The following descriptions of the seven rites are based on the accounts of Black Elk as told to Joseph Epes Brown, who recorded them in the book The Sacred Pipe in 1953. These descriptions are short; the book describes each ritual in more detail.
- Canupa Wakan - The Visit of The Sacred White Buffalo Calf Maiden
- Nagi Gluhapi - The Keeping of The Soul
- Inipi - The Rite of Purification
- Hanbleceya - Crying For A Vision
- Wiwangag Wachi - The Sun Dance
- Hunkakaga - The Making of Relatives
- Isnati Awicaliwanpi - A Girl's Coming of Age
- Tapa Wankaye - The Throwing of The Ball
The power of a thing or an act is in the understanding of its meaning.
-- He Haka Sapa (Black Elk)