beings could vibrate with him. We would find that in previous times, the boy existed as man in the civilization of Rome and that there was much time on the chariots. And we would find that in another time, in the time of Atlantis, there would be a type of transportation also that he would be involved with. There would be many other times when there would be a type of transportation. Gliding above the earth and rolling upon the earth, with which he would be involved. And we would find that there would [be] many lives and many times where there would be great companions, and they would be amongst the greatest leaders of the earth. And that, in one form or another, that he would be a companion and trusted friend of many. That he would be at times, the secret companion of many. That there have been in many times, and in many parts of the earth, many secrets that he has held within his being. That he has functioned in the vibration of truth, that he has functioned in the vibration of honor. That he has functioned in the vibration of light.

Know that the choices are made before we even enter the vibration. And then there is an awareness, and an acceptance of those choices. And we could be speaking to that wonderful vibration of the young boy, and we could be saying, "This [is] what you have chosen, my dear. And you are doing great work. And the vibration of the universe is within you. And all those who come in contact with you are blessed for simply being in your presence. And that we love you. Even beyond ourselves. And that we receive the love that you are radiating to us. And we receive the truths that you are radiating to us. And we receive the honor that you are radiating to us. And we receive the light that you are radiating to us. For you are as you are, a light upon the earthly vibration. And many purposes are being fulfilled, even as we speak."

There could be a time when there would be a traveling to the Western states and there the young boy would experience a vibration of memory from a previous time. And there could [be] a vibration together as family. And awarenesses would be opened. There would be, if there would be sent, any type of questions, we would be most happy to be answering, especially questions regarding the care of this wonderful, vibrating being. And to those people living in the vibration to know that they have the blessings of the universe. And that they are fulfilling many balances in caring for the young boy. I would be making a sound for the wonderful young boy. [Chants.]

I would say again and again of the wonderful boy, Do not communicate with him as if he does not understand you. He understands more than you know. His understandings are greater than your knowledge. He is a gift and we are aware that you are in that belief yourselves, but that you would be hearing it from the vibrations of those beings who would be surrounding the blessings of the home for the care and protection. Know that the burdens of life are lifted from the very beings. And that you may, if you choose, walk in the light of the universe and vibrate as one. One moment, please. [She chants.] The boy is the bird, and the mother would know the meaning.

Guided Meditations

Next came a guided group meditation. Almost every gathering included one; each was different. Sometimes we sat in a circle, holding hands. Sometimes we stood. Sometimes she asked us to look into each other's eyes. Sometimes she said each person's name aloud. Each communion was guided by her slow, gentle, loving voice encouraging us to allow the process to unfold.

A MEDITATION

As we communicate, and as we laugh together, and as we share each other's sorrow and joy and problems and light and darkness, as we share our beings together, we become one. And as we become one, then we are closer to our purpose. For on this earthly plane, there can be one purpose - of unity. And as we meet together in different gatherings across the universe, we are uniting as one. I would be most pleased to form a union with you all present in physical and spirit form at this gathering (as you must know, and if you do not, the information is given now, that many come to attend these gatherings, many). And we are most happy to be in the presence of many forms.
So, I would request if you would simply close your eyes, and be, and allow the energies to flow through you - through you and to the next being - and to the next being - and to the next being - and as we are united and we experience the energies of the one, there is no complication, there is no need to make any effort at all, except to be. And then we have the great experience of channeling each other's energy and trusting that the energies that flow through us are whole and complete and that we are in union with the White Energy that flows around us, even as we sit here. There is no complication. Please try to let go of thinking. Try to allow the energies to flow without thinking at all. Just be. And I will be most happy to join you at this moment, here. [She chants.] It appears the Wind Spirits are most happy with our union...

OPENING TO THE WHITE LIGHT OF THE UNIVERSE

You don't have to be in any particular position. It does not matter. Your head could be on your hand, on your arm, on your elbow, on your leg or you could be sitting erect or you could be in the bathroom. It does not matter. Simply to allow the vibration to happen. And there is an opening, and all there needs to be said is "I open myself to the White Light of the Universe." That's the only thought that need be in our minds. And then, when you have said it in your mind, "I open myself to the White Light of the Universe" - Then, as I continue to speak, you could let that thought drift away to somewhere else. It will be taken care of. You do not need to tend it or any other thought. You can allow the thoughts to come in and out, it does not matter. The most important thing is that we are all here, and that is the work that we've done. We are able to be here and we have opened to the White Light of the Universe. It's as simple as that. And then, we are able to be in this circle, and feel the flow of vibrations around the circle. You do not need to attempt to feel the vibration. You simply are a vessel. And in being a vessel, you allow the energy to flow in and out. It's as simple as that. We are all channelers in this room, and we can practice at the very moment by allowing the energy to flow. Do not expect a stupendous experience. Do not expect anything but a simple vibration that is flowing around. And I would be grateful if while you are allowing this to happen, that I may make a sound. And that, after the sound, you would let the vibration continue for a few moments. And it's not a big deal. It's just a little experience to be able to feel the vibration of each other. And trust that the vibrations flowing through us are whole. We have opened to the White Light of the Universe...

MARRIAGE OF BREATH

A Standing Meditation I would ask if you would wish to partake of a union on different levels, of the beings present in the circle. What we would suggest would be that instead of holding hands, that we could place our arms about each other. Would that be possible? And in that space, there should be comfort, as this would take a few moments. If you would adjust your feet so that you would stand firmly ... And I would simply suggest that there is a joy in the center of every being, every being. And, because there is a joy in the center of every being, there is a joy in the center of those beings present here. And as we recognize that joy, we can, without wills, determine that there is an opening, and we can say to ourselves, "I open myself," and if you so choose, one might say, "I open myself to the White Light of the Universe." And if we were to decide to say, "I open myself to the White Light of the Universe," then we could let go of trying to open, as the process simply happens. We could even say, "I surrender to the White Light of the Universe in full trust and love." And know that, surrounding your beings on the outside of the circle of your beings, stands another circle. And in that circle are the angels, with their magnificent wings, and with their wonderful blessings. And as they are present around you, they embrace you ever so gently. And as they embrace you ever so gently, you can know in the very depths of your being that you need never be alone. In fact, you can know that you are never alone. The guides around you are here for you. And they have come to present their vibrations for your feelings that their vibrations and your vibrations would encompass a marriage. And as this marriage is taking place, with our wills and without our wills, it is simply a union. It is the type of union that happens as simply as when we open our eyes in the morning, and we know that it's morning. That's all there is to it. And we look at the sky at night and we see the stars, and we know they are the stars. It is as simple as that. And as the union confirms the vibrations within and without, we are most filled with joy that you are trusting of the White Light of the Universe, and the Blessings of the Highest on High have showered and are showering themselves upon you, even as we vibrate together in this room. And the blessings of the Highest on High can fill your beings to the brim so that, when there is breathing, there is breathing in of the blessings that have flowed from one of the others. And the breathing out, is breathing out of your blessings married to those blessings. And as we breathe in, we breathe in the blessings of the Highest on High. And when we breathe out, we breathe out the blessings of the Highest on High married to our own vibration. And we are the Highest on High. And we are the I AM. And if you would remain as you are for one moment, I would make a sound for you, that would be the sound of the marriages that are taking place on many levels, and the blessings that are so bountiful, vibrate and make a sound of their own. One moment please. [She chants.]

The Partings

Finally, she took her leave with a blessing and a chant. We have done much work here this evening. Our concept of work may change... as we learn that work itself is a letting go of the conception of work. It is not a 'nose to the grindstone', it is a letting go, and experiencing the wonders and the vibrations in the simplicity of joy and choosing to focus ourselves on the joy.

Often there were individual blessings and parting messages. Here is one for a man.
When you put your head down to sleep this evening, that there would be a blessing for you, as you are in the vibration of the spirits of the universe. Sometimes, the vibration is so subtle that we don't recognize it. But it is there. And you would know, even as you are drifting off to sleep, that many hold you in their arms and that there is much love pouring forth to you.

And for a woman: Wonderful woman, the knowledge of the universe is within your being and you are well aware that you are vibrating in the Light. That's all there is! It just becomes greater and greater, and the joy becomes greater and greater. We simply allow it to happen. You are most blessed and we would be most happy that you graced this gathering this evening. We would be in proper alignment in stating that the angels of the universe are at your command. Thank you, my dear, for being here. The journey has just begun!