Healing the Earth/Ourselves Newsletter December 2007
Vol. 7 No. 18

Greetings! Osiyo!

Bears Coming To Mississippi

To read the Dance's history, see Bear Society: http://www.blueskywaters.com/beardancehome.html

We come back from putting the Bears to bed this year with wonderful news, that we will be awakening the Bears in Mississippi in the Spring. You might say, the Bear Medicine Society of Arkansas is having cubs.

A little background:
In 2004, I started dancing the Bear, a ceremonial healing dance, with the Bear Society in Arkansas. It is like Sundance, only it is a 7-year commitment, rather than a five-year commitment. It is not to be taken lightly. We also at that time started The Bear Lodge, the Asi/Inipi here in Lena. It was initiated by a Bear Dancer and Pipe Carrier under the guidance of a tribal elder and spiritual leader for the Santa Rosa Rancheria, Tachi Yokut tribe of California.

(See History of Tachi Yokuts Tribe: http://www.blueskywaters.com/page_47.htm; also,
The Protocol For The Bear Lodge Asi/Inipi: http://www.blueskywaters.com/page_37.htm;
and History of The Native American Sweat Lodge: http://www.blueskywaters.com/History%20of%20American%20Indian%20Sweat%20Lodge.pdf).

It was the intention at that time that at some point when the time was right we would start dancing the Bear here in Mississippi. In 2005, we continued to dance and went to California and danced with the Yokuts. In 2006, we continued to dance and took the dance to Texas for The Southern Cherokee Tribe and Associated Bands in Texas.
In 2007, we continued to dance and were given permission to start the dance in 2008 here in Mississippi, as The Bear Medicine Society of Mississippi.

So, we have "one hand" of experience in this thing. One finger of one hand for each finger, and in the Spring, we will awaken branching out like the thumb: one complete hand.
It is good. Osida.

We have yet to set a schedule; that will happen closer to the time to awaken the Bears, around the time of the Spring Equinox.

But it's a safe bet that we will be having Bear Dance at the 6th Annual Summer Solstice Ceremonies at Lena; we will also be dancing with our Arkansas brothers and sisters in Texas, and up there in Arkansas, as time permits, and, several have said they hope to come down here to dance with us. So, this is not a separation, only a branching out; one tree, with a new budding branch.

So far, our numbers are small.

We have one Bear Dancer, me. And one Wolf Dancer (who clears the arbor before the Bears dance), who also sits the drum: Waya.Frequent visitors and participants in our Medicine Wheel prayer ceremonies here, and past annual Summer Solstice ceremonies, will remember the medicine people of our tribe: Bright Star and Medicine Bull, who have poured water, drummed and sang for the people.
Bright Star has agreed to sit the drum with Waya.
Medicine Bull, who has been a wingman for years with the Arkansas Bears, has agreed to be wingman and firekeeper for the Mississippi Bears. Our Grandmother's of Honor, Grandmother's of the Drum, are Crystal Rivers and Vena Sunland.

Bright Star and Waya are in charge of the drum, the sacred keepers of the drum. It is a sacred duty and they choose by whom and how the drum is carried. Medicine Bull is in charge of the arbor, the sacred area where the Dance takes place, and protects and keeps it intact, and clear. PathFinder dances and pours water.

We hope that we can be of service to the people in this; that is the purpose of this healing dance: Healing the Earth and All Beings.

But, for now, the Bears are sleeping. Their dreams are the Dreams of the World. We are grateful for their slumber.
We'll see how things awaken in the Spring.
Aho.

bearface

This Month's Drum Circle Does Double Duty
This month's Medicine Wheel Drum Circle will be Dec. 29
As has become a tradition, we will have our Medicine Wheel prayer ceremony counting as December and January in the tween-time of Dec. 29, between Christmas and New Year's.
Because so many people are so busy this time of year, we hold this Solstice Ceremony between the observances.
It's usually very small, only a few people attending, and that is fine. We invite those near and far to join in ceremony if only for a few moments of silent prayer wherever they may be, with prayers for peace and harmony for Earth Mother and all her children.

We will drum at 7 p.m.
It's Pot Luck, as usual; bring a covered dish or food of some kind to share if you want to participate in the meal.
We will drum first, eat later. If you get lost, call 601-654-3301. Some may wish to fast beforehand. If you can't attend and have prayers to enter in the medicine wheel's prayer basket, send them (blueskywaters@bellsouth.net). Bring a drum or rattle if you have one; if not, come as the Creator guides you. We are in our 7th year now of holding the monthly Medicine Wheel Prayer Ceremony.

Note: There is no charge of any kind for the prayer ceremonies; all gifts and/or donations are greatly appreciated. We depend on the generous donations of those who believe they receive a benefit from our services. All are welcome, especially children! This is a family-friendly event. No drugs or alcohol.

Aho.

Related Items:
Protocol for the Bear Lodge (Asi/Inipi): http://www.blueskywaters.com/bearlodgeprotocol.html
The History of the American Indian Sweat Lodge: http://www.blueskywaters.com/page_46.htm
Also: 'Ugista 'ti: The 'Pay' of Medicine Men' -- http://www.blueskywaters.com/ugistati.pdf
Also, see: Using the Medicine Wheel to Bring Balance to Earth: www.blueskywaters.com/page_41.htm

Book Signing in Jackson Dec. 8
PathFinder will be signing his latest book Healing Plants and Animals From a Distance: Curative Principles and Applications from 10 a.m. To 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at New Vibrations book store, 2914 N. State St., Jackson.
This is the third in his trilogy of books on environmental shamanism, along with Clearing: A Guide to Liberating Energies Trapped in Buildings and Lands and Finding Sanctuary in Nature: Simple Ceremonies in the Native American Tradition for Healing Yourself and Others. For more information, call the bookstore: 601-981-1153.

First Edition of Clearing?
Those of your with first editions are in luck, Clearing is now in its second printing, so what you have may some day be worth something. It and has also been translated into Russian and German. Some first editions are still on the shelves, locally at New Vibrations and Lemuria.

Ascension Test: Forgotten Seeds
We come from seeds sown before we were even here; and will sow seeds that we not see bear fruit. But that does not mean that seeds aren't sown or fruit isn't borne. It our presence that tells us what we see, and how we believe we should be. Foreordained, it is, that we shall be. It is up to us to be, as we are, and to provide that which will follow. The essence of being is simply, to be. We cannot remember what we were not; but we can remember who we are, and make it so, each and every moment. These are our forgotten seeds. Bringing life out of nothingness, into being, and being after we are gone.
Aho.

From the Blog...
We went on Spirit Quest in early November, going up to Chattanooga, Tenn., to Cherokee, N.C., to Cincinnati, Oh, to Memphis, Tenn., to home here in Lena, in the first half of November. It was a wonderful Medicine Wheel, with the past, present and future, blending into one.
Carrying along a laptop for when we ventured into populated (Wi-fi) areas, we wrote about it on our Blog, including this, an excerpt while visiting Red Clay, the old meeting grounds of the Cherokee on the Tennessee/Georgia line:

Old Meeting Grounds A Haunting Experience
I came here 28 years ago when the park was dedicated, in August 1979. I was among the people and felt a kinship as the land was set aside to be remembered. I was a young man then, with young man's dreams and ambitions, my life ahead of me. Now, more than half a century old, to me the place seems even more like "home," if possible. The whispers of the ancestors' voices in the wind in the leaves of the trees, their murmuring welcome in the spring's bubbling waters, are music to my soul. They call to me; and tears well in my eyes, as I give tobacco, to honor their memory, what they sacrificed, what is gone.
We notice and old tree has fallen; its width nearly as tall as am I. I take a little piece of the broken bark lying upon the ground, giving tobacco in return. That old standing one could very possibly have been a sapling when the live voices were heard here. It could be a witness to what occurred, present at that ancient betrayal. If nothing more, it too is native to this soil, its genes carried forth from forgotten beginnings....

And, we wrote while visiting the Kituwah Mound, the heart of the lands of the old Cherokee or Ani-Kituwagi (A-ni-kee-too-wah-gee), the people of Kituwah, as the Cherokee were originally called, a most sacred spot... And about the Anikituwah Warriors, a Cherokee group that is bringing back the old songs and dances, and our experiences in these places....

See: http://blueskywatersblog.blogspot.com/

NEWS from Waya:
I have completely re-designed my website...it is now more user-friendly. There are added features, such as a FAQ page, and a simple order inquiry form. Check it out>

Within the next few weeks, I will be offering pet collars--for both dogs and cats, made with seed beads on my loom. I will also be creating double sided carved soapstone pendants in animal totem themes. Keep an eye on the site, if you are interested, or email me if you want me to notify you when either item becomes available.

Join Our Circle of Friends
For those who have never tried it, venturing into new realms of cyberspace can be intimidating. It's easier if you have someone to open the door for you. So we invite you to enter through our doorways. Here's your invitation:

For MySpace, http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=199342800
For Facebook, click Here
http://www.facebook.com/login.php
For our Blog, click Here
http://blueskywatersblog.blogspot.com/

Thank you! Wado!

May You Walk in Peace and Harmony!

Aisv Nvwhetoheyada ale Nvwedoheyadv

Many Blessings!

PathFinder

This newsletter is offered with prayers for healing, growth and development by Jim PathFinder & Annette Waya Ewing, Healing The Earth/Ourselves.
For more information, or to read past newsletters, see our Web site: Healing the Earth/Ourselves www.blueskywaters.com
We do not charge for ceremonies. See Ugista ti. If you believe you receive a benefit from this, and the work we do, a donation would be gratefully accepted. To make a donation via secure PayPal using any major credit card, please click the "donation" button on the Web site. Donations are not tax deductible.
Please feel free to forward this newsletters to others!
Copyright © 2007 All Rights Reserved Jim PathFinder Ewing Healing The Earth/Ourselves www.blueskywaters.com. This free e-mail newsletter is sent by affirmative voluntary subscription only. Permission is granted to reproduce and/or forward, but please credit the copyright or whoever is credited.
Namaste! Mitakuye Oyasin, Gus dii dada dv ni, Sa'ah Naaghaí Bik'eh Hozhoon. Blessings To You and All In Your Sacred Circle and "Keep in touch . . ." -- PathFinder