“Scarlet Sun”

Imagine yourself hiking an unfamiliar trail as the sun begins to wane and dip below the distant mountains. After pushing through a thicket of fledgling trees and brush, you find yourself standing before a rocky outcropping worn smooth by time with a deep dark crevice cut into the rock below. Then, slowly, before your eyes a thousand year old patina of ancient images begin to take shape in the scarlet glow of the setting sun. A warm tingling crawls up your spine and settles in the back of your neck. You now are feeling wonder, awe, and fear all at the same time. Now is when some people would remain transfixed in the soft warmth of the setting sun, and humbly absorb the spiritual power and ancient wonder of this place. Others would turn on their heels and hightail it back the way they came before the last rays of sunlight faded away… neither choice would be wrong.

Cracks and crevices found in natural rock formations, were often locations for sacred petroglyph images. Ancient shamans reverently etched figures and symbols within and around these places of shadow , because they knew them to be doorways to the spirit world. This open doorway is the passage for a trio of ghostly figures. These robed figures seem to float across the rock surface, unbound by any earthly means, highly decorated and reverently etched into the rock, they represent returning spirits of shamans, which have passed from our world long ago.

The symbol of a bear is also carefully etched here. This is evidence that powerful animal spirits were needed here long ago, because opening a door to the spirits was not always a safe act, protection was needed and the bear was one of the most powerful of the animal supernatural’s. Bear magic was not only for the hunt but was needed when going into battle. These ancient shamans are what stood between the people and the mysterious forces of our world and that of the spirits. It is in the realm of the spirits that a shaman sought to make contact with powerful spirits like these. This was done carefully and reverently, with the hope of acquiring wisdom and help for his people, having the protective power of the great bear was wise when dealing with certain spirits and ghosts.