Healing the Earth/Ourselves
and
Bear Walks with Wolf Studios
Jim Pathfinder and Annette Waya Ewing
1109 Grand Ave
Lena, MS 39094
bisonsmile@bellsouth.net
601-654-3301

DRUM CIRCLE PROTOCOL
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WHAT IS IT?
A Drum Circle/Medicine Wheel Ceremony has been held once a month at the Ewing residence in Lena for the last seven years.  It is a healing ceremony for ourselves and all beings, honoring and bringing in the Energies/Spirits of the Four Directions.

 For more information on this, please see:
“Using the Medicine Wheel to Bring Balance to Earth” by PathFinder
www.blueskywaters.com/page_41.htm

WHEN IS IT?
It is held once a month, the dates are posted in the Newsletter and on the Events webpage.

The ceremony starts at 7:00 p.m.  Please plan to arrive at 6:00p.m. to meet the other participants. Doors are closed after ceremony begins, to avoid interruption.

If for some unavoidable reason, you are running late, kindly call us before 7:00 and we will wait for you.  Please bear in mind that there may be 25+ people affected by your lateness—most of the time, everyone is more than happy to keep socializing—but others may be on time schedules with babysitters and such, and may have to leave without eating afterwards if the ceremony is delayed.

If you would like to have a one-on-one session with PathFinder or Waya, you will need to arrive early, be sure to let us know ahead of time, so we can be there for you.

HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?
The average Drum Circle ceremony is about 2 hours. Sometimes they are shorter, sometimes they are much longer.  It all depends on Spirit, the number of people attending, and their needs.

WHERE IS IT?
Most months, it is in Lena, MS, sometimes it is held in Oxford, MS, Jackson, MS, or Ocean Springs, MS, and last year was held in California, Florida and Georgia as well. 
The best way to keep track is to either subscribe to the newsletter, “Keeping in Touch…”
(www.blueskywaters.com/newsletterhome.htm)
 
or check the Events page of the website.
(www.blueskywaters.com/eventshome.htm)

Directions to the venue are posted, or available by contacting us by email.

WHAT WILL WE DO?
When ceremony is about to begin, we will all head for the Medicine Wheel.  Before entering the sacred circle, everyone is smudged. (White Sage or Juniper smoke is used to lightly cleanse/purify each persons aura of superficial negative energy.)
After you are smudged, take a place around the circle, trying to always move in a  sun-wise (clockwise) direction when moving around the Medicine Wheel.

Please remember to turn cell phones and other electronic devices completely off!  This is a sacred ceremony, so please maintain a respectful, prayerful, attentive, silence throughout. If you need to speak, please ask permission from the ceremonial elder.

The ceremony is in four rounds, honoring the cardinal directions, starting with the East. The ceremonial elder (PathFinder) will speak to the group about the meaning of each direction, the Medicine Wheel, and issues pertinent to the group and the times in general. We may sing or chant, receive ritual blessings, visiting elders may speak or play an instrument...No two are exactly alike--so it is hard to describe!

You may be called upon to pray,if you wish, during the second round. No one else is permitted to speak or comment during your prayer, which may be out loud or silent. That is your time. Pray in your own language, in your own wisdom tradition's/religion's wording, pray from the heart, not from the head…you can take all the time you need. Don't worry about what people may think, no one is there to judge others. Prayers from the heart are always spontaneous, often circular--repetitive, rambling...it's all good...your intention is what counts. (Likewise, when the cermonial elder is speaking, from the heart, in Spirit--it is often thus.)

We will drum after each round, to call in the energies of the Four Directions, respectively, for the healing of ourselves, Earth, All Our Relations.   This is not making music—but rather tuning in/connecting with the Earth energies—raising our vibration level…sending our prayers for healing and wholeness out, in a powerful and good way. So--no experience or talent needed to drum with us!

WHO PARTICIPATES?
Everyone who wants or needs to is invited.  Small children are always welcome, but often they do not have the attention span or endurance to sit quietly for two or more hours.  Please bear this in mind.

If we have more than 20 people in the Lena location, we will ask that the “overflow” people sit downstairs, and listen/participate in the ceremony via the baby monitor.  This is as effective as being upstairs—the entire home is a powerful sacred ceremonial space.

If, for some reason you come, but decide not to participate, please be respectful of others in prayer, be quiet and prayerful yourself, until ceremony ends.

WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
Bring a drum or rattle if you would like.  A simple but effective rattle can be made using a small plastic water bottle and pebbles.

If you plan on participating in the communal meal after the ceremony, please bring something to share.  (Food or drink, no alcohol, please.)

You may also bring written prayers, to place in the prayer basket--for those who are unable to come to the ceremony.

Bring a donation, if you wish.  Ceremonies are free—no one is ever turned away.  You may wish to help offset the cost of holding them, and show your appreciation.  If you are Native, and know your tradition, you will know what and how to give.  If not, gifts of money, wood for sweat lodge, help with preparations, white sage or other smudging materials, and so on, are very much appreciated.

On Donations:

This was written by Peter V. Catches (Zintkala Oyate) A 38th generation Lakota medicine man, and helps clear the confusion about donations:

" This charging (money for) things is very interesting and not understood by most people today. Of course a medicine man does not charge. But that does not mean that you are not supposed to pay him for what he does. Everyone has different circumstances so what one would give would be of a different value to the person who is giving, say someone who had a lot, in relationship to someone who has nothing. There needs to be some exchange of energy so to speak or if not it falls back on the medicine man and he becomes sick.

In the old days there was not money so a person gave something of great value to them for them to help them. Just to talk to a medicine man they would bring him a horse. Later on as blankets were of great value to them, they would give a medicine man some blankets, etc. for helping them. So people hear that you gave him a blanket, now everyone gives me blankets. How many blankets can I use. People aren't using their heads or their heart.

Today's form of barter is usually money. What is wrong with that?

In the old days the people made sure that the medicine man had his needs met so that he could do his job. We all have jobs and all jobs should be valued. There is no great mystery about it. It is not my place nor have I ever told someone what value their healing or life is; that is something that has to come from their own spiritual maturity.

That is respect. My father always says you get what you give. In the long run I think this is true in most things in life."

Excerpted from: Heyoka Magazine #6

For more on this please see:
“Ugista Ti; The Pay of Medicine Men”
www.blueskywaters.com/ugistati.htm

WHAT WILL I FEEL?
You may see/hear/feel the loving healing energy, blessings, and good Spirits that surround all during the ceremony.

Your vibration level will be raised.  You may feel energized and relaxed at the same time, and more sensitive to your surroundings, and other beings.  Everyone laughs and smiles a lot after the ceremony (and often during it)
—and has a great time eating and conversing!

You may also become aware of behaviors or emotional habits that you have outgrown, this awareness represents an opportunity to release these things.

The effects of the ceremony, all positive, usually last a few days. When you leave, you may be feeling very open and alive--you may have an "open heart", be vulnerable to other people's energy--so if you have to do something like go to Wal-Mart--remember: "Shields-up, Scotty!" Protect yourself by Grounding, Centering, Shielding.

WHAT ABOUT SWEAT LODGE?
We usually hold Asi/Inipi ceremony on Saturday, before the Drum Circle ceremony.

You will need to call or write us in advance—a day before, at the latest—to let us know you are participating, or if you later need to cancel. This is very important—the lodge holds a small number of people—if many people want to participate, we will need to schedule more than one sweat (in the morning--the ceremony can take half a day or longer) we never want to turn anyone away.

You will need to arrive in Lena by noon, at the latest.

We sometimes have to cancel sweat lodge ceremony if it has been very rainy—the ceremonial grounds area becomes impassable even with our 4x4 truck!

Bring a snack to eat after ceremony, unless you are fasting—it can be hard to wait until after Drum Circle to eat.  You will also need to bring proper attire, towels, and drink plenty of water well before the ceremony. We do not have a public shower, but the garden hose is great for rinsing off during the warm months.

For more information on this please see “Bear Lodge Protocol": or
www.blueskywaters.com/articleshome.htm

No drugs or alcohol, please! No smoking inside.