After reading of the Lakota Sun Dance ceremony, and it’s symbols, I had a vision of a similar symbol for Christian Native Americans, using both Lakota and Christian traditions, blending into one. 

The circle represents the universe. The intersecting lines touch the circle in the four directions. All together there are five intersections, the center representing heavenward. The sixth, that of Mother Earth, is implicit by the fact this stands upon the ground or is suspended on something which ultimately is connected to the earth.

Instead of ending at the circle, the vertical and horizontal lines extend beyond in the shape of a cross, showing Christ’s sacrifice and lordship over all the universe.

A rabbit fur is attached to the horizontal line at two points, and to the vertical line at one bottom point. It is pierced and secured. This represents both the piercing that the Lakota did as a part of the Sun Dance, and the ultimate piercing which took place once for all mankind, as Christ was nailed to the cross. Rabbit fur is chosen because the rabbit is the symbol of humility in Lakota tradition.

Five feathers are dangling from the rabbit fur, symbolic of the sacrificial blood in both the Lakota Sun Dance, and the crucifixion of Christ. When added to the other eight feathers, the total comes to 13, representing Jesus and the twelve apostles, as well as the 13 moons of a calendar year. These are the things, and reasons, that I saw in my vision — which I share with you.