The Earthkeepers

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.

So many of you have asked to join us in our earthkeeper ceremonies so we invite you to join us as we continue down the ceremonial trail in Appreciation of Mother Earth and the Ancestors who ride the winds.

We dance in balance of those who dwell in the Within…beyond the illusion…home of “All That Is”, purple, seven…and place of inner reflection where the sacred hoop is made whole, and you are shown the medicine that allows you to know your place in the Sacred Hoop.

If you are unable to join us in person, please join us in Spirit.

Date: Saturday, September 30, 2006

Time: 4:00 pm set up circle — 4:30 pm Ceremony begins

Place: Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Dunbar Beach near the town of Beverly Shores (see directions below)

Bring:
§ An open heart, happiness, pleasant thoughts, and rattles.
§ Sacred item that represents your within, to be placed on an altar, symbolizing your prayer for this ceremony.
§ Blanket may be needed to sit on in the circle at times and you can bring a chair as well.
§ Chooch (Pipe) carriers may bring their chooch.
§ Dress appropriately for the weather and ceremony.

We will be eating at a local restaurant afterwards for those who might want a bite to eat.

We thank our friend, John Many Voices Armbruster, for teaching us Earthkeeping Ways.

Any questions contact: Dave, Janisse or Tracy - email address: youncedjt@verizon.net

Directions to Dunbar Beach: 1) starting at Interstate 94 and Indiana Highway 49 (Chesterton exit) go north on Highway 49 about 3 miles to US highway 12. 2) The exit to US highway 12 is on the left, turn left onto exit, then bare right onto US highway 12 going east. 3) Travel east on US highway 12 about 5 miles to the stop light at Broadway Street. 4) Turn left (north) onto Broadway and follow road to Lake Michigan. 5) At Lake Michigan, turn left (west) onto West Lake Front Drive and take it to Dunbar Avenue stop sign. 6) Turn left (south) onto Dunbar Ave and start up hill. You will see the parking lot on the right (west). The ceremony will be directly north of Dunbar Ave on the beach at Lake Michigan.

This Saturday will be the 7th Earthkeepers Dance, number 7, which represents coming full circle. In honor of our completing the Sacred Hoop, the group decided that no one person would be the Ceremonial Leader this year. It is the year of the Ceremonial People with each of us being our own Ceremonial Leader for this dance.

My goodness, has it been 7 years since John lead us down this dance road?

As I walk down the memory “driveway” recalling how the Earthkeepers Dance got started, I thought others might enjoy the tale, so…….

Danceprints in the Driveway

In June, the Year of our Lord, 2000, a rag-tag group of Earthkeepers attended the Illinois Sundance….John Armbruster, Diane Adams, Caroline Eberline, Danielle Ferrette, Patty Freehling, Tritia Hamilton, Kathy Lima, Karen Martin, Mike Milewski, Dusanka Mitchell, Thayne Oppelt, Sondra Riccardi, Larae Smith, Dan Wenglarz, Saffira Windsinger, and Dave, Tracy and Janisse Younce.

While this collection of old friends and new arrivals prayed together, a dream was seeding. Unwittingly, this gathering was witnessing the start of a miracle. While Spirit brought forth songs, a humble drummer boy beat to the rhythm of Mother Earth. His respectful beat merged with the Sundancers feet as they prayed for the People.

As he drummed, bits and pieces of an Anishinabeg Elder’s vision kept working it’s way into his awareness. Visions he would ponder over for the next week. When John Many Voices Armbruster returned with the Younces to La Porte, IN, on June 25th, to his humble sanctuary on wheels, he noticed the sun-bleached van was in stark contrast to the dark pavement of the Younce’s driveway. “Balance”, he thought. “If only we had balance on Mother Earth.”

Then the Vision emerged. In this modest driveway, his fingers started sailing across the laptop. “The Earthkeeper’s Dance for Peace is a remarkable opportunity for people to create ceremony which can change the world,” he started. For a week he kept up this vigil, rarely stopping to eat, drink or sleep.

The Younce’s watched in awe as the flicker of light grew into a Sacred fire. Finally, it happened. On a driveway, in a small Midwestern town, the Earthkeeper’s Dance for Peace was born. At Insights, on July 2, 2000, John unwrapped it’s swaddling clothes, and laid the infant at the feet of his contemporaries, introducing the newborn dance to the caretakers who would help it grow.

Not long after, John got in his van and drove away…..leaving the caretakers wondering (and scratching their heads), how would they help the dance mature enough to be ready for it’s Coming of Age Ceremony in only two and a half months…………and the rest is History.

I can remember the days before John left. He spent hours pacing the driveway, phone glued to his ear, talking to the small group of Ant Clan caretakers, helping them with the task that was ahead. Who was to know the many lessons (darkness) and successes (light) that would ensue as the child grew. But, Ahhhhhhhhh……….isn’t that what Balance is?

Happy, Happy…Joy, Joy!

Hugs, Tracy ~ at peace in the wilderness, but heading back to civilization soon

The Dancers as a whole are responsible for holding the center of the energy. They are often in a whirlwind of energetic flow, like a storm of consciousness striving to resolve its inner conflicts. This is the circle finding its step, its frequency of motion that releases the power of the Sky into the Earth world… The Dancer knows the feelings of weakness and the feelings of strength and learns to dance without shame or false pride…

Their bodies are conduits for the group mind to think of itself and come into union with the Ainya of the land and the piercing light of the sky… It is hard sometimes… but they fast and drum and sing and dance… and the hardness softens and the veil between the worlds becomes transparent… the wind becomes the sweet kisses of our creator… the Sun becomes the penetrating power of divine Love… the ground quakes and the land begins to speak through the soles of their feet…

They bring this power to the people in the form of Tobacco as an honoring… compassion and good will as the anointing oil, and blessing with the brushing of the fans..

-John Armbruster

As our family continues to sing, dance and drum the Appreciation of the Ancestor’s earth ceremonies on the shores of Lake Michigan, it becomes more and more evident to us that prayer is a joyous act of people in love with life.

With each beat of the drum we are reminded that…a smile is a prayer. With each note we sing we know… laughter is a divine ritual. And with each step we take we understand… ceremony is about discovering the hidden power of your heart.

John used to say,

“The EarthDance way is a celebration of life. That it manifests in better health, more prosperity, and better relationship between people. It also heightens our awareness, our concentration, and our commitment to our Spiritual Path.”

These used to be just words. But as we continue our family ceremonies, this wisdom has come alive. We know earth ceremony as one of Creator’s masterpieces. It has brought us to an earlier heaven.

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