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The responsibility of dreaming.
By Jim Tree
Many of you may have noticed you are dreaming a lot more recently. I want to explain a few things about dreaming that I have learned over the years as well as explain why so many of us are having more and stranger dreams than usual.
First, I want to point out that in all the major prophecies about these times we are already well into, there is a universal prediction of an increase in both dreaming and visions. So, what are dreams?
I know there are many learned studies on dreaming and what I have to say about it will not match up with the conclusions of the experts, but what I share here is based on my personal experiences with dreams and visions. I want to point out that the only credentials I have to be teaching about this is that the dreams and visions I have had have almost always come into practical reality in some form or another. Simply put, if my experience with dreams has a practical application to this physical life we all share, than perhaps the fruit of the tree gives credence to the teaching of the tree. (Love the metaphor!)
As an example I had a dream of being in a powerful earthquake the morning that the first recent quake hit the
I did send out the request and our few hundred prayers joined with the thousands already asking for assistance from the Great Mystery and answers began to appear in the headlines.
I also received the message that these catastrophes would continue one right after another in order to get the attention of the world so we all would pay attention to the message.
What message? The one we have been hearing for many years now, that we are doing er-repairable damage to our planet and to our relatives, of all kinds, that depend on mother earth to live and be well.
The thing is that due to my dream I am convinced that it is important for me to share what I am being told. Because of the dream I feel a connection to those people and areas being hit so hard and repeatedly.
But now back to dreams, what are they? I have found that dreams can be divided into 3 categories. The first I call recreational dreams. This is where your mind is just being reactive while on auto pilot while sleeping. These dreams are influenced by what we have experienced that day, watched on TV, what kind of pizza we had for dinner, etc. They can be kind of crazy, sometimes scary or just fun. It is your mind playing with the experiences of your life. I do not pay much attention to these kinds of dreams.
The second type of dream is what I call solution solving dream. These are those dreams where we work out things that are bothering us, many times they are constantly repeated scenarios with a slightly different twist, but the theme is always the same.
I used to have a recurring dream that my family was being attacked by a man and when I tried to defend them my kicks and punches (I studied Tye Kwon Do) were impotent. They lacked any real power; it was as if my arm would go limp when I hit the attacker. This really bothered me and I finally realized that I had doubts of my own ability to defend my family based on guilt because I had not fought in the
How did I resolve the problem revealed by my recurring dream? Not intentionally, but by coincidence, I started playing Paint ball wars when they first started to become popular. There were two
As I became proud of my skills in the fake combat, my dreams changed. When I dreamed of someone attacking my family, I would literally beat the bejesus out of them. So, if you have recurring dreams pay attention to them, sit and ask yourself why they are there. You may be able to conquer a lifelong struggle with something that is at your very core.
The 3rd kind of dream is what I call a Devine message dream. These are the ones that give us instructions, warnings, information that is intended to lead us into being effective tools of the Devine.
The dream about the earthquake was one of these. I have had dreams about people I was about to meet on several occasions. These were given to me to make sure I paid attention when these people came into my life and did not let them pass by without finding what the Mystery wanted of our connection. Every time the connection has been strong and beneficial to people and creation. Once it was to team up with another healer and provide almost miraculous healing and comfort to cancer patience, once it was to do several ceremonies where pollution and oil spills threatened to destroy our waters and land. Recently I dreamed of a woman that has proved instrumental in making my teachings available in audio form so the messages can reach further than my limited physical presents could do. I trust that our connection has brought equal blessing into her and her family’s life as well.
So, what do I mean by "Responsible Dreaming"? When we dream we create, when we are given a dream we are given a responsibility to us it to benefit others. I have found that lately I am able to sort of direct my dreaming, it first comes to me as a dream from spirit, I then become aware tha6t I am dreaming and shift the direction or outcome of the dream. Even asleep I am able to consciously create a good outcome. I don't know how but I believe there are many of you that are experiencing this same thing. Now that you are aware of it, you will be able to be a co-creator with the Mystery.
When you dream of a disaster or trouble, pray for the outcome to be good rather than destructive. The troubles with our weather and planet will continue and even get worse and more often, this is because a loving creator is speaking to our race and warning us to change. To those who listen and take action even being in an earthquake will become a blessing in its final outcome. I am not minimizing the pain or grief experienced by those who loose loved ones, but I have found that this Mystery is able to take the most negative event and bring amazing good from it. Many ask why does "God" cause these disasters, perhaps things happen or are caused but the action of the Mystery is to create good out of catastrophe.
So, try to remember your dreams as if it is your spiritual responsibility. See if you can wake up during a dream and then go back to sleep creating a beautiful outcome for the rest of the dream. Share your dreams with others, it may be a very important message for them, you never know.
Blue sky,
Jim
Results from the 4 year anniversary Pipe ceremony at Stonemen Lake, Az. On Saturday the 16th of November, about 35 people gathered at Stoneman Lake in Northern Arizona to hold a Sacred Pipe ceremony in honor of a ceremony held there four years ago on 11/11/05. As you may remember, the message that was received during the 2005 ceremony foretold of a global financial crisis three years in the future. True enough, last November the world fell into exactly that crisis. Also predicted were major disruption in technology, all which have come to pass. The importance of that ceremony was confirmed by amazing signs in the weather as well as in the reactions on several of the women attending. (Below this post is a copy of the description from the ceremony in 05.) The information given to us at that time needed to be put into action in order for people to be prepared for upcoming changes in our world and society. It is a loving Creator that informs it’s children of changes at hand so they may go through those changes in a good way. The instructions were to not depend on technology as it will fail to support us in more and more increasing ways. Instead, we should put our trust in the natural order of life. We were told to “Know your water, know your land, know your relationships and to walk humbly and in harmony with all of creation.” Many of us set out to find good land and water, but this was not the order in which we should have preceded. We have been told over this past year that the proper order was to know (find and build) our relationships and that the other three things would come about naturally from those relationships. Many of us are now in the process of building our personal circle of relationships. I strongly encourage you to do so as well. You have about a year to have this in place. I just finished recording a CD called “Lessons from the Sacred Circle” that explains how to go about doing this. How to find your place in the great circle of nature/life. If you are interested, e-mail me to obtain a copy. At the ceremony this last Saturday, we received further instruction and predictions, along with very similar confirmations of the validity of the ceremony from nature. Just as with the 05 ceremony, we had wild weather that dramatically displayed the importance of the message received. There were five Pipes at the ceremony, the United Nations Turtle Pipe held by Reggie Boyd of the Keepers, the Black Thunder Pipe cared for by me, (both of which were used at the ceremony in 05) a addictions healing Pipe cared for by a brother named George, the Grandmother Moon Pipe cared for by Michelle Nilson and a very old platform Pipe cared for by Mary Brown of the Keepers from Texas. Many commented on the power of the Pipe Mary used after the ceremony. As we started the ceremony heavy clouds formed overhead, much like the 05 ceremony. Soon the temperature dropped rapidly and as the Pipes were going around the circle, small hail came down and covered everything in sight. Less than 10 minuets after we finished the ceremony the heavy cloud cover blew off and we were in warm sunshine again. It was weird to have very cold feet and be standing in the sun with the temp back up to the 60's when moments before it was freezing. So, once again nature confirmed the importance of the message given. The message was the same about building our circles, and that land and water, good life, would come from those relationships. We were told that in the next year many dramatic changes will take place on the earth. We were told to look at the lake, which is no longer there. Four years ago the lake was still there, but today there is a round field of lush grasses and rushes. Many new kinds of wildlife moved into the area that were not there before. The old group of wildlife had left. The few houses that had been built around the lake now overlooked prairie land. We were being shown that this was an example of what is going to happen over this next year. We were told to be very adaptable so we too could adjust and change like the wildlife. The weather, the type of plants and wildlife will all be shifting, adapting to the new earth. If you lived in one of the houses on the lake, I would imagine that you would be disappointed that it was no longer there. If you sit there in your boat waiting for the lake to come back, you may be in for a long wait. If, however, you adapted to the change, sold your boat and got some gardening equipment, you would be in great shape. The soil in the old lake bed is dark and rich. So, if you see changes where you live, and you will, think of how you can adjust your life to fit the new circumstances. While I was in Arizona two months ago, I had an amazing interaction with a young fox that I now realize was showing me this same message. I was in the forest at the base of Mt. Humphries near Flagstaff and saw a young fox hunting. I followed him at a distance and saw him climb, limb by limb, thirty feet up into a tall ponderosa pine tree. He then settled down to sleep the day away in an old crows nest. This fox had adapted to a different way of living, a better and more secure way than sleeping in a den. This is an example for you and me. As we adapt to new conditions, we can actually live a better life than we do today. So my friends, prepare for some dramatic changes in the earth and weather, change that will happen rather fast. In a year from now it will be interesting to see how we know our land and water, and how we have learned to walk humbly and in harmony with all of creation, starting with those in our own supportive sacred circle of “Oginali.” (Chosen family) It will also be interesting in what life is like for those of us who decide to ignore the message.
Recap of the Dual Pipe ceremony held in AZ. on Nov.11, 2005
Here is the background on the how, when and why of the ceremony took place.
The things that happened were dramatic, but with a purpose. First I tell you some of the things that happened during the ceremony, and then I will share with you the message that was received from the Pipes. Remember, the physical events were there to confirm the work the Pipes were doing, if the events had not been so dramatic, I do
not think I would be sharing the message with you all so boldly.
In many native traditions a ceremony like this is not held unless the vision/dream for it has been seen by three or four different people. This is not only for confirmation that the ceremony has been called for by the Great Mystery, but also holds egos in check as no
one person can claim it is "their" vision. We are all interdependent, all part of the great circle.
As many of you may know, there was a dual Pipe ceremony conducted at Stoneman Lake, Arizona the morning of 11/11/05. The ceremony was held after four separate individuals had dreams or visions calling them to go to the Camp Verdi area of Arizona on the 11th of Nov.
These people did not know each other prior to meeting in AZ. And came from different parts of the United States. These people were connected when a fifth party heard of the callings and introduce them to each other over the phone. As they communicated about the ceremony it became obvious that it was going to be concerning the rapidly changing weather, etc. on our earth.
It was also realized that this ceremony was a kind of graduation of human kind, to put into place a higher level of human co-existence with all of creation. I like to think of it as humankind rising to a higher octave of being.
The ceremony that was held was called a "Seven Direction Ceremony" and it is usually held to commemorate when someone is released by Elders to walk in "Medicine", i.e. some type of spiritual service for the people.
It is similar to someone receiving their diploma to practice medicine or be a counselor, etc. I believe that the ceremony marked a place in time where we as the human race have experienced a shift, as well as a gifting with the ability, to better fulfill our place
in the great circle of life, individually and corporately. This ability has been provided, it is up to you to access it and put it into practice.
The reason the ceremony had to be held on 11/11 has much to do with this, but I know little of numerology and the like. If any of you have knowledge of the meaning I hope you will share it with us.
The ceremony is held using two Pipes, one male and one female. Most of the time, but not always, the Pipes are held by a man and a woman respectively, but the more important thing is that both energies are represented by the Pipes themselves. The idea is wholeness and balance.
Each of the seven directions that are honored when filling the Pipes relate to human development. The infant/child, the adolescent, the adult, the Elder, then the spirit of the Grandmothers {Medicine Woman}, the spirit of the Grandfathers {Medicine Men} and finally the spirit of the person the ceremony is for. In this case the person was the entire human race, represented by those attending the ceremony.
It is significant to understand these directional relationships as there is a connection to the events that occurred during the ceremony, especially the fifth direction, the direction of the Grandmothers.
The day before the ceremony was to be held we went to a site chosen by one of the people who received the original vision. I had seen the place for the ceremony in my mind when I was praying about going to Arizona and what I had seen was a geological circle, a kind of bowl in the ground with lots of black rocks and water. The place
that had been found was a crater with a small lake in it, exactly as I had seen it while I was still in Montana. When we return from inspecting the site it was dark. As we got out
of the truck I looked up and saw a single small cloud in the moonlight. I thought about all the dry oak leaves I had seen at the place we were to hold the ceremony and sent up a prayer to the cloud. I asked that it bring rain to the crater so it would be safe
as far as fire goes. As in all good prayer there was a two way communication. The spirit
of the cloud spoke to me and said that it would bring rain, and that the rain would stop when all the people arrived at the ceremony and would resume heavily as soon as the ceremony was complete.
I was told to tell everyone these things so they would understand the reality of the results of the ceremony the next day, as well as reinforce the reality of the message we would receive from the Pipes. It is interesting to note that there were other participants
in the ceremony in many places around the world.
In every case I have heard about, the ceremony was accompanied by dramatic weather. Proof again that the Thunders were very active and this was not an isolated event. More reason to pay attention to the message.
The next morning the sky was clear and it was sunny. I started to prepare the Pipes for the ceremony around 8:30 and heard a rumble in the west. I went outside and saw a black storm bank rapidly coming our way. It rained steadily as everyone one gathered at the house to prepare for the ceremony. I told those there what the Cloud had said
about the rain but I don't think many paid much attention. Three of us left early to meet at the crater to set things up. It was raining steadily there and I reminded the others of what the Cloud had said. Sure enough it stopped raining as the caravan of participants arrived.
storm behind to spend the rest of the day in typical Arizona sunshine.
During the ceremony, as we were filling the Pipes during the 5th direction, the direction of the Grandmothers, I called on Grandmother Lilly, who had passed over seven years earlier, to come and assist us. Just as I did there was a gentle breeze that came in
from the south and passed the Pipe stand, causing the spirit chasers on the Pipe bag to start chiming. Grandma's spirit hit a young girl who promptly passed out and fainted onto the ground.
The woman who was conducting the ceremony with me was standing next to the Pipe rack loading the United Nations Turtle Pipe when the spirit of Lilly hit her. She was almost overcome when another woman stepped up behind her and physically supported her through out the rest of the ceremony.
Grandma Lilly also overcame a third woman and her husband stepped to her aid and supported her. This was something I had seen happen before at Sundance and a few
other powerful ceremonies but not at a Pipe ceremony. Everyone there felt powerful effects of the event. Many spoke up at the end and shared their experiences. A Cherokee Elder and one time member of the Kutewa society, said that in 20 years of taking part in ceremonies he had never seen the medicine happen so quickly. As you can see the Great Mystery wanted us to pay attention.
Now, for the message given by the Pipes. Before I share these things I want to say that I am not talking about the end of the world or whatever. I am talking about very real and practical advice given by the Divine concerning what is going to be going on our planet over the next few years. These things are not intended to be a gloom and doom forecast, but instead are good advice from a loving Creator. All these things have been spoken of for many years; the only new thing is that we are in the midst of it all now.
The weather on earth is going to continue to get more dramatic. There are going to be bigger earthquakes and volcanic activity will increase. As I said, none of this is new information, but we have heard it for so long we may be dulled to it. We need to pay close attention now. The foretold times are today, not tomorrow.
In an agrarian society everyone knew you had to plan life around weather, today, and most people could not tell if a storm is coming or not. We need to be in tune with the cycles of nature in order to live a good life. Gone are the days of thinking we are independent or above the cycles of nature. We are not going to be able to ignore the earth, nature, or weather anymore. The days are now past when we could feel the false security of technology buffering the effects of the natural world on our daily lives. For the ones who do ignore the cycles of nature, they will be like the folks in New Orleans.
I want to point out that while it is a good idea to be prepared for emergency situations in the physical realm, the main message is that we need to prepare for the changes coming onto our world in a spiritual way. By this I mean we need to be well practiced at what
the old ones called "medicine". Medicine is a combination of "supernatural" gifts or abilities and being in harmony with the cycles of both spirit and nature. The way to be "fluent" in medicine is to cultivate your relationships with the spiritual dimension as
well as your relationship with nature. Remember the stories about the elephants and the native islanders during the recent tsunami? They new it was coming even when high technology didn't. We need to start developing these relationships now so we can respond well in the future, when everything will depend on it. We need to get on the bandwagon; we only have a little time to become proficient. As an example, you may need to know how to literally walk through fire without being burned.
The Pipe said that many of us need to be relocating in the next 3 years. It said that we need to be well situated before this time because in 5 years from now, we will not be able to move about as freely as we do today. Do you know where your place on the earth is?
If not, ask her. We need to have our gardens in place, to have water we can get without electricity.
It was emphasized that we should wean ourselves from dependency on wireless communication, municipally supplied food and water, heat, etc. There is nothing wrong with using these tools right now but their dependability is going to become increasingly more unstable.
This means cell phone and the internet is going to become increasingly undependable. It is fine to use these tools, but to depend on them as time goes by is going to be very unwise. The failures will be short at first, like warnings, but there will be major failures later with a big failure of the internet in three years. The world economy will be greatly affected. It will also be affected by the cost of the damage the weather brings to heavily
populated places. With the shift in money will also be shifts in world power.
Many of us have felt the urging to be self sufficient. The message from the Pipes is that now is the time for action. Not only is it wise due to the upcoming changes, but it is also just good stewardship of our earth. It is a good way to live. If you depend on water being piped into your area from a long ways away, move! If you live in an area where the weather causes devastation that will get worse….move! If you live in a flood plain…
yep, you guessed it, move. Do not continue to be dependant of food, water, heat, etc. that is dependant on trucking, pumping, or being on the "grid". It would be good to learn how to purify water as well.
The message all boils down to this. We have been given a wake up call. The things that we have all been warned of are here, today. The way to live with these changes is simple. In the words of the Hopi, simplify your life style, humbly build supportive relationships, know your water and know your land. Treat the living earth and all its children with respect and you will be likewise treated. Learn to operate at a spiritual/supernatural/multi-dimensional way.
Hi All,
Please join us this weekend in ceremony that will be held around the world.
I have pasted a statement about the ceremony we are doing this weekend in northern AZ. Mary Brow, myself, Cat Bastit, (hopefully) Reggie and Denise will be there. The interesting thing is there are indigenous leaders all over the world that have called for ceremonies for many different reasons this weekend as well. Coincidence?? Not! So, I encourage anyone who feels called to join in and pray in your own way. The purpose of some of the ceremonies I have heard of are for the Healing of human Kind....from South American Elders, Intervention it the new war between Columbia and Venezuela, Peace talks in Mid-east....spiritual leaders there, honoring of veterans of all countries....by the Native Youth Alliance, and many more. The ceremony in AZ. is to seek information and direction for the next few years, so we can be best prepared to "led a generation who has lost hope"....Crazy Horse.
Hope to feel your prayers, Jim
You are invited to attend the 4 year anniversary ceremony
of the
Also a special invitation at the end of this announcement to practitioners of hands on therapies.
Four years ago, on
Many of you may have been there and witnessed the amazing power of these Pipes coming together by the dramatic effects seen instantly in the weather as well as the powerful physical effects on many of the participants, especially the woman.
The Pipes gave predictions of upcoming events including one that predicted that in three years there would be a global financial crisis. (Attached to this e-mail is a file with the account of that ceremony including the predictions. You can also find out more information about these Pipes at this web site: www.wayofthepipe.com )
The Pipes have once again called for this special ceremony four years later in order to give updated information about where we are in relationship to currant world situations and how to best prepare for the next few years.
Are you wondering why you are having so many dreams recently? I will post some information here soon about "Responsable Dreaming", dreamtime prophicies and why you are getting them.
With the Swine Flu coming around again I thought I would re-post the mix given to us during the ceremony we did about it a few months ago. Remember, this works best before you come down with it, if you have been exposed try this right away.
Click on this link to listen to the radio interview I gave about the Sedona Sweat Dome tragidy.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/shawnabowen
Here is a link to a good artical about sweats. You will have to cut and paste this to your browser window, the link does not work very well.
http://blog.beliefnet.com/freshliving/2009/10/interview-sweat-lodges-after-the-angel-valley-tragedy.html
What went wrong in the Sedona sweat “dome.”?
By Jim Tree 10/13/09
Please note: The information presented here is based on first hand accounts that have not been verified by the authorities. The opinions expressed are my own based on this information and not considered fact by any law enforcement body, yet.
The recent tragedy in Sedona, in my opinion, was totally preventable and may end up being deemed prosecutable. Unfortunately the reporters in main stream media do not know what questions to ask to find out what really happened. It is not their fault; they just are not educated in the native mind/culture. I have spent the last few days asking questions of someone who was there and found to my disbelief the circumstances that lead up to the tragedy.
I have been attending sweat lodges regularly for over 20 years and have had the responsibility to run lodges for about half of those years. I was given this responsibility by Elders who made sure I learned all that was needed to run a safe and successful ceremony.
By successful I do not mean how many stones were used, how hot it was or if the songs were all done properly, but rather did the helping spirits show up and bring assistance to those attending. The old adage “you know the tree by its fruit” applies here. The fruit of a well run lodge is peace, rebirth, answers to prayer, healing, and restoration. In all my experience I have never felt sick or vomited as so many of the participants of this disastrous imitation of a sweat did.
There are many simple, plain and practical things to know about running a lodge, hundreds of small details that have become tradition through the refinement of time tested experience. Things like not how much water to give to the Grandfather rocks. How to adjust the temperature inside the lodge to be of maximum benefit to those attending, how long to heat the rocks, what kind of stones they should be, what is the cover of the lodge made of. (If you look at some of the photos in the news you will see plastic tarps were used, this should never be done.) So many little things that if deviated from can affect the outcome of the ceremony, sometimes drastically.
These things, not to mention the spiritual aspect of the training, can take years to learn.
In the traditional way one learned these things because from birth they were a part of your daily life and you helped with the work of preparing and conducting ceremony. It often takes a lifetime to come to the place on so many levels where the Elders will release you to walk in that kind of medicine, also known as service. Running a sweat is not a title or office, it is a responsibility.
So, here is what led to these horrible deaths. Yes, I said horrible because those who endured the fiasco that has been mislabeled a sweat lodge went through days of tortured humiliating (my view of their experience) before the final “ceremony” they called a lodge.
It appears to me that the leader of this retreat had no real training in these ceremonies at all. He violated some of the most basic, fundamental rules of safety concerning running this type of ceremony. First, anyone who is pregnant, has high blood pressure or a heart condition should never attend a lodge. This is just plain common sense. When the paramedics arrived on the seen they tried to find files or records about the participants of the retreat, only to discover that not even the most basic background information concerning health and other important conditions had been gathered by the owners of the resort or the man who ran the event. It seems that all he had requested was their name, address and birth date. (Plus payment of up to $9,000.00 a head (X 64 = $576,000.00)
Now comes the really sad part. This man used techniques that are considered common among those recruiting members into a cult. Sleep deprivation, brainwashing, personal humiliation and demands for a show of commitment beyond what would be reasonable for this type of experience.
The attendees were told that if they wanted to show there commitment they had to “Play full on”, they were told shave their heads. Most of the 64 men and women did just that. (Note: the leader did not shave his head; it is still unclear if he went without food and water as well) He then put them on a two day fast from food and water on a “group” vision quest in the desert. This was followed by a small breakfast and a couple of hours to “hydrate” before entering the sweat “dome”.
Most anyone knows it takes many hours for the human body to actually hydrate after water has been consumed, and then the amount is slowly built back up. There was a nurse hired by him to be on staff, why didn’t she speak up? They should have been re-hydrating the day before the supposed sweat.
Instead in between 54 to 64 people went into the lodge totally dehydrated and during the first round, of which there were 6 rounds, some began to throw up.
It was reported that later some began to pass out. It seems that the dome was about 30 ft in diameter and the door was very small, letting in very little air when opened in between rounds. The ones in the back were the hardest hit by this lack of oxygen. Headaches and dizziness, vomiting, kidney failure, burns, respiratory arrest, and passing out was their unfortunate experience.
The man running the ceremony did not pour water from a dipper as is customary onto the stones, instead he poured buckets of water, and this causes uncontrollable steam and heat.
Think of the closing round of a Lakota sweat where just the rest of the water in the bucket is poured onto the grandfathers. If you have experienced this you will understand why it is at the end of the lodge and the door is opened right away.
It has been reported that during the 5th round people outside the “dome” heard cries for help and pleas to be let out from inside. When the man leading the ceremony was asked to let them come out he replied “No, let them stay.”
One man left after the 5th round and felt he had failed because he did not “Play full on”. It was pointed out to him that thank God, by taking care of himself he was able to help tear the back wall off of the dome and rescue those suffering inside.
While professional rescuers and volunteers worked in the mud and sand trying to resuscitate the first woman who had died, others from inside the lodge did all they could to help their stricken comrades.
While all this was happening the owner of the resort and the leader of the retreat just stood by watching, not even offering to help anyone. One woman lay on the ground having seizures, foaming at the mouth and speaking gibberish while they looked on. Maybe that was a bit to messy for them to get involved in.
I wonder if the leader of this disaster will be required to use some of the $576,000.00 he collected from the participants, all for the privilege of being humiliated, abused and even led to their death by him, to make some kind of restitution to his victims.
I am sure more information will be forthcoming, but the real tragedy is that this man has been doing this for the last 7 years. The fruit of his “ceremonies” are people being physically trashed for days after the “sweat” ceremony, vomiting and passing out during them and when Tribal Elders came to him and asked him to stop holding them, he refused. He just ignored their requests and went on with his renegade ego trip of destruction. The result was that 18 people had to be medically helped during one of the next of these “ceremonies.”
Here is a quote for his twitter posting about what happened: “"My deep heartfelt condolences to family and friends of those who lost their lives, I am spending the weekend in prayer and meditation for all involved in this difficult time; and I ask you to join me in doing the same."
Now with all that said, I should mention a whole different aspect of what happened. We understand that the ones we refer to as the Thunder beings defend the abuse all things sacred. Things like the Sacred Pipe, the ceremonies such as the Sweat lodge and the sacred dances, etc. I could write about the wild events at the “Rose” Sundance in
One word used for a person who runs ceremony in Annishanobie is “Oshkoshbaywiss” translated “Servant” or better, “Slave.” (A servant would have rushed to assist those he led into suffering, don’t you think?)
What message am I getting from this disaster personally? This all happened because people were duped into thinking they were taking part in a real sacred ceremony that would bring blessings into their life. They believed a lie, so the liar is first to blame, but what about the rest of us? Not blame, but what could we have done to prevent this. I feel people need to be informed about what is a true ceremony, from those who know. That means me and you. If you have attended a good sweat, or if you have sweat for many years, talk about it during the next few weeks. This subject will be prominent for a while, let’s take the opportunity to speak with those who would normally not even think about these things. Let’s use this opportunity to explain what the traditions are, what the purpose of these ceremonies are, what are the outcome of a true ceremony is.
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Any ceremony, be it a pipe ceremony or a church service, can be effective or it can be just a lot of noise and "feel good", but no results towards your needs and requests.
What makes a ceremony effective? Simple, it is one that has been instigated or called for by spirit. (God, Creator, the Thunders, Great Mystery, etc.) In my experience, we have witnessed some astounding results, i.e. miracles, during ceremonies with these Pipes. For a long time I thought it was due to the individual power of the pipe itself, and while this is true, if the ceremony is not called for by the Mystery through one of it's agents, then the effectiveness is at best limited.
Over the years, I have come to see that my part in a successful ceremony is like when my Grandma would invite me to help her bake cookies. She mixed the dough, I would cut out a few cookies, and then run off to play. Later when they were done, she would bring a plate of them into the living room to the joy of my family. At this point I would proclaim the "I made the cookies!"
It is this way with the ceremonies. If the Thunders are bringing a drought breaking rain to an area, they often invite me to bring the Black Thunder Pipe and tell me when to hold the ceremony. You see, they already know when they will start the rain, even though it is not in the forecast. If I am sensitive and listen to their invite, I lift the Pipe at just the right time to coincide with the cloudburst! Now what would the Thunders think if I said, "I brought the rain?" Probably just what my Grandma thought, cute. But as I mature, I come to understand that I played just a small part in the cycle of rain.
The Hopi understand this, but they also understand that they them selves are just as important to the process of the rain coming as are the Katchina spirits up on
So, to have powerful results from a ceremony you need to ask the spirits to tell you when and if it is to be held. Then you need to follow their instructions as to how it is to be done. A cloud splitting ceremony is done differently by each individual called to perform it. If I tried to do it the way say Frank Fools Crow did it, it would not work. But if the Thunders give me a ceremony to do it, it will happen. You could try to copy the way I did it and it would not work for you, you would need to have your own directions from them.
That is how it works.
One more thing about a successful ceremony, you need to be sensitive to and in harmony with two things. First, the cycles of nature, and then the cycles of spirit. When you sense the two cycles converging, you hold the ceremony.
I hope this information will help strengthen your own individual relationship with the Divine, for that is the ultimate goal of all interaction with the spirit dimension.
Blue sky,
Jim Tree
I am back in N.W. Montana after travels for the last two weeks. We were in Hotsprings, MT. over New Years and did a Pipe ceremony there for about 30 people. The main focus was on re-evaluating our paths/dirrection in light of changes and decisions made over the last few months. We also prayed for the health/healing of several Elders and friends. One of the issues was release from addiction. When we do a ceremony for this kind of thing there is usually a two week "grace" period, so to speak, where the grip of the addiction is weekend or taken away. It is of the upmost importance that one uses this window to build new habits to replace the old ones. If you just float through this time thinking you have been released from the addiction, you will fall back into it when the medicine granted to you through the ceremony abates. Also, it is important to reform your relationship to the spirit of whatever has you under its additcion. For instance, tobacco is a plant but a spirit as well. I have a relationship with it based on it being sacred to me. If you are trying to quit smoking, you need to use the time granted to establish a new relationship with the spirit of the plant. Aplogize for abusing it, ask for its help in overcoming your addiction.
I will write more in a day or so about the power and spirit of the hotsprings, that place is amazing!
Blue sky,
Jim
I am still on the road returning from the ceremonies held in Arizona on the 21st, and after. I will give you all a full report in a few days, possible after the next ceremony on the 31st in Northern Montana. For now I will tell you that during the ceremony in Camp Verde last Sunday, we (around 50 folks) were blessed with continuing sundogs from the start of the ceremony and continued for 4 hours following. We also saw a very rare sign in the sky, not the horizon mind you, but directly over head. There were three seperate rainbows above us, one was inverted. From what we were told this is something so rare that only one has been reported in the last 40 plus years of weather history.
According to many Elders in the early 1800's, they said that one of the signs of the shift or change of the worlds would be increased sundogs. I will give more information about these predictions in a few days, until then, thank you all for your understanding in waiting for my post on this.
Blue sky, (and sundogs!)
Jim Tree
I am on the road so please bear with me on spelling and content, I will fix this up when I get home.
I left you all in the middle of the night holding your vigil where you have fasted, purified and set up a sacred space in the woods somewhere. You have built your fire, hopefully out of only natural things, no paper or wood with nails etc. It is easy to start a fire using only dried pine needles and old pinecones as starter, followed by the dead, dry twigs off the lower parts of trees in the area.
You have cleared the fire area so it is safe, if you do not know of these things, look at any Boy Scout manual for fire making and follow the instructions. They were originally written in the early 1900's based on a movement called "Woodcraft", the way of the Redman.
Anyway, your fire has been burning and you have been tending it all night. You have divided the night into the four sections to correspond with the four fazes of human life as described previously.
You have written down the messages/revelations you received as to how these four parts of your life relate to the questions you have brought before your "council." (Your spiritual helpers/ancestors.)
As dawn arrives, you feel a freedom and clarity in your mind and heart. You have new wisdoms about your future. Now what do you do?
After the sun has fully come over the horizon, you put out your fire so that you can safely run your hand through the ashes without any excess heat.
You come down off your "hill" to meet your sponsor who escorts you to an awaiting group of supporters. You all gather for the "break-fast." I recommend it start with fruits and juice. Then later, after your body is grounded, you can move on to proteins and breads.
You have a feast with loved ones and share a few of the things that happened over the night.
Most of what happened you share only with your sponsor. You pray for proper interpretation and then you go rest for the remainder of the day.
That is it; you have done your vigil. Now I know this will leave more questions than I have answered, so please, ask away. Write to me at: jim@wayofthepipe.com
Blue sky,
Jim Tree
Seeking Divine guidance the Native way
Are you at a place in your life where you need Divine guidance? Here is a ceremony that has been effective for over a thousand years in receiving answers for life direction from the Creator. It is called a “Vigil.”
Presented here is part one of a two part Blog describing the Vigil ceremony.
The Vigil
Many are familiar with the term “Vision Quest” but may not have heard of another way of seeking answers to major life decisions called a “Vigil”.
In my tradition one only holds one vision quest in your lifetime, usually when a young person is coming into adulthood, but more commonly now-a-days, sometime in ones adult life. The purpose of the Vision Quest is to find out who you are and for what purpose you are here. You also receive very important “tools” from the Great Mystery during your quest to help you accomplish the task you were created for. These tools may be a power song, a sacred object of personal power, even a new name, a name that you are to grow into.
The reason you only do this once in a lifetime is that you do not need to find these answers more than once, who you are and why you are here does not change from the day you are born to the day you cross over. How you walk out those things may change and this is where the Vigil comes in.
When faced with a major life decision such as moving to a new location, selecting a partner, changing how you make your living, etc. or when you go through a change in your responsibilities to your people, graduate from one life stage to another, it is often the time to hold a vigil.
It is a shorter version of the vision quest where you focus on just the change or decision at hand. Instead of fasting for 3 or 4 days, you fast for one day, from sunrise to sunrise. You spend one night out in nature. Similar to a full quest, it is important to have a sponsor or supporter, someone who will assist you and watch over you while you are alone in your sacred circle. It is best if this person is someone who is spiritually mature, one who carries some spiritual responsibilities.
The reason for this is that one of their duties while you are out alone, they are to remotely “sense” how you are doing, an ability not common among the majority of people these days. Sometimes a spouse or someone who is very close to you can feel these things, but it is important that they have enough experience to know when they should come to your aid and when to not interrupt what the spirits may be doing for/with you.
So here is the procedure to holding a Vigil. I want to say that this is a template, not a rigid legalistic format that you must not deviate from. Allow for changes in your own situation due to time of year, the availability of things needed such as a cold flowing body of water, and what your own inner intuition tells you would be necessary for you to be able to receive the answers you seek. Follow the template but adjust when you feel something does not fit your own personal spiritual walk.
To start any ceremony, you need to be purified. This is just like washing up before one prepares a meal. You need to wash yourself and any tools or implements you will be using to prepare the “meal”, i.e. the ceremony.
There are two ways I use to purify myself before ceremony, the first is from my Cherokee tradition, called Going to water, and the alternative would be a sweat lodge which is just as effective. I will not go into what is involved in a sweat here, but I will warn you that no one should attempt to do a sweat unless the one leading it has been trained and released to hold such a responsibility by appropriate Elders. One can suffer both physical and spiritual harm if a sweat is not handled properly. My advice is to try going to water with a mature spiritual person.
You start the whole Vigil process by fasting the morning of the day you will be going out into nature to seek answers to your situation. You spend your time preparing your sacred circle, a place you have selected because you have felt a strong connection to when walking about in the area you want to hold the vigil in.
You will need to gather enough fire wood to keep your fire burning all through the night and you will need to construct a fire pit for the fire. Other things you should do while you are waiting for the time of preparation, (going to water or the sweat lodge), would be making 4 small “flags” of colored cloth. These are short sticks usually made out of one of the sacred woods such as red willow, cedar, juniper, plum or cherry wood, etc. The color of the little flags depends on your own tradition, but they always represent the four directions. For us Cherokee it is yellow, red, blue and white. These flags are placed at the outer edge of your circle when you set up your sacred space. More about that in the section below.
“Going to Water.”
I advise that one does not do this by themselves as it is common for the person going to water to have a somewhat overwhelming experience than would normally be expected by just submersing in cold water. There is a spiritual dynamic involved with this practice that should not be overlooked.
You and your helper first smudge yourselves with the smoke from burning sage. The smoke from sage is the equivalent in the spirit realm to water in our physical realm. It is used to “wash up” everything to be used in the ceremony as well as for ourselves. I like to roll up a wad of long leaf sage and burn it in an abalone shell. I usually place the smoldering ball of sage onto a bed of sweetgrass in the shell. This prevents any possible toxic fumes from the shell burning and also provides the smoke of the sweetgrass which is a special treat to the spirits who will be assisting you.
I wash/scrub my hands and my body in the smoke, then take handfuls of the sage smoke and wash them over my head, my forehead (mind) and then my heart. This way I have cleansed/prepared my whole physical and inner being. Later, at the site of the Vigil, I will do the same with all the things I will be using in the ceremony such as a Pipe, matches, and various other objects.
Now that you are “presentable” to be in the company of the spirits and the Creator, you proceed with going to water. You and your helper walk out into the stream until you are waist deep in the cold, flowing water. You face upstream and ask the spirits to come and assist you, to prepare you for your vigil. This is more than just a cleansing; it is a way to shift your consciousness from a physical awareness to a more spiritual one. You submerse your self seven times facing into the flow of the water, one dip for each of the seven directions. For the Cherokee it is first the east, the north, the west, the south, our mother earth, our creator above, and finally, to the center of our universe, our own higher self (your heart). Other tribes go in the opposite direction and many do not do the seventh one.
You say just before you go under the water, “I honor those helpers in the East”, etc. If you are blessed by the spirits, you may find it difficult to go under after the third or forth time, this is why you need a helper. They hold you under your belly and help pull you back up after each dip. I have seen people be so overcome during this preparation that they cold not get out of the stream on their own.
The Sacred Circle.
Now that you have prepared to enter your sacred circle, your supporter walks with you to it and makes sure you have everything you will need. You should have a way to light your fire, a covering such as a hide, blanket or bedroll, a Pipe if you have access to one and know how to use it and I recommend a journal to write in. This last thing is not traditional and is sometimes looked upon as a sort of crutch, but I have forgotten so many important things shown to me during ceremony that I would rather record what is given and be a little less than traditional, then to loss important information due to my over active mind or sleepiness.
Your area should already be prepared before you went to water with plenty of wood for the fire and your directional flags should be in place as well. After you have entered your space, your supporter "closes" the circle with a ring of tobacco or corn meal that has been smudged/cleansed and set aside as sacred. Closing the circle is done in the following manner. I start in the east and following my tradition go counter clockwise to the north, west south and then back to the east. Other traditions go the opposite direction; you will decide what the correct way is for our self.
I stand at the eastern "door" of the circle; the places marked by the eastern flag, and hold the tobacco up to the spirits that are responsible for that direction. I invite them to come join me and assist me in my seeking. I then walk a quarter circle to the next direction, sprinkling tobacco as I walk along. I invite those from that direction to come join us as well. The tobacco I held up to the east is dropped at that spot, followed by the sprinkling of more tobacco as I walk along to the next direction forming a line from one area to the next. This is repeated until I have come full circle back to the eastern door. Once this circle of tobacco has been formed, nothing is able to come into the sacred space unless invited. This applies to the physical realm as well as the spiritual realm.
An example of this is when my partner (at the time) wanted to do her vision quest. We selected the place that felt right to her, confirmed by an amazing interaction with a butterfly that landed in our hands which we were holding together at the time. (Her name was Kamama, Butterfly) I always watch for a confirmation of spiritual things from nature. It is trustworthy as we cannot manipulate the birds, animals or say, the weather.
After I closed the circle, she stayed there for three days. On the second day around
I want to add that the same thing happened with deer and other critters, but little birds and small squirrels ran back and forth without ever seeming to notice the boundary. This is because some creatures and some spirits are considered "innocents." They are allowed to enter sacred space without invitation as they only bring sweet goodness from the great Mystery.
Just as the Bears honored the boundary, so do the spirits. It is a spiritual law, no one but the innocents will cross a boundary set up properly with the right intentions and attitude of trust.
So now that you have set the circle, the supporter leaves and does not return physically, but does set aside the rest of the 24 hours to wait and pray for the seeker. I often use a system of a flag hanging in a tree to signal that things are going ok, if I check on the site from afar and do not see the flag, I know that the seeker is in need of some assistance.
The Vigil at night.
You should be settled into your circle with your fire going well before sunset. If you are not proficient at making and maintaining a fire, I recommend that you learn from someone before you go out into the woods alone. You owe it to all your relations out there to be able to have a safe fire, and you owe it to yourself to be able to maintain an effective fire to warm you throughout the night. The fire is more than just a means of warmth; it is a living spiritual being that will assist you with your vigil. Many times it will act as a window into the other dimensions to show you your answers. I have seen many things in the glow of the coals of a sacred fire.
So what makes a fire sacred? It is intent mostly. Intent expressed by your respect to this living being, fire. You make it out of only natural materials. I use dry pine needles and cones as my starter. I use dead, dry twigs off of trees for the kindling.
Did you ask the tree for permission to take its dead branches? If not, you may find that the branches won’t break and when they do they jab you and you get pieces of bark in your eyes.
The idea is to have a small fire that you tend throughout the night, not a big bonfire. A big fire will distract you, is dangerous, and will deplete your fuel to fast.
It is said that white men keep warm carrying wood for a big fire.
One of the reasons for the fire is to help you stay awake. By having to continually tend it, it forces you to remain alert. If your fire goes out and you cannot re-start it from its own coals, your vigil is over and you might as well go home.
As the night progresses, you will want to separate the hours into four equal parts. Each segment will be used to apply the question you have brought before the fire to how it connects with your past as a child, then how it relates to your teen years, then how it is for your life as an adult, and finally, how it will be in your future as an Elder.
Calling in the assistance.
After the circle is closed you will call on those from the different directions to come and assist you. I call this “calling a council”. I believe that each of us has a council made up of ancestors, spirits, angles, our higher self, the Mystery, etc. By inviting them to come and join you as you seek your answers; you access all that is for help.
The best way I know to do this is with a Pipe ceremony. If you do not have a Pipe or do not know how to properly conduct that type of ceremony, then you can call them in this way.
Again, have your shell lined with shredded sweetgrass, I put a layer of flat cedar on top of the sweetgrass, and then I put a burning ball of long leaf sage onto the cedar. I hold tobacco up to the direction and invite those who live in those areas to come and join in the council. After each directional invitation, I put the pinch of tobacco onto the burning sage. When I am done, I thank them all for joining me and present my questions to them. We then spend the rest of the night in communion.
The answers you receive may be in many forms, and come to you in fragments throughout the night. This is why I bring a note pad. I write the answers down as well as any visitors or unusual circumstances that occur.
I forgot to tell you all how to end your Vigil. It is of the most importance that you end the ceremony by expressing your appreciation to those beneficial spirits/angles who came to it. This is simple, but if not done can have some unpleasant consequences.
I address all those who gathered to help me throughout the night and tell them I send them home with honor and appreciation for their assistance. I mention that the ceremony is complete with the putting out of the fire and that is it. Simple, but important.
Blue sky,
Jim Tree
Follow up note: I really depend on you guys for input. Here is a response to this post that is right on the money, Wado Shinning Eyes!
Hello Everyone,
I have had problems with the free newsletter from my web site, www.wayofthepipe.com, so I decided to create a blog to inform those interested in the current work of the Pipes in my care, as well as answer the questions you all have sent in to me concerning various aspects of Pipes in general.
To get this blog started I am posting a report originaly written three years ago after a ceremony in Arizona on 11/11. In light of the current finacial stuff going on around the world I thought you might find it interesting reading, esspecialy the predictions given during the ceremony about what is happening today, three years later.
Remember, we are to live in trust, not fear, the whole reason we humans were originaly gifted the Pipe was for help and assistance, "Uncommon Assistance" as Nicolas Black Elk called it in the 1930's.
Blue sky all,
Tree
PS. Please feel free to send me questions or comments @ jim@wayofthepipe.com. I will post the answers as soon as I am able.
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