Honoring the Divine Masculine ~Part 4~ The Doctor and the Medicine Man
True Brotherhood
Honoring the Divine Masculine
Part 4
The Doctor and the Medicine Man
At the end of one of Reggie’s Army jumps from the sky, he landed in a horrible
way, injuring his knees. He could barely belly crawl to some bushes and wait for
someone to help him. Finally, they found him and got him to safety and then to a
hospital. For months Reggie was on his back after the Army doctors did surgery on
his knees. It took him even more months before he could walk without crutches.
Then he went back home to the reserve where Long Time Pipe Woman did her
special medicine on him and he became strong again. He could even run like he
used to and that made him very happy indeed.
Reggie didn’t see his good friend, Alan, for years. Alan went away to College and
after that he went to Medical School. Reggie didn’t know exactly where Alan was
but he knew they were still friends.
One day Reggie went to visit a friend in the hospital and Alan came in the room
wearing a white coat. The two friends were so happy to see each other and they
began to tease one another like always. Then Alan laughed and said, “Reggie I’m
a doctor now”. Reggie thought he was kidding and laughed. But then Reggie
thought a minute and replied, “Well Alan, I m a medicine man!” The two pals
talked more and Reggie was so proud of Alan when he realized that he really was a
medical doctor. Alan was not surprised that Reggie had special medicine because
he had watched how Great-grandmother taught him the healing ways of their
people. Alan became serious and said, “Reggie, it was watching your grandmother
train you in the medicine ways that inspired me to become a doctor”.
Reggie left the reserve and went to work on different jobs all over the United
States and Canada, he liked to stay busy and travel so he did both. Alan continued
to be a doctor near the reserve and made a lot of money. He had a big house, nice
cars, boats and even his own airplane!
When Reggie would return to the reserve to visit, Alan would always insist that he
give Reggie money or gifts. But Reggie would hold his hand up and say, “Put your
money back in your pocket and the gift of your friendship is the best you can give
me.” Alan did convince Reggie to go with him in his boat and learn to ski and also
to go flying with him in his airplane. One time he even talked Reggie into flying
the plane then Alan closed his eyes and took a nap. Reggie thought that was a lot of
fun but he was surely glad when Alan awoke in time to land the plane.
Alan and Reggie went through life and grew older in years but they always met to
have wonderful times together. One day Alan called Reggie on the phone and said,
‘Reggie, I m really sick, they say I m dying. I am not ready to go to the spirit world
yet. Tell me how to make a vow the Indian way so I can go to the Sun Dance and
dance with the eagle staff and get well”. Reggie told Alan to have a nurse roll his
wheelchair outside early in the morning and face the sun and vow to the Creator
that he would dance with the eagle staff. Alan did just that and felt better
immediately.
Soon June arrived and Reggie picked up Alan in his jeep and took him to the Sun
Dance. He took Alan to the lodge of the elders where they painted his face the
sacred way and showed him how to dance at the ceremony. When the time came,
Alan danced like any other Indian warrior and felt all the medicine spirits dancing
with him. Reggie was prouder of Alan than he had ever been before. He knew his
friend would get well because the medicine of his people was very, very strong.
Sure enough, Alan did get well very quickly and was stronger than ever so he went
back to being a doctor in a hospital again. He thanked Reggie for helping him heal
the Indian way because he knew that was what had given him back his health.
Reggie went to work in a Health Center on the reserve and talked with people who
had gotten sick from drinking alcohol. Reggie knew that the fire water had killed
many of his people for many years. He had drunk it too; it made him very sick, so
he didn’t drink it anymore. He taught others how to stay away from it and enjoy
life being sober.
