✨ Today I was smudged for the very first time.

✨ Today I was smudged for the very first time.

It wasn't just smoke.

It was an experience that is difficult to put into words because it wasn't something I simply observed. It was something I felt. I stood there with an open heart, allowing myself to receive whatever Creator wanted me to receive in that moment. As the sacred smoke surrounded me, I felt an unexpected sense of peace. 🌿 I felt grounded, present, and gently cleansed in a way that reached far beyond the physical.

🥁 The night before, I experienced my very first pow wow. The heartbeat of the drums, the songs, the dancing, and the prayers stayed with me long after the evening ended. I woke up this morning still feeling that medicine in my spirit. Then today, being smudged seemed to deepen everything I had already begun to experience.

🪶 One of the greatest gifts of this weekend was meeting Tino Rayos. There are people whose wisdom comes from studying life, and there are people whose wisdom comes from truly living it. Tino carries that kind of wisdom. It is quiet, humble, and deeply rooted. You do not feel like you are being taught. You feel like you are being invited to remember something your soul already knows.

🎶 When Tino sang his beautiful love song, I did not simply hear his voice. I received it. It reached places within me that words alone could never touch. His medicine was not something he explained. It was something I experienced through his presence, his humility, his reverence for Creator, and the way he carries himself. His lived wisdom is a gift, and I find myself simply wanting to be present and receive what he so generously shares. His quiet spirit brings a deep sense of peace to my heart.

🙏🏼 As I sit here, my heart is overflowing with gratitude.

I am still here, soaking in every lesson, every conversation, every song, and every sacred moment this weekend has offered. I believe Creator places people in our path for a reason, and meeting Tino Rayos does not feel accidental.

🌿 Some encounters leave a lasting imprint on our hearts. This feels like one of them. As fellow healers and members of CCAPP, I know this will not be our last meeting. Our paths will cross again at future conferences, and I look forward to those moments.

There was a medicine in Tino's presence that my spirit recognized. It brought a sense of peace, grounding, and quiet that I will not soon forget. I believe I will always be drawn toward that medicine, just as a magnet is naturally drawn to what it is meant to find. Some people simply carry a presence that reminds us to slow down, listen, and receive. I am grateful that Creator allowed our paths to meet, and I have no doubt our journey as healers will continue to cross.

🤍 Thank You, Creator, for allowing our paths to cross. Thank You for reminding me that healing is found not only in words, but also in presence, humility, music, tradition, and love.

My spirit has been deeply blessed this weekend, and my heart is full.