Each morning during Lent, before the world fully wakes, I step outside and place my feet on the cold ground. I light a braid of sweetgrass and let the smoke rise like a prayer, curling upward into the early light. This simple act is a sacred conversation between Spirit, land and breath. It is how I remember who I am.

In the soft hush of dawn, I stand in ceremony with Creation. I listen to the Earth’s heartbeat beneath my feet, to the whisper of the ancestors carried on the wind, to the steady rhythm of my breath. The smoke rises slowly, becoming a sacred bridge that lifts my prayers to the Creator while grounding me in the teachings I carry as a Two-Spirited Indigenous minister.

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Lent is often framed through sacrifice and discipline, but in my tradition, the season is also about relationships. We remember that we are part of something living and sacred. Each breath is a prayer, each step an o“ering, each sunrise a resurrection.

In these quiet moments, I don’t ask for answers. Instead, I listen. I let the smoke and the silence teach me. And slowly, what once felt heavy begins to rise and lift away.

This sacred practice reminds me that resurrection does not arrive all at once. It begins quietly, in the soil, in the roots, in the breath. It begins when we make space to simply be with the Spirit.

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How to …

Approach this practice with reverence. Begin by finding a quiet outdoor place at sunrise.
Stand with your feet on the ground and take slow breaths, allowing yourself to feel connected to the land beneath you.
If you choose to incorporate sweetgrass or another sacred medicine, it’s essential to understand that these are not just objects, but sacred gifts. Purchase them directly from Indigenous artisans or small businesses, not mass-market retailers.
Offer a moment of gratitude and tobacco to the land, the people and the traditions from which these medicines come.
Light the braid gently, allowing the smoke to rise slowly. Let your prayer be listening, not asking.
If you are not Indigenous, consider reaching out to local Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers or organizations for guidance and respectful learning.
Remember, this is not about copying or claiming a tradition but about honouring the Spirit’s movement and supporting Indigenous communities.
Stand in stillness for a few minutes, breathing with the Earth. Let the smoke, the air and the quiet shape your prayer.
When you are finished, offer a word of thanks and extinguish the medicine carefully.

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Rev. Shane Goldie is a Two-Spirit Indigenous theologian, writer and spiritual leader. He is the youngest ordained minister in The United Church of Canada and serves at St. Andrew’s United in Spruce Grove, Alta.

This story first appeared in Broadview’s March/April 2026 issue with the title “Offerings of smoke and sweetgrass.”