Sacred Earth - Sacred Spirit

ABOUT THE CAMPS

(above) Early morning chats at the 'Moon of Falling Leaves' camp in September

Adventures for the Spirit in Authentic/Contemporary Medicine Wheel Wisdom Ways

These camps bring back the ancient teachings and wisdom of the past so that they may invigorate, strengthen and empower the grandchildren of the present - the Warriors of the Rainbow.

These camps hold and share the 'inner heart wisdom teachings' of the Native American Medicine Wheel. A rich and sophisticated spiritual system that honours and respects the Earth as a Mother, the Sky as a Father and the whole of Creation as kin. Thus you are a relative to us.

The drum is often called the shaman's horse. On this spirit horse the shaman/shamanka journeys to the spirit world, to confer with the ancestors and receive medicine power, wisdom and guidance.

The rattle is another shamanic tool that is also used to accompany chanting, dance and healing ceremonies.

(left) Hand drums warming by the tipi fire prior to a spirit calling ceremony.

The bright burning fire is the hearth and the heart of the tipi (left). It gives warmth and comfort to those gathered inside.

The fire is considered 'WAKAN' sacred, and is a medicine gift from TANKASHILAH, Grandfather the Sun.

The tipi is a natural, sacred space for ceremony and can comfortably seat up to twenty people in one circle.

Ours is but one of many sacred circles gathered together in harmony, a part of the sacred hoop of the nations.

It is here that we gather in song - chant - drumming - pipe ceremony - council fire - sacred path teachings - drum journeys - story telling and healing.

(left) Our tipi.

No academic qualifications required - only an open and caring heart! Folks may come to as many, or as few camps as they wish. And, as the path unfolds and their personal medicine emerges, support and encouragement is given. To test their new found wisdom, by working in ceremony with the spirit powers. Thus, gaining wisdom of how to live in harmony and to walk in beauty, as the power increases.

(left) A young person (Summer Lightning Hawk) learning the responsibilities of tending the sweet lodge fire.

*Please note - This is not NEW AGE synthetic, nylon knickers, shamanism. This is medicine wheel way. Yes, it has many key aspects of shamanism in it, but this path goes much further and much deeper.

This is a complete system that is hard work, very physical, very practical and requires personal effort. It has to be lived - that is lived out in one's daily life.

It is not a weekend hobby. This is a vibrant, dynamic, fast heart path of personal transformation and transcendence of the mundane into the sacred.

(above) The Sweat Lodge.

A powerful right of passage.

The sweat lodge fire has been lit. The lodge of saplings has been covered with blankets and a tarp. We are now in sacred time, a ceremonial time frame. The participants are preparing themselves in the tipi - making their tobacco prayer ties.

All the physical preparations have been completed; chopping the wood, carrying the water, dressing the lodge, blessing the stones and building the fire. This is itself, both a personal and a group preparation to focus intent to endure the sweat lodge.

When the stones in the fire pit are heated red hot and are ready to go in, the fire keeper informs the lodge leader, who will then ask the participants to gather and prepare to enter the sweat lodge.

Everyone gets smudged with sage and on entering the lodge, places their forehead on the good earth and calls out the words "MITAK-OYASIN". This is Lakota, meaning "we are all related". For, we not only sweat to purify ourselves, but for the whole of creation - our kin.

Traditional Four Directions Sweat Lodge

This involves four rounds of prayers to the sacred powers of the East - South - West - North.

Glowing red hot stones are brought into the lodge. The door flap is lowered and the stones are sprinkled with sage, blessed and thanked. The lodge leader enquires of the group "How we doing?". People may voice their anxieties and fears, or some, their joy at being back in the lodge. The leader will support those who are anxious with reassuring words and ask the more experienced ones to remember their own first sweat lodge and to honour the first timer's bravery. HO!

The drum beat slowly begins and then quickens and soon the medicine chant fills the lodge, everyone is singing and shaking their rattles. They are calling in the sacred powers, the elements, power animals, spirit guides and the sacred wisdom of the Grandmothers and Grandfathers of the East, the first direction.

The chanting ends and water is slowly poured on to the stones, acknowledging the arrival of the spirits. The water creates steam and soon the lodge is filled with heat and the healing powers of the Earth Mother; to purify, cleanse, restore, rejuvenate, empower and heal on all levels of one's being. The leader invites the first person to his left to begin the first round of prayers to the East. AHO!

(above) Preparing the Fire - Last years Women's Sweat Lodge lead by Whispers

A powerful ceremony of healing and initiation. The moontide women's sweatlodge honours fertility and the sacred feminine in all creation.

With guest Lodge-Leader Whispers-in-the-wind (Sara Drew). Whispers brings her own unique magic touch to the ceremony.

We follow the tradition of having a male elder to keep the fire and carry the stones. This keeps the energy of the ceremony in balance. All women including those on their moon are welcome.

It's difficult to describe a sweat lodge adequately - it really has to be experienced, to fully understand it's magical healing powers.

It's not the heat, nor the steam that is difficult. It's the powers that confront and challenge us to let go of our fears, our baggage, and step into our personal power and truly live!

We can see in this photo the positive affects of a sweat lodge.

(left) Embarking on a magical journey of discovery, going for their FREEDOM. (Bethlehem is third from left).

Medicine Names

Medicine names are given by the spirit guides/elders and denotes an acceptance by the spirit into the sacred path teachings of the medicine wheel way.

It is the beginning of building a relationship that is both sacred and personal and is based on taking full personal responsibility for becoming a fully awakened human being and 'walking ones talk'.

(above) Medicine walks in the wild wood.

On Sundays, after morning drum circle and sacred path theachings and while the heightened consciousness is still pristine from the previous evenings sweat lodge, we go into the wild woods, to medicine walk. To simply be with and in nature, the Great Mother.

As we move and walk in the lodge of the standing peoples (trees), we can experience great inner peace and stillness. This allows our consciousness to expand even further and we can see ourselves and our lives reflected in Nature's simplicity and beauty. We can feel once again our deep connection with the Earth and our kinship with all of creation - the Great Spirit.

We can slip from the every day awareness of a separate self to experience the underlying reality of harmony, balance and beauty. HO!

We have come home to our hearts.

After the days activities we relax and enjoy eating dinner together around the fire. Then it's music making time, singing songs, telling jokes, funny stories and reciting poetry.

Looking good and feeling good in great hearted company - the company of the Warriors of the Rainbow.

(left) Evenings in the tipi.

If these camps strike an accord in your heart, then why not join us on the adventure? You will be most welcomed.

Love and hugs,

your Bro-Bethlehem (Sun Eagle Heart)

The wisdom teachings of the medicine wheel way is a spiritual tradition of the Native North American Indian.

CLICK HERE FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THE MEDICINE WHEEL

(left) Symbol of the Medicine Wheel