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Chiron Communiqué

Author's Occasional Newsletter

from Steven McFadden

Volume 9 - No. 5a

June, 2004

Reports from Participants in the
May 8, 2004 Medicine Wheel

To read the Chiron report on May 8, click this link

Turquoise Mountain (Mount Taylor), New Mexico
"E-mail to my family" by Helen Perry Oates - I recently went to Mount Taylor (north of Grants, NM) known as the southern, sacred mountain for the Navajo Nation. It was a day trip for me, quite interesting , and emotionally draining. People in other places around the world joined together in ceremony in the same timeframe. I even had a bit of tobacco as the pipe was passed around to everyone as part of the closing, ceremonial ritual. I really didn't inhale it and even got some plants to smudge my grandchildren when I go to Amherst this summer. It was part of the closing ceremony so we can pass this information on to our children, family, friends, and share this story.

The first ceremonial ritual we attended was by the fire within a circle. We were all smudged with sage to cleanse our thoughts and spirit. Then, we offered corn to the totem and said our prayers for our individual and collective worlds. As it was explained to us, all our ideas, whether spoken or thought, would be picked up by the various, sacred tools brought by the Medicine Men (crystals, pipes, pieces of jewelry) then expressed to "Grandmother and Grandfather," the creators of our world.

More than 100 people attended this ceremony so it took a while. The intention of the circle was explained and set by one of the Navajo leaders. Our planet has been offset from its axis at the North and South Poles that's created disasters in all forms of human and environmental activity occurring around the world. It's made our planet out of balance from negative thoughts and actions. The ceremony would bring Earth back to harmony to stop the destruction. To symbolize our unbalanced Earth, we knotted 365 pieces of yarn in four colors (white, yellow, blue, and black) for the four directions and four seasons then tied all the pieces around a juniper tree.

At high noon, we gathered around this tree and picked up the loose ends of the yarn. Then, the singing and drumming began. The intention was to pull the strings to release the negative knots in order to restore the harmony. When the strings were pulled, the knots would become free. Drumming began softly. Singing and chanting was added by the leaders. Then, we all participated by chanting, drumming, and making various noise with rattles, clapping of hands, our voices, and dancing in place. The volume gradually increased over a period of a half hour to 45 minutes to heighten the vibrations. Remember, we were expressing for the world yet at no time did the sound get out of control. All the while, we held our pieces of knotted yarn around the tree in this huge circle.

Together, on demand, we moved one step to the right and pulled the yarn and undid the knots. Undoing the knots undid all the many forms of negative emotions and actions expressed by people around the world that created the imbalance in the first place.

We could not leave any yarn knotted that didn't break free. For those pieces that didn't work, some of us individually unknotted the yarn. The tree couldn't be left with knotted pieces or our work was incomplete. Some of us took that responsibility to undo all the knots! When finished, all strings were free of knots (nots). We could take home the unknotted pieces of yarn to add to our personal collection of sacred items.

The cycle of ignorance from these negative emotions is now broken, completely unknotted. The format of the ceremony, created by Native Americans, occurred around the world and held yesterday. I was reminded of the Native American teaching that states: ‘we are the ones we are waiting for.’

If not us, who? We can't expect politicians to change our worlds, they have a big investment in keeping it the way it is. So do many people out of not knowing. We all know that yet we must be responsible for "undoing the knots" in our personal and collective worlds.

May the love I have for all of you bring you compassion, joy, love, and beauty forever. ILY ...Mom-Grandmother-Aunt Helen

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Southern New Mexico
Thank you for the information regarding Bennie LeBeau and the Medicine Wheel Ceremony. As a result, I made an open invitation to the community to join me in my backyard sanctuary from 11am till 2 pm. In the early morning hours I prepared an altar symbolizing the 4 grandmothers standing tall in Wyoming...using large stones...with flowering pots in the center...also used crystals and special shells as the 19 points around the center stones.

Since Mt Taylor is north of us we felt the connection strongly. We shared prayers, songs, drum and sage together...We were silent in between the offerings and could sense our connection to the beauty of the earth. The focus of celebrating mother's day this weekend brought the significance of our source close to the heart of this matter. Thank you, Mearajoy -- peace2u@riolink.com

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Cornwall, United Kingdom
I made a Medicine Wheel on the sand in front of the sea, as I stood sending my blessings for Mother Earth the sun rose up from behind the cliffs and a great gust of wind went right thought me. It was a wonderful experience. And I felt the pull from the Brothers and Sisters across the ocean. I also saw a crow flying past at the time toward the Sun.

This is a vision I saw: A cloud with a Native Man on it. He had long silver hair and in his hands he held a Ball of Light and from the light came rays of color touching every corner of Mother Earth. Just so beautiful, I cried. Love and blessings, Wendy - jaywen@btopen.com

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Mt.Fuji Medicine Wheel
The Mt. Fuji Ceremony took place on May 9th, between 11:00 and 1:00 pm local Japan time (coordinated with May 8th in the U.S.) Close to 10,000 people gathered to invoke peace in every world nation and to perform Mudras for the awakening of humanity and the healing of Mother Earth.

Close to 400 flag bearers in all joined in the Opening Flag Procession to commence the Ceremonial Prayer gathering. The flags of each nation (192) were accompanied by an escort flag bearing the peace prayer – "May Peace Prevail On Earth" - in the languages of each country. The Earth Flag was presented at the end of the procession to honor Mother Earth and all her nations, cultures, tribes and regions on earth.

The prayer field was shaped in the form of a Great Circle (magically in sync with the Great Medicine Wheel going on in the U.S.) in which sat thousands of participants divided into 192 blocks representing the nations of the world. The members of each country block stood up to offer their prayers and INs (mudras) when their country was called forth in prayer. A wave of prayers, a wave of INs (mudras) rippled across the prayer Circle in a symphony of Love, Light and Harmony. May peace be in Afganistan - Jinrui Soku Kami Nari , May peace be in Iraq - Jinrui Soku Kami Nari, May Peace be in France - Jinrui Soku Kami Nar.

Masami Sensei (daughter of the late Master Goi who founded this group effort over fifty years ago) addressed the crowd after the ceremonial prayer. A brief summary of her speech follows:

Great work has been accomplished today through our prayers for peace. We are joined today by the Protective Guardians of each nation and tens of thousands who comprise the Collective Body of Consciousness-the awakened ones who are serving humanity around the world. The energy created by our prayers is being carried to every corner on earth by these Guardians for the evolution and awakening of humanity. As a result of our prayers to day, the history of humanity has opened to a clean new page. We have shifted to a new paradigm. All wars will be eliminated from the face of the Earth by the end of this year. This is a magnificent feat. Congratulate yourselves. Honor and give thanks to yourselves who have continuously dedicated their lives to prayers for peace.

At the end of the ceremony, the Ultimate Light of the Universe was sent forth to bless each and every one of us. With our right palms facing heaven we proclaimed in unison, "Manifested" "Accomplished" as the Light was received through every cell and sub atomic particle of our very essence.

May Peace Prevail On Earth - Jinrui Soku Kami Nari
Fumi Stewart" (World Peace Prayer Society) divinity@concentric.net

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Ocean Springs, Mississippi - Keep the Medicine Wheel Going
The May 8 Grand Medicine Wheel ceremonies were incredibly powerful, and our activities in Ocean Springs as part of the observance was by all accounts transformative.

It was a great pleasure and honor to conduct the ceremonies at Ocean Springs as the designated "ambassador" and I am most grateful to have been deemed worthy. It did pose a personal challenge including 11 straight hours of ceremony, in sun and heat as the day wore on. (I’m told there were 7 or 8 people conducting ceremony at Turquoise Mountain in New Mexico, so no one person performed every facet). For me, it was quite a learning experience; sort of an open-air sweat lodge at times.

We followed the protocol as modified for the circumstances. Susan Ordoyne coordinated the event. She jumped through bureaucratic hoops to obtain the necessary permits; but all turned out perfectly.

We had about 40 people throughout the day with about 25 people at any time -- to do ceremony on the beach next to the Gulf of Mexico. The intent was to bring the water element to the wheel far to the West, to cool the fires of that region, and bring balance.

The official hours of our public use permit were 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., but we began much earlier, at 3:30 a.m. The ceremony protocol called for ambassadors to arise early and prepare the site by 4 a.m., to be in synch with the Morning Star, and bring its energies into the circle. This we did.

We created the circle next to the waters in sacred manner, with a fire pit and Earth altar. The altar was anchored by my staff and medicine bundle with the canupa (sacred pipe). The circle was consecrated with tobacco and sage and linked energetically to the Grand Wheel, anchored where the land met the water, for the air, earth, fire, water elements to hold its center, with Skan, wind, to carry its prayer messages. It is noteworthy that part of the intent incorporated The Alphabet of Star Beings (Dolphins & Whales), so that our activities could be translated to all beings in welcome.

Thus set up, the circle was an operating principle whether anyone was within the circle or not, and it worked energetically all day at a high vibration rate.

When people arrived they were smudged before entering the circle and told they could enter at will, to pray, meditate, sing, drum or do other ceremony, but all social interactions, visiting, etc., was to be done outside the circle. The circle was honored in this way throughout the day, and the sacred fire was kept going by Firekeeper Rick Ordoyne, who did his work magnificently, unobtrusively, with respect. He deserves much honor for his humble sacrifice as keeper of the flame.

Although the official public ceremonies were not to begin till 8 a.m. (as per the city’s public use permit), some came early, before work. We drummed up the sun, greeting the first rays and sending its power to West.

As people arrived, they presented objects to the altar to be blessed, and prayer sticks and offerings for the Earth Mother which were gifted at the concluding Water Ceremony. Shortly after 10 a.m., we began the full drum circle, which honored each of the directions. It was very powerful. Later, it was noted that during the day, the sustaining wind shifted from the North to from the South, as recorded at the Ocean Springs weather station; as we drummed each of the directions, the wind shifted to from that direction, which the official weather service site recorded.

The drum ceremony elicited much emotion. Some openly wept. As one person said: "I just don’t know why I keep crying." I told her that in this ceremony we were one with the Earth, and we are releasing our tears, our fears, our obstacles, barriers, and toxins, just as we are ushering and nurturing the energies of the Earthly Mother to cleanse Herself, and bring Herself into balance, with healing energies rushing in.

As we finished the last round of drumming, someone shouted: "Look at the dolphins!" And, sure enough, about 200 yards offshore, dolphins came. They were rolling in the water, and jumping, and splashing. It was a joyous affirmation, and we gratefully received their energy in our circle.

At noon, we observed silent prayer, joining our hearts and prayers with all the people of the wheel wherever they might be, and all the peoples and beings of the Earth, all in our Sacred Circles.

In this silence, we gave thanks to the Earthly Mother for all that she gives us: food, shelter, life, knowing that our bodies are made of her elements and we share our bodies with her and all beings that depend on her for subsistence and sustenance. It was our intent to feel the heart of the Earthly Mother and join our hearts with hers.

In our silent prayers, we invited all the spirits of the land, the water, the air, the spirits of all beings (all our relations) to join our circle. And we welcomed all good spirits, including our guides and guardians, our ancestors and descendents, our soul brothers and sisters in all time, who, like us, are stakeholders in the well-being of the Earthly Mother. And we invited them all, each in turn, to speak to our hearts so that we could voice their prayers, as one with ours. And we thanked them for having joined us, and prayed they would continue to give us counsel in our paths when we left this circle.

So, in Ocean Springs, to honor Grandfather’s vision, and the vision of the Great Medicine Wheel, we joined our hearts, minds, bodies and prayers in our Sacred Circle with all our relations thus called in to aid in the fruition of this dream. We asked that the Sky Path of the Holy Ones be made clear, so that their divine energies could bring balance to the world, to give spiritual guidance, and nurture for our Earthly Mother and all relations.

During this process, in which I gently rattled to bring the spirits in, and then drummed the slow, steady heartbeat of the Earthly Mother to attune our thoughts and prayers as one, I had a powerful vision. I saw the Sky Paths. They looked like crooked, blinding lightning frozen in the sky. I saw they are like neural pathways in the Earth Mind. And stretching out to the tips far away, they connect with the Great Mind. They are pathways to new thinking, new being, transformation of our Earthly Logos - the Being of Gaia. And we are connected, when we base our root chakras to the Earth, our crown chakras open to this white energy, each of us opening Sky Paths To The Holy Ones by our thoughts and actions in the world.

This was a great gift, and a continuing one. When we envision this, we become The Holy Ones. We connect to this balance between Earth and Sky with our beings, as avatars of bringing a new energy to the world. And thus their visions become our visions. We bring Spirit into this plane when we align with the Flow of Creation in this way.

To conclude this silent prayer, we danced, praying with our feet. Our bodies singing our songs. We did the Eye of the Raven dance, which was given to me in a vision a year ago, as part of the World Soul Retrieval ceremonies. We formed two circles, women on the outside, men on the inside. Women danced clockwise, men counterclockwise, singing our prayers, asking that each voice be heard by the Creator. Giving our songs to the Universe.

After four rounds, we then formed one circle, dancing clockwise to bring the energy back with all gifts of the Universe back into the Earthly Mother, giving thanks to the Creator for this moment between Earth and Sky with all our relations, as one voice. And we all embraced, no one left out, to conclude. All brothers, all sisters, one in Spirit, all inclusive, all one in the unbounded love of the Creator we share.

So it was that after this, after a short break, we had our Water Ceremony, the conclusion of the ceremonies of the day. First, we drummed our thanks, our gratitude for life, for love, for sharing all that the Creator, the Earthly Mother and Spirit give us, to make us whole. Then, we went around the circle with the truth stick, so that each person could express gratitude, prayers, and say what he or she had brought to gift to the Earthly Mother explaining the significance of the gifts, the prayer sticks, the hope and love that is gifted.

Then, we participated in a pipe ceremony. Every person in the circle participated in smoking the canupa. One little boy, Ashton, 7, sang a beautiful song about the Creator’s love for the Earth. His youthful, pure and innocent energy was a most beautiful contribution.

We asked that the power of the pipe, which had held the sacred circle together in Spirit for our ceremonies, carry our prayers to the Earthly Mother and all Creation when we made our gifts and offerings in the waters of the Gulf; and so we went to the water, and made offering.

Creator smiled on us again, then. For as we were making our offerings in prayer and gratitude, again the dolphins came, and they swam in a circle just offshore. Someone said: "They are making their own Medicine Wheel."

And thus the day’s ceremonies were ended, with the dolphins carrying our prayers out into the waters of the World. After everyone had left, I was honored to deconstruct the circle, and we cleaned the site, leaving no visible mark.

The day had begun with the stars as beacons overhead in the inky darkness of as-yet unmanifested hope and dream. It had opened like a flower with the rising of the sun to drums beating the heart sounds of the Earthly Mother, as Grandmother Moon, nearly full, set in the West. It had continued as the day bore long in the vigorous growth and healing of the South’s hot Sun, to add energy to the heartfelt prayers of the gathering. And it finally ended with water gently lapping at the shore, washing all trace away, to begin the cycle of life anew on the morrow. Thus, the circle was complete.

I should say that when I finally picked up my blanket, as the last act before leaving, beneath it was a large, beautifully proportioned seagull feather. I laughed. There was no feather when I had laid my blanket down upon the sand that morning for the ceremonies. But, when all was ended, there was this gift of Spirit - a prayer feather to carry into the world from this event. The feather is now on my staff as a reminder of the love and gratitude that we owe our Earthly Mother, and the blessings and gifts that the Creator constantly bestows upon us.

Before and after the Ocean Springs Medicine Wheel ceremony, many people said, "This has never happened here before," and "Nothing like this has happened on the Coast." People were most excited, with hopes for more such events.

We came together from different directions and formed a Living Medicine Wheel; we returned to our different directions, and must carry it on, to keep it alive, spreading out through all our Sacred Circles.

We want to keep the energies going toward healing and bringing our Earthly Mother’s energies into balance. No matter where you may be, or whether you attended or not, you can tap into this energy and carry it forward into your daily life. We want to keep the Sky Paths of the Holy Ones we opened clear and transformative for ourselves and our world.

Many Blessings, Jim Ewing (Blueskywaters) - blueskywaters@bellsouth.net

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Blue Mountain
I would like to extend my sincere heartfelt thanks to you, in your service and love for our Mother. You, through your beauty and communications brought many to the Blue Mountain. The Ceremony of Light that we all experienced was a vital component to fulfilling Grandpa Martinez’s and Bennie’s visions. In remembering the story of our Elder Brother Black Elk, there was great importance in bringing his great vision to the people, here upon our Mother. Once the vision was brought here, the Medicine was made Holy upon our Mother.

Through your hard work, the great and beautiful Medicine of your words, many people came and the lodges of the rainbows came and filled the meadow, just as Grandpa Martin was shown. For these things are Holy and Wakan. In my heart, I saw the blooms of the flowering Tree of Life, which Black Elk cried so deeply for, on Mount Harney in the Black Hills of South Dakota, in his last cry upon the mountain.

For this is a good time, a great time, a beautiful time, my brother. It is the time of the Rainbow Bridge. I am so deeply grateful for your contribution. I pledge my service to you as your brother, may the Light always illuminate our path in this journey. May our illumination as the "messengers" no

w help the people to awaken from their sleep and remember, our beautiful Mother Earth. For it is time!
Your brother in Light, Gary Neal silverhawk@ev1.net
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Platte River, Colorado
I was one of the organizers for the Platte River, Colorado site. Here is my sharing about the May 8th Medicine Wheel Ceremony.

The area by the Platte River near Sedalia, Colorado is beautiful. Benny LeBeau came to the site about a month beforehand on April 9, 2004 to bury a crystal and magnetic stone and consecrate the site for the May 8, 2004 prayer circle. Elder LeBeau used drumming and singing to connect this section of the Platte River to the part of the Medicine Wheel that lies between the Arkansas and the Platte Rivers.

The site is a natural circle on a raised area. It is graced with many rocks and several large pine trees. There is much quartz in the rocks. The river runs on the west side. White Eagle and helpers put up stakes representing the four directions around the site and made the east door entrance apparent to all who came to the Prayer Circle on May 8th.

The day began cold at 5:30 a.m. in the mountains in Colorado. Participants were smudged as they came through the east door. The Four Directions were called in. Then using Elder LeBeau’s words, White Eagle announced the intention for the day and we began drumming. After an hour of drumming, White Eagle said prayers for Mother Earth and the animals and asked for prayers from the participants. Then we began to drum again.

Participants stopped to eat breakfast at 8:30 and after breakfast White Eagle asked for Prayer Sticks, colors, designs, etc. from participants to honor the ancient ones starting in the South. Participants placed these to the center west of the central fire. Participants sang during this ceremony. Then we drummed for an hour.

At 11:30 White Eagle asked participants to bring their crystals and other sacred objects to the center of the Prayer Circle and place them under the Buffalo Mother Drum. Participants sang songs and danced. White Eagle began rattling to open the vibration and then asked participants to join in drumming while singing a connecting song. The day had warmed to become very comfortable. There was sun and clouds. The ravens and eagles were flying above us. Many saw eagles as they came to the ceremony, flying down the Platte River and circling above. At this time, over 70 participants had arrived.

At 12:00 p.m., a Lakota woman led the Canupa pipe ceremony. Many were moved to tears at this time and many felt the vibrational energy rise at Yellowstone Park from very low to very high. The energy from Mother Earth was connected to the participants and from the participants to Mother Earth to renew our sacred relationship with her. Singing started in the south and ended with the drumming group in the north. Dancing and drumming with all the participants began and continued until the lunch break at 1:30.

At 2:00, White Eagle began the acknowledgment of the sacred water. All participants threw seeds and herbs into the Platte River so the offerings would be carried as a sacred message to the universe when the plants arrive. All sprinkled the sacred water from the Platte River at their drumming sites and onto the sacred fire along with the herbs and seeds. Many songs were sung at this time. We drummed until 3:30.

After the break, White Eagle announced the ceremony to honor the sacred path for ourselves – the human beings -- with the Mountain song. He asked for guidance and wisdom of the mountain and the waterway gods, "as our journey begins here."

White Eagle told us that all who came to this site on this day would not be the same. We would leave with a higher spiritual feeling inside because of our intentions and participation at this ceremony. Many could feel their own vibrational energy become higher. White Eagle offered a prayer for guidance and wisdom and we drummed until 4:30 p.m. White Eagle closed the ceremony by thanking and releasing the Four Directions.

In conclusion, we were many different races, beliefs, and ages and all were connected in a peaceful, loving way. Elder LeBeau told us to cooperate and communicate -- and that did occur at this site. There was communication during the day which brought about compromise between the diverse belief systems of the participants. We have received many e-mails from the participants telling us that they felt the ceremony was a highlight of their lives and they were so glad they attended. - Dena Grady - m.v.grady@att.net

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St. Augustine, Florida – The Wolf Clan Sings
Alafia! -- Alafia is a greeting of warmth and blessing used by the Yoruba people of West Africa.

I work at an exotic animal compound that houses a lion, tigers, leopards, wolves, cougars, bobcats, servals and other smaller species. On May 8, I constructed a four-direction/candle Medicine Wheel within the compound. I began opening the directional candle doorways at 1:45 EST

Moments after I opened the eastern doorway, the wolves (13 in total) started howling. They continued their group sing until I opened the northern gateway. The sound vibrational power they blessed the compound with was awe-inspiring. It was an experience I'll never forget.

I thought you would enjoy knowing that the Wolf Clan enthusiastically participated in the Massive Medicine Wheel. – LJ Crane -- ljcrane@mindspring.com

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Hay Springs, Nebraska
My husband Ollie and I stayed in Hay Springs, Nebraska on May 7 and 8 on the Flying Heart Ranch, owned for three generations by the Kadlecek family. Before the last Lakotas were put on reservations, it was the traditional camping area of the families of Crazy Horse and Fast Thunder. It's also the place Crazy Horse wished to be allowed to live out the rest of his life when and if he was released from prison.

It is generally referred to as the Beaver Wall or Beaver Creek area and the Indian history of it was recorded by Ed and Mabel Kadlecek at the request of Lakota elders who came to visit them and tell stories about this area.

These stories are published in a book called "To Kill an Eagle" and the stories point out, among other things the tree where Crazy Horse's body was waked by his parents when they retrieved it from Fort Robinson, their old tipi site, vision quest sites, eagle catching pits, travois trails, rock shelters, site of Crazy Horse's last sundance, and finally Crazy Horse's probable grave as pointed out by Stinking Bear who at fifteen years old secretly followed Crazy Horse's parents and watched where they buried him. They took him up near Scout Point and pried sandstone boulders down to cover him.

Although no one else ever noticed it before, I happened to notice some very worn petroglyphs on three of the boulders, which the Kadleceks are going to have
investigated. Perhaps if they can be interpreted it may point to who is buried there.

Many modern Lakota today continue to visit this burial site and conduct
ceremonies there. Most believe that somebody important is buried there. The current owners Dave and Pat Kadlecek are very respectful of this site and protect it from digging or desecration. They readily conduct tours for elders and Lakota schoolchildren as well as the occasional tourist like my husband and myself. They also help coordinate and host the annualCrazy Horse trail ride which honors his memory and goes through their land on the way to Crazy Horse mountain. It starts at Fort Robinson, goes through the Beaver Creek Area and then on to the Crazy Horse Monument.

Anyhow, that's the background of this site in a nutshell. Ollie and I went to the sundance site there to pray with the sacred pipe for world renewal and for healing for all our relations. Ollie was also instructed to do shamanic work to make sure that certain evil or negative medicine people would not be empowered by the Medicine Wheel ceremony. My job was simply to keep praying for world renewal, for all my relations. We also prayed for rain for the Kadleceks since it's very dry there and they're always worried about fire. At first we were disappointed that we didn't get immediate results, since it usually starts raining right away after the ritual we do.

The next day, May 9, we started driving back home to Michigan and decided to stop at Blue Mounds State Park in Minnesota. It's enroute to Pipestone and both are very old sacred sites. It was a clear sunny day, but no sooner did we sit down and try to eat a sandwich, then giant gusts of wind started blowing.

All of a sudden it got very dark, in just one or two seconds. We looked up and over our heads was an enormous mass of dark gray and green clouds, roiling and colliding into each other, looking very intimidating and serious. We cancelled any thought of a hike, hopped into the car and started driving back towards the town of Luverne center to get back on Rte. 90 East. All of a sudden a giant white cloud cut right across our path, rotating at a dizzying speed along the ground from West to East. I was terrified to drive on, the wind looked so powerful and localized, and had I not braked, we would have driven right through the mass of swirling whiteness. My husband coaxed me to continue driving and on our left, where the cloud had passed on to where two small tornadoes just beginning! They were right next to us!

What we had witnessed was their births! My husband refused to believe that they were anything more that dust devils, but I was convinced they were tornadoes and felt like a blubbering, hysterical heap of jello. Things looked bad, with lightning all around, by the time we reached downtown Luverne. My husband and I pulled into a Country Kitchen Parking lot because the tornado siren was blaring.

Customers started streaming out of the restaurant, pointing at the horizon then quickly jumping into their cars and driving away. Next the teenage employees started streaming out and pointing to the horizon. I got out of the car and asked them what was going on and they said "Look! Tornadoes!" And sure enough, there where we had seen the two small tornadoes was one enormous tornado stretching up thousands of feet from the ground to the sky. There were also two others we could see. One of the kids was upset because he called his mother and a tornado had ripped up their garage and was heading toward their house, so she hung up in a panic. More swirling clouds were forming right above us and the kids offered to let us shelter in the dry goods area of the restaurant, but when we went in we felt we would rather be outside where we could see what was happening. At that point I pulled myself together and reminded my husband that he is a weather shaman, so I nagged him to get working on it! (He's a mild mannered economics professor by day, weather shaman by night!)

He started shaking his stones and talking to the clouds and IMMEDIATELY they moved in the direction he was pointing and DISPERSED! The kids were just looking at him like he was crazy. Meanwhile I kept praying that no one would be hurt by this storm and that the kid's family would be alright.

We decided we didn't want to drive anymore, especially since the storm was moving East down Rte. 90, exactly where we would be travelling, so we stayed the night in Luverne. We decided to ask the Spirits that night what the storm was all about, and what they told me was that the Medicine Wheel Ceremony had been a success and had released the tornadoes, lightning, hail, wind and rain as a healing force across the land. These tornadoes would bring healing to the earth.

Ollie my husband was told that the ceremony we did at the sundance site was increased in power manyfold due to the Medicine Wheel Ceremony and that our prayers for rain and world renewal had helped to trigger this storm as a force of cleansing healing. Also, Crazy Horse and Fast Thunder were medicine people who traditionally worked with the Thunder Beings and that energy was tapped into at their sundance site.

Ollie was also told to get with the program and to realize that whenever the Thunderers or Tornadoes are around that he's supposed to be working with them, not running from them, because they give him power! I think they had been trying to wake him up to this fact before I started nagging him because the wind had slammed his finger in the car door and it was a bloody mess (I can't believe he never screamed!

I would have been rolling on the ground in pain, tornado or no tornado!. Strangely, instead of his nail turning black and falling off, his finger looks almost completely healed! On the news that night, they said that eight tornadoes in all had ripped through Minnesota. Interesting that this coincides with the eight directions! Luckily no one was hurt by the tornadoes.

It was the experience of a lifetime to see two tornadoes being born right before my eyes! I know that I'll never forget it as long as I live.
All My Relations, Shakuntala Tambimuttu -- shak222@yahoo.com

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Eldorado, New Mexico
My son and I live in Eldorado and felt you might be interested in what we experienced on May 8. People are circulating their experiences around the net. Please feel free to forward if you are guided and thanks for all you're doing.

When we heard of the Medicine Wheel we immediately knew we were to participate. Shane (my 5 1/2 year-old son) and I are caretakers of an earthstar Intergalactic/Interdimensional vortex by our land. We had no idea what we were going to do but knew we would know the right thing to do when the time came. I had read through the email update and heard on the news that Ceremony would begin at 4 AM Saturday and continue on till 4 AM Sunday.

When I awoke in the morning I was still unsure about what actual action to take but had received insight regarding the vortex during the night. I had a vision that there was all this white light very forcefully exploding up from the vortex very similar to the geysers at Yellowstone that erupt. I became concerned because the purpose of the wheel was for this to not happen...to calm things down in balance again. Then I re-balanced myself and went back into neutral observer mode and saw the vortex sort of close in on itself...like it was inside out and was now going right side in. I am still unsure what's going on other than it does seem to be in now, yet still "open." (Just had an aha moment...first it exploded up to the stars and now it's turned attention inward/down toward the earth!)

When I awoke was uncertain what to do and this was unsettling as we agreed to do this and someone even sent out a sort of protocol and email of concern that things wouldn't be done "right." I had pretty much dismissed this as I had faith all would occur exactly how it was supposed to...but I guess it appealed to the perfectionist in me. Well, as I was pondering this and chastising myself for not having a "plan" after having already agreeing to do this...I was called to the window and a big raven let out a squawk, swooped down from above and behind and then landed on my neighbor's roof, right on the corner facing me. The raven just stood there looking at me and as I tuned in to his/her magic and message...I immediately knew that whatever we were doing was beneficial and was/would be okay. So then two beautiful sparrow type birds arrived and perched on my son's first Christmas tree, a now dead pinon, right outside the window and then finally two beautiful bluejays appeared and also perched in a bush by the window. It was quite magical and powerful.

During the day while grocery shopping several people remarked at once in the checkout line how intense the energy was all day and sort of stressful...it was attributed by some to be something astrological...but I spoke up about the wheel and felt it was definitely that, as well.

Later, around sunset, I went outside to bring in a bag of brown sugar from the car that I had forgotten about. Our dog Koko came with me, and wanted to hang out...so I decided to walk over and tune into the vortex and to vibe out where it actually was. Everyone who's ever owned this house, to my knowledge, has been aware of it, but I was never told where it actually was and never felt the need to look...only felt it.

So, I sensed the general direction and started discreetly (neighbors were out and it seems to be partly on my other neighbor's land) walking in that direction. I became unsure since the land sort of all looks the same, brush and cactus. So I went back to our driveway and stared out in the direction of the sunset and the vortex; silently asking for guidance, requesting a sign that could not be mistaken. Within a minute or so one bird and then another flew from behind me, over me and then each one after the other swooped down over a very specific spot. I then thanked them and started in the direction of the spot they showed me.

I was a bit confused by the similarity of the landscape again and then a nearby, taller cactus caught my eye because it was in full bloom with these awesome yellow flowers and I noticed it appeared as if someone had brushed roughly up against it. It was a bit crushed and some fruit and flowers had broken off and fallen to the ground. This struck me as quite odd as this is in the middle of our and our neighbor's land and I've never seen anyone there, plus I was thinking how painful it must have been to human or animal...or perhaps a dust devil.

One large fruit/yellow flower caught my eye on the ground as the rest were just bits and pieces on the ground and this one was intact and as I was studying it I noticed it was pointing somewhere. I followed the direction it was pointing and saw it was pointing to a white quartz crystal stone placed smack dab in the middle of a slight crater perhaps 7-10ft in diameter...which was of course the vortex! I did a circle of protection, called in who I was guided to call in, left some brown sugar as an offering and then instructed that the circle would be closed when it was time and would remain a protected space. I then left and made brown sugar offerings in several rabbit/rodent holes along my path back to my house.

Shane all along had no inclination to do much outwardly and merely stated that he was holding the light and sending necessary energy/prayers out through his heart chakra and doing what his heart and Spirit guided him to do.

Koko, who is quite magical and energetic stayed away from me during my experiences outside preferring to hang out in our front yard. I had asked him even half-pleaded the second time (confidence issues on my part) to help me find the vortex. I guess Spirit intended for me to go solo and it was quite an empowering experience. -Debbie -- Rosybluestar@cs.com

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Mount Shasta, California
"The day will come when, after harnessing the winds, the tides, and gravitation, we shall harness for God the energies of love. And, on that day, for the second time in the history of the world, {humankind} will have discovered fire." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

We were at Mt. Shasta on May 8 for the Medicine Wheel hoop mending. I was in full flood blood at the time, and felt very clear that the Moon Lodge was where I needed to be (my husband went into the main lodge). Two sisters and I were so happy to hold the Moon Lodge throughout the day, light the fire, bring flowers, call in all the grandmothers, sisters, all the women.

As the "grandfathers" were taken into the main sweat lodge, so too we brought grandmother rocks into the Moon Lodge. This was spontaneous and powerful. We brought up the energy and honoring of the feminine. We reached back in time and pulled all the women through. We felt all our lives past, of all the years since white and red began this dance. The dramas and stories lose their substance and read like Grimms fairy tales with no more power over us: it's only a story we tell our little child; it's not really real. The ceremony was a pivotal life moment.

The next day, May 9, Mothering Sunday, was the anniversary of our Peace Pole dedication in our city park in Santa Cruz, California, and we did very much want to re-dedictate the Peace Pole. We got home to Santa Cruz at midnight from the Mount Shasta Medicine Wheel ceremony. We got some rest then went out to the park at 7 AM on Mothering Day to lay flowers at the peace Pole and to sing. There were of course no cameras and no reporters to capture the scene that unfolded.

Local "drunks" -- Vietnam Vets -- were drawn to our songs. Our singing and lyrics made them cry. The guitar got passed back and forth as we all sat on the gravel by the Peace Pole. Two battered weathered men then said they would sing one for us that they hadn't sung in 30 years. They sang "The Sandman," all the way through, facing each other to pull the memory of the word through the fog of alcohol. It was the Sandman by the group, America; "by the way, did you hear of my enlistment..." The love and the tenderness between them was palpable.

Santa Cruz being what it is, the park attendant honors these broken men that congregate in the park every day and gave his blessing as our motley crowd kept growing. We left the park 3 hours after we arrived, humbled at this true peace ceremony that came forth to meet our heartfelt intent.

Peace Poles planted around the world (now it must be 300,000!) work like acupuncture points (meridian alignment). The great aupuncturist continues her careful work as we emerge into the knowing that the patient on the operating table is us and the prognosis of absolute well being is unequivically true...
Only Love Prevails, Corrina - corrina@cruzio.com

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Tahoma (Mount Ranier), Washington
Mt Rainier, also known as Mt Tahoma or 'white consciousness' shared her appreciation of our healing-ceremonies by sending us a rainbow. It was a magic Blessing...the same as at the time of the activation when Bennie LaBeau, Eastern Shoshone Spiritual Elder, was present and co-creating with us at the Sunshine Point Camp, on the Nisqually River, connecting the top of Mt Rainier/Tahoma w/the oceans!

In the typical showers for the Northwest-coast-spring-weather, Mt Rainier/Tahoma choose to wear a 'hat' during our healing ceremonies, with lots of 'activities inside the clouds...’

That day there were multiple healing-ceremonies taking place, surrounding Tahoma. Brian Molby and Laura Cyr, Rainbow Many Colors, co-facilitated & offered their prayers at the Mountain View Healing Ceremony, Sumner, Washington, where Cathrine West, Tyee Dances With Salmon, shared her openning prayers, and Native American Children Dancers shared their gifts as part of their love for Mt Rainier/Tahoma, and we thank Cori, Ricky and Tanja, together with their Mom, Lorainne, and Anastacia Townsand who assisted, and participated. Annie, a Peace Elder and a friend of Dalai Lama shared her wisdom. Linda, a Vancouver Island woman sang "the Woman Warrior Song."

The Duwamish people were represented by Arnold Troe who shared words of wisdom and healing-songs. The Master Shaman and Storyteller, Johnny Moses, was attempting to join this circle but instead prayed at home. His Spirit, together with Grandma Lillian Pullen, the Muckleshoot Elder who passed on a few years ago, were very much present at the Sunshine Point Circle where Olga, Nada, facilitated and everyone shared in co-creating the intent of healing, their Heart-prayers, drumming & singing. With prayers of appreciation, four Native American Healing Songs, were shared by Olga. Here we were blessed by the prayers to Ancestors by Wendy Dalpiaz, Turtle Mt Chippewa, Cree, Ojibwe and her infant-son, Benjamin.

The Creator answered our prayers for dry weather during the peak-healing work, and the Spirit of Tahoma sent words of wisdom through everyone who attended, too numerous to list all here but we consciously connected our healing-circle to each sacred-power-point on the Medicine Wheel, plus many that were co-created locally and around the planet Earth.

More important than how many people attended the ceremonies is what energies people brought with them, and what they choose to share during the healing-ceremonies. We are deeply grateful to each and everyone, everywhere who spread positive, loving energies this day!

Our fourth coordinator, 'Sierra' Chris Willoughby, had to work, lucky for him, at Mt Rainier Paradise visitor's center on May 8th. Thanks to Sierra, we're finally granted the special-permit to hold the gathering at the Sunshine Point Camp, in writing, only a day before the healing ceremonies which complicated our prep-work.
Sierra lovingly-greeted the many visitors to Tahoma, despite the weather (it was snowing at his elevation of @ 5,000'). Sierra met members of Puyallup and Nisqually Tribes who also shared their love of Tahoma.

According to Sierra, the Puyallup people were there because of their concern for the mountain being used beyond its original purpose. The snow fell very heavily when the Puyallup folks came to the visitor center, and they said it was a message to go down from the mountain. What Sierra learned that day was the insight that the mountain reflects your worries/intentions/ expectations.

During his break, about the time of the peak-ceremony, Sierra was shown a vision of Rainbow-Medicine-Wheel in the sky, a rainbow ring around the sun in the cirrus clouds. Earlier in the day, Sierra & Sloan shared life stories with the mountain during the sunrise at the Sunshine Point Camp while Hilah & Patty drummed the heartbeat of the Mother Earth on May 8th in preparation for 10 to 1pm, larger circle healing work. The Puyallup people shared with Sierra earlier in the week that the Grandmother Mountain loves offerings of personal stories.

In Helen Keller's words: "It gives me a deep comforting sense that ‘things seen are temporal and things unseen are eternal."

Around sunset, all 4 coordinators gathered in another healing-circle with several other participants, at the Sunshine Point...it was then, that the magnificant Rainbow appeared near Mt Rainier/Tahoma.

At that time Jeff Owrey, who shared strong prayers during both Sunshine Point Healing Ceremonies that day, stated that we do not know the full importance of the healing work we co-created this day! Jeff camped, together with Sierra & Sloan, at the Sunshine Point Camp, x-country skied next afternoon when the sacred mountain lifted the 'hat', and Jeff took the picture above, a magnificant magnesium-white top...

Brian shared his thoughts: "There are times when the rains are falling and the winds be contrary when it is difficult to see in the midst of the storms, but soon the sun shall be shining and all shall be at peace."

Akhenaten prayed silently... Olga opened her prayers to the Morning Star, at 4am with drumming the heartbeat of Mother Earth and stating the Intention for the Healing Ceremonies. As she began her commute from her home, she was first greeted by the magic Moon, then an Eagle flew over her as the first red-Sun-rays began to blend in the beauty of very serene blue Whidbey Island waters where Gray Whales swim around at this time of the year, and Orcas visit often.

As these are all sources of infinite inspiration to Olga, she stayed focused on co-creating healing energies through out this consciousness-shifting day...Olga, Nada closed her prayers, 24 hours later, with deep gratitude to the Creator, the Spirit of Tahoma and all who participated, individually or in circles. Here is some feedback:
"Olga: Thank you for the loving way you honored each of us who participated in the medicine wheel at Sunshine Camp. I felt blessed and was thankful to be able to help Mother Earth. Marcia. I went to Mountain View High School. It was great! Thanks again. Linda."

"Although I didn't make it to Sumner today, I did participate from here in Port Townsend, Washington. I went out to the North Beach at around 10am and stayed and prayed and meditated to cleanse and heal our Mother Earth until close to 1pm. It is possible to see Mt. Ranier from here, in fact a large span of the entire Cascades are visible from our side of the Sound. This morning the entire range that I could see was crowned by very tall rain clouds. Over Mt. Rainer the clouds were piled up higher than three mountains standing on top of each other. At around 11am (wouldn't that be noon in the Tetons?)I was watching the big clouds when I saw what looked like the form of an angel in the center of the one over Mt. Rainer, and then slowly it turned into the form of a dove. The birds sang all day here and we received a gentle rain. I can feel the difference.Thank you. Virginia Wald"

Sincerely,
Olga Nada -- divinelove33@hotmail.com
Brian Molby -- oneofseven1@earthlink.net
Sierra -- sierraglacier@yahoo.com
Laura Cyr

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Smokey Mountains, North Carolina - I would like to share with you my experience on May 8 with the Medicine Wheel Ceremony. We were unable to travel to the West so we did our own ceremony here in the Smokey Mountains of NC. There were just a few of us and we smudged one another and the circle. We prayed to the directions and talked and shared our intentions for Mother Earth's healing. While we were giving our intentions the weather drastically changed from sunny to high winds, heavy rains and lightning - we believe we were heard.

We were honored to share in the ceremony and to be able to participate in something we strongly believe and live by. I am a white woman and have been included in many ceremonies with the Cherokees and was taught that if the old ways are not passed on they will disappear. The woman I learn from is the Medicine Woman of the Wolf Clan of the Cherokee tribe and her children did not want to learn the medicine so she has passed it on to me and I feel this is a very special time when the two cultures are coming together under one goal.

Thank you
Penny Jewett-Maxwell pjmaxwell@smnet.net

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