I do not walk one path or follow one tradition.  I am a ‘braided hair’ who weaves the wisdom given to me by various teachers and traditions.  I do not claim to be a Shaman  but am proud to be a Medicine Woman.  I have many skills that I have learned over my lifetime including Shamanic Practice and other healing modalities.

An Indigenous Call for Urgent and Collective Action to All Members of the Human Family for Protecting and Restoring the Sacred
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

June 13, 2012

The spiritual foundation of the International Indigenous Leadership Gathering is based in the understanding of the fundamental oneness and unity of all life. All members of the Human Family are all part of the ancient Sacred Circle of Life. Since we are all part of the Sacred Circle of Life we are all Indigenous Peoples of Mother Earth. This makes every Human Being responsible for the well-being of one another and for all living things upon our Mother Earth.
Therefore, whether or not the nation states, multinational corporations or international development agencies that surround us are willing or able to participate with us at this time, it is clear our Indigenous Peoples and Allies are moving forward in rebuilding and reunifying the Americas and beyond, through the Natural Laws and Guiding Principles that are inherent in our Indigenous World View and Legal Order that are based on a spiritual enduring, eternal foundation.
1. We have the ancient prophecies and the clear vision of a future of social justice and collective prosperity for the Americas and beyond that we are in the process of manifesting. This new global civilization that is unfolding, as promised by the Ancient Ones and the Ancient of Days, fully honors the Natural Laws and Rights of Mother Earth and the Unity and Diversity of Human Family. This New Spiritual Springtime foretold by our Elders is now unfolding globally, as sure as the sun rises every morning.
2. We have a strong, enduring and unbreakable spiritual foundation of cultural values and guiding principles that are empowering us to arise to our promised destiny, with greater strength and wisdom than ever before, after a great spiritual wintertime. This long spiritual wintertime was filled, at times, with the utmost human cruelty, violence, injustice, abuse, and physical and cultural genocide.
Despite these challenges, throughout the Americas and around Mother Earth, our Indigenous Peoples are reawakening to their spiritual and cultural identities and are healing our Sacred Relationships between ourselves, Mother Earth and all members of the Human Family.
3. Together, with our other Indigenous Peoples and other Members of the Human Family, we have the cultural, spiritual, scientific, technological, social, environmental, economic and agricultural capacities and wisdom needed to co-create and rebuild our Families, Tribes and Nations stronger and more unified than ever before.
4. Our Indigenous Peoples of Mother Earth have the growing collective social and economic capital, coupled with vast natural resources, to bring our greatest dreams and visions to reality. This includes fully protecting, preserving, and restoring our Beloved Mother as the sacred heritage of all generations, yet to come!
Furthermore it is crystal clear that these collective resources are in the process of empowering us to become a primary spiritual and economic force, not only in the Americas, but throughout Mother Earth.
We are now and are destined in the future to play a greater and greater role as key global leaders in wisely mandating the sustainable and harmonious ways Mother Earth’s gifts and resources will or will not be developed! We will insure that when the development of the natural resources of Mother Earth are not sustainable, no matter how much profit is to be made, they will not be exploited!
Our Sacred Places and the Healthful Life of our Beloved Mother Earth are not for sale and exploitation for any price!
5. We, the Indigenous Peoples of the Eagle of the North (Canada and the U.S.) have the material resources to directly support our Indigenous Relatives of the Condor of the South (Latin America) in developing their collective resources, as they choose. The Condor of the South equally has critical resources to share with the Eagle of the North. Our greatest strength yet to be fully realized is our spiritual and cultural unity.
6. By utilizing emerging digital communications technologies and corresponding green technologies and economies, in harmony with our vast, collective social, economic, cultural and spiritual capacities, we are manifesting, as promised, a future with social, environmental and economic justice for all members of the Human Family and our Beloved Mother Earth!
7. The primary challenge that stands before us as Indigenous Peoples and we as a Human Family, in rebuilding the Americas, and beyond, is disunity. This disunity has been directly caused by genocide and colonialism. This genocide and colonization has resulted in unresolved inter-generational trauma and internalized oppression that is in the process of being fully recognized and addressed.
As we move courageously and wisely forward, in greater and greater love, compassion, justice and unity, we are reconnecting to our enduring and unbreakable spiritual and cultural foundation for healing, reconciliation and collective action for “Protecting and Restoring the Sacred ” everywhere on Mother Earth.
With the realization of this spiritual and cultural foundation for prayerful, wise and unified action, all that is needed for our ultimate victory will gracefully and assuredly unfold at the right times and places, as foretold by our Ancient Ones.
Four Worlds Indigenous Guiding Principles for Building Sustainable and Harmonious Prosperity in the Americas and Beyond

The Sixteen Principles for building a sustainable and harmonious world community emerged from a 40-year process of reflection, consultation and action within Indigenous communities across the Americas. They are rooted in the concerns of hundreds of Indigenous Elders Spiritual Leaders and Community Members, as well as, in the best thinking of many non- Indigenous scholars, researchers and human and community development practitioners.

These guiding principles constitute the foundation for the process of healing and developing ourselves (mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually), our human relationships (personal, social, political, economic, and cultural) and our relationship with Mother Earth. They describe the way we must work and what we must protect and cherish.

We offer these Guiding Principles as a gift to all who seek to build a sustainable and harmonious Global community.

PREAMBLE

We speak as one, guided by the sacred teachings and spiritual traditions of the Four Directions that uplift, guide, protect, warn, inspire and challenge the entire human family to live in ways that sustain and enhance human life and the lives of all who dwell on Mother Earth, and hereby dedicate our lives and energies to healing and developing ourselves, the web of relationships that make our world, and the way we live with Mother Earth.

THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Starting from within, working in a circle, in a sacred manner, we heal and develop ourselves, our relationships and our world.

STARTING FROM WITHIN

Human Beings Can Transform Their Worlds
The web of our relationships with others and the natural world, which has given rise to the problems we face as a human family, can be changed.

Development Comes From Within
The process of human and community development unfolds from within each person, relationship, family organization, community or nation.

No Vision, No Development
A vision of who we can become and what a sustainable world would be like, works as a powerful magnet, drawing us to our potential.

Healing Is A Necessary Part Of Development
Healing the past, closing up old wounds and learning healthy habits of thought and action to replace dysfunctional thinking and disruptive patterns of human relations is a necessary part of the process of sustainable development.

WORKING IN A CIRCLE

Interconnectedness
Everything is connected to everything else; therefore, any aspect of our healing and development is related to all the others (personal, social, cultural, political, economic, etc.). When we work on any one part, the whole circle is affected.

No Unity, No Development
Unity means oneness. Without unity, the common oneness that makes (seemingly) separate human beings into ‘community’ is impossible. Disunity is the primary disease of community.

No Participation, No Development
Participation is the active engagement of the minds, hearts and energy of the people in the process of their own healing and development.

Justice
Every person (regardless of gender, race, age, culture, religion, sexual orientation) must be accorded equal opportunity to participate in the process of healing and development, and to receive a fair share of the benefits.

IN A SACRED MANNER

Spirit
Human beings are both material and spiritual in nature. It is therefore inconceivable that human community could become whole and sustainable without bringing our lives into balance with the requirements of our spiritual nature.

Morals and Ethics
Sustainable human and community development requires a moral foundation centered in the wisdom of the heart. When this spiritual foundation is lost, morals and ethical principles decline and development stops.

The Hurt of One Is the Hurt of All: The Honor of One Is the Honor Of All
The basic fact of our oneness as a human family means that development for some at the expense of well being for others is not acceptable or sustainable.

Authentic Development Is Culturally Based
Healing and development must be rooted in the wisdom, knowledge and living processes of the culture of the people.

WE HEAL AND DEVELOP OURSELVES, OUR RELATIONSHIPS AND OUR WORLD

Learning
Human beings are learning beings. We begin learning while we are still in our mother’s wombs, and unless something happens to close off our minds and paralyze our capacities, we keep learning throughout our entire lives. Learning is at the core of healing and development.

Sustainability
To sustain something means to enable it to continue for a long time. Authentic development does not use up or undermine what it needs to keep on going.

Move to the Positive
Solving the critical problems in our lives and communities is best approached by visualizing and moving into the positive alternative that we wish to create, and by building on the strengths we already have, rather than on giving away our energy fighting the negative.

Be the Change You Want To See
The most powerful strategies for change always involve positive role modeling and the creation of living examples of the solutions we are proposing. By walking the path, we make the path visible.
With Warm, and Loving Greetings of Solidarity,
Herditary Chief Phil Lane Jr., Chairman,
Four Worlds International Institute
4worlds@uleth.ca
wwwfwii.net – Telephone- 1-604-542-8991-Skype- planejr1234

Starting from within, working in a circle, in a sacred manner, we heal and develop ourselves, our relationships and our world

In my dim, distant past I was a sannyasin of the Indian Guru, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh-latterly known as Osho. Now he was a Master, with a deep understanding of how far the Westerner had moved from the Art of Meditation. He came up with a number of special dynamic meditations for us that enabled us to remove the clutter and get to the still centre. His methods were unorthodox at the time but really worked for many people. However, stuck in bed and feeling grotty I was unlikely to jump up and begin a Kundalini or Nataraj meditation!

My most recent teacher- Don Juan Nunes del Prado’s wise words came to me. One of the practices he teaches involves discovering an appropriate teacher for all the levels of existence and my level One teacher is Silas my beloved hound! He is a large lad with a gentle soul-unless provoked-who loves the simple things in life. He loves to lie in the sun, chase birds, eat, sleep and play with Pixie, my husband’s dog. That’s it-nothing more and nothing less. While I was in bed he curled up beside me-luckily I have a kingsize as Silas is a Bastiff -Boxer cross mastiff-who looks very similar to a Dogues de Bordeaux. He doesn’t suffer from worrying about this that and the other-he delights in the garden and nature and is truly an enlightened being-at one with everything. So I thought if he can do it why not me? So we lay there together, accepting what was and an extraordinary thing happened-I discovered that I was happy. How bizarre…to be ill in bed and actually happy. I looked around and realised how amazingly lucky I am. I have a warm place to sleep and recover, food when I need it, a family around me and friends. What else is there? Everyday when the sun rises I am blessed. Everyday I am with my family, I am blessed. Everyday I sit in the sun, I am blessed. Everyday I find food on my table I am blessed. Everytime I sleep and awake I am blessed Everyday I take the time to play and sing, I am blessed. So in gratitude to Silas- a great Guru- I say thank you -though chasing birds not my thing really…. but maybe I should give it a try!

This video is the best advice I’ve seen for the 2012 scenario.  Doris knows all the answers! Enjoy

Our ancestors used alcohol as a way to have clean liquid to drink so they could avoid cholera and other water borne diseases. Smallbeer was a very dilute alcoholic drink that was even drunk by children. It is a very powerful antiseptic. Cocaine in its natural form-Coca leaves is an important aid to oxygen absorption at high altitude and consequently is served as tea and chewed all the time in the High Andes. Tobacco is a prayer plant used by Native American cultures to carry their prayers to heaven….Opium is a magnificent pain killer and helps many folks.

Its not the Spirit Being of that substance that is wrong but the way we misuse and dis-respect it. So the 1st step for us to take is to meet the Spirit of whichever addiction is troubling us and apologise. Learn to get in a ‘right’ relationship with it. Discover why we have misused this and rectify and make amends with ourselves, the Spirit Being and anyone else we may have hurt during our misuse.

We can communicate with ‘man-made’ substances too. I have worked with tranquillser addiction and never cease to be amazed at the Spirit form of these drugs.

There is an interesting article in the latest Sacred Hoop magazine about one person’s experience of working with tranquilisers in a Shamanic way. The person in question didn’t have addiction issues but interesting none the less.

Ever since I wrote my very first “No Doomsday in 2012″ article for Universe Today in 2008, I’ve been repeating the same message over and over again: The Mayans never predicted doomsday in 2012. And I’ll say it once more, this time with even more expert endorsement: The Mayans never, EVER predicted doomsday in 2012.

Sadly, science and history has been bent and twisted to suit supporters of this doomsday hoax, and when scientists or archaeologists go on the record to debunk the nonsense, the blame falls on some kind of convenient global conspiracy.

But where did this Mayan doomsday idea come from anyway?

The Long(est) Count

The seed of next year’s multitude of “End of the World” theories supposedly occurring on or around Dec. 21, 2012, is that a mesoamerican calendar foretold doom. A particular Mayan calendar is at the center of all the excitement, and due to a numerical fluke, it just so happens the calendar will “run out” next year.

ANALYSIS: 2012 Mayan Calendar ‘Doomsday’ Date Might Be Wrong

The Mayan civilization existed from 250-900 A.D. in the current geographical location of southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and some of Honduras. Archaeologists studying this fascinating culture have been able to decipher their many calendars, but their longest period calendar — the “Long Count” — is what set alarm bells ringing.

DNEWS VIDEO: ‘DOOMSDAY’ ASTEROID

The Long Count calendar was created by the Mayans so that history could be chronicled and future events could be planned — you know, not too dissimilar to the calendar on your iPhone.

This long-period calendar, that has a cycle of 5,126 years, is a departure from the other calendars the Mayans used at the time. Some calendars lasted less than a year (such as the “Tzolk’in” — that lasted 260 days), others lasted decades (such as the “Calendar Round” — charting the approximate time span of a generation — approximately 52 years). Then, using remarkable ingenuity, the Mayans created the Long Count calendar that had a numerical foundation — almost like an ancient binary code.

“It’s a Marketing Fallacy.”

Although the exact end-date of this Long Count cycle has recently been thrown into doubt, one thing most Maya experts and doomsday theorists agree on is that the calendar “ends” next year. The calendar consists of 13 “Baktuns” — each approximately 394-years long — and we are coming to the end of the 13th Baktun.

One thing they don’t agree on, however, is what this actually means.

Doomsayers will try to convince you that the “end” of the Long Count 13th Baktun is a Mayan prophesy of the “End of the World.” Because, like any good snake oil salesman, you need to frighten the crap out of your audience before selling them a book on the subject.

ANALYSIS: Can Science Beat the Doomsday Hype?

But, according to someone who actually knows a thing or two about the Maya culture, the Mayans never made any such prophesy: “We have to be clear about this. There is no prophecy for 2012,” said Erik Velasquez, an etchings specialist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). “It’s a marketing fallacy.”

The National Institute of Anthropological History in Mexico, no doubt getting fed-up of their inboxes getting filled with panicked emails about fake doomsday theories, issued a statement too: “The West’s messianic thinking has distorted the world view of ancient civilizations like the Mayans.”

According to the Institute, of the 15,000 glyphic texts found in the ancient ruins of the Mayan empire, only two mention 2012. You’d think that the “End of the World” would hold more significance, wouldn’t you? Events after 2012 are also mentioned, so this “End of the World” isn’t as definite as the doomsayers make out.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of… Doomsday?

For some reason, modern culture embraces ancient civilizations as having magical powers — they could somehow predict the future and had conversations with aliens (really). And for some who think the Indiana Jones movies are accurate portrayals of historic events, this probably isn’t so surprising.

ANALYSIS: Top 10 Reasons Why the World Won’t End in 2012

Experts in Maya culture have a far better perspective as to what the end of the 13th Baktun really means to the descendants of the ancient Maya.

“Because Bolon Yokte was already present at the day of creation … it just seemed natural for the Mayan that Bolon Yokte will again be present,” said Sven Gronemeyer, a researcher of Mayan codes from La Trobe University in Australia.

Bolon Yokte is the Mayan god associated with war and creation; the reappearance of this god is therefore more of a transition from one era to the next, according to Gronemeyer. Indeed, many will be marking the end of the Mayan calendar with celebrations of spiritual “rebirth.”

Mayan descendants have many celebrations planned; the countries located where the Maya once thrived will be excited about the increase in tourism revenue. Contrary to what those dodgy websites are telling you, it won’t be a scary time at all (in Central America, at least).

Really, There’s No Doomsday in 2012

As our calendar transitions from 2011 to 2012, we can expect to see more doomsday theories surface, each convincingly portraying the weird and wonderful ways in which the world will be blow-torched in the Fall of 2012.

So long as there is money to be made from people’s fear, we’ll keep seeing the bookshelves stacked with a disproportionate amount of doom and Google ads linking to websites with doomsayers’ warped versions of reality.

But all these theories have a common theme: Whether the purveyor of theorized doom is a killer solar flare, galactic alignment or a brilliantly-timed Planet X (or Nibiru), they are all complete bunk. There is no evidence of 2012 being anything special — next year will have its fair share of war, death, destruction, calamities and financial meltdowns, but the Maya — or any other ancient civilization for that matter — didn’t predict it.

 Guatemalan Officials  welcome the upcoming 13th Baktun, an end to the ancient Mayan calendar on December 2012. Mayan Elders disregard some western views that this date is associated with the end of the world. But Guatemala hopes to economize on the forecast boom in tourism for the upcoming year. Credit: J. Emilio Flores/Corbis

Kanucas rest easy in the arms of Great  Spirit for surely there is a great celebration happening now on your return home

Blessings

“Within the cultural paradigm of which I come, that of the indigenous North Americans, the thought of ‘paying’ for a Ceremonial never comes up because the thought of NOT paying is never considered, so there is never the need to put a ‘price tag’ on anything of a spiritual nature. We Spirit People who provide a spiritual service, at home in a tribal culture, may wake up to find a sack of corn, a haunch of venison, an envelope of cash or some other valuable gift upon our doorstep. A person who receives help from us Spirit Peoples will continue to provide gifts for years to come.

This expression of appreciation is not a feature of American culture. In a consumer based society everything has an expected fee. You pay the price or go without. If there is no price established, there is an assumption of fine-print-trickery or worthlessness. This aspect of American society deprives the individual of responsibility and freedom in relationship to establishing the inherent value of a product or service to the individual. If, on the other hand, there is the appellation of ‘donation’ or ‘contribution’ associated with the item or experience, there is an observed tendency of even the most spiritually inclined person to consider that no payment or a minimal pittance is somehow acceptable, rather than to own personal responsibility for determining the value, for one’s self, of that which has been offered. This ‘get-something-for-nothing’ attitude is both reprehensible and dishonoring.

“How much is this Ceremony?” I have been asked. I might respond by asking how many dollars is an experience of the ineffable and infinite worth? A teaching which may transform one’s world view? The opportunity for a healing that enables a person to live, let alone to live with grace and ease? The very concept is rather absurd. There is no way to place a dollar value on these things.

What is affordable to one is an extravagance beyond measure for another, and for someone else the same amount is mere pocket change. What is affordable for you? Determine this, then offer more than what is affordable, for it is in that realm between what is affordable and comfortable, and the extension of one’s offering beyond that limit, which creates the space where true healing and appreciation reside. I will often present a guide for payment in an evening’s Ceremony: How much would you spend on a fine evening’s entertainment? A movie and dinner? A night out partying at a club? Going to a theatrical stage production? Determine this first. Now, if what you have received in this Ceremony is purely entertainment, place an equivalent amount in the basket. If you have received something more than entertainment, something which is enlightening and world changing, place an amount in the basket in accordance of value of that which you have received. If you feel ‘less than’ from your experience, take something out of the basket and place it in your pocket! Never should a person feel lessened by their experience in a sacred event.

I have found that, even after offering insight on how ‘payment’ is handled, that some will then look at me and ask “So, what is the fee for this Ceremony?” Well, I have been sent forth, by my Grampa and by Eagle Brother, into the American world to bring ‘the Ways’ into accessibility for all. I have had to learn to speak the language, socially and economically. So, when you see that there is a fee placed upon a ceremony, it is because, for the most part, Americans do not have the culturally designed knowledge of how to appropriately recompense a valuable service.

There are times when a person says to me that they really would like to attend a Ceremony or receive a Doctoring (Shamanic Healing Ceremony), but they cannot afford it. I will never turn away a person who sincerely needs help just because they don’t have cash in their pocket. If a person sincerely needs help, help I will offer to the best of my ability. The need for assistance arises from within the Soul, not the bank account. Such a person of indigent means may be asked to perform a service in exchange, and not always a service for me, but often a community service. It is the act of giving beyond one’s means which creates the space for healing. This is, in addition to the many ways possible, one expression of my give-away back into the Community.

There are some who have a belief that any kind of monetary exchange for a spiritual service is somehow unethical. I am curious when presented with this particular world view. I ask of the person what they themselves do to earn an income. And, if this occupation of theirs is not the expression of their spiritual service in the world, then why are they wasting their time doing something, merely for money, which is NOT their Spirit’s Calling? Personally, I cannot conceive of spending a significant portion of my waking life in the pursuit of money, let alone doing something which has no relevance to the purpose of my Being!

My Grampa Pena was insistent that payment be made for all Shamanic services. He would say that if a person did not suffer (by ‘suffer’ he meant to go beyond one’s comfort zone, physically, mentally, emotionally), they would not appreciate nor receive anything of value. Grampa told of how, in a Vision Quest, the young Indian men go up on the mountain with no food nor water for three, maybe four days. He spoke of how, because in those days the People were always hungry, that to go without food might mean death. And sometimes these young men would, in fact, die up on the mountain. He then mentioned American people who go up on the mountain, they don’t eat for a few days, they come down from the mountain and have a big turkey dinner….it means nothing to them to not eat, there is no real challenge. “Grandson,” he told me “you gotta make the people suffer so they can get something good. Those American people, they hurt in their wallet!” Think about it. He was right, you know.

My Spirit’s Calling IS my Life. As such, the expression of that Calling is, and must be, the means of supporting my worldly existence so that I can continue to bring my Spirit’s Calling forth. So, when you see a ‘fee’ associated with a Ceremony, that monetary exchange is not a payment for a Ceremony. It is a contribution to, and support of, the continuance of my life and worldly responsibilities (rent, food, transportation to your community, my kids’ shoes and bicycles, an occasional movie…you know, the stuff of life in the world) so that I am able to continue to present ‘the Ways’ to you, and to others down the road.”

About the author:
Jade Wah’oo Grigori is the Caretaker of ‘the Ways’, an authentic Shamanic Lineage. Jade underwent his first Shamanic Initiation in 1956 at 5 years of age. He was subsequently apprenticed to his Grampa Pena, and became the caretaker of this ancient lineage of Shamanic practices upon his Grampa’s death in 1982. Of Mongolian heritage, Jade brings these ways of wisdom forth to all peoples, regardless of culture, race or gender, in a manner uniquely suited to the 21st century.

Contact the author: jadewahoo@shamanic.net