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.Silence
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.The North Gate
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.!
Thanksgiving may have its roots that cut across the different ways we still have ritual and Ceremony. Christians have a way way of giving Thanks, as do most on the Red Road, as when we are aligned with the elements (in balance and grateful), magic begins to happen. Continue reading “Thanksgiving”
Every Autumn, I explore fresh perspectives that keep my mind sharp and
BE
open to new, yet loyal to old. In recovery, most all I have known with long term abstinence from alcohol have done the personal inventories and as a result of the “into action” steps, have been rewarded with the promises of recovery. Continue reading “Moving through the Darkness”
I have a friend who has been rebuilding my well house at bear creek, and we had coffee this morning at my favorite coffee shop up the street. He went Continue reading ““Teachings of the West””
Among the greatest joys I know is helping others create their first drum. Making the drum is a great venue for teaching how the breath (air) is
The breath of Life
involved in movement. How often do we move while holding our breath? To become mindful of this cessation of breathing is the first step toward ease and grace. Holding on creates many perverted bodies, minds and spirits, dis-eases as we spend time guarding and armoring our wounds rather than feeling and healing them. On the week
One of my best teachers of presence and heart was a man I met several years ago. I was a fairly good racquetball player, very able to focus in the present, but my fear would come in and sabotage victory. He reminded me that playing with my whole heart was the true nature of play, like the children. I was addicted to “winning”, so I would get way ahead and then give up. My false pride hated that. We went on to form a short lived partnership that together, we would revive the spirit of play in America. He taught me the simple act of hitting the ball to each other rather than away from. He invited me to begin using my atrophied side to gain more balance. My relationship with the man taught me the importance of suiting up and showing up. I journeyed to Marin County, California every month to complete 500 hours of “teacher training”. I completed that task and my life changed. I saw the correlation of grace and ease and how much I distract myself in my victim consciousness. At the time I smoked tobacco, and I was the only one in the class who used tobacco. I carried my shame well as I have always seemed to argue for the right to kill myself. Many say that when the student is ready, the teacher appears. I went on to look deeply into my life in AA’s “searching and fearless inventory” step. Granted, I focused on what wasn’t working rather than what my assets were. My guide or “sponsor” reminded me about the “white wolf” –seeing the beauty inside. My next major learning was two years of “walking around the wheel” a course that was offered by some Souix teachers about the importance of balance. I learned to make my first drum there, and I was hooked like an unaware trout. I began to slowly shift my addictive nature into drum making. I had no “intention” for making drums other than the joy it brought me. One of the questions I was asked by the first teacher was: What would you give your whole heart to? My vision of Heartspace is the answer to that question. From the lower world comes the fire-bird, the eagle that arises out of the ashes. Can I attune my vibrations to that of the fire, air, earth and water. Each element as each season have a teaching, and my 20 acres was/is to be a model of what can be replicated, yet part of the teachings are that growth has to be organic or it won’t last. So my shifting into a real and authentic luster has taken and takes practice, polish, time, space, patience and faith and trust. We are led by our breath and give thanks for the breath of life – our inspiration.
In the Celtic tradition the sweat lodge has four doors, and the door that we enter changes with the seasons. The summer solstice, (the longest day) represents the time when there is plenty for all. We will enter the South door. The preparation for lodge involves a continuing personal inventory, searching inside for what behaviors we wish to release that are self defeating. Perfectionism, The need to “be right” rather than be real signifies an inflated ego. As we mature, our values shift and we begin to gain wisdom to the extent we do the inner work. The gifts of the south direction include an appreciation for the arts and the higher forms of expression – theater, art and music that restores the soul. In the south, we evolve sexual energy into noble passion, a passion for life and an appreciation of the finer things in life. The Senecas believed that we go into the womb of the mother when we enter the lodge, to burn away all of the separating beliefs we pick up outside of the lodge. Going into the lodge is to remember when we were in our mothers belly, hearing our mothers heartbeat and our own heartbeat, two hearts beating as one. This is yin time – honoring the earth and the abundance our sacred earth provides. The south is the zenith of the light, restoring our visions for the next seven generations. On Saturday June 24th, we will light our fire at noon and enter the lodge around three. If you are interested in being a part of this lodge, please contact me, as their is limited space. I will send out the protocol to those who reserve a space along with directions to our bear creek property in Carson, WA. patrick@cedarmtndrums.com
A few year ago, I wrote and posted on the site my “Ways to Be”, which came to me as a stated intention to make each day – to stay in my own hoop, speak from the “I” rather than you or we, and to respect boundaries and agreements. Recovery means becoming mindful, and moving from misery to happiness. Continue reading ““Musings on the East to South Directions””
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 have a friend who has been rebuilding my well house at bear creek, and we had coffee this morning at my favorite coffee shop up the street. He went 
Granted, I focused on what wasn’t working rather than what my assets were. My guide or “sponsor” reminded me about the “white wolf” –seeing the beauty inside. My next major learning was two years of “walking around the wheel” a course that was offered by some Souix teachers about the importance of balance. I learned to make my first drum there, and I was hooked like an unaware trout. I began to slowly shift my addictive nature into drum making. I had no “intention” for making drums other than the 
joy it brought me. One of the questions I was asked by the first teacher was: What would you give your whole heart to? My vision of Heartspace is the answer to that question. From the lower world comes the fire-bird, the eagle that arises out of the ashes. Can I attune my vibrations to that of the fire, air, earth and water. Each element as each season have a teaching, and my 20 acres was/is to be a model of what can be replicated, yet part of the teachings are that growth has to be organic or it won’t last. So my shifting into a real and authentic luster has taken and takes practice, polish, time, space, patience and faith and trust. We are led by our breath and give thanks for the breath of life – our inspiration. 
The summer solstice, (the longest day) represents the time when there is plenty for all. We will enter the South door. The preparation for lodge involves a continuing personal inventory, searching inside for what behaviors we wish to release that are self defeating. Perfectionism, The need to “be right” rather than be real signifies an inflated ego. As we mature, our values shift and we begin to gain wisdom to the extent we do the inner work. The gifts of the south direction include an appreciation for the arts and the higher forms of expression – theater, art and music that restores the soul. In the south, we evolve sexual energy into noble passion, a passion for life and an appreciation of the finer things in life. The Senecas believed that we go into the womb of the mother when we enter the lodge, to burn away all of the separating beliefs we pick up outside of the lodge. Going into the lodge is to remember when we were in our mothers belly, hearing our mothers heartbeat and our ow
n heartbeat, two hearts beating as one. This is yin time – honoring the earth and the abundance our sacred earth provides. The south is the zenith of the light, restoring our visions for the next seven generations. On Saturday June 24th, we will light our fire at noon and enter the lodge around three. If you are interested in being a part of this lodge, please contact me, as their is limited space. I will send out the protocol to those who reserve a space along with directions to our bear creek property in Carson, WA. patrick@cedarmtndrums.com