Rainbow Bridge Clan Pipe Carrier

The Rainbow Bridge Clan stands for the honoring of all Spiritual Paths, Creeds, Religions, Nationalities, Sexual Orientations, and the whole of the Human Race. I do not claim to agree with all ways or condone any abuses of Mother Earth or any of her children or inhabitants, and yet, I still honor every person’s sacred path.

As the Pipe Carrier of the Rainbow Bridge Clan, I do my best to walk with compassion and unconditional love of the entire human race and create a safe and sacred space for people to find their unique path to spiritual awakening. The journey of this Pipe has a history that is unknown before 1987 when it was perceived by Carol White Water Dawn. She had a vision about this Pipe and retrieved the Pipe from an old junk shop in Alamogordo NM. She carried the Pipe with respect and distinction for a few years and then she passed the Pipe to Pamela Lightsong Scheler. Pamela carried the Pipe with respect and distinction to many spiritual dances, gatherings, and events for 19 years. Pamela Lightsong Scheler passed the Pipe on June 22, 2009 to Windrunner/Brett Messer who has carried the Pipewith honor and respect to the present day.

To be a Pipe Carrier for the people is to carry the responsibility for creating sacred space for the people to find their own unique path to Spirit/God or the true self.  The word responsibility means the ability to respond to that which arises. This was taught to both Pamela and I many years ago by a powerful wisdom carrier who now watches over us all from the Blue Road. A Pipe Carrier should be adaptive to what arises in the moment and handle conflict through the Loving Heart.

THE GATHERING OF CIRCLES PIPE CEREMONY UNDER THE RAINBOW BRIDGE CLAN PIPE

Our Pipe ceremony tradition is not a Traditional Native American Pipe Ceremony. The teachings came to us from many different teachers, traditions, and teachings. Our tradition’s number one rule has been that if you come from your heart in a good way you can’t do it wrong.

Pamela/Cinnamon Lightsong is the one who came up with having a Pipe Carrier for each direction. She felt that to include other Pipe Carriers created a more powerful circle and ceremony and shared that power, and responsibility. My teachings were also from many sources and I honor all who contributed to this path. I am honored and blessed to have walked with the Sacred Pipe for 30 years as of February 2018.

The tradition is for the Pipe Carrier to sit in prayer, create sacred space, and call to our spirit guides and the Great Spirit to join in the creation of the GOC circle and sacred space (this sacred space is held through to the completion of the Gathering). Prior to the actual GOC Pipe ceremony this is a private time for the Carrier and the Pipe. After this quiet prayer time, it is the tradition for the Rainbow Bridge Clan Pipe Carrier to go and make offerings and ask one Pipe Carrier to join us for each ofthe Cardinal Directions, Mother Earth, Father Sky, and the Within or Gateway. This is part of setting this sacred circle for our Gathering, and our longest standing tradition. We all are to do our best to create a safe space and or environment for people to grow and become who they really are to the best of their ability, and that especially goes for the Pipe Carriers and Elders. The Pipe Carriers, all of them, are to the best of his/her ability to love all the people unconditionally, and to step up when any problem or conflict arises and help those to work through conflict through love. As the lead Pipe, I take this role very seriously and over the years have seen much growth come through this process. Bear Heart taught that Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the resolution of conflict with love. Over the years I have always stepped up where ever I could to be of good service, and solve problems as they arise when needed some times that calls for tough love. This walk is not always an easy one, and if we come from our heart, magic happens.

RESPONSIBILITY

Bear Heart’s teaching the ability to respond to what arises is paramount here; however it is not about rescue. Help is not always help recognizing when to step in takes experience. Buttons will get pushed; that’s part of the process. We are to only step in when things disturb the energy to the point that assistance is needed, and then we are to guide those involved through to their own resolution, not ours.

THE GATHERING OF CIRCLES PIPE CEREMONY

The Rainbow Bridge Clan Pipe Carrier is responsible for organizing and leading the Gathering of Circles Pipe Ceremony, and is responsible for determining the protocols followed in the Opening Pipe Ceremony. The following protocol will normally be followed for the Pipe Ceremony.

After selection of the Pipe Carriers for each of the Directions, Pipe Carriers will exchange tobacco with each other. This exchange of tobacco is a blessing for all the Pipe Carriers and all those who smoke the Pipes since it is a sharing of tobacco and a mixing of tobacco from all the prior ceremonies that the Pipe Carriers have participated in, bringing those ceremonies into the current ceremony.

The Rainbow Bridge Clan Pipe Carrier will open the Ceremony with a prayer in the Direction of the East, followed in a Sun-wise manner by the Pipe Carriers for the remaining three Directions, Father Sky/ the Divine Masculine, Mother Earth/ the Divine Feminine, and the Seventh Direction. The attributes for each Direction will be determined by the Pipe Carrier in that Direction. Pipe Carriers from all traditions will be recognized. Any smoking mix may be used, but no marijuana.

The Pipe Carriers will smoke their Pipe for the Directions and then the Pipes will be offered to those in the Circle. Women on their Moon will be allowed to smoke the Pipes. Touching the Stem to the right shoulder, then the left shoulder is the same as smoking the Pipe.

The Rainbow Bridge Clan Pipe stays together until the end of the GOC activities. The other Pipe Carriers may separate their Pipes after the end of the Opening Ceremony.

With Much Love, and holding you in my heart,

Brett Messer/Windrunner