Monday, March 28, 2011

Native American spirituality isn't for sale.

Yesterday and today there were two things that had a strong message to them. The message is the same, but one was presented in a funny way, and one in a serious way.The messages came after a discussion about the wedding and what we will be doing during the ceremony.

I have said this several times, Native American spiritual teachings are not for sale. Pretending to be Native in any way, by taking on forms of that spirituality, is insulting. Doing it incorrectly is abominable. Charging for it, is criminal and unspiritual.

If you want to dedicate yourself to the Native way, that is fine. But do it correctly. Don't take one of these crazy New Age classes that promise to make you a shaman or teach you Native Spirituality. There are no such authentic classes. Class is sitting for years with a mentor, a Native mentor. Class is going through things, making mistakes, and being shown the right way by your mentor. Being a shaman or as they are called in this country, medicine man, is a calling. Sort of like the priesthood. You need to have a talent for it(shaman/medicine men are psychic, mediums, or natural healers, they have an innate talent for it).

This is the lighthearted look at the New Age classes out there today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db1-nK7yWRA

We call them "airy fairies" or "bliss ninnies". They think they can buy and sell spirituality. No one can.

The other side of that, is there are people with a good heart who want to take on the spirituality of the Native Americans. What they do not realize is, to do that properly, you have to live it , every day. That means that you follow the rituals every day, in every way. You use tradition, and you don't do it half way or your way.You don't take out parts you don't like and add in your personal stuff and call it Native. You don't act native on Tuesdays only or only when you go to a pow wow.

You don't go to a sweat lodge because it is cool (no pun intended). You don't talk about going to a lodge, what happened in the lodge, or use it as a badge of honor. There are people "Playing Indian" way too much these days. Some do it with a good heart, but still, they need to learn, respect, and be genuine about what they are doing. You do it because you are called to do it, not because all your friends are doing it.

Native American ceremony, and items of ceremony are SACRED. This especially includes the pipe, and most notably with the Lakota pipe. Sadly, just because someone has one,doesn't mean they should. There are people walking around with pipes, telling everyone "they are doing a pipe" (a big Faux pas), for someone. They don't even know the first song that needs to be sung to load the pipe, yet they call themselves pipe carriers. That is like me putting on a white dress and funny hat and calling myself the Pope.

That doesn't mean a white man or any other man/woman can't have a pipe and use it. It means that any man (or woman), that wants to use any sacred native item or perform a ritual, needs to be taught completely, properly, and LIVE that teaching. Not just put it away for when drum circle night rolls around.You don't half do the ceremony surrounding the pipe, or skip it because you don't know it. You don't pray with your pipe on Saturday and go to Catholic mass on Sunday. It is disgracing the pipe and the church.

It is becoming difficult to find good NA teachers, they are leery of their students.They are being approached by so many bliss ninnies, fakes, and airy fairies, their heads are spinning. A real, authentic, native teacher will make you prove yourself. Now teachers are going over the top not wanting to take on any more students, just because of all the people out there who "play Indian".

When you learn the right way, from someone with native blood,you are on the right path. You don't use Native rites , rituals, ceremony and items, to be popular or say "look at me", and when you LIVE that native way, when you are authentic,then you can be a white as the driven snow. That doesn't mean that every person of native blood is authentic either! Sadly there are some out there who see your "airy fairy self coming" (like the "teacher in the video), and fleece that sheep til it bleats..... (sheep pun intended!)

Living the Native way means truly doing that. Knowing ALL the parts of the ceremony, using the right tools, and the last thing is the really HARD part...thinking, living, respecting and breathing like a Native American. That is nearly impossible for those raised by non Natives in a non Native environment.

That said, you can be an admiring person, who participates in things that are Native, just do so with respect and honor. That is truly awesome and honoring the native way.

If you are not prepared to take on the whole life, that is OK. That means that you do not present yourself as a teacher, nor a shaman, nor anything of the sort. However, if you are going to do Naive ceremony, like sweats, and pipes, you should be totally dedicating yourself to that ceremony, with the right (NATIVE) teachers...and you don't pay for it in cash. You pay for it in time, dedication, helping your native "family" and being the best you can be.

This all falls under "Do the right thing for the right reasons".

A friend posted this on Facebook today, and it says it quite well:

"There are many sacred items that were gifted to each Nation. Now all those things are used by everyone. Now, we must be genuine when we pray with these things. We must be authentic. Spirituality is a ceremony in and of itself. This is not a religion; it is a way of life. We must be grateful for the truth, the truth of the Creator, not man’s truth." Charles Chipps, Lakota

So now you have heard the same words, from a video made to make fun of people who play "pretend" Indian, to me (that you have heard before), to a Lakota.

This goes for ANY CULTURE, not just Native Americans. Would you walk into the Vatican and start doing your own ceremony in your own way, and when questioned by the guards who come to arrest you, say "Hey Pope, I am just praying for you!". That sounds ridiculous, but yet people to it every day to the native culture!

This isn't a game, You don't join the Native community like you do a church where you sign up and pay your tithe. This is much more serious, and takes dedication.

If you are going to do something this big, do it right....a lesson James Ray learned the hard way.



Peshaui Wequashimese


(The James Ray trial is still on going any you can catch some of it daily on "In Session" on TruTV)



(C)2011 Triple Moon Goddess Gina. May not be used, copied or reproduced without prior written permission.

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