The organizations we are supporting include:

American Legion

American Red Cross Disaster Relief

Angels of the Desert – neither the US or Mexican law enforcement help immigrants lost in the desert but this middle-aged former mechanic does.

Bunny Advocates – they place bunnies in loving homes

CASA – “Court Appointed Special Advocates” for children

Disabled Veterans of America

Doctors without Borders

Eckankar Canada – offered in support of families  finding spiritual connections in Penticton, BC.

Edna Adam University Hospital in Somaliland – Works for the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation

Fistula Foundation – An obstetric fistula (most common in developing countries) is a hole between a woman’s birth passage and one or more of her internal organs.

Human Race Walk – a nationwide community fundraising event for many nonprofit organizations

Last Mask Center – creates shamanic community devoted to diversity, spiritual adulthood, and stepping up with an open heart

Menlo Station High School Continuing Education for Young Parents (CEYP) Program

Panzi Foundation USA-supporting the work of a hospital working to help rape victims, especially to provide fibula surgeries in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Raincoast Converation Foundation – a team of conservationists and scientists working to protect the lands, waters and wildlife of coastal British Columbia

Relay for Life (cancer)

Rev. Roger Christie ( THC Ministry) – outsider minister working to legalize the use of plant medicine in religious ceremony

Ronald McDonald House

Saint Francis Catholic Kitchen – feeds Santa Cruz’s homeless population

Saint Jude Children’s Hospital

Salvation Army

Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter

Sisters of the Road – they work to alleviate hunger, isolation, and violence among Portland’s homeless people

Tsogyal Latso Fund – provides financial support and medical care to the 14 Tsogyal Latso nuns and perpetuates a sacred Tibetan divine feminine holy site

Whale and Dolphin Watch – Combats the negative effect on all sea life of Navy and Sound wave testing in the oceans

By now you are probably aware I am having a BIG birthday on April 30. I am turning 65. Wow! I haven’t decided what it means but for sure it deserves a party. Well I started to arrange a party and it has now evolved into several events. You are invited to  one, which is a shamanic drumming circle at my house on Saturday, April 27 I will have a pot of vegetarian soup at 5:00 p.m. You can bring snacks to share if you want to. Circle ill start promptly at 7:00 and should be finished by 9:00. You can bring drums or rattles if you have them. I have lots to share. Also, if you want to put something on the altar bring that too.  If you haven’t sat in such a circle, don’t be nervous. You will find it a place of love and unconditional acceptance that doesn’t require anything of you but telling us your name. This is how your ancestors entertined themselves before TV.

Now, the really exciting event!

Immediately following my birthday on April 30, I am leaving for Spain where I am going to walk the Camino de Santiago. This is a sacred pilgrimage I have been thinking about doing for six years now. It seems like a wonderful way to mark this milestone in my life. While I consider this a personal and self-centered event I am hoping to share it with you so I came up with this plan. If you make a contribution in my name to a charity of your choice and send me the name of the charity and your email address, I will send you messages from the road. I will also pray for those charities as I travel. I believe this will give me a lift as I walk. If you haven’t heard, it is a 500 mile walk. I hope you will consider supporting me in this way. I don’t know how often I will be able to write from the road but I will send a final informative email upon my arrival home. That one will contain pictures as well. No, not the “vacation in pictures” but a few well-chosen shots.  Please share this with any of our mutual friends as I know I don’t have email addresses for many I would like to include.

E a r t h M e d i c i n e A l l i a n c e
P.O. Box 460221
San Francisco, CA 94146
http://www.earthmedicine.org
info@earthmedicine.org
(415) 748-9658
Board of Directors
Daniel Foor
Jeff McElwain
Megan Carroll
Paul Rubio
Kimberly Errigo

The Earth Medicine Alliance is a non-profit organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area dedicated to helping humans remember their unity with the living Earth. It is critical at this time in human history that we work together in our efforts to increase consciousness and awareness in all people.

Our current outreach efforts are focused on supporting our third annual conference, Celebrating Ancestral Wisdom, this October 20-21st in San Francisco. This conference brings together nearly 20 earth-honoring ceremonial leaders and educators from diverse walks of life to guide two full days of interfaith teachings, inclusive ritual, and heart-felt community. For our full conference program see http://www.earthmedicine.org.

Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

you are invited to a shamanic circle at my house on Halloween which falls on Wednesday, October 31.  I will have a pot of vegan vegetable soup ready by 6:00 p.m. and Circle will start promptly at 7:00 p.m.  We will finish by 9:00 as it is a work night for many.  You are welcome to bring food to share but it is not required. This is a free event. You are also welcome to bring a friend who shares an interest in shamanism. Please RSVP the number of persons attending so that I know how much soup to make.

This it is a great time to bring/wear a costume. Here are three possible suggestions.

1. Costume/mask representing a power animal or any animal you feel a connection with.

2. Costume/mask representing a plant you feel a connection with.

3. Costume/mask that represents who you truly are or an aspect of yourself you wish to explore.

Simple costumes are great. A paper plate or half a paper plate can become a mask, or a colored or printed piece of clothing or piece of jewelry can carry the energy of a power animal.  If you don’t have a power animal ask for help finding one while you are here.

A plant can be represented by something as simple as a few leafs in your hair or attached to your clothing.

If you have an elaborate costume you are itching to wear, this is your chance.

If you don’t have any idea about what aspect of yourself to explore here is a good exercise for seeing yourself with fresh eyes.  Sit in the dark in front of a mirror illuminated by only one candle placed to the side of the mirror. Relax and watch your face. It is likely you will see something unexpected.

As always it is appropriate but not necessary to bring a drum/rattle/cushion/item for altar.

I look forward ti sitting in circle with you!

About a month ago I began to think of my birthday next April. It will be my 65th and it seems like a big one. I have decided it should be memorialized. I will have a party then  take of on an adventure.  I will leave immediately following the party to walk the Camino de Santiago in Spain. It has been a goal of mine for about five years that sometime in the future I would make this pilgrimage.   I am fortunate that I have the opportunity to undertake this challenge and I can’t depend on my good health continuing forever. So, I have been studying Spanish and gradually increasing my fitness level.  Anyone want to come along?

On her past two visits to the US she has also had several healing events in California which included visits to my home.  She will not be making these visits with the exception of a small gathering in the LA area which will not include the type of individual healings she has done here. Please join me in praying for Aama’s good health.

The gathering in Montana sounds to be an amazing event. Having attended one of these gatherings I know that Aama will pour her healing out in their public events, though again not like the individual ones she has done here. Perhaps you can consider traveling there. The cost is minimal and the opportunity to camp on the Northern Cheyenne land is marvelous.

Please join me also in extending our prayers and healing rituals for and to the land, people, animals, plants, and spirits currently threatened by fire in that area.

Nobody has the money for shaman school.  All spiritual callings are like a burning itch which progressively gets more severe. If you don’t have the money to see a doctor; you can try to ignore it, apply baking soda, other home remedies, or cortisone crèam, or anything else you can think of.  Eventually you just go see the doctor because you have to.

The timing is not important. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but if it is your path, one day you will have to take care of that itch. It isn’t as simple as going down the street to the shaman school but gradually a plan will form and a way appears.

The good news is that before the itch gets too bad (as your personal calling become clearer) there are books, drumming circles, and workshops available to give you a taste of what is possible.

Books require no commitment. It is like being a fly on the wall. You don’t have to tell anybody what you are reading or why. Don’t worry, the steps that bring a spiritual seeker to the shamanic path aren’t typically as dramatic as books often suggest. But, books are the gathered wisdom of others who have faced similar desires to learn. Find a bookstore or library with a decent selection of spiritual books and trust your intuition to find the right book.  If something doesn’t resonate with you today, don’t be surprised if it does resonate next month or next year.  I regularly re-read books I have retained from the many I have encountered along the way and find greater depths of information.

Drumming circles can be found in most cities with a simple internet search. Many are open to beginners and are generally run by kind, often knowledgeable, people who proselytize the shamanic way. You can claim “just looking” status. Many sweat lodge ceremonies are similarly available.

A workshop is a learning opportunity with a clear expiration date. They are a change to try on this unique way of life with like-minded individuals for a day or two without commitment.  You won’t instantly become an expert but you will learn and you specific interests will become clearer. Much can be learned which will help you understand and develop your personal abilities. Sometimes you learn what is possible, what questions you can ask, and/or where you can find answers.

What path should I take?

I often say “one water, many wells”.  It doesn’t matter to me which path you choose. Going deep in one tradition is typically more helpful than doing a survey of many traditions. However, as a beginner learning about various possible paths is beneficial. You will learn to discern what resonates for you. Shamanism is experiential.  You judge based on what is personally helpful for you.

Am I called to heal others? Don’t worry about that. Every healer must first heal himself or herself. Eventually you may find trusted friends to practice on.  Be clear that you are practicing to  learn.

I haven’t been posting anything lately but lots has been happening. My Mom has come to live with me and we have been busy getting things together for this event. I have a lot to share as soon as I can find the right words. In the meantime, I miss those of you I haven’t seen. I hope you can join us for this free event. If you want more information email me. Otherwise it is okay to just show up or rsvp. If you just show up, please be here before 7:00.

You are invited to a gathering at my house. It is a talking, drumming and shamanic circle.
Where: 1615 Heritage Lane, Santa Cruz, CA
When: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 6:00 (I will have a pot of soup on – Circle starts at 7:00 prompt and ends by 9:00 p.m.)
Optional items to bring:
a drum and/or rattle if you have it
a snack to share
a cushion, blanket, backjack, and/or pillow if you like to sit on the floor.
Fee: none

Hope to see you here and you are welcome to bring friends
-Linda

If you haven’t thought about autism recently, I looked up numerous and differing definitions. However, a basic definition is that it is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. Anyone who has interacted with an autistic child, and these days that is nearly everyone, realizes that they may act as though others, even loving parents, didn’t matter. The analogy to how we treat the planet is so similar. I immediately visualized a loving mother giving her child everything he needed but he just does not respond. Then I thought of that Mother being the Earth. I could go on, but I’m sure you get my drift.

It goes a long way to explaining why we feel drawn to vestigial tribal people who live close to nature.  This isn’t just sentimental and romantic.  These people have so much to offer us if we can just find a respectful way to learn it.

From the Macrocosm to the Microcosm

This alone would be a worthwhile thought to share but I can’t help but find a parallel between this macrocosm event and the microcosm many families are facing today.

I just looked at the Autism Society webpage and found the following statistics:

• 1 percent of the population of children in the U.S. ages 3-17 have an autism spectrum disorder.
• Prevalence is estimated at 1 in 110 births.
• 1 to 1.5 million Americans live with an autism spectrum disorder.
• Fastest-growing developmental disability; 1,148% growth rate.
• 10 – 17 % annual growth.

Thinking of this, I remember Frost’s poem, Fire and Ice from my high school English class.

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Autism may have a scientific explanation. Undoubtedly autistic people have much to teach us. They certainly live in this moment.  However, what if so many children are born with autism that society cannot function?  Could that be the ice Frost proposed? Whatever the cause, and benefits, the call for living closer to nature by recognizing our mother, loving our mother, and meeting her needs are imperative. That is probably the greatest gift the resurgence in shamanism has to offer this world.

Help for Families

With so many parents looking for help for their autistic children it seems appropriate to address the question, can shamanic healing help these children?

There seem to me to be three main opinions about the effectiveness of shamanic healing.

• The first, and most common in this autistic age, is that it is foolish superstition and has no validity.
• The second is that shamans were the  precursors of modern psychologists and could possibly be of some help with emotional or mentally based issues. Their answer would likely be no, shamanism could not help decrease the unwanted symptoms of autism.
• The third group, my group, recognize that healing, magic, or spiritual power, does exist. Individuals may define this as a gift from God or as a natural expression of this universe which our ancestors know and used (back when they lived in harmony with nature). It is still available today.

The answer isn’t simple. Any action taken has to respect the individual gifts of the autistic person and even then, in every case, the practitioner can only go to the compassionate spirits and ask for help. Still, there is the possibility of help.

If you are a parent seeking such help, here are some suggestions for finding a practitioner:

• First, trust your feelings.
• Only go to a practitioner that you know, feel good about, or who comes highly recommended by someone you trust.
• Be aware that most practitioners have the desire to help, whether or not they have the ability, experience, and power to do so.
• The practitioner cannot promise anything but their best effort.

I am aware that organic diet, some vitamin supplementation, and interactivity with nature such as through animals has provided help to some autistic people.  I prescribe time in nature for all of us.   I also send my prayers to those whose lives are so profoundly affected.