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.

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.

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.

As we continued John Armbrusters vision

    …join us as we… 

Dance in Appreciation of Mother Earth

September 26, 2009

Indiana Dunes State Park

Join Us in Celebrating the Gift of Life

and the Beauty of the Earth Around Us…

Grandma Rosie shares, “We dance for the future of the Children”

Grandma Rosie Dancing Flower

Apache Elder, Head Pow Wow Dancer,

Teacher of Traditional Ways of Women and

Elder of the Earthkeeper Dance

Please contact us for a dance flyer and details at youncedjt@verizon.net

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Information on Blue Heron Dancers

In a Sacred Circle,

With a Blue Heron Dancer’s view,

The clarity of vision,

Comes to us anew.

Direction with purpose,

Great Mystery will bring,

Strong Spirit Allies,

To grace our Dance dreams.

The Earthkeeper Family welcomes you to the dance. The vision of the dance speaks of a time of new directions or strengthening of the present path based on personal truth. Sometimes, to find this truth it is necessary to enter a Sacred Dance.

A Sacred Dance is one tool used by those seeking direction in life. Every time anyone seeks truth of a balanced heart, the intuitive process can allow the truth to come forward. Truth is the final destination of any seeker’s path. When the truth is found inside of the Self, there is no need to look further.

All who attend the dance will be able to participate in this by entering the circle.

The purpose of committing to be a Blue Heron Dancer is to proclaim yourself as a seeker in finding a way to contact this state of inner knowing, so truth might be present on the dancer’s spiritual path. The goal of the Blue Heron Dancer is to find that place of inner-serenity thus bringing balance, which honors our Mother, the Earth.

The Blue Heron Dancer commits to participate in a full day of ceremonial rounds starting at 7:00 am and which concludes under the Star Nation at around 10:00 pm.

Please contact us by August 22, 2009 at youncedjt@verizon.net if you are interested in committing to being a Blue Heron dancer and/or for more information regarding the responsibilities and what is needed to participate as a Blue Heron Dancer.

Both in the media and in the neighborhood, I hear both misinformed denial and hysteria about global warming– which leads me to look at empirical data to make a determination for myself. One of the places I look for data is the NSIDC. The arctic region is the canary in the coal mine so to speak. Climate changes are greatly magnified at the poles, and moreso at the noth pole because the ice rests on the ocean instead of land.

Arctic ice is thinning even more rapidly than many of the more pessimistic projections about global warming. We’re on track to continue the decline in summer ice this year. If predicted weather patterns are correct, my home state of Arizona will become hotter and drier than it already is. We are in a decade-long drought. The prognosis is for more heat and less rain.

Here is the latest data: NSIDC.