The Earthkeepers

An equinox is a balancing point in time for the yearly movement of the Sun. It is a time of balancing the darkness and the light. This does not mean balancing good and evil, but means the balancing of the internal and external. The darkness is the interior, introspective mind set. The light is the exterior or outgoing aspect of life.

The winter is a time of interior thinking, self examination and introspection. The Summer is the outgoing, the active. This mirrors the power of the Sun. Balancing the two takes place in different ways at different latitudes.

At the equinox, day and night are perfectly balanced at the equator. It is the time when the Sun is directly over the Equator at true noon. In effect, it is the time when the Sun appears to be entering or leaving our hemisphere (our half) of the planet. 

Because of this, it is a time to begin to shift into a different mode of action. In the Fall we begin to prepare ourselves for the darker days and colder weather. We make plans to make sure we are safe. In the Spring we begin to make bold steps toward new activities, new ideas. 

The ceremonies at this time should reflect these changing times. The Fall is usually a harvest ceremony celebrating the abundance of the earth and the goodness of the gift of life. It celebrates the storage of the power of the Sun contained in the food we store. This power carries us through the time when things are not so strong. It is, in some places, one of the last outdoor ceremonies until spring. Grieving or letting go ceremonies or ceremonies honoring the ancestors and the departed loved ones are good at this time.

(In the tropics this pattern is somewhat reversed. This time is a celebration of cooler weather. A time for work and productivity. The unrelenting sun begins to wane.) 

The Spring ceremony is usually one of emergence. It is a clean sweep ceremony often emphasizing putting the past aside and making a new start. Forgiveness ceremonies are good at this time. Also cleansing and fasting, visioning, and Sweat Lodges for cleansing are all good activities around this time. Affirmation work is also a good thing.

Tobacco has been abused in our culture. It is a powerful plant that drinks in the Sun. It has been used as a medicine in different forms.

When it is used in a ceremonial way, it is obvious why it has been used to make offerings and to convey the sincerity of our purpose. It is a very good energy receiver. As we hold the tobacco in our hands, it begins to take on the energy of our prayer. Our prayers combine with the energy of the sun to radiate out into the world. When we leave the tobacco, when we let it out of our hand, the energy departs and is magnified by everything around it. It is a very synergistic (sacred) act.

Tobacco is often left when something is taken such as wood or water. If game is killed or even if a beautiful moment is shared with the land around us.

Used in ceremony, the tobacco offering is made to the fire or to a container at the center of the circle. It allows everyone to become involved in the ceremony by bringing each of them in their own way and in their own turn to the center of the circle.

Nonviolent Communication

The children’s honoring ceremony is very dear to my heart. It is a time to turn to the children and express not only our affection for them, but to help them begin to realize that we see purpose to their lives. With our acknowledgement of this, we hope that they will also begin the process of finding within themselves that sense of purpose and direction that will carry them through the difficult times ahead of them and will glorify and enliven all the wonderful experiences of life that are still unrevealed to them.

This is not an easy process. It is best to take a full day to work with the children and the adults who are supporting them. Often the children feel that the ceremony is really for the adults and not for them. This is partly right and is not to be denied. The trick then is to establish a positive link between the ceremonial activities and other activities that they enjoy.

Camping, games, and free play are important. A wide range of ages is helpful, because it is like a chain of understanding… each age group relating in some ways to those older and younger than them. 

We have seen positive results with red rover red rover, crafts - key chain making with putting prayers into them and other craft work to bring out creativity. Having the children take over the drums worked. Having a very focused teenage leader was very productive for the children’s talking circle.

The honoring dance is based on a simple fact. The children will be the ones to touch the future, not us. It is their future we are deciding every day. Though it is up to them to make of it what they will, we are leaving them the starting point which will define their world view and influence their decisions for the rest of their lives.

In this way, during the honoring dance, the alter or tree which is the central part of the dance is touched only by the children. The adults touch the alter by touching the children. This can be a very powerful image. A very telling comment on one of the very compelling facts of life. 

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

Questions have come over the years on how folks come to be a lodge pourer. I can only share what I have been taught about some of the traditional ways.

Some Southern Ute Lodge Ways, as I understand it:

In Ute tradition, firekeepers are men as fire is male. The Stone People carried into the Lodge are the seeds of wisdom coming in union with the womb and the water which is female. As is the natural order of things for two leggeds, man carries the seed into womb. This keeps the balance.

To become a pourer in the Ute way, one needs to have been a Chooch (Pipe) carrier and attended lodge regularly for at least 7 years or more. If the Elder Medicine person is guided by Spirit that someone is ready to lead ceremony, they call the person to go on the hill. If the Spirits give a vision to pour, then one would apprentice in the Ways of the Lodge for as long as the Elder deems necessary before pouring their first lodge for the people.

Our Ute Elders say, “People who lead or provide ceremonies because they have attended rituals performed by a Ceremonial leader, is like putting a shingle up to practice medicine because you have experienced medical procedures done by a medical doctor. Ceremony is the ‘tip of the iceberg’.”

Some Earthkeeper Lodge Ways, as I understand it:

Hollis Little Creek, a respected Midewiwin from the Marten Clan of the Anishinabeg nation, taught John. John apprenticed for years before pouring his first lodge. John told us the story of how he always got into “hot water” because he was listening to Mother Earth when he was suppose to be listening to Hollis. When it came time for John to pour his first lodge, he told Hollis, “I cannot pour in your traditional way. I can only pour as Mother Earth guides me.” John expected he would not pour lodge. However, Hollis not only had John pour, he honored him by pulling the stones for John. Additionally, he had John awaken Joseph Many Horses’ Chooch in the lodge. Hollis taught him, “So many make the mistake of listening to “Spriit” without having the foundation and knowing the “Spirit”. It has caused many hard lessons on the path. You have the foundation John and hear true.” John commented, “I don’t know why Hollis saw that in me as I caused him such grief with my screwing-up.”

John taught that the tradition of the firekeeper determines who carries the stones and moontime practices. As for the Earthkeeper Lodge tradition, I will share what John did. John was given a vision while on the hill, that he was to offer tobacco to Dave and I to teach us to pour. We turned down the tobacco. However, three months later John said, “I am not one to offer tobacco a second time, but I had a vision to offer it again.” As I had talked with my Ute Elder and gone on the hill and Dave had been having dream visions, we accepted. To pour in the earthkeeper way one must be a Chooch (Pipe) Carrier and listen to Mother Earth. John did teaching lodges with us. We poured for one year under his guidance and when Mother Earth guided John to let us continue pouring, we did.

What is said about non-traditional lodge ways:

The Southern Ute Elders are cautious. Balance for the participants is a major concern as is short-cutting the prayers by short-cutting the training process.

John taught that the sweat lodge is one of the oldest universal ceremonies of the earthkeepers. One must know the teachings but follow your guidance from Mother Earth.

I can only offer, in my small way, my belief…that sweat lodge ceremony is a relationship between the participants and the spirit of the land. The pourer needs a deep-rooted foundation so they can pour in a balanced way thus the participants can make the connection and do their prayerwork in balanced energy. As our prayers in lodge are actually impressed into our body. Our cells radiate our prayers for many days afterward. So balance is paramount.

For as many traditions as we have across our nations, there are that many different paths to becoming a lodge pourer.

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