The Powwow Guy

I have arthritis in both of my knees and in my hands (and let's not even talk about my back). I'm getting older. Aches and pains and a little rheumatism are a natural part of the aging process. However,  sometimes the swelling and pain (especially in my left knee) is debilitating.

Sunday afternoon I was washing the bedding. When the dryer was finished, I went down to the laundry room (in our basement) and carried the clean sheets up to the second floor. By the time I got to my son's bedroom, my left knee was swollen and painful. I persevered, made his bed, then made my bed, and that's when I knew I was in trouble.

The swelling and the pain had become so debilitating that I didn't think I'd make it back down the stairs. It's a horrible feeling being frozen by pain and so helpless that you can't even walk down the stairs on your own. 

My personal home office is on the second floor, which is where I keep all of my books and powwow paraphrenalia, so I worked my way into that room and grabbed one of my books. The pain was so intense at this point that I found myself near to tears with desperation. What I WANTED was an injection of morphine, but what I HAD was a powwow book. I flipped open to an anti-swelling charm, put my left hand on the bad knee, and recited the charm like my life depended on it. I finished up "in the name of God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost" and, this is absolutely the truth, by the time I was saying "and the Holy Ghost" the pain was gone. The swelling was reduced. I could move my leg with no pain whatsoever.

Here is the charm I used, from the Romanus-Buchlein:

Three pure virgins went out on a journey to inspect a swelling and sickness. The first one said, "It is hoarse". The second said, "It is not". The third said, "If it is not, then will our Lord Jesus Christ come". This must be spoken in the name of the Holy Trinity.

Way back in 2010, I did my first public lecture on Powwowing. I remember one of the attendees asking "Can you use these charms on yourself?" and I truly didn't know how to answer! The idea seemed odd to me, even a little bit silly. It hadn't occurred to me, until that very moment, that I might use the charms on myself! From that day on, I began to see Powwow in a whole new light. It didn't need to be just for others, it could be used at home for myself when needed too. What a concept!

To be honest, you'll likely be powwowing for yourself moreso than for other people, and that's ok. It works. And in a pinch, like I was in the other day with my knee, it could literally mean the difference between laying on the floor in pain while trapped on the second floor and being able to walk back down the stairs pain-free and continue with your day.

When you need Powwowing, see yourself as the client. Do for yourself what you would do for anyone who comes to you in need. I believe that God wants His healers to be well, so there is no shame in trying for yourself when necessary. We've been given a great gift, it is only fitting that we use it on ourselves so that we are better equipped to help others.