07.17.07

Holy Dancing Feather, Batman!

Posted in L.A. Adventures at 2:03 pm by Anna

WARNING: THE AUTHOR OF THIS POST IS TEMPORARILY INSANE

We were getting ready on the set this morning when a huge light fell and splattered everywhere, breaking furniture, causing chaos & cursing and the director giving us 3 hours off (which pissed the producers off even more!) it was a scary moment but no one was hurt thank God.

So a few members of the cast and I wanted to enjoy the beautiful day. We were thinking of going to the beach, but my companions’ contracts didn’t allow them to be in the sun too much - it would be weird if their skin color got darker from one shot to the next! We were thinking of going on a shoppng spree, but I told them about my recent meltdown at Manolo Blahnik and begged them to keep me away from any place that swallowed credit cards so mercilessly.

One of our friends is very spiritual and new-agey. She goes to astrologers, tarot card readers, psychics, healers…and she swears by them all. She mysteriously picked up her cell phone to call another “friend”.

About 20 minutes later as we were winding our way up into the Hollywood Hills for a “surprise”, we drove through an ugly wrought iron fence-gate-thing to a small but elegent adobe house, and waiting there with a big smile, standing as still as a mountain was….a Shaman. Yes, this Native American Indian guy wearing a full feathered headress, and blue beads on his chest. He told us he could do a feather ceremony on each of us - and it would have been better if we had fasted for the past 24 hours, but the fire spirit would have compassion. Okay…

We each took turns standing next to the Shaman in front of this little fire, which was burning in a pit with sage and “smudging” (purifying) herbs.

And…we had to be topless. Yes, that is correct.

Why? I didn’t ask.

He did these sweeping dance-like movements with the feathers around our half naked bodies. It wasn’t sensual, it felt innocent and kind of funny - and it tickled once or twice. I wasn’t even self-conscious standing topless with these actresses who had perfect bodies.

Later I asked him what he did and he said he didn’t know. It was the feathers who perform the healing through him and he is just the vessel. I said, “Kinda like, ‘it wasn’t me, it was the tequila talking through me, I’m just the vessel?’ ” I thought he’d hex me or the flames would rise up and eat me alive, but he laughed a deep belly laugh and slapped me on the back. So the vessel had a sense of humor!

I feel kinda spaced out now. But a little more at peace. And better about myself and life. (I hadn’t slept all night because I was tormenting myself about Wally.) Was it the unexpected time off and adventure with my friends? Or is there really something to standing naked in front of a fire with a sacred vessel and self-willed holy feathers?

Who knows, either way it’s all good. Whatever gets us through the day - right girls?

Permalink