Prayer Sticks
Prayer Sticks, which are sometimes known as 'Ikupasuy', are the vehicle through which men communicate with the gods. The carving on the 'Ikupasuy' is also identified as 'the worshipper'. Often misidentified in early literature as a 'moustache stick' or 'moustache lifter', the 'Ikupasuy' carried a man's prayer's to the gods. Its artful and creative manufacture was a major concern; hours of thought and energy went into making a Prayer Stick.
Prayer Sticks with feathers attached as offerings to the spirits, were largely used by the Pueblo Indians. Pueblo Prayer Sticks are usually made of cottonwood about seven inches long, and vary in shape, colour, and the feather attached, according to the nature of the petitions, and the person praying.
The Prayer Stick is intended to represent the god to whom the feathers convey the prayers that are breathed into the spirit of the plumes. Green and blue Prayer Sticks are often found in the Pueblo graves and especially in the ceremonial graves of Arizona.
The Hopi Indians had special Prayer Sticks to which a small bag of sacred meal was attached.
Our first step in creating a Prayer Stick is to find a stick or branch that wishes to serve as a Prayer Stick. Blessings and thanks may be made to the Tree Spirits for offering themselves as a carrier of our prayers.
The Prayer Sticks are fairly straight forward to make, the craftsmanship in the carving or the detail in the decoration are unimportant in themselves, it is the intent and the energy that you infuse into the prayer sticks with your commitment and dedication that will make a difference.
The prayer energy is offered into the creation of our Prayer Sticks by thinking good thoughts, or healing thoughts, or thoughts of forgiveness, or whatever our reason for offering the prayers may be. All must be done with the very best intentions.
We smudge the Prayer Sticks and offer them to Creator, invoking the power of the elements. Usually our prayers are released into the universe through the prayer sticks being stood up in the ground with the stick exposed to nature (air). However, the ties can be given to a river (water), burnt (fire). or even buried (earth). We should use whichever element we feel is most appropriate for our prayers.
Prayer Sticks, which are sometimes known as 'Ikupasuy', are the vehicle through which men communicate with the gods. The carving on the 'Ikupasuy' is also identified as 'the worshipper'. Often misidentified in early literature as a 'moustache stick' or 'moustache lifter', the 'Ikupasuy' carried a man's prayer's to the gods. Its artful and creative manufacture was a major concern; hours of thought and energy went into making a Prayer Stick.
Prayer Sticks with feathers attached as offerings to the spirits, were largely used by the Pueblo Indians. Pueblo Prayer Sticks are usually made of cottonwood about seven inches long, and vary in shape, colour, and the feather attached, according to the nature of the petitions, and the person praying.
The Prayer Stick is intended to represent the god to whom the feathers convey the prayers that are breathed into the spirit of the plumes. Green and blue Prayer Sticks are often found in the Pueblo graves and especially in the ceremonial graves of Arizona.
The Hopi Indians had special Prayer Sticks to which a small bag of sacred meal was attached.
Our first step in creating a Prayer Stick is to find a stick or branch that wishes to serve as a Prayer Stick. Blessings and thanks may be made to the Tree Spirits for offering themselves as a carrier of our prayers.
The Prayer Sticks are fairly straight forward to make, the craftsmanship in the carving or the detail in the decoration are unimportant in themselves, it is the intent and the energy that you infuse into the prayer sticks with your commitment and dedication that will make a difference.
The prayer energy is offered into the creation of our Prayer Sticks by thinking good thoughts, or healing thoughts, or thoughts of forgiveness, or whatever our reason for offering the prayers may be. All must be done with the very best intentions.
We smudge the Prayer Sticks and offer them to Creator, invoking the power of the elements. Usually our prayers are released into the universe through the prayer sticks being stood up in the ground with the stick exposed to nature (air). However, the ties can be given to a river (water), burnt (fire). or even buried (earth). We should use whichever element we feel is most appropriate for our prayers.
