The Autumn Equinox Bear Creek “Heartspace” sweat lodge will be October 1st rather than September 24th.  My good friend Franz will be helping and is out of town on the scheduled date so hopefully the burn ban is off. We will have an orientation/talking circle on Friday Evening, so those intending to join us please arrive Friday, and Invite no one without checking with me.  Also, plan to stay over until Sunday.  Protocol will be sent to those who request.

During the 80’s or my 40’s, I was a prolific journal keeper of my experiences.  When publishing my own work, I am my own worst critic.  Last year, I became fascinated by watching “Painting with John”, which personified my view that time is art.  in our original natures, time is art.  Everyone is an artist.  And as I change, my art changes – this is free play.   living with non-attachment.  when beast or beauty comes into my life, I have only to invite it in for tea.  Yet without seeing my own beauty, I cannot see yours.  Feeding the white wolf is appreciation rather than criticizing.  I trust in my own integrity to be true to myself.  I value friendships more than pieces of paper.  Agreements are legal tender.

In my early years, I had yet to learn the hard way that “all that glitters is not gold”.  Often evil comes disguised as beauty.  I am a shapeshifter as are you, so the acts we perform can never define our essence.  In recovery, we love you until you can love yourself.

A drum maker feels compelled to create drums.   at 47 years sober, I had to learn both the 12 steps and the five stages  of volition, which earn the gifts of the four/seven directions.  The gifts are outlined in the simple book “The Sacred Tree”.  The true gifts in life cannot be bought or taken.   They are essential to my “breath of life”.  You and I are not “entitled” to these gifts, we earn them.   “pray for potatoes, yet grab a hoe”.  The “into action” aspect of recovering our sacredness involves the “fool”, who leap into the void of not knowing.  The “existential leap” is necessary, to realize that Jesus told me to let go of judging others and to go within to do my personal housecleaning.  This time of September is our seventh month, marked by 9/11, the “bush years” and the initiation of the “patriot act”.

0n 911, I was visiting with my partner the Findhorn Community in  Scotland.  My mothers side of the family were her father John Pratt’s of Scotland.  Mother’s mother’s mother, Minnie Pratt was a Carirco.  My mother told me grandmother Pratt died with a smile on her face .  We die like we live.  Jesus told us to love each other and kindness is a language all understand.  .    When my younger brother took me to visit the old family cemeteries in Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia, the masonic symbols were embossed on the tombstones and a good majority were masons. and “sons of the American Revolution”

The compassion of the Irish and Scottish people is wonderful to see from across the pond  while visiting the wonderful eco-village of Findhorn community.  I gained many ideas there of different building methods and all aspects of community living in harmony and compassion, watching folk doing what they loved and learning to connect with the amazing intelligence of plant divas.  The idea that true nuture is nature.

The five stages of volition  begin with attention/intention.  I have two deer being “baptized” in my 50 gallon container outside which I will transform into four to six hand drums.  The second stage is goal setting – today I will cut out kits.  that involves manufacturing the drum head and hand cutting the lacing.  I may not complete my goal, yet I each day must set my goals for the day.  To have the balance of work, play, love and support.  These involve taking loving care of my mind, my body, my spirit and my soul.  The waters of the west teach us humility – to deflate the ego or false pride to a state of safe and sacred space.  Last weekend, I gave “little Patrick” a treat, by being alone at heart-space in Carson, Washington.  Out there, I have two “cattle watering containers” to soak the deer, elk, bear, antelope, horse, moose rawhide in.  To me drum making  is a prayer as is my daily preparations to help me walk in beauty.

The third stage of volition is to initiate action.  These are the “clean up the wreckage of my past” stages of recovery – steps five through nine which lead to happiness, joy and freedom

Turning my will and life over to a power greater than me – each day.  Trust god (good orderly direction).  Bear creek shows me this as it flows with ease and grace toward our mighty Pacific Ocean.

Sitting still by the creek for four days, asking my deep Scorpio nature to go down to bedrock, from which the sacred is built.  Bear creek is a lava tube from Washington’s Mt. Adams  or  it’s native name of  Klickitat.    Bear creek is fed by The clear springs that come from our Mother Earth.  These waters represent trust.  Let go of clinging and trust yourself to follow – even sometimes blindly what has heart and meaning –  and the waters teach me to let go and to trust that if I let go absolutely, I will be led to the all that is – my ancestors home – the happy hunting ground where all was well/is well, and will be well.  In the Pacific Northwest the indigenous people had the spirit canoes for the departed souls.

Read Steven Levine’s book “Who Dies”.  The stages of letting go involved denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

The forth stage of volition is perseverance – to never “give up”, just to trust and go with the flow of ease and grace, going as the flowing waters down and around all barriers and obstacles to Ma.  My mother ocean, my depth of emotion and soul.

The final stage is completion – letting go absolutely my body and journeying back home to awaken once more from my self induced trances in the “the land beyond the sun”.