Last year (2021), I came across some information about Journey sticks- a traditional indigenous way to tell the story of a journey. Upon the find, I spoke with an elder about this practice and was told the story of his journey stick made from a willow/ the discovery of the traditional practice.
The elder encouraged me to make my own journey stick after speaking of it. Two days after completing mine, it became a tool for a client experiencing suicidal ideation.
"This is my journey stick, and as you look at it, you'll notice that there are nicks and notches here, some are light, and some are deeper, now if you think about it, similar to my journey, you have these chips missing too. Honestly, these missing chips hurt like hell when you get them. Sometimes they'll hurt when you look at them, they may heal, but you will see that they are still there in some form. Sometimes all we can think of is the pain of this new chip, but if you learn to look beyond the cuts and gashes, you can see that you are still strong, you support much weight on your shoulders now, and I know that when you are ready, you can still do so much more. "
The pieces shaved down and cut out represent the trauma experienced during life. However, there is still a lot left to me.
“It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone.”
― Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy
Going down my journey stick is my current life path; I have passed my childhood and currently am still on my journey as a youth. Attached to my journey is a wide variety of coloured yarn to represent the lessons that can come together when everyone works together and the gifts given to us by Creator. Loosely attached to the coloured yarn, I have my medicine bag that holds lavender, rose, a stone and a statue. This medicine bag is the item I use for keeping circles. Braided together are strands of yellow, red, black, and white yarn to represent how we have lessons we learn throughout our life that helps to shape us into who we are. It also tells us how we are intertwined with each other. All this yarn holds a woodpecker feather that had been gifted to me. This Feather represents Sensitivity, protection, devotion, prophecy, progress, determination, balance, and communication.
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