selfhealing  ~  women's sweatlodge  ~  moonlodge  ~  'moontime-lodge'

W o m e n

Gathering Of Women


still - the "moontime lodge" request our attention.... 

selfhealing  ~  women's sweatlodge  ~  moonlodge  ~  'moontime-lodge'

 

click on below 'topics' ....  or scroll down (Opera/Firefox.. still !)

the 'first Medicine'

drumming

Ravens' Call

gifts

 

 

the 'first Medicine'


Actually a good amount of information about women's 'first Medicine' - the moontime
(the menstruation) is available, but even majority of information often cause irritation, yet grievances sometimes, when the moontime is correlated with sacred acting of the
northamerican Natives.

Moontime and Ceremony


Moontime refers to the time a woman bleeds during her menstrual cycle. Through this cycle, women feel the effects of the moon, like we see the Earth affected by the ocean tides. There is some controversy and confusion about menstruating women and their participation in Native Ceremonies, such as the sweatlodge. Bleeding women sacrifice and give to the people during
their moontimes, and through childbirth. The sweat ceremony was created for men to have a way to sacrifice and give for the people since they do not bleed monthly, or give birth. The Creator does not ask so much that women need to double their effort to be close to Spirit.

Much knowledge of women's traditions has been lost due to the genocide of Native peoples and the outlawing of their ceremonies. Before patriarchy, bleeding women were respected for their ability to nourish life and many still view this bleeding time as the first ceremony to connect with Spirit. Patriarchal society continues to view women's bleeding as a curse: dirty, and something to be ashamed of. These histories of oppression of Native Peoples and of Women leave us vulnerable to feelings of exclusion, anger, or hurt when ceremonies do not include mooning women in the same way as others.

Native Women used to routinely withdraw from their regular duties of childcare and food preparation to a moonlodge during their bleeding in order to rest and recieve dream guidance from the creator for their people. Some view this time of separation as a vision quest, a time to step away from daily tasks to focus on one's relationship with Spirit. The people honored and respected these bleeding women and their sacred role by covering the work otherwise done by them, and even cooking for them and protecting them.

Many of us are seeking to understand traditional viewpoints by praying about and learning their intent. Since many of us come from different cultures, we also seek to learn about native cultures and how to show respect for these traditions. We need new ways to balance the traditions with an understanding of ourselves as women, old and young: people with unique energies, gifts, and sensitivities, proud of ourselves and our place in the community. This is a time of rediscovery for women, and of ceremonies that will build upon our feminine and spiritual heritages, which will benefit all life.

Mooning women are invited to join the sweat ceremony by being present during the sweat, at the fire or some other comfortable place. Please stay and join the group for the feast at the end of the Sweat Ceremony. May we together continue the search within, with elders, and with other women to dream and pray for understanding in order to honor all gifts given.

Ellen Faruna
http://www.sevencircles.org/Newsletter-Ceremony-MoonTime.html



Like others - the tradition of Sun Bear (Ojibwe-Metis) encouraged women in their moontime 
to be around the Sweatlodge or the ~fire. A step further his tradition invited and welcomed
these women to serve the Lodge as a doorkeeper.
Tragically women increasingly refused this 'offer' in the past.. doing very right though..
as they must acknowledged that their "status" was a most welcome possibility to find a door-
keeper.. while all present people were attracted to go into the sweatlodge in general.
In this context, such a request show a deep lack of respect for the woman (even though the
responsibility must be taken by the waterpourer here) - but it also show a real lack of 
knowledge and -in fact- how unsensible this woman is met.

This might have been an essential reason why women (yet, men too) started to break the "taboo"  -first with the 'lip service', the sweatlodge would'nt be held in the tradition of Sun Bear / the 'Baerenstamm'... later though legitimated throughout "decision" [Jan. 04] !
 ((Paying attention to the understanding of the northamerican Natives, such a ligitimation exclusivily belong to the 'owner' of the tradition.. but I avoid to go into details, here!))

Would'nt it have been much easier to give adequate respect and room towards these women ?
But even for participating women, the sweatlodge was always on top, for it was (is?) the sweat- lodge that was/is the 'highlight' of every gathering.
Among these people, one could rarely find a place... or a waterpourer, who provided a MOON-
LODGE (moontime Lodge) and allowed the same 'weight'... the same esteem, as it naturally
could be seen for the sweatlodge !
Therefore the non-existence of a moonlodge signaled a lack of esteem towards every bleeding
woman (maybe unmeant?) !

Of course - (beyond tradition...) there might be very legitimate reasons for a woman to go into the sweatlodge during her moontime... and than, it is only herself (while paying attention to very present, social surroundings'), who can decide wether it is 'right' or appropriate !
None is encouraged - or earn the right to judge over this !
Sun Bear taught us to follow the OWN PATH.
What seems to be simple (and most inviting) upon first sight - soon must be acknowledged as a
great challenge.. hardly to fulfill !

By no reason it can be proclaimed as something of own, if one say: this sweatlodge will be
conducted in the way of 'Lisa' or in the way of 'Tom'... and than it 'll contain many elements (or even all), which originally belong to the tradition of Sun Bear (or others!). This truly  include the naming of the directions, as well as certain songs, which emphatically are part-
or a piece of (a) tradition !

If I --being a waterpourer-- can (will) accept that a bleeding woman is asking for a sweatlodge,
I cannot act mind-guided (f.e.: I just 'name' it differently) --instead-- I must have figured out (actually: I must find out), if I'll be able in fact to celebrate, to lead an OWN sacred acting...
Such an acting - where I sit at the threshold for bleeding women request a very deep under-
standing of the sweatlodge' nature [spirit]

Many of us two legged can not see the essence, or the heart, of ceremony
because of our blindness to our relationship to all things. [Gf Redwolf]

It request the understanding of the sweatlodge' origine as well!
As we know it at present time, it came from various traditions of the northamerican Natives...
with all the rules and requirements !
We can't 'pick out' all pleasant (acceptable) parts,
while we put aside, or change every  unpleasant aspect !
Most known traditions "exclude" bleeding women from the sweatlodge... but this may not be judged from the point of our own common gauge (see below).
To walk upon a different -non-traditional- path require a strong and deep connection with those guiding spirits -- necessarily received their -true- advice, how this certain acting  must be celebrated - without showing a lack of respect towards legitimate traditions !

Wastay 
I do not know what your referring to is it the acceptance of women on their moon in the 
lodge that your asking me about?? 
I only know the way I have always seen and learned from women on their moon were honored in a separate place and were not excluded but were ask to pray for the people in the lodge. The moon time is most powerful and is a time of close communication to Creator for our women. As I do not do mixed (men and Women) lodges I do not know what others do I can only say for myself what I know.
I know there are many who think differently and I wish to honor all those people but as for myself I must be true to my traditional ways for if they are lost we are all lost. It is 
the thread that keeps us connected to the Creator and our way to communicate with the 
healing and the spirits. As in all things of religion there are reasons for why things are 
done a certain way. I respect this and it is what I believe but others may not feel this 
way and they are also honored and can do as they wish. I have always been truthful to peopleand opened my heart to others of many nations. This is not always easy to do with language translations. 
I trust you find a way in your heart that will feel at peace for your own self
and follow  that path. 
Blessings Mitakuye Oyasin Grandmother Waynonaha

....And, while I can hear the others who make a case for having "moon women" at the lodge, in the lodge, you have asked my opinion and I mean noone dishonor or disrespect with my answer ... however ....

From all of my learning, teachers, and my personal experience, it is NOT appropriate to 
have moon women around the lodge or in the lodge, or working the fire of a lodge, or around the sacred fabric/tobacco for the ties and robes, etc. for the lodge. The reasons are many,and they are MY understanding ... and I wish not to dishonor or disrespect any of my elders by misunderstanding what they have said ...

My reasons are three-fold: Sacred energy, Honoring of Male/Female, and Connectedness

First, I truly have felt the very different energy of the moontime and know that it flows, 
swirls VERY differently than that of men or women not in moontime. Without going into 
details, the two energies (moontime vs. not moontime) are opposing/opposite and can create physical and mental feelings of "illness" .. being out of balance.

Second, as a dear Unci (Grandmother) has often said "Males are males and females are females. And we pray differently. And when we have a problem, we should each approach it separately, in our own ways, so that in our unique wisdom, we can come together to solve/resolve it. Mixing the energies won't help us to live well." So I am a strong supporter of separate male and female lodges, to support each energy with honor, respect. And the female lodges of those NOT on their moontime is a strong energy of its own, and adding the moontime energy to this would only confuse those who are learning, new, unaware or otherwise struggling.

Third, the moontime is woman's natural, given by Tunkasila (Creator), way of cleansing and being spiritual/sacredly in touch with the primal energy/the creation energy of the Universe - why else would we cycle with the moon?? Men pierce in the Sundance to come close to this connection ... women are given it naturally, as a gift from our Creator, to provide Life to this Mother Earth for the Human nation. We share our bleeding time with other females on this planet - the other mammals.
And the deeply spiritual meaning of "bleeding and not  dying" is profound in its
implications...it is a universal, cosmic and sacred energy that we must honor
in every way we can.
And the way I know to do this is using a Moon Lodge, having alone/sacred time when others are having an Inipi (Sweat lodge)....

It is a prayer.....
So, that is MY opinion and the way I live my spirituality ... and, I believe, it is the way
that Ancient Ones asked that we do this. 
As the Chanupa song says "... do it this way ..."

I have spoken ... Mitakuye oyasin,

Judy -Morning Star- (Lakota, adopted)

.... Women on their moon are very strong... this does not necessarily mean strong in a good 
way...our tradition tells us that the sweat lodge was for men to clean themselves of the not
so good things that they(men) faced on a daily basis...the women's moon cleansed them for 
the same purpose...

So...when a woman comes into (or even around) a sweat when she is on her moon, then she 
brings the power of her "cleansing time" into conflict with others "cleansing" and some- times the energy can be almost unbearable...

Once again...we are told through tradition that women who are on their moon AND people who have taken drugs or alcohol should NOT be around ceremonies for a period of seven days after they have been cleansed(off their moon or stopped taking drugs/alcohol)...

As a pipe carrier...my brothers and I are use to people not following this and we take on 
these peoples negativity each time...this can be very painful to us...but that is what the 
spirits want us to do...

You may want to ask these people why they want to go against the teachings that they have followed for so long? Typically this "vote" is because they have no idea how important these old teachings are...remember that the white people are coming to us to experience our ways...
we do not need to change for them...they are looking for a spiritual way that is better than
what has been offered from their tradition...so if we change then we are no better than where they are coming from...

Our way works because it has been held as pure as it possibly can be for ages...I will never
go against the spirits...for any reason...and I have had people not understand me...
but  they were of white descent and could not let go of their teachings...

Take care...

Jim Eagle  [Cherokee / Blackfoot]

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DRUMMING
1 - 2 - 3

 

drumming # 1

 
What Is Drumming? 

 Put your hand to your heart. Do you feel the "thump-thump"? That is your heart beat. Mother Earth also has a heartbeat and it sounds from a drum. 
Native American drumming is some of the highest energy a spiritual person can be around. The softness or intensity is based entirely upon the channeled energy of the drummers. 
To be a drummer is to "be on the drum". And it is a great honor. Most drums are made up of men, although the all female drum of Cathedral Lake Singers 
(my personal favorite) is making strides. When wanting to re-connect with total earth energy, pow-wow drumming is some of the best. 
The drums are smudged and blessed. One person out of the drum group is designated to be the carrier of the drum. This responsibility is great as the person must be of the highest morals and carry himself with great honor. 
There can be no less than four drum members for the drum to be used, it is more than an instrument, it is a healing tool and it's power is very strong and needs the perfect balance of 4 to distribute it's energy correctly. 
The various drum groups I have spoken with have all had various opinions on the best bark used to be carved out to give itself for the drum. But, all agree that a special ceremony is used when the tree is taken, thanks for it's sacrifice is given. 
Next a nice elk hide is (according to the ongoing debate) used for the head of the drum. 
After much ceremony, a drum is born! 
Many times drums are passed down in families as a scared object. 
Please take time and visit a pow-wow close to you. There are many great sites that will direct you to the nearest one. Start at this one The Spike and work your way around. 


Recommended Music:


Cathedral Lake Singers 
Black Lodge Singers 
Terri Riveria Piatt
adapted from 'a --meanwhile dismantled-- MSN Group

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drumming2

 
WOMEN PLAYING THE BIG DRUM
 ( by: Thunderbird )

 In the twenty-first century, as Indigenous cultures continue to adapt, evolve and move forward, and given the fact that women are taking back the drum which is their right to do because of the lack of leadership shown by Native men, it is becoming more common to see women big drum groups at powwows. This is a slow evolution because of the fierce patrilineal protection of turf (unfortunately this Euro-centric attitude has been learned well by some Native Men). 

There has been much animosity and outright refusal to allow women drum groups to participate at certain powwows and other events. This whole "which gender is allowed to play the big drum" is sexist and borne out of Christian dogma of recent history. There is no such thing as irrefutable proof that women cannot sit at a big drum.

If women think they are "offending" men by playing the big drum, Thunderbird suggests that those men who are offended are hanging onto territory which they do not own and, therefore, have no right to claim ownership, for the simple reason that the drum (no matter the size) is a universal symbol of healing, harmony, dignity, honour and wisdom. It is also female, so it seems odd that women are denied what is rightfully theirs. Moreover, as noted below, if we are all given a heartbeat, why is it that women must shut theirs down????? 
Wherein, it is true that women, a long time ago, gave the big drum to men so they could feel the resonant connection to the Earth Mother that women, naturally feel, the gift did come with some strings attached.

That is, men were to respect women, and women's leadership role in the community; they were never to raise their voices or hands against women or children, they were to protect the "giver of life" at all costs. Alas as recent history shows, this continues not to be the case and men have no longer earned the right to ownership of the drum.

The prophecy which states, "when the maple trees start dying from the top, women will take back the drum" is starting to happen. Men have not fulfilled their responsibilities and promises; women must now re-assert themselves in order to save themselves, their children and the Earth Mother. 

Ms Thunderbird says, "Get with it, times have changed, women's voices must be heard by whatever means if Mother Earth has any chance of survival."

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drumming3

 
THE DRUM IS FEMALE AND HUMAN
( by: Thunderbird )

 The drum represents the universal heartbeat of Noo Halidzoks (Mother Earth) - the universal mother to us all. The first sound that was heard in the world was her heartbeat. The first sound a baby hears in the womb in the heartbeat of the Mother. The heartbeat is manifested through playing a special rhythm on the drum. This rhythm facilitates healing and realignment of the four realms of human existence (Mental, Spiritual, Emotional, Physical) because the Creator revolves around the rhythm. The drum when combined with the voice, creates a hum that rests between the voice and the drum and is thought to be the spirits of the Ancestors.

Therefore, Native hand drums are not percussion instruments per se or a toy, they are considered female and human because of their direct tie to the earth. 

Her heartbeat on the drum can be done in a variety of ways, here are two suggestions:
Tsimshian: Four steady beats, followed for two quick beats - one, two three, four, one/two, two three four,
one/two, two, three, four.....)
Anishinabe - two rhythmic beats - one/two - one/two - one/two..... 
When playing a drum, it should never be hammered in an aggressive way, this suggests giving it a 'beating' and one must never 'hit' a woman! The teaching goes even further by stating that the drum mallet should not be referred to as a 'beater' because of the suggestion of aggression contained in the word. Ms Thunderbird refers to all her drum mallets 'Clayton', after one of her favourite Elder Friends, Seneca Elder, Clayton Logan.

The Big Drum was a gift from the women to the men a very long time ago, so that men could experience a resonant connection to the Earth Mother that naturally occurs with women. Therefore, it has been tribal custom for the most part, that women not sit at the big drum or play it. 

Whoever wrote this rule was obviously a very threatened man, for there is no basis in history for such action. 

As Native history has evolved, this practice is changing, and there are more and more instances where women are taking back the big drum, and raising their voices in joy. Also, this in some part has been borne out of the fact that many families who have only girl children, must continue to pass down important teachings.

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Ravens' Call

A call to spirit…
A call to gather as women of power…
A call to hear Grandmother Earth's wisdom…
icss.org



The intent of Ravens' Call is to gather together women of strength to find ways to begin a 
new cycle of caring for the planet, the children and ourselves. To allow spirit to guide us 
into focused action, through individual and collective ceremony, to affect the disharmonies 
in the lives of women and men. 
The women of Ravens' Call call to you to come stand with them under the standard of the 
Raven and to be a standard bearer to strengthen the pattern of life in the dreaming of this 
new century.


 Please organize your Women's Groups as Gatherings, Council or just a day of sharing.....
 Love and Blessings...

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GIFTS

1 - 2 - 3

gift # 1

 

SONG OF THE EARTHDREAM

 By 
Nunya Ageya


Here, 
under this grass, 
I will soon release my mind 
to travel where it must, 
when, soaring, 
I revisit the Earth-mother. 

Here, 
under these roots, 
I will go when my heart walks 
the path of sacred smoke, 
when, wondering, 
I revisit the Earth-mother. 

Here, 
under this earth, 
I will learn the Earthdream song 
I dance to all my life, 
when, singing, 
I revisit the Earth-mother. 

Here, 
under these stones, 
I will find the center of 
the circle my soul walks, 
when, living, 
I revisit the Earth-mother. 

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gift # 2

 

There's a very strong gift
for women in true need
provided by loving sisters...

Please know
those sisters who shared their love
offered their help -for you-
gathered (gather!)... sang (to sing) a sacred song [chant]

This heartsong was (will be) sent out into the mystical realm
as a 'parcel / package'.... many of them....
yet available...... given to you... a sister in need !

You do not need to know the particular 'content' of this chant....
neither you need to know it's origine....
But you must trust....
that this package is available... exclusivily for you only
while it was sung.. it was brought to the caretaking of the invisible mystery..

now - ready to be taken.... requested by/from you...
for the benefit -- the unique needs you'd expressed towards the spirit-realm

LISTEN... and be encouraged..
to deserve the x-folded gifts
your sisters had been willing to share with you..
had been willing to offer to you
just you

.... pray.. and ask.. to receive one of those most healing gifts...
for they had been placed -here ~ within this unexplainable realm-
for you only !!



<<   !  > >

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gift # 3

 

The Patchwork Quilt of Life



This is the story about the Quilt of Life.

In the old days, people all over the world were taking care of the beautiful patchwork quilt which gave life to everyone on Mother Earth. It was a gigantic quilt and they couldnīt see the people working with the quilt on the other side. But it didnīt matter. Everyone trusted each other, everyone knew that each single person would do the best they could to make the quilt look wonderful.

Each person was the caretaker of one particular patch. The patches were all different because that is how a patchwork quilt is made. The patches had different colours, different patterns, different designs. But there was no envy because the patch makers knew that once all the patches were connected, they would become the beautiful Quilt of Life.

To put the patches together they used three special stitches. The stitches were called Respect,
Humbleness and Responsibility.

One day, the white people working on the right side of the quilt got lazy. They realized the job could be done quicker if they used machines. So they started building factories and they were so satisfied with their job, they went over to the left side and the top side and the bottom side. And they told all the people working there that they should also use machines.

The Native people, working on all different sides, said they didnīt want machines. Everyone knew that you had to put your heart and soul into the patches. A machine didnīt have a soul. And also, the machines made everything look the same.

The white people got mad. Why would all the others slow the process down, when they knew a better way of doing it? They could make the patchwork quilt so much faster and also, they wouldnīt have to work so hard.

The white people on the right side went over to the Native people on the left side and threatened them. They said: "You have to use machines so that you can keep up with us. If you donīt use machines, we will stop you from making patches and we will kill you so that we, ourselves, can replace you and build our own factories!"

The indigenous people on the left side got scared. If this happened, the patchwork quilt would fall apart and what would then happen to the world? They tried to make patches in secret to save the quilt. After a while, when white people realized the people on the other side of the quilt wouldnīt use machines even if they were threatened, they gave up trying to convince them. They thought that the people on the left side were slow and stupid and ignorant.

After having used their machines for several years, some white people on the right side looked at the factory made patches and realized they looked pretty dull. They all had the same patterns and colours, it sure didnīt look like a patchwork quilt anymore, and they didnīt sparkle the way the patches of the indigenous people did. Actually, the whole quilt looked really bad. Some of the white people got worried. Maybe the factories were not that good after all? Maybe they should go back to the old ways? The elderly who used to make patches by hand were all dead. So the white people went over to the left side and said to the Native people there: "You have to show us how to make patches! Our side looks horrible and we canīt remember how to make them the way it used to be!"

The Native people who had kept their knowledge and their patterns intact, knew that they couldnīt teach them how to make patches. They knew the purpose with the patchwork quilt was that all patches should be different. "You have to find your own pattern!" they said. "We must make all the patches different just like our ancestors did! If it looks the same it will no longer be the Quilt of Life."

The white people got upset. First the indigenous people didnīt want to use machines. And now they wouldnīt teach them how to NOT use the machines!

Some white people got really angry. They tore up the left side where the Natives had made such lovely and perfect patches. They tried to take patches with them to the other side. Some others, being less forceful, were trying to imitate the patches on the left side. None of them
understood what the indigenous people meant when they said that there were special patches for the left side and other special patches for the right side.

The Native people were crying. The beautiful quilt was torn to pieces. There were big holes everywhere and they knew that if they couldnīt mend it it would be devastating for the whole world. The worked so hard to mend it and to at least save the left side of the quilt. Day and night
they tried. And they did everything they could to save the precious patchwork quilt.

Now, the white people went back to the right side and desperately tried to fit the pieces they had stolen together. But they wouldnīt fit. Then they tried with the patches they had copied. But they didnīt fit either. So again they went over to the left side and said to the indigenous people: "It looks really terrible on our side of the quilt! You HAVE to help us!" The indigenous people were so busy mending the quilt and since they were worried that the white people would make new holes, they said: "Go away! We cannot help you! Leave us alone!"

The white people tried yet again with all the strange-looking patches. They tried to connect them to the rest of the quilt but it didnīt work. They got so mad and the harder they tore and twisted and turned the patches, the more they broke the rest of the quilt. The people on the other side cried: "Stop! Stop! Please leave it alone!"

"But we canīt connect the pieces!" the white people shouted back. "How do we put our patches together with the rest of the quilt?"

The indigenous people looked at each other, looked at the torn quilt and shook their heads. They saw the white people jerking and tearing and using force to mend the quilt. And they knew that all it took was three stitches - respect, humbleness and responsibility.

But white people had forgotten how to make stitches.

On all sides there were people with closed hearts looking at the patch-makers. They did not understand the beauty of the quilt but they did understand the desperation of white people and they realized they could benefit from this. So they made some cheap copies of all the patches and they brought these to the white people on the right side. "Here!" they said and opened the big black bag with lots of patches. "We have patches from all sides of the quilt. You can pick and match. And we also have super-glue for sale. This is the only way for you to connect the patches!"

White people loved everything that was quick. And they appreciated not having to work hard. So they spent lots of money and bought the glue and the different patches. The patch-seller quickly became a hero! But there were some white people who were skeptical. They didnīt believe in using glue to make patch work quilts. And wasnīt the very making of the patches something you did with your heart and soul, not with your purse? They tried to warn the others but they did not want to listen. They didnīt even listen when the colour of the copied patches came off. Or when they were falling apart. They had spent so much money on these patches! All they did was to put more and more glue on them, making the quilt look worse than ever.

Some of them noticed something was wrong. So they called for the patch-seller. They called and called. But he was gone. He had taken his big black bag and traveled all the way to the other side of the quilt. He knew his glue didnīt work and he knew the colour would come off the cheap copies. And so he wanted to sell as many patches as he could before people found out.

The skeptical white people were looking at the torn patches with tears in their eyes, realizing that what they did was wrong. They had memories of a beautiful patchwork quilt and it broke their hearts to see how torn and dirty this Quilt of Life had become.

And so they went with respect to the left side, they said with tears in their eyes: "We donīt know how to do this. Our knowledge is lost. We want the whole quilt to look as beautiful as when our ancestors made it. We know that we must work together. We can no longer show envy or anger or disrespect. We have done a lot of things wrong in the past and we apologize for this. Your patches are so beautiful. We will admire them from the other side, but we know they are not for us to have. Instead we have to make our own patches, we have to make them beautiful in our own way and we must start from the beginning. Is there any way you can help us get started for the sake of the quilt? We will listen to you with open hearts."

An old aboriginal man stopped sewing and looked up. "You have come with respect and humbleness!" he said. "And you have shown a great responsibility because you care for the whole patchwork quilt, not only your side. You know about the stitches because the knowledge has survived in you and thatīs why youīre here. You understand the way your ancestors made them. So let me tell you something. A quilt was often made by poor people. Some of the patches had lots of patterns, some had none. Some were blue, some green, some yellow. Some of the patches looked very simple and plain. But when everything was put together, and ONLY then, the beautiful Quilt of Life came alive. You have been trying for perfection and similarity instead of simplicity, diversity and the beauty of joining everything together. Your machines couldnīt put life into the patches and so your patches looked dead and gloomy. Now, when you start again, you must trust your own heart. Do not look at anyone else. Reach inside yourself for answers. Make your patches simple. Because it is in the stitches the magic lies, not in complexity! No matter how beautiful your patches look, if the stitches are not there, the quilt
will never again be mended.

So he reached out his hand and the white people took it with joy in their hearts and said theyīd bring the knowledge back home. They would tell the workers on the right side to stop looking for perfect patches but instead start practicing the stitches.

And so it was done. The white people had to start from the beginning. They made very simple patches, sometimes just with one single colour. But everyone could join in and no one was envious of the intriguing patterns being made on the other side. The people who knew the magic of the stitches showed the others how to do them. When the patches finally were joined together with the rest of the quilt, the patches that before seemed so plain suddenly contributed to the most wonderful pattern they had ever seen! All of a sudden they were glowing and shining. And the people were stunned because of the beauty, not only on the right side but all over the quilt.

The indigenous people were so happy. Now when their side was left alone they had time to mend all the holes. And yet again, after hundreds of years, they could see their beautiful quilt come alive! After that day all the people swore that they would never again forget the stitches and their love for the quilt would never again get lost!

So, remember this: Mother Earth is our quilt. We all have our own patch to take care of and we all do it in different ways. Trying to imitate or steal Native American ceremonies will not heal Mother Earth, it will just injure her. Because just like all patches must be different and some patches fit on the right side, some fit on the left side, all ceremonies are based on the place they
originate from. You cannot move them. When you do, you make big holes in the Quilt of Life.

Your ancestors knew how to make these ceremonies and how to take care of the place where you live. If the knowledge is gone, you must start again. You must look for simplicity because that is how a quilt is made. All it takes to make a patch is to go to a place out in the nature, a place which is calling you. If you use your heart, you will know what place it is. It will find you. You are the caretaker of this place. Stay there for a while, say a prayer to the lake, the tree, the mountain, ask the nature what it needs. And it will answer you, just like it did with your ancestors. It will not answer you that it needs sweatlodges or Sundances or Indian spirits, because that is for the other side of the quilt. It will instead tell you the secrets of your particular side of the quilt. The secrets that have been asleep for many years, because no one bothered to listen. But they are still there and you, as a caretaker of that particular place, has the obligation and responsibility to listen.

It might not seem as "glamorous" as Native American ceremonies. But donīt be fooled! Because it is in the stitches the magic lies. It is when you know your patch, your particular part of Mother Earth, when you feel your responsibility of being a part of the most beautiful quilt in the world, when you in your heart have no need to take other peopleīs ceremonies but instead admire them from a distant, that is when magic is created. And when you do this, you will notice that after a while people from the other side will reach out their hands to you in an honest need to get connected. They will approach you with the same trust and respect you have shown the quilt - Mother Earth -, and that day when your patch connects with patches all around the world, first then will you really and truly understand the beauty of working together for the benefit of Mother Earth. And for the Quilt of Life.


Re-printed ((here)) with permission of the author who wishes to remain anonymous.

Quoted from the author:
"The credit goes to all Indigenous people who have tried for centuries to make deaf ears listen to this message."

"Please feel free to post it wherever you want - and this goes of course for everyone else."

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