There are songs that express our souls. One of my favorite gospel songs that my grandma used to sing was “How Great Thou Art,” which resonates with my 7-year-old prayers Grandma used to teach me – ‘God is great, God is good and we thank him for our food.’ Continue reading “The Ending is the Beginning”
Heart Space Blog
Heart Space
The “Mirror of the West”
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.
Happy Fourth!
Having grown up in Huntington WV, I love the character of the people of Appalachia “almost heaven”. I earned a B.A and M.A. from Marshall and back in my college days in the 60’s we would go on spring break to Fort Lauderdale – in retrospect there was so much eye clutter in bill boards journeying from WV to Florida. Having lived in the beautiful Northwest since 1978 Continue reading “Happy Fourth!”
“Reflection/noitcelfeR”
There were many sayings in my early AA years that I heard over and over until I really heard them. This is the difference between listening and hearing. In my impatience and ignorance, I often cut people and quit listening, or just be quiet but really don’t “hear.” In my graduate studies, I studied various therapies and the one that improved my own attention was that of the therapy developed by Carl Rogers called the “Rogerian Reflection”, which was both hearing the words and the underlying feeling behind the words and reflecting back what they were feeling rather than what they said.
Preparing for Ceremony
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”
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”