The Earthkeepers

Here’s what John had to say about his involvement and adaptation of native ceremonies:

In keeping with the prophesy of the millennium and the tradition of the Twisted Hairs, this site honors our Sacred Earth in the same spirit Native Americans, Aborigines, Indigenous, and First Peoples around the world have honored the Earth for many generations. The teachings of these people have been adapted to sacred ceremonial celebrations of prayer for the people of today’s world. The ceremonies involve the Sacred Pipe, the medicine song, drumming, Vision Quest, Medicine Wheels, Sweat Lodges and sacred spirit dance . 

These ceremonies are done with respect, and with the intention of serving all the people of the world. Those of us who practice the EarthDance Way hope that today’s people will take courage from the ancient memories these ceremonies awaken and become environmentalist from not only their minds but from their hearts and spirits as well. 

We honor the Great Mystery, Great Spirit, and God in the many names and forms it/she/he takes in different cultures around the world.

Recently, three people died during a Sweat Lodge “event” at Angel Valley Ranch near Sedona. It was led by a charismatic life success guru called James Ray, who charged over $9000 for his weeklong experience. That’s Nine Thousand Dollars.  Looking at pictures of the lodge, I noticed it had been constructed using tarps, which do not allow the lodge to breathe as it must. What were these people thinking? Also, I understand over 60 people were in the lodge. I wonder how could the lodge leader have been able to track the well being of all these people, as is his responsibility.

Truly, I don’t know what to believe about this. Those I’ve spoken to, who are ”in the know,” say these ceremonies, like the sweat lodge, belong to the native peoples and the spirits that inhabit these ways. I’m told that this tragedy is perhaps the result of not recognizing who these ways really belong to, what their true purpose is, and how they must be honored.

And yet, I’m touched very deeply by what John wrote. I am one of the people too. I’m not a native american, nor was John. We created and participated in many ceremonies intended to respect and honor Mother Earth, including sweat lodges. I saw and still believe John’s work touched and enriched the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of people. I trust that he honored the earth in a good way and that the spirits had no beef with him. Have the Spirits “let us slide?”

I don’t know what James Ray’s relationship to sweat lodge is.  How did Ray reconcile charging $9000 for a retreat that includes a lodge with the Spirits or those who carry these ways? Why would he allow 60 people into a lodge under any circumstances? What did these people think they knew about constructing a lodge that led them to cover it with tarps?

I have no answers, I see three people dead, a new age guru who seems awfully arrogant, accepting no culpability for this tragedy, and traditionalists saying he had it coming. One thing is certain, something went dreadfully wrong that day.

When we talk about the past and future minds, we are referring to the fact that so much of our time is spent contemplating and contending with the past or planning, worrying, or dreading the future.

It is important to understand that in both cases the power to change always lies in the present. Our lack of awareness of the present will rob us of golden opportunities to absorb the joy and uplifting quality of the world around us. To do this we have to have an open channel to the energy of living all around us. Sorrow, regret, disgust, hurt, jealousy, anger, all sap us of the energy to see, taste, touch, FEEL the moment with all our senses and with all that we sense is us. Worry, dread, hopelessness, and hope can all turn our attention from the blessings we are receiving every moment of the day.

Drumming, singing, dance all help to strip away the dark smoke of our illusion… it is the illusion of being in the past or future. In addition, acceptance of the past will release us from that past. Faith and releasing total control will free us from the future. In the present we can let our energy flow into everything we do or everything we experience. In that way, our essential selves, the part of us that is sincere, exuberant, confidant, and committed will produce the future one present moment at a time.

I was asked at the Earthkeeper Dance in Appreciation of Mother Earth, what does it take to be the ceremonial leader of the Blue Heron People. And I smiled as I think we are all our own ceremonial leader if we chose the work. I said,

“Well, traditionally, one is chosen to be a ceremonial leader (as John surprisingly did with me). And yes, years of experience and wisdom help. But the most important part is…you have to be willing to do the work”.

It’s a 365 day walk which includes praying with the sacreds, supporting the Elders, doing sweat lodges, clearing the land, getting firewood & stones, Chooch ceremonies, talking circles, prayer ties, teaching circles, daily prayers, various ceremonies, dance rounds, dealing with issues, and being on call 24/7…to name a few…lol. And John Many Voices always sressed that,

“Earthkeeper ceremonial practice is not just a sweatlodge, or a drumming circle, or an encampment, or a dance, or a talking circle, or a web of life council, or a medicine wheel ceremony, or a pipe ceremony. It is a way of life.”

The Elders share,

“The Red Road is not for the faint of heart or spirit as it’s the hardest way you will ever love. Only those who are serious about the ways should enter the Red Road. Walking the Red Road is a metaphor for living within Creator’s Ways — a life of truth, friendship, respect, Spirituality, and humanitarianism. Walking the Red Road is mainly in our heart. It’s a way of walking with the earth instead of upon it.”

And we add,

“It is packed full of lessons and often a lonely path. If you commit to the ways, you no longer can just stay at home or show up and have another do the work.

However, I have found the blessings that come from Creator are well worth the effort.

Thank you Creator for these Ways. Thank you to those who kept them alive. Thank you John and Grandma.

Hugs, Tracy ~ each person is responsible to find the truth’s they came to learn on Earth. We share what has come to us. Take what you want…leave the rest…we share because it’s time.

…and the blessings come…

The day after this post, as we were doing ceremony with the sacred bundles from the Dance in Appreciation of Mother Earth, a Hawk landed on the railing of our porch. He held a vigil there until we finished the prayers, staying long enough after the ceremony for Janisse to snap a photo. Such a wonderful honoring of the prayer ties of the Blue Heron dancers and people. Thank you Creator. Thank you Mother Earth. Thank you Winged-ones. 

Dave said it was probably John checking up on our work…lol.

When we come to the realization that we are evolving spiritually, we begin a great adventure. Whatever path we take, we truly must expect the unexpected. We face day to day the inner workings of our heart. We see the emptiness. We experience the thrill of discovery. We feel the uncertainty. But there is no day that is the same as the last. 

The EarthDance Way is such a path. Because it is not theological or dogmatic, it is a path of personal discovery. It is like a closet full of alternative realities which we can try on. Those that are in accordance with our spiritual mission will fit well. Those that don’t won’t. The decisions about which is which have always been between my creator and me. There have been those who would have it otherwise, but something always swept them out of my life.

My only task has been to not shirk from the adventure. To embrace the uncertain road with certainty. To look into the darkness and sense the goodness coming towards me. 

In this adventure knowledge is gained. Some of the knowledge helps me create beliefs that allow me to observe the miracles of life when they occur. This knowledge is like re-wiring a circuit so it can carry more current. 

Other knowledge adds to my knowing, my sense of life. Just this summer when an 8ft Grizzly was standing over me just 20 ft away growling, I understood the medicine of the Bear. I can describe it to you, but I cannot transmit that knowing through those words. What I can do is transmit that knowing through the way I live my life. In the same way, all the sunsets I have truly seen and allowed to touch me are in my eyes. All the sweet waters that I have bathed in, that I have allowed to caress my body and exercise their buoyancy on me are in my touch.

And so it is, in the process of learning about ourselves, we learn about the world around us. We often tempt the limits of our knowledge. When we enter into that empty space of not knowing, we are filled with the thrill of discovery. The Earth gives us thrills in abundance. We dare not challenge her power, for it is awesome. However, when one throws open the gates to life the secrets often come in out of the cold. Knowledge comes in its own time and of its own accord. Our job is to be willing participants…

…and so we sit by the fire. The smoky smell a sweet perfume in the night air. The Drum carries us into the dreamtime. We make our prayers. We smoke the Sacred Pipe together to seal our intent and honesty into them. We sing the sacred songs to carry them around the planet so all will hear and believe us. We dance in the sacred way, giving ourselves to the rhythm, giving ourselves to the people and the goodness of life. Our feet act out the completeness of our prayers so the spirit of the land will have no doubt about what it is we are requesting… And in this way we walk into the distant lands of our spiritual adventure. There is no way of knowing where it will lead us. It is the beauty of the Mystery of Life.

As we prepare to Dance in Appreciation of Mother Earth and our Journey on September 26th, we thought we would share some of what we’ve learned about the ways of ceremony.

Ceremony enables us to reach into those deep places within the soul. Ceremony is like the construction of a bridge that spans the barriers that we have created in our everyday lives, so we can touch the realms of our soul.

Ceremony is very intentional. When it is constructed with all the essential elements, we can very freely and easily move into the realm of the soul and have awareness in that realm as well as providing a means or a path for the soul to come forth and have expression in our everyday world. As change comes from the soul, from the Spirit interacting within the realm of the soul, ceremony can be very essential in our lives.

Ceremony, as you can see, is a catalyst for change in our world.

Is it any wonder that John Many Voices Armbruster would say, “What you do is no small thing”?

As we prepare for ceremony, let us be intent-ful. Let us individually set our pylons, steel spans, cables, concrete, pavement, and paint the reflective road lines. And when each one’s foundation is set, each of us can cut our ceremonial ribbon so the bridge is open for travel, so we can soar.

Remember, in our community, the Blue Heron people live through you. The peaceful, but fiercely individualistic approach to the spiritual life distinguishes you. I am so grateful for the precious way of ceremony that has been constructed over these many years with our Earthkeeper Blue Heron people.

Let us sing, dance, drum, and pray together with joy, appreciation and kindness. This moment in time is like no other, because what happens today may depend on what we do tomorrow.

Let’s also remember to laugh and not get all holy about it!

Hugs as always, Tracy ~ each person is responsible to find the truths they came to learn on earth. We share what has come to us. Take what you want…leave the rest…we share because it’s time.