~ Black Elk speaks: "You have noticed that everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the Power·of the World always works in circles, and everything tries to be round.· In the old days when we were a strong and happy people, all our power came to us from the sacred hoop of the nation and so long as the hoop was unbroken the people flourished.· The flowering tree was the living center of the hoop, and the circle of the four quarters nourished it.· The East gave peace and light, the South gave warmth, the West gave rain, and the North with its cold and mighty wind gave strength and endurance.· This knowledge came to us from the outer world with our religion.  Everything the Power of the World does is in a circle.· The sky is round and I have heard that the Earth is round like a ball and so are all the stars.··· The wind, in its greatest power, whirls.· Birds make their nests in circles.... The Sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle.· The Moon does the same, and both are round.· Even the seasons are a great circle in their changing, and always come back to where they were." ~ John Neihardt

~ It was the longest night.  People gathered from near and far, in small groups and large, to share their fears and grief and the darkness in their hearts.  A year like no other, this was, testing us beyond what we'd ever imagined.  Day after day, week after week, we found ourselves growing and becoming sturdy because there was no other choice.  And the Solstice fire was lit and the candles passed and the light of the new year's dawning lifted our heavy hearts and brought us brightness and hope.   ~ Julie Middleton