The Smoke Dance by Stuart Hough

The fire glowed with the hearty memories of the year past. It invited them to enter the present moment as bright as the sparks that leaped skyward. As the sun set with casual elegance, it lit a glow in all of them in the growing darkness. In the time before it shone again and the world shone back to reflect those warm rays, it would be their light. The air was filled with the lively crackle of the fire and conversation. Between the songs and jokes, between the smiles, the stories and the drinking, their bonds had become a kind of palpable ever-glow. Within the large group, by chance he found himself sitting next to Duana.

“Fires aren't just burning but rebirthing.” She ventured the thought to him, unannounced. “Our passions are that way too. The fire changes from one state to another. Cold to hot, wood to smoke and ash, dark to light. The right souls have those connections too.” She smiled at his surprise as he contemplated the idea.

A number of smaller fires were lit around them. Flowers of flame opened heavenward, generous with golden sparks. The burning logs soon massaged their senses with the sounds, the smell and the taste of the air. The night became a golden glow. The smoke had its own way of revealing the still air, making an artistry of its swirls and flow.

“I love this.” She smiled. “Very soon, it will be time to dance. The smoke dance is a real-life story. A real adventure to another world in this one. One where we seek the light, the chance to stand up and be strong, to see beauty and be beautiful. It gives us the ability to see others and ourselves. It is a great gift to each and every one.”

“I can see a lot of you already.” He smiled.

“You may think that you see all of me. In some respects, that is true. What you cannot see what is on the inside, unless I let you. Only the Gods see us fully. When you are willing to shine a light upon your darkness and make it submissive to the light, you are reborn. I am of the opinion that the spirits that dwell in this place are in need of nurture, of soothing, of discovering. It is what they need and what I need. I like to pass on a part of my soul and energy to them. When I dance through the smoke, feeling it linger upon my skin, I imagine I see the spirits pass by and over me. They acknowledge my presence in this world from theirs. I want them to see how I am. Whilst they are locked in another time, barely visible and dislocated from the here and now, I show the dead they have nothing to fear when the living are so hot-blooded.” She smiled at his obvious lack of understanding.

“I’ve always sought to understand my own spirituality.” She continued brightly. “I need to understand that in a world that is sometimes chaotic and often shows brutality, that there may be an innocence in belief. That is why I along with others cleanse my body and mind within the smoke. Will you join me?”

“From where do you get your faith? Does your family practice these beliefs?” He asked as he avoided her question.

“They are emotionally indifferent to the ways of faith. They seek the only form of feeling left to them. I wasn’t going to give up so easily. Faith is something you need to strive towards. That’s why I moved here.”

The fire warmed air that was becoming more accustomed to an autumnal chill. It lit each face and heart, as they felt the heat go to their core. Despite that, she could see his lack of enthusiasm.

As she rose, she turned to him. “When the sun rises again, choose to recall the warmth of now or see only cold ashes.”

As she lightly stepped into the golden light, she immediately became at one with her surroundings. Her long hair shone in the firelight. Smoke churned as it whipped through the air, becoming a blur. She blended into the smoke with the constant movement of her body to the rhythm of the drums. From within the golden glow of diffused light, her long slender limbs shone like rays of the sun.

The cleansing smoke brought a natural hallowed joy to those that moved through it and sought to enjoy its kiss. All discernible colours had muted to various shades of gold The warm smoke clung to the moving bodies around her before lifting skyward, taking a part of the dancer’s souls to a new home. The scene before him appeared to be a bridge between the world of the awake and the world of dreams.

She was a complex person, he thought. Yet despite that, there was a beautiful, natural innocence about her. His frown gave way to a smile. Unlike many of the other women, she was completely unadorned. She shunned the beads and rings that the other women favoured. Her skin was clear of any marks.

He wondered if she could see her spirits. Had her mind met with others in another un-seen world amidst the veils of smoke?

He watched, mesmerised as she danced. He could feel as well as hear the beats of the huge drums. Others danced as she did, but he didn’t notice them. Whilst movements others blended and merged in the haze, his eyes followed her. He allowed the elegance of her form charm his worries away. He would recall the warmth of now and would do so, for a very long time.