We had had a plan for a long time – 4 of us were going to Serpent Mound on the Equinox to Attune one of my students as a Reiki Master. He had been waiting on just the right site to appear, and now knew that the hills and the energy of the Mound were what he was looking for.
My wonderful friend and familiar, the snakey and beautiful Hekima, had not been feeling well all through spring and summer. After taking her to the snake doctor on Monday and hearing him treat this problem as no problem at all (though my animal communicator friend Ann and I had said to each other that we did not feel good about this, knowing that we meant our beautiful girl was leaving the planet), I followed the instructions for soaking her daily in warm water, and decided that she would love the journey to visit her large and ancient brother.
She perked up at the news and all who were going were happy to hear her red and orange energy would be coming along. That morning, the 22nd, I prepared everything for the Attunement and for my share of the picnic we’d be having, saving the transfer of Hekima from her terrarium to her traveling case til last. Mary, on the dot at 5:30 a m, arrived in time to help. Hekima (Swahili for wisdom) was stretched out and around her entire space, as she often is – and felt warm to my touch, not her usual cool silkness. I stood on tiptoes to see where her head was, as I started to lift her heavy body…. her mouth was open, her energy had drifted away, she was indeed gone.
I wrapped her in a dark green scarf with gold and silver stars all over it, and she rode on my lap, with much of her energy still quietly present, all the way to her effigy. Where we encountered bureaucracy, officialdom, and the statement that the Mound is only open Saturday and Sundays during the fall, from 10 a m to 5 p m. And that if we wandered out alone to the golfcourse like surroundings, we’d likely be attacked by black bears and coyotes. This, following weeks of visits to the website and unreturned phone calls asking for information.
The Goddess was still very much in charge of this beautiful day, however, and after several more adventures, we found ourselves at the base of an ancient chestnut oak on the mound-ridge that is Ft. Hill. A bowl shaped space was scooped out between the roots, and I laid my girl in the space, curled as she would be in her normal observing of the world. Her energy by this time was totally gone. I covered her with the red dirt that matched her beautiful skin, and the others created a cairn over her with wonderful rocks gathered from around the ridge. On the very top, flowers were placed, and last of all a perfectly shaped triangle of rock. We held hands as goodbyes were said.
A beautiful and peaceful and powerful Attunement followed, with the sounds of the woods as accompaniment. Miracles every step of the way to our beautiful day, and all the way back.
Hekima is resting in sacred earth in sacred space. And I am missing her.
July 11, 1991 – September 22, 2005