Friend of Paul Dokken named Pedro doing a pipe ceremony for Paul.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
To Sweat or Not to Sweat?
I struggled with the idea of participating in the Sweat Lodge. It wasn't fear that was the driving force behind my hesitation, but a clear check in my spirit to examine the motivation of my heart. Was I merely going into the sweat lodge to say I had knowledge of the experience? How would that be meaningful, or of any help to someone who questioned the purpose of a sweat? I would only be able to relate a topical experience rather than a spiritual one. It seemed self-serving and wrong for me. I talked with some other women in the group who kindly shared their wisdom with me. In the end no one could answer my question of motive except God. I asked Him, "Where do You want me to go? What do You want me to do?"
Someone said, "You shouldn't go into the sweat lodge just because you have the opportunity." As I listened to our spiritual guide on the sweat lodge grounds I still had the same check in my spirit. I stayed outside the lodge and prayed. I was close enough to see the helper choosing the rocks, filling the bucket with water, and praying ouside the flap on his hands and knees. At times he seemed to be weeping.
Sometimes when I pray fervently in the Spirit, I see things. I call them visions because it normally doesn't happen outside of prayer. I will share the vision with you now because I believe it is for more than one person to know. ~The roots of healing are embedded in the land but there is no one there to tend to the young plants. They are left alone to wither and die. Eagle flies over, his eye upon all of this. He is ever watchful and faithful. He flies today with the same strength as when he first flew. He is searching for his children to help one another rather than remain solitary, doing only for themselves.~
I shared this vision with Pedro because of the Eagle he spoke of. I felt a strong inner prompting to do so. My mouth went dry just supposing what he would think. I was a little unsettled but consulted the wisdom of another person in the group and let some time pass by to make sure it was what I was supposed to do. I prayed, "When? Now?"
Pedro was skeptical at first but as I shared some other things that had happened, and how God teaches me, and he seemed to feel that I was trustworthy. A door opened. I don't think I would have been receptive to this vision inside the sweat lodge. I would have been listening to the others, memorizing smells and sounds and would have missed that time of prayer outside the sweat lodge.
Someone said, "You shouldn't go into the sweat lodge just because you have the opportunity." As I listened to our spiritual guide on the sweat lodge grounds I still had the same check in my spirit. I stayed outside the lodge and prayed. I was close enough to see the helper choosing the rocks, filling the bucket with water, and praying ouside the flap on his hands and knees. At times he seemed to be weeping.
Sometimes when I pray fervently in the Spirit, I see things. I call them visions because it normally doesn't happen outside of prayer. I will share the vision with you now because I believe it is for more than one person to know. ~The roots of healing are embedded in the land but there is no one there to tend to the young plants. They are left alone to wither and die. Eagle flies over, his eye upon all of this. He is ever watchful and faithful. He flies today with the same strength as when he first flew. He is searching for his children to help one another rather than remain solitary, doing only for themselves.~
I shared this vision with Pedro because of the Eagle he spoke of. I felt a strong inner prompting to do so. My mouth went dry just supposing what he would think. I was a little unsettled but consulted the wisdom of another person in the group and let some time pass by to make sure it was what I was supposed to do. I prayed, "When? Now?"
Pedro was skeptical at first but as I shared some other things that had happened, and how God teaches me, and he seemed to feel that I was trustworthy. A door opened. I don't think I would have been receptive to this vision inside the sweat lodge. I would have been listening to the others, memorizing smells and sounds and would have missed that time of prayer outside the sweat lodge.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Outside the Sweat Lodge
Being a person of prayer keeps me sometimes inside a different loop than other people. It's enhanced when I'm a part of a group but can't be with them for one reason or another to participate exactly the way they are. Understanding these many layers of participation and my part in them started last year when the first Immersion group went to the Rosebud and I was too ill to go. It could have been a time of "why me" but it turned into a time of "what can I do from here?" God led me into the circle of prayer, which He used again in a powerful way this year as my companions in immersion learned immersions true meaning in their sweat lodge experience while I remained on the outside to pray.
Some of the things that God used to drive my prayers on your behalf ~
Our spiritual leader for the experience, Ed Harrison, said in answer to my question about what to do for my participation in keeping the space sacred, "Be respectful, and humble. Be open and be ready for the sacred." Or words to that effect. Consequently, as best as I was able I never took my eyes off the lodge as you entered in, while you were there, or after you came out. Your sacred space needed to be honored and cared for is what I took Ed to mean, and that was my job.
Russell from the Tree of Life had said that the sweat lodge experience was like birth. You would be entering into a womb and feel its nurture, you would experience pre-birth, birth and rebirth. So it was no surprise here that the opening prayers were from the creation story, Gen. 1-2. I lamented the lack of a Lakota version but God reminded me that He is the author of all creation and that its story was being told. What I needed to pray was this version and let God do the translating into your experiences, Lakota, Yankton, Ashinabe (sorry if I spelled that wrong), Cree, Anglo, etc.
The imaging of God breaking the darkness with the first light as you experienced your first quarter in the sweat lodge came out when Teresa said at Carpenter Shop the following day how God was spreading the light into the darkness on the reservation and across the whole land.
So a place of safety was created for your womb experience, for God to bring forth whatever He wanted to in and through you.
Next, when the spirits were being called down, something both Richard and Ed warned about in checking our own spiritual states at the door/flap, I was moved to pray Jesus' temptation in the desert. I called on His strength to stand strong in words and deeds, to remember what and Whose you are. For the three prime lessons from this Scripture as I understand are 1) We are not fed through our bodies, their basic needs, but we are fed and nurtured by the Word of God; 2) We are not to foolishly test the Lord, which we won't if we stand securely on 1); and, 3) Worship and obey only God/Creator. Then we are told to turn from sin towards God for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. You were safe from the spiritual powers since Creator/God was there to guard your back, as the Lakota so often said.
In the last round for all of you came the words and imagery of Rev. 22. Read the whole thing for the special images but here was God's particular word. "And He pointed out to me a river of pure Water of Life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb, coursing down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew Trees of Life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month; the leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations." That stopped even me and I read it again before I went on. To heal the nations. Your sweat lodge was a significant step into that river to reach the leaves for healing the nations.
What was different for the men and the women was in the third round for each of you. As I said, my eyes were on you so I knew when the rounds changed. This was my call from God for you, to be respectful and humble, to be open, to watch, wait and pray, to keep the space sacred.
In the third round for the men, the text was Ezekiel 37:1-14. Since I had just done a paper on that and the Matthew text I asked God if this was me or Him. I felt led to read on and it would make sense. The key verses start at 10 and continue through 14. I'll let you read them for yourselves to know the specifics but generally this is a much misinterpreted Scripture about bodily resurrection. The ancient Hebrews would have understood the whole vision as one of restoration to the land and their own restoration as a nation, and their call to be a part of it for the healing of not only themselves but of all nations. Do I hear a theme? It seemed to be a call to the warrior men to work toward this end as they are empowered. I can't speak for you, what Creator said to you or how He empowered you, but that's what I prayed for you.
For the women, another cliche', Proverbs 31? I was well compelled to read it but from the beginning, not starting at verse 10. Then, I was affirmed, it would make sense. The keys are in verses 8 and 9. "You should defend those who cannot help themselves. Yes, speak up for the poor and needy and see that they get justice." I read it twice just to be sure, to realize that the following verses are quite possibly being misused. It is this for which we are given winyan power, woman power, is what I understand. It is this for which I prayed the remainder of the verses as it included me, too.
And that is what I offered, but remember, Creator spoke to you about your personal experience. I'm sharing only what was asked of me. In it I hope you find something meaningful. And I hope you know how honored I was to pray into your sacred space and help keep it safe for whatever Creator had/has for you.
Some of the things that God used to drive my prayers on your behalf ~
Our spiritual leader for the experience, Ed Harrison, said in answer to my question about what to do for my participation in keeping the space sacred, "Be respectful, and humble. Be open and be ready for the sacred." Or words to that effect. Consequently, as best as I was able I never took my eyes off the lodge as you entered in, while you were there, or after you came out. Your sacred space needed to be honored and cared for is what I took Ed to mean, and that was my job.
Russell from the Tree of Life had said that the sweat lodge experience was like birth. You would be entering into a womb and feel its nurture, you would experience pre-birth, birth and rebirth. So it was no surprise here that the opening prayers were from the creation story, Gen. 1-2. I lamented the lack of a Lakota version but God reminded me that He is the author of all creation and that its story was being told. What I needed to pray was this version and let God do the translating into your experiences, Lakota, Yankton, Ashinabe (sorry if I spelled that wrong), Cree, Anglo, etc.
The imaging of God breaking the darkness with the first light as you experienced your first quarter in the sweat lodge came out when Teresa said at Carpenter Shop the following day how God was spreading the light into the darkness on the reservation and across the whole land.
So a place of safety was created for your womb experience, for God to bring forth whatever He wanted to in and through you.
Next, when the spirits were being called down, something both Richard and Ed warned about in checking our own spiritual states at the door/flap, I was moved to pray Jesus' temptation in the desert. I called on His strength to stand strong in words and deeds, to remember what and Whose you are. For the three prime lessons from this Scripture as I understand are 1) We are not fed through our bodies, their basic needs, but we are fed and nurtured by the Word of God; 2) We are not to foolishly test the Lord, which we won't if we stand securely on 1); and, 3) Worship and obey only God/Creator. Then we are told to turn from sin towards God for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. You were safe from the spiritual powers since Creator/God was there to guard your back, as the Lakota so often said.
In the last round for all of you came the words and imagery of Rev. 22. Read the whole thing for the special images but here was God's particular word. "And He pointed out to me a river of pure Water of Life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb, coursing down the center of the main street. On each side of the river grew Trees of Life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month; the leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations." That stopped even me and I read it again before I went on. To heal the nations. Your sweat lodge was a significant step into that river to reach the leaves for healing the nations.
What was different for the men and the women was in the third round for each of you. As I said, my eyes were on you so I knew when the rounds changed. This was my call from God for you, to be respectful and humble, to be open, to watch, wait and pray, to keep the space sacred.
In the third round for the men, the text was Ezekiel 37:1-14. Since I had just done a paper on that and the Matthew text I asked God if this was me or Him. I felt led to read on and it would make sense. The key verses start at 10 and continue through 14. I'll let you read them for yourselves to know the specifics but generally this is a much misinterpreted Scripture about bodily resurrection. The ancient Hebrews would have understood the whole vision as one of restoration to the land and their own restoration as a nation, and their call to be a part of it for the healing of not only themselves but of all nations. Do I hear a theme? It seemed to be a call to the warrior men to work toward this end as they are empowered. I can't speak for you, what Creator said to you or how He empowered you, but that's what I prayed for you.
For the women, another cliche', Proverbs 31? I was well compelled to read it but from the beginning, not starting at verse 10. Then, I was affirmed, it would make sense. The keys are in verses 8 and 9. "You should defend those who cannot help themselves. Yes, speak up for the poor and needy and see that they get justice." I read it twice just to be sure, to realize that the following verses are quite possibly being misused. It is this for which we are given winyan power, woman power, is what I understand. It is this for which I prayed the remainder of the verses as it included me, too.
And that is what I offered, but remember, Creator spoke to you about your personal experience. I'm sharing only what was asked of me. In it I hope you find something meaningful. And I hope you know how honored I was to pray into your sacred space and help keep it safe for whatever Creator had/has for you.
liminality
cooky said...
Main Entry: liminality
Part of Speech: n
Definition: the condition of being on a threshold or at the beginning of a process
Etymology: Latin limen 'threshold'
I so appreciate that the "liminality" began purposely before we even arrived together. I never thought I would say that, but it's true. My first journal entry was my feeling a little like Abraham..."go to a place I will show you."
In the months preceding the immersion, I read the books, contemplated, and prayed. I realized that the more I "learned," the less I knew; and that was exactly where God wanted me to be. So many sent me out saying, "you bring Jesus with you." He made it clear on the drive to South Dakota that He was bringing me. Yes, He brought me.
There is so much to process and I look forward to what others are experiencing in these days since leaving the Rez.
Main Entry: liminality
Part of Speech: n
Definition: the condition of being on a threshold or at the beginning of a process
Etymology: Latin limen 'threshold'
I so appreciate that the "liminality" began purposely before we even arrived together. I never thought I would say that, but it's true. My first journal entry was my feeling a little like Abraham..."go to a place I will show you."
In the months preceding the immersion, I read the books, contemplated, and prayed. I realized that the more I "learned," the less I knew; and that was exactly where God wanted me to be. So many sent me out saying, "you bring Jesus with you." He made it clear on the drive to South Dakota that He was bringing me. Yes, He brought me.
There is so much to process and I look forward to what others are experiencing in these days since leaving the Rez.
I miss the circle.
-- Cooky --
July 22, 2008 4:31 PM
July 22, 2008 4:31 PM
Monday, July 21, 2008
The Start of the Journey
The journey started for me on July 31 a little more than four decades ago, when I was born. Two years later I was removed from the Yankton Sioux Reservation. I was placed over 1,000 miles away from my family into a different, non-native world, and raised in the Catholic Church. Fast forward to my 36th year, I was newly saved and began to walk my life in faith. At 39, I reunited with my birth family and discovered one other sister new in Christ.
She gave me a copy of "One Church, Many Tribes."
Since the reunion on the Yankton rez, I try to travel back each year. I have seen the struggles of my family and tried to pinpoint the greatest need. As a believer I see two; prayer and Jesus. As an Urban Indian I see many needs and am more aware of the actions taken to recognize and meet those needs.
I knew that I knew that I knew I was to take this cultural immersion class. This time, my trip back to what family I could visit was more powerful. I have met a body of believers who have a heart for my people. Although many along the road have told me they also have a heart for the Indian, it is gratifying to see action in place of words. We are relational people, show me and tell me where your heart lies.
I cannot wait to see how the rest of my brothers and sisters in Christ continue on in their journey.
She gave me a copy of "One Church, Many Tribes."
Since the reunion on the Yankton rez, I try to travel back each year. I have seen the struggles of my family and tried to pinpoint the greatest need. As a believer I see two; prayer and Jesus. As an Urban Indian I see many needs and am more aware of the actions taken to recognize and meet those needs.
I knew that I knew that I knew I was to take this cultural immersion class. This time, my trip back to what family I could visit was more powerful. I have met a body of believers who have a heart for my people. Although many along the road have told me they also have a heart for the Indian, it is gratifying to see action in place of words. We are relational people, show me and tell me where your heart lies.
I cannot wait to see how the rest of my brothers and sisters in Christ continue on in their journey.
Friday, July 18, 2008
The Journey Began Years Before It Started
There were events that occurred years before that were key to events that happened on this trip. The entries that follow will explain.
Class Name: IC 571 Mission Immersion Experience – Rosebud Sioux Reservation
Partnership: This course is one representation of the partnership between the Sioux Falls Seminary (SFS) and the North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies (NAIITS). Team teaching will be utilized by Richard Twiss, DMiss Candidate, President of Wiconi International and board member of NAIITS, and W. Jay Moon, PhD, Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies at SFS. Richard is a Lakota Sioux and he is originally from the Rosebud reservation.
Background:
Dates: July 12-18, 2008
Professors: Richard Twiss & W. Jay Moon
There are certain aspects of ourselves, culture, and faith that we can only learn by deeply engaging ourselves in another culture. This short immersion experience will expose and challenge you to wider aspects of God’s kingdom.
Course Description: A one week trip participating in intercultural Christian ministry. The location is the Rosebud, Lakota/Sioux Reservation, in South Dakota. As an immersion experience, you will learn from various speakers, interact with community members and participate in some traditional ceremonies. In this course, you will learn some of the critical aspects to consider in contextualization, as well as learn from mistakes in the past to become sensitized concerning how ’not’ to do missions in a cross-cultural context.
Course Objectives: Expose students to aspects of culture, religion and faith that they normally are not exposed to in order to sensitize them to the issues, needs, and opportunities for living out ones faith in Jesus in the midst of “otherness.” One of the major benefits of a short cross-cultural experience is the opportunity to recognize ones own cultural ways, biases and prejudices more clearly as they closely observe those of another. This unique experience will challenge and assist participants to discover God’s work in all cultures and the unique role of Jesus in the Creation story. The following objectives strive to reach this goal:
Professors: Richard Twiss & W. Jay Moon
There are certain aspects of ourselves, culture, and faith that we can only learn by deeply engaging ourselves in another culture. This short immersion experience will expose and challenge you to wider aspects of God’s kingdom.
Course Description: A one week trip participating in intercultural Christian ministry. The location is the Rosebud, Lakota/Sioux Reservation, in South Dakota. As an immersion experience, you will learn from various speakers, interact with community members and participate in some traditional ceremonies. In this course, you will learn some of the critical aspects to consider in contextualization, as well as learn from mistakes in the past to become sensitized concerning how ’not’ to do missions in a cross-cultural context.
Course Objectives: Expose students to aspects of culture, religion and faith that they normally are not exposed to in order to sensitize them to the issues, needs, and opportunities for living out ones faith in Jesus in the midst of “otherness.” One of the major benefits of a short cross-cultural experience is the opportunity to recognize ones own cultural ways, biases and prejudices more clearly as they closely observe those of another. This unique experience will challenge and assist participants to discover God’s work in all cultures and the unique role of Jesus in the Creation story. The following objectives strive to reach this goal:
- Encounter another culture and begin engaging yourselves with others in that culture. In the process, we learn to love one another as ourselves.
- Gain a better grasp of the dynamic of clashing worldview assumptions in the process of cross-cultural communications.
- By learning some mission’s history among the tribes of North America, a person will gain a greater understanding of the larger context of intercultural ministry and global missions.
- Help prepare and be a part of a team to be stretched, molded, and used by God in your own as well as another culture.
- Begin to understand and practice some basic principles of intercultural ministry, holistic/integral discipleship, critical contextualization and cultural adjustment.
- Understand opportunities for future involvement in intercultural ministry such as prayer, research, funding, serving, & encouraging.
- Begin to understand what neo-colonialism is, some of the root issues, and some of the possible Christian responses.
Partnership: This course is one representation of the partnership between the Sioux Falls Seminary (SFS) and the North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies (NAIITS). Team teaching will be utilized by Richard Twiss, DMiss Candidate, President of Wiconi International and board member of NAIITS, and W. Jay Moon, PhD, Associate Professor of Intercultural Studies at SFS. Richard is a Lakota Sioux and he is originally from the Rosebud reservation.
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