The Earthkeepers

The Winter Solstice is approaching soon and the veils are their thinnest at this time. John would say it was a good time to review the previous year, release that which no longer serves you, connect with Mother Earth and ask for guidance for the coming year. John wrote on his former website:

The Solstice time is a time of intensity and passion. It is a time of extremes.

The summer solstice is the Midsummer’s Night energy. It is the longest day of the year. Sensuous, even oppressive energy of the Sun. Unrelenting. It is a time when the planet is bursting with power. Overflowing with lifeforce. This is a time for celebration and release.

Many of the Sun dances occur around this time. The power of the Sun being strongest. In lower latitudes they are held earlier.

The Long Dance is good to be held around this time.

One ceremony we have done over the years is a nature’s Spirit Dance, where everyone dresses up as a plant or animal. Strong drumming, passionate songs, and lots of clowning are appropriate.

The Winter Solstice is a time of deep reflection. It is the longest night of the year. It is a time of deep yearning and introspection. It is a good time to become passionate about the choices you are to make in the coming years. Since the Winter Solstice comes so near Christmas (in the Northern Hemisphere) it often gets lost in the big holiday. However, it is important to remember that Christmas was actually placed in the Calendar to coincide with the winter solstice.

Meditation, deep heartfelt songs, burning of the lists is a good ceremony around this time. ~ John Armbruster

Hugs, Tracy ~ take what you want…find your truths….leave the rest…I share because I care.

The give away ceremony is important in bringing together the people of the community. The passing of objects which have meaning for a person is an act of magnification and resolution.

The feelings and energy which is embodied in an object are magnified and more open for examination when the object is consciously given away. When it is done in public the energy is brought into the community circle. It is a point of vulnerability and innocence, and should be carefully respected and supported.

The give away is traditionally done when an honor or change in life status occurs. It can be part of any ceremony and acts to blend the energy of the person who is doing the give away and the energy of the community surrounding them.

The give away is very different for our culture to understand because it is in reverse to our cultural norms. When someone is getting married, we give them presents. In the give away thinking they give us presents. In a way they do just that. They give a reception. They give gifts to members of the wedding party etc… When someone has a birthday, they receive presents. In the give-away way of thinking they should give presents to all who attend the party. When we are honored, we are given an award. In the give away way of thinking the person receiving the award should do a big give away. Could you imagine what the Oscars Ceremony would look like if that were the social norm?

The give away blanket ceremony is something we use at our encampments.

It is a great way to complete the energy of the encampment. Each person brings an object which means something to them and places it on the blanket. The oldest person at the gathering begins the choosing. The person who placed the object on the blanket then says why it is important to them. Then that person picks something off the blanket. At some point the person who picked first will have his/her object picked. They then have the honor of picking someone to pick next. Often times people bring more than one object or they bring objects for others. In the case of bringing more than one object, when their second object is chosen they have the honor of picking the next person to choose. People who have not brought anything are good candidates at that point. This gets everyone included. Those people usually participate to a greater degree as time goes on.

There is something very powerful that happens at these give-away blankets. So very often, the gift chosen and what it means to the person who put it on the blanket matches the experience of the person who chooses it in a very deep and mysterious way. It sometimes feels like our hands are guided by a larger hand.

–John Armbruster

Duke, Lama Norbu, John Many Voices, Joseph Many Horses

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Duke Joseph Big Feather Schallmo on October 31, 2006. Duke was the Leader of the: Two Feathers Medicine Clan; Intercessor of the All My Relations Sundance - sharing the vision of the Condor and the Eagle; Roadman for the Native American Church of North America of the Cowlitz Indians and the Four Directions Lodge and our Western Hemisphere Affiliates; and a Dog Soldier.

As part of the Earthkeeper family, as well as the Sundance family, we are ever grateful for Duke’s support. We can still hear him entering the Earthkeeper’s Dance Circles saying, “Happy…Happy…Joy…Joy!!!”

It is with great reverence that we share Duke’s photo’s taken at the Earthkeeper Dances.
We have posted photo’s from folks at this website: photoshow.comcast.net/watch/It4pP6ne (Click: watch, full screen, turn on the volume and wait for advert to finish.)

Fly High Duke!

Hugs, Dave, Tracy and Janisse

P.S. - Added INFORMATION:

Raven has posted photo’s as well at photoshow.comcast.net/watch/VF2Bn7as

Also, a Photo Show with focus on Sundance has been posted at www.photodex.com/sharing/viewalbum.html?bm=116995 . When site comes up - click on left box under All My Relations. When presentation is loaded, click anywhere in black box to start. Make sure your sound is on. I understand Mac users cannot access, so I posted one that does not have the same Sundance music track at photoshow.comcast.net/watch/xz6EU8mn with additional pictures added to this one.

If you’d like to leave thoughts, memories or memorial to Duke, click comments, found above photo, and follow directions. We will forward messages to the family.