MEDICINE BAGS
 
 

Personal medicine bags are powerful, sacred objects
that have long been
part of American Indians private accouterments. A
person can wear one
openly around his neck or suspended from his waist.
Some people conceal
them.

An individual can make her own medicine bag, or
relatives or friends
may
make it for her. Many American Indians create a
medicine bag to help
them accomplish a formidable task, or something they
feel is a long
shot, others keep special medicine bags in their
house, car, or truck.

Medicine bags are important throughout life, but
especially during
illness or other major changes. Because these are
times of accentuated
self-awareness, sensitivity, and sometimes quandary,
making someone a
medicine bag is a way to honor his identity and
provide reassurance.

People may create entirely new medicine bags or add to
existing ones.
These cherished possessions are created from
soft-tanned animal skins
or
from red cloth, calico, or muslin. Some are plain but
they may also be
ornately beaded, quilled, or painted with clan or
dream symbolism,
medicine plants, or totems. While he cuts and stitched
it together, the
bags maker prays for the health and happiness of the
recipient. He
carefully chooses the items that will go into it and
directs a
particular prayer or good thought into each one.

Some medicine bags are blessed and begun with a pinch
of tobacco or
pollen, sweetgrass, sage or red cedar. Less is better,
it is not the
amount but the energy that counts. You might choose to
add special
seeds, a small stone or crystal specific to a sacred
place, or a pinch
of earth from your home wrapped or tied in a tiny
piece of red flannel.

Medicine bags are works in progress. You can add to or
subtract from
the
unique personal items they contain throughout your
life, depending upon
events. Invested with prayers and healing energies,
they often retain
their power for a lifetime or beyond.