Goodmedicine.at

Osiyo my brothers and sisters,

Many of you who know me have heard me on several occasions speak about the Ôsi, Inipi, or Sweat Lodge ceremonies. In recent days a tragedy took place- a tragedy which could have been avoided- which was a direct result of the misuse, or rather misinformed use of these Sacred Ceremonies by someone not properly trained in their conduct. Last week on Thursday evening the 8th of October two people died and at least nineteen were injured- many seriously or critically- in ceremony led by self-proclaimed “Spiritual Warrior” James Ray in Sedona, Ariziona. The media in the United States has been abuzz about the incident, and I have no desire to rehash what has already been said, but after some discussion with my elders and trusted spiritual advisors, I felt that something needed to be said.

Any time something goes awry- even in cases when things go horribly awry, such as was the case in Sedona- one of the first questions asked is “what went wrong?” and many start pointing fingers and looking for someone to blame. The problem is, trying to put the blame onto just one person grossly overlooks the greater problem at hand, and it is precisely this which I intend to address.

Over the past several years I have observed a great awakening of Spirit amongst the people of the world. A great hunger and thirst for knowledge- heart knowledge- and a dissatisfaction with the secular status quo, particularly with the materialistic world view espoused by the Post Modern era. As we have moved into the Information Age, access to the Internet has been a great resource for many persons searching for spiritual truth, especially as it opened up opportunities which previously were prohibitive due to location. At the touch of a button, a search can be started, and a person can inform themselves regarding all manner of spiritual and religious practices the world over.

Unfortunately, along with all this information, a great deal of misinformation is likewise available, and sadly there are a great many persons who seek to exploit the spiritual hunger and thirst of the masses for their own personal gain, be it financial or simply ego gratification. Like scavengers or predators, they prey upon the unsuspecting, often to great detriment to the seeker.

Even more tragic, however, is the “collateral damage” done to those men and women who truly do seek to serve those in need, and many times it becomes difficult to separate out the wheat from the chaff. The Native Community in particular has taken quite a hit over the years, as all-too often persons mimic Native Ceremonies and “Sell the Sacred”, which not only confuses the lost generations who have been forcefully divorced from their heritage but also presents a false interpretation of what Native Ceremony is truly about. The victimization is then manifold, affecting not only the seeker, but also those very healers and servants who are sought, and who could actually offer the aid which is needed. Men and women of integrity, who refuse to “sell ceremony” are tragically drowned out by the shouts of those only too willing to do so.

So what can the spiritual seeker, or the person in need of counseling or healing do in times such as these, when it is difficult to sort out the truth from that which is lacking? Be discerning. Listen to the small voice inside, and when it speaks up and says, “something does not seem right”. Faith is of course important, especially in matters of a spiritual nature, however “having faith” should never be used as an excuse for doing something which the intuition says is wrong. Do not be afraid to question what any given spiritual leader has to say- those truly spiritual persons will actually welcome your questions, and be more than willing to answer them. Be cautious of anyone who seems to have something to hide. Also, do not be afraid to ask around, or to do some research into the person in question and what others have to say about them. Do they make claims which seem unfounded? What experiences have other people had with this person? With regards to various ceremonies, such as the Sweat Lodge, on what authority is the person conducting this ceremony? Has the person actually had the years of training involved in learning to conduct these ceremonies and rituals, and if so, by whom? Is the teacher of this person reputable or even known? Does anything surrounding the ceremony itself seem dubious or unsafe? A few minutes of research and a few simple questions can save several years of heartache- or worse.

Here you can listen to an episode of Shawna Bowen´s blogtalkradio platform - simply choose “The James Ray Incident - A Discussion” -
where, amongst others, also Jim Medicine Tree has been invited to talk on the subject as a guest speaker. (I think at around 30/35 min into the radio broadcast).

Changing Man