Elemental Shaman

The shaman slowly looked in my direction. His hands trembled. His eyes had rolled back, and only the whites were visible. His upper body shook as he declared, “I am the spirit of Niño Fidencio! Who has come to witness the miracles of our lord and savior and his blessed mother?

“Come, everyone, to witness the miracles of the Blessed Mother,” the shaman slowly said, although now his voice was different. He no longer spoke in the tenor of six-foot-tall man and instead radiated a soft, sweet voice. It was soothing and comforting.

“Everyone is welcome. All are children of God. Come to be healed by the power and mystery of the Holy Spirit.” And upon that command, the gathered crowd stood up and formed a line to talk to the healer, but it was not the shaman they were speaking to: it was the spirit of Niño Fidencio.

I closed my eyes and for a few seconds let go of all conscious thought.

As my head nodded downwards, I was transported to another place and time. High atop a hill, perched over a desert plain, the lonely expanse was breathtaking. In the distance, on the valley floor, I could see a long and winding road broken up by pieces of scrub brush. As I shifted my sight to scan the peak, my eyes caught a glimpse of a young man dressed in white. His features were solemn, and his sincere eyes spoke of confidence and a still deeper understanding. He said, “Bring me the woman.”

I looked around and could see a multitude of people standing around the man—but not near him. He was too powerful and too holy. As he gestured toward the woman, she approached, trembling. “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,” spoke the healer as he placed his hand on the woman’s temples. He seemed to lower her, as if to baptize her, bearing the entire weight of her body, but amazingly he was using only his right hand. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of me, and looked straight at me, or maybe straight into me. I awoke and realized I was back in the carport. I then raised my head and broke free from the vision. curandero: toltec shaman tut