When an elder told me preparation is 90 percent of Ceremony, I took it to Heart. The gifts of the North Direction, moving into the darkest night – through the yin, emerging anew into the yang – the annual battle of the holly king and and the oak king. Continue reading “Preparing for Ceremony”
Heart Space Blog
Heart Space
The Medicine of the Drum
The Medicine of the Drum
by Patrick Pinson
When you select your drum or drum kit, you may choose from Elk, Deer or Horse. We also have Buffalo and Moose available occasionally (at a slightly higher price).
Awakening the Drum
It is my great joy to create drums with prayer, respect, and the knowledge I have learned through years on the Red Road and from twelve-step recovery from drugs and alcohol – Next year I celebrate my thirty-fifth-year free from alcohol.
Balance
We keep throwing money at the problem rather than finding a solution. In counseling school and during my years directing Capital Campaigns, I have learned the first step is to identify the problem. I would argue that part of the problem is our collective “no” isn’t believable. I have just looked at my checkbook to see what I am investing in. Where my treasures are is also my heart. Less and less of my purchases are “impulsive” and more and more are aligned with my deep core values.
Winter Solstice 2020
We are moving into the shortest day of the year, the “dark night of the soul” with the Solstice next week. For years, the winter lodges at bear creek have been the most difficult, as we are on the Pacific Crest trail and get lots of rain and snow. Continue reading “Winter Solstice 2020”
Autumn Equinox
One of my many past relationships was a hauntingly beautiful woman who studied with a Cherokee Medicine woman. She was/is herself a sound healer. Along with blessing my store, this Grandmother did classes in my home on working with crystals and stones and led students through the four ceremonies of each season and direction and the four elements of air, fire, earth, and water. The forgiveness ceremonies of the eastern tribes including Cherokee Peoples as I have read and learned from this Grandmother, were done in the fall – the ripening time prior to the harvest. The Green Corn Ceremonies were the time of year to release all “resentments” and forgive all people who have harmed us and as 12 step recovery Continue reading “Autumn Equinox”
Summer Solstice Sweatlodge
Our Summer Solstice Celtic sweat lodge Ceremony will be held on June 20th, and this lodge will be different than those in the past, in that those who intend to sweat are being asked to show up Thursday or Friday in order to prepare for the Ceremony. I hope to get out on Wednesday or Thursday morning so that I have time to prepare myself. We also ask that those doing the lodge bring camper, tent and sleeping bag as bear creek gets cool at night. Bring enough food for yourself and some to share, but leave nothing behind. If you plan on attending, you must let me know, as it looks like our lodge is nearly full. Women, bring a sweat dress, a towel, food and water and warm clothing. We have a large shop.
12 steps and the Red Raod
Patrick’s Blog.
The west direction and the slow descent into darkness is the time to both forgive ourselves and learn from silence and solitude. Attaining mastery over anything requires this “hero’s journey” – the descent into our darkness. From my surrender to alcoholic insanity and learning to lend a hand, AA taught me to discern the difference between lending a hand and giving a handout. By loving and forgiving ourselves first, we learn the noble truth of it is in the giving that we receive.
The mysteries of Nature
They can be a great help—–words. They can become the spirit’s hands…and lift….and caress.“The Spirits Hands” – Meister Eckhardt
I wrote this in 2013, and edited it..
What a wonderful weekend we had in the beauty and mystery of bear creek and nature. Words, silence, space and drumming. On Saturday, as we were sitting in circle by our medicine wheel
, and a doe and her faun came to visit us. Spirit was there, and magic was afoot. Bear Creek contains the mysteries, which exists in the present moment. The Mysteries is where truth meets beauty and heals the people and culture. Mysteries can put us in a hypnotic trance or altered state. The term mesmerized came form the research of Franz Mesmer who began this work in the 1700’s and was most popular in Europe, Germany and America. Benjamin Franklin was involved in a scientific study to prove the presence and healing power of “animal magnetism”. (including the indigenous people’s belief that animals have powers and can heal us.) I have been mesmerized many times in nature. The verb mesmerize is to hold the attention of (someone) to the exclusion
of all else: “she was mesmerized”; “a mesmerizing stare”. The 28 classes I teach a year is all based on the sacred circle, or wheel that is eternal. In order to earn the “gifts” of each direction, we must learn about releasing the victim/predator consciousness and move from wannabes and “I need to” toward willingness, which sets in the center of the circle. (your own hoop)
In recovery, acceptance and willingness are the keys to earning the promises much like the medicine wheel, and the gifts of the four directions which have to be earned through will or Volition.
Volition has five steps
The first step of volition is attention. In my years of play therapy I practiced the Zen of “ball watching”, often referred to as tennis. My teacher was an ex professional tennis player and holistic studies master. We would go three to four times a week for hours with the simple agenda to hit the ball to each other. I hadn’t played like that since childhood, and was resisted to the idea, since my agenda had been to “beat” someone, and then to sabotage myself. I slowly broke my addiction to competition with others and began to come to my senses – in this case my eyes. His mantra was “to see or not to see”. He would often catch the ball and ask me which way the seams were turning? I went from “I don’t know” to actually seeing the ball, and not get caught up in planning results (looking at where I wanted to ball to end up rather than seeing the ball) and noticing I was holding my breath.
and what my breath was doing, teaching me to be totally absorbed in the ball, truly seeing and detached from thought…seeing each moving shot anew. This would lead me into an incredible state of concentration, where time disappeared, my body started making moves that I had no idea it could make, all following my commitment to see the ball. I have entered t
I have entered that same state on a day of fly-fishing. The path to the mysterium is the walk into nature. Angeles Arrien in her book “The Second Half of Life” refers to the gates of wisdom, the passages we are invited to pass through, and one of these is the clay gate, which is about sensuality and sexuality, calling this gate “the gate you will never understand” The creative fires in me were awakened this amazing weekend. I am in town for a day, and I head back out to bear creek to feed my soul and spirit. The four places to tend to the soul’s fire are the deep woods, the mountains, the desert and the seashore. I am learning to tend my souls fire by being in nature. Blessings, Patrick
Winter Solstice Sweat
The Winter Solstice sweat lodge is coming up next Saturday at our land at bear creek “Heartspace” in Carson, Washington. Preparation is 90% of Ceremony so I have been reflecting on what I need to let go of that no longer serves me – self defeating patterns. Our lodge is almost full, so let me know if you would like to participate. As always, we will share food afterward.
Many years ago at New Grange in Ireland, I heard the old story that on the light of the winter solstice, the spirits of things that have died in the past year go out on the light of the winter solstice – the ending of the old – the resentments and anger and the beginning of the new – the return of the light.
We will make our prayers to the spirits of the land there, the animals, plants and minerals and for future generations. The winter is the element air – and we give thanks for the breath of life.
I will be going out to Carson next Friday morning, and if anyone can go with me to help prepare the lodge for this prayer, let me know. Our Store will be closed for Ceremony next Saturday.
Many prayers for our sister community in England – Lynn Gosney and her lodge and family and the prayers and music she makes for the world. Our first lodge was put up by Lynn and members of her family. . I lost our court battle with big timber and the judge gave them an easement across our private land so they can clear cut the trees around us. For years we have made prayers for those trees and the clear waters of bear creek as Our trees give us clean air and water.
I believe in the sustainable harvesting that our ancestors did – take no more than what you need and nature will give back the bountiful harvest. On Winter Solstice, the death of the old and the birth and return of the light – the Christ and Oak King. Thanks to all who have supported us in what we love to do.. make prayers, bringing beauty and drums and singing the songs.!
As Preparation is 90% of Ceremony so I have been reflecting on what I need to let go of that no longer serves me – self defeating patterns. Our lodge is almost full, so let me know if you would like to participate. As always, we will share food after the Ceremony – if you plan to come let me know by email and I will send directions and protocol.
Many years ago at New Grange in Ireland, I heard the old story that on the light of the winter solstice, the spirits of things that have died in the past year go out on the light of the winter solstice – the ending of the old – the resentments and anger and the beginning of the new – the return of the light. 
We will make our prayers to the spirits and ancestors of bear creek, the trees, animals, plants and minerals and for future generations. The winter is the element air – and we give thanks for the breath of life.
I will be going out to Carson next Friday morning, and if anyone can go with me to help prepare the lodge for this prayer, let me know. Our Store will be closed for Ceremony next Saturday.
Many prayers for our sister community in England – Lynn Gosney and her lodge and family and the prayers and music she makes for the world. Our first lodge was put up by Lynn and members of her family.
I lost our court battle with big timber and the judge gave them an easement across our private land so they can clear cut the trees around us. For years we have made prayers for those trees and the clear waters of bear creek as Our trees give us clean air and water. I believe in the sustainable harvesting that our ancestors did – take no more than what you need and nature will give back the bountiful harvest. On Winter Solstice, the death of the old and the birth and return of the light – the Christ and Oak King. Thanks to all who have supported us in what we love to do.. make prayers, bringing beauty and drums and singing the songs.!