Commissioned work: hand-stitched, custom fit moccasin.
I’ve been asked to sew a pair of shoes for a woman who is healing herself with nature. In her infinite internal wisdom, she’s self prescribed being outdoors – a lot. While hiking, she realized how important it is for her to actually have her feet on the earth, unencumbered by artificial material. I prefer to use Buffalo hide for moccasins for its strength , stability, comfort and ease. Buffalo gives what is needed.
Fresh ginger tea sweetened with local honey and lemon (yum!) warmed us during our time together talking, tracing, measuring. That she shared what was on her heart, why she felt drawn to walking the earth in moccasin was a generous gift of authenticity and vulnerability. Delighted and naturally drawn to buffalo without knowing why, she had done a little reading – there are plenty of intellectual sources extolling wisdom about the medicine for which I am grateful. When she asked, “what is the medicine of the buffalo?”. I paused to reflect.
Medicine is far more meaningful through experiential work and practice. I have been working with and worked by Buffalo in really good ways – I shared a bit knowing that we are all worked individually as needed – the books and websites cannot begin to know how Buffalo works its magic. Just this morning in my prayers of gratitude for Grandmother Buffy Pté (who lives with me) and in preparation for these moccasin, I found myself offering up prayers for the Buffalo Nation – that they have room to roam, they way they deserve to. This lead to prayers for peace with the Ranchers who are resistant to the Buffalo so their cattle have the landscape to graze. And I then realize these Ranchers are the good guys in spite of the deeds done to the populations of buffalo – their animals are not pinned into feed lots on factory farms. Again the prayer within me is moved by the good medicine of Buffalo. Now I’m offering up prayers for these practices to stop – no more poisoning the earth and the residents nearby, no more inhumane treatment of these animals (cattle. hogs, chickens, any others raised in these ways), for the greed to be at an end. Then prayers too for those who are driven by their greed. And on and on it goes with the Buffalo. Their medicine opens my heart wider and in surprising ways.
The Buffalo is guardian medicine, constant in generosity, offering themselves and their powers unceasingly.
May their needs also be met.
The patterns made and fitted properly, and are now taken apart and laid up on the hide. I have prayed for and with the spirit of this Buffalo – listened and received messages for the woman who waits for her new shoes. She’s given me her prayers and intentions to hold while I sew for her. The moccasin will be sewn with my love and gratitude for the Buffalo Nation and the way our Mother Earth will heal this woman and she will heal herself – it is all a mystery to me and I trust fully these medicine ways, the prayers, the process.
Soul Proprietor is always available for commissioned works of all sort. Any object for ritual – personal, sacred and ceremonial, tools for healing practitioners. A full schedule of workshops for DIY crafting is also always available. The next moccasin crafting workshop is November 21-22 – it is richly rewarding and fulfilling to sew with the Buffalo. Consider a pair of new medicine shoes for yourself or perhaps as gifting, the holiday season is quickly upon us. These moccasin are a worthy and unique gift that will surely carry anyone wearing them a long way on our Mother Earth – leaving prayers with each step and every footprint on her back.
Mitakuye Oyasin ~ All My Relations