Greetings Every One! The work we are doing could not continue without you. We are very grateful for your support and help. Every single prayer and donation is appreciated more than you can know. Thank you so very much for your support. A note from Rutury Que Tuma Aku. Greetings Dear Friends, Tatewari, Grandfather Spirit. We open our hearts to your healing which brings us wisdom and knowledge from all corners of the Universe. As I mentioned in the March newsletter, Anaya and I had the privilege to travel again to Mexico and continue the healing ceremonies with my Wixarika tribe. While we were there we also were informed about the current situation regarding ongoing land disputes that have been escalating for years between Mexican ranchers and our tribal people. Not unlike in many other countries, the ranchers have been living for many years on land that they have basically claimed as their own as ‘settlers’. This land has traditionally been Wixarika tribal land and the people have been in a struggle to reclaim their ancestral lands back from the ranchers. During this process there have been many conflicts. The Huichol people have been intimidated, mocked, called unimaginable names, and have been violated and violently treated. Some tribal people who were outspoken have been beaten and some were murdered. These precious people put their lives in the line of fire and their names will forever be included in our daily prayers. Heated arguments and serious threats have been expressed from both sides, to the extent that local and state authorities were brought in to prevent any further violence. I was told about all of these happenings and I was reminded of how modern laws and the concept of land ownership have created so much conflict between Native people and ‘settlers’ and how both sides feel strongly about their rights. I encouraged my people not to return the bad behavior they were receiving from the ranchers but to try their best to find a peaceful solution as best as they could. I was told about this situation when I was in Tepic and a meeting was organized there where I met with a representative of the ranch owners as well as a number of respresentatives of a few of the Wixarika communities. My people wanted me to be present and let the ranchers know that there were people who were aware of this situation in the States and that they had outside help. I am happy to say that both sides have recently come to an agreement to at least reach out for the help of an independent mediator. The hopes are that the mediator will review all of the documents and hear both sides and be able to find a way to calm what has become a very hostile and dangerous situation. One problem is of course that my people have never had any documents to prove they own the land; they don’t even have that concept. They have been stewards of the land, and they have developed deep connections to it over many, many years. They do not want to be pushed out and off of their ancestral land any further. Eventually a peaceful solution has to be found and both sides have very different perspectives, which is very challenging. If you believe in prayers include us in your daily ceremonies After this meeting was over I was taken to another room. It was a dark room and the only lights I could see were candles being lit. Slowly my eyes adjusted and I could see a group of Wixarikas. I was in the room with the wisdom and knowledge cultivators, the Wixarika Elders. Everyone was sitting on the floor as they did not want to sit on chairs. I looked around and acknowledged everyone in silence and noticed they were masticating the sacred medicine plant and smoking sacred tobacco. The room was full of an herbal aroma and it felt right to be there with them. I could see in their faces a sadness as three members of their circle had died since the last time I saw them. In our culture when one is with Elders you don’t invite yourself to sit with them or start a conversation, you only engage with them when they initiate the conversation. I stood outside of their circle waiting for their invitation, meanwhile many emotions started to spiral in my stomach making me feel dizzy and weak throughout my body. I looked for a wall to lean on when suddenly I dropped to my knees and started to weep like a child. I wanted to control my emotion but could not stop something that was happening naturally. When I finally surrendered I heard the voices of my parents and my sister Jaichima. They were having a conversation about many things, just like they would in real life. What grabbed my attention was that they could not agree on what fruit trees to plant and where they should be. I surprised myself by saying out loud, “What do you mean you don't know what kind of fruit trees to plant and where?” That’s when one of the female Elders came over to tell me not to question them as I will dissipate what I was hearing. She was right because I tried to connect to that atmosphere again but it had vanished for the moment. I continued to be on my knees and a male Elder’s voice said, “Welcome RuturyTemay. We see you don’t travel alone as your family spirits are with you always. We understand they were all alive with you at one time and now they have all passed on and you must continue to carry their legacy. Keep rising no matter what obstacles are in your way. Honor them and share their visions with all the people you work with”. Then two female Elders of my tribe started to chant and pray, both taking turns whispering into my ears prayers and chants that I had never heard before. They continued to blow the smoke of sacred tobacco all over my body, casting away the shadow voices and stagnant energy that I had accumulated since my last ceremony with them. The smoke of the sacred tobacco was not only purifying but was also opening new gates for new beginnings. I sincerely felt like I was levitating because I could see all of us in that gathering from every angle of the room. Then one of the female Elders said, “Close your eyes and open your mouth”. Through a hollow bamboo she blew an herbal liquid into my mouth and continued to say “Before you swallow be with it”. What I felt on my tongue was bitter and hot like fire, and at the same time it had a flavor of light sweetness. I was told to swallow it delicately, and upon completing this ceremony I was given pieces of medicine plant, each piece from each Elder. Then everyone gathered to touch my face, hair, and clothing, and at that moment I thought they were just admiring my clothing but in reality they were doing a blessing ceremony and entrusting me to carry their essence and ceremony to be able to share with everyone. On another note, I understand a lot of people in our world celebrate Easter this month. No matter what you believe, let us pray for harmony and peace in our world. PamPaDios Looking forward to our next ceremony Love and Blessings Rutury Here are a couple of old photos that Rutury came across. Rutury and Jaichima Modern Shaman UPCOMING EVENTS MAY 17-19 WORK WEEKEND AND CEREMONY. We will be gathering again for what has become a wonderful tradition of joining forces on the land and sharing meals and ceremonies together for a work weekend. This is a free event and we appreciate your efforts and look forward to being with you! Please email [email protected] for more specific information if you are interested and/or planning on coming as we only have a few rooms still available at the Center. There is also plenty of space to camp and we can help you with gear if you need it. JUNE 19th-23rd SUMMER SOLSTICE PLANT WISDOM CEREMONY Rutury recently returned from Mexico where he met with members of his community and Elders and was encouraged to share a very special healing ceremony for the first time. This will be a small group limited to 12 participants. The cost for this workshop is $875 which includes accommodation and meals. All profits from this workshop will go directly to the Wixarika Elders and their communities. Please email [email protected] for more information if you are interested. NOVEMBER 4th-11th TEOTIHUACAN AND WIRIKUTA PILGRIMAGE We are excited to be able to offer this opportunity to do ceremonies in two very special places in Mexico. We will spend the first few days at the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon and then travel to Real De Catorce where we will explore Cerro Quemado and Wirikuta, the sacred land of the Wixarika people. On the way to and from Real De Catorce we will be staying in the beautiful city of San Miguel De Allende. If you are interested please let us know and we will be in touch with you to tell you more about this journey. This workshop will be limited to 10 participants. The cost is $2,100 which includes accommodations and transportation within Mexico. You are responsible for your own round trip flight to Mexico City. All profits from this workshop will go directly to the Wixarika Elders and their communities. OUR NOVEMBER WORKSHOP IS FULLY BOOKED AND WE DO HAVE A WAITING LIST SO PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE PUT ON THE LIST. You can email [email protected] for more information or if you have any questions. Miscellaneous Notes Any communications from Indios Huichol will be from Rutury, Anaya or Nahwi. If you receive communications from someone else claiming to be Indios Huichol or assisting Indios Huichol please contact us as soon as possible Notice Regarding E-mail Addresses: Please be aware Indios Huichol Inc. considers your e-mail addresses to be private. Please be assured that we will not sell or share your information. We also want you to understand that all personal emails to Rutury are forwarded to him. Indios Huichol Inc. Facebook Our Facebook page is up and running! Please take a look and let us know if you have any suggestions. Mailing address
Indios Huichol Inc. 2315 N Page Springs Rd Cornville, AZ 86325
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Greetings Every One! The work we are doing could not continue without you. We are very grateful for your support and help. Every single prayer and donation is appreciated more than you can know. Thank you so very much for your support. A note from Rutury Que Tuma Aku. Greetings Dear Friends, Tatewari, Grandfather Spirit. We open our hearts to your healing which brings us wisdom and knowledge from all corners of the Universe. Hello to my human tribe family, and apologies to all of you as we are late sending this newsletter. Anaya and I just returned from Mexico with news from my Wixarika tribe. We are carrying their energy and gratitude from them to all of you, as Indios Huichol continues to support them not only financially, but emotionally and spiritually. First I would like to share some of my thoughts and experiences I had while Anaya and I recently attended the Arizona Psychedelic Conference in Tempe Arizona. Some of you commented on the photo I posted on Facebook February 2019. When I first heard of this event my feelings were mixed primarily because of what I had encountered in my life in the early 1970s when my mother and father and I would travel to do our ceremonies to Laguna Santa Maria DelOro, Mexcaltitan, and San Blas. As we walked the streets on our way to the Mercado in Tepic to buy supplies to bring to our village, we would notice that we were being followed by one or a couple of foreign people who tried not to be obvious. Eventually they would ask my father in Spanish if they could follow us to our village to experience our plant medicine ceremony. My father Hakaula was polite and humble and always thought that people would reciprocate the same kindness back to him. Some people were respectful but the majority of people misinterpreted him and assumed he was naive and could easily be taken advantage of. With limited Spanish my father would made the effort of explaining to people that is was inappropriate for them to follow us and expect to be part of a ceremony with the medicine plant when he did not even know them. To do a medicine plant ceremony takes various steps of ceremonial preparations, self discipline, and focusing on your intentions. The participants must be invited by someone who knows these steps and in our culture it is not appropriate to invite yourself unless you’ve spent the time to understand how to be a part of our ceremonies and our ways. When the time comes to participate in a medicine plant ceremony it is a privilege and not a right for this sacrament to take place. We also believe that it is best to be guided by traditional people who have a deep knowledge and relationship with the medicine. As I said, a few people understood and respected my father’s words but with others as soon as we walked away from them and started going towards our village trails we still noticed we were being followed. They tried hard to stay with us on the rugged trails but eventually we would lose them. I say they tried hard because no one succeeded to enter our villages uninvited while my father was alive. From the moment we are born in our villages our parents introduce us to our surroundings and all the elements, giving us an advantage when being followed on the trails in the Sierra Madre. We are experts at traveling the less traveled places, crossing rivers, leaving no trace, and so ultimately we are more able to protect our environment. Every time we faced this kind of situation I could see my father’s struggle with himself. As a traditional medicine person his priority was to protect us and his community but also bring awareness to all cultures with our ceremonies. He would say “I see and sense a great urgency to protect our medicine plant and ceremonies, however I also feel the time is nearing when all cultures can come together to share our wisdom and knowledge. As we have to protect our ceremonies and medicine plants I also see modern humanity stepping forward to understand and embrace the alternative healing that has existed for centuries in native cultures. This may not come together in my life time but you my son RuturyTemay can represent our tribe and be the bridge between modern and ancient healing”. After attending the Arizona Psychedelics Conference my skeptical feelings were turned towards hope and inspiration. At this conference there were professors, doctors, cultivators of medicine plants, scientists, healers, ceremonialists, veterans, and all kinds of people who had received profound healing with plant medicine. These people were taking this subject very seriously and with a lot of respect, although there is always something more that can be brought forward to further our practices and awareness. One common theme I heard from all of the presenters was that working with plant medicine is a serious ceremony and proper guidance is necessary for the participant’s safety and deeper healing. There is a lot of interest and a big movement happening around the world involving the healing and wisdom of plant medicine. I have thought that perhaps my Wixarika Elders in one of their visions saw this coming and that’s why they have been encouraging for me to hold ceremonies to introduce the healing plant medicine with respect, and embrace these spiritual teachings for the well being of all humanity. So this is the news that is carried back from my people, that I am getting ready to introduce more of our sacred ceremonies to the Human Tribe. I am inviting you. PamPaDios Looking forward to our next ceremony Love and Blessings RuturyTemay A note from Anaya This woman is so beautiful. We’ve developed a wonderful friendship over the years and she is always the first person I go to see when we get to Tepic. She is so humble and her presence moves me deeply. We don’t understand each other in words but we hug a lot and laugh and Rutury translates what she is saying to me in their traditional language. When she speaks it sounds like singing to me and I always look forward to seeing her. When Rutury and I got to Tepic this last trip she was not in her usual ’spot’ in front of the church selling her beadwork and I was afraid I might never see her again. There was no news of her and I wondered how she was doing, or if she was still around…and then there she was on our last day in Mexico in Sayulita, a place I had never seen her in before, and we both just about fell over with surprise and happiness. Some of her beadwork is now with us, and in fact another beautiful woman who was just visiting us here at the Center this weekend with her lovely sister (you know who you are) now has one of her bracelets. It’s amazing to think of how these beads travel through the world and how they are connecting people through the prayers and hopes these traditional artists put into every piece. I know that it makes this Elder so happy to know that a part of her is traveling with somebody and carrying her blessings. We just got back from Mexico with a lot of beads and bags! Indios Huichol has a booth at the upcoming Sedona Yoga Festival www.sedonayogafestival.com. And all profits from our booth will be used to support the Wixarika Elders and their communities. If you are planning on attending the Festival come by and see us! Workshops We’ve heard from a number of people asking about the 2019 schedule for workshops and gatherings. Here are our upcoming events for this year so far…If you are interested or have any questions you can send an email to [email protected] after March 13th. (We are in the process of setting up the new email) MAY 17-19 WORK WEEKEND AND CEREMONY. We will be gathering again for what has become a wonderful tradition of joining forces on the land and sharing meals and ceremonies together for a work weekend. This is a free event and we appreciate your efforts and look forward to being with you! JUNE 19th-23rd SUMMER SOLSTICE PLANT WISDOM CEREMONY Rutury just came back from Mexico where he met with members of his community and Elders and was encouraged to share a very special healing ceremony for the first time. This will be a small group limited to 12 participants. The cost for this workshop is $875 which includes accommodation and meals. Please call or email us for more information if you are interested. NOVEMBER 4th-11th TEOTIHUACAN AND WIRIKUTA PILGRIMAGE We are excited to be able to offer this opportunity to do ceremonies in two very special places in Mexico. We will spend the first few days at the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon and then travel to Real De Catorce where we will explore Cerro Quemado and Wirikuta, the sacred land of the Wixarika people. On the way to and from Real De Catorce we will be staying in the beautiful city of San Miguel De Allende. If you are interested please let us know and we will be in touch with you to tell you more about this journey. This workshop will be limited to 10 participants. The cost is $2,100 which includes accommodations and transportation within Mexico. You are responsible for your own round trip flight to Mexico City. Miscellaneous Notes Any communications from Indios Huichol will be from Rutury, Anaya or Nahwi. If you receive communications from someone else claiming to be Indios Huichol or assisting Indios Huichol please contact us as soon as possible. Notice Regarding E-mail Addresses: Please be aware Indios Huichol Inc. considers your e-mail addresses to be private. Please be assured that we will not sell or share your information. We also want you to understand that all personal emails to Rutury are forwarded to him. Indios Huichol Inc. Facebook Our Facebook page is up and running! Please take a look and let us know if you have any suggestions. Website Please check it out at: http://www.indioshuichol.org/ The store is open for business as well. Please be aware items are shipped to one address and they are going USPS. We’re not charging for shipping at this time. All profits go to support the Wixarika (Huichol) people. Mailing address Indios Huichol Inc.
2315 N Page Springs Rd Cornville, AZ 86325 Greetings Every One! The work we are doing could not continue without you. We are very grateful for your support and help. Every single prayer and donation is appreciated more than you can know. Thank you so very much for your support. A note from Rutury Que Tuma Aku. Greetings Dear Friends! Tatewari, Grandfather Spirit. We open our hearts to your healing which brings us wisdom and knowledge from all corners of the Universe. I was born in my Wixarika village in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico and lived there until my early teens. I have shared with you some of my experiences with my family and the way of life with my Wixarika Huichol tribe. Here is another thing that happened in my childhood. I was fortunate to accompany my father in various ceremonial commitments he had in our community. One particular responsibility my father had was to oversee and do the blessings for the yearly change of Messengers. We call them Staff Messengers and they are young men who carry staffs decorated with ribbons that are certain colors depending on the village where they come from. They are the ones who carry communications and news between places or are caretakers of certain areas. When we see them with their staffs we respect and support them and their commitment. They move through the communities and keep them linked and it is an honor to hold this position for a year. After the blessings my father and I were supposed to return home but as it turned out his services were needed for a longer time. Since it was getting late he sent me home on my own as I needed to attend school the following morning. As a family we had traveled this trail many times so I knew it very well, plus it was only a few hours of walking. About half way home I heard a yelp and a cry and since it was at night the sound really scared me. I started to walk fast making sure to stay vigilant to what was around me. There was a half moon and in the moonlight I could see the shadows of the trees, clouds, and the mountains. When I heard the sound again I was about to run but it was like a baby crying and then I sensed it was some kind of baby animal. I stopped and walked slowly towards a ditch where the crying was coming from. To my left there was large rock twice my size and beneath it was like a nest with rugged edges about 2 feet deep and wide. Inside of it was a baby puppy trying to get out and it could not manage to climb out on its own. From what I could see it was born there and it looked like either all the other puppies got out or someone took them and forgot one as it was obviously left behind. The mom was nowhere around so I lifted the puppy and it seemed to calm both of us. It was gorgeous shiny black with a white mark on its left paw. The aroma of baby puppy was incredible and all the way home it kept sucking my thumb. As soon as I arrived home I showed it to my mother and she said oh! Look at her shiny eyes feed her she is hungry! I told her I did not know how to feed her and she proceeded to show me by combining her saliva and some kind of herb tea and she gently put the liquid in small amounts in the puppy’s mouth. She said to do this for about a week and after that I should chew my food and give it to the puppy in small amounts until she was able to eat on her own. Then my mother asked me if I knew the gender. I said no and she told me it was a female and it was my dog forever since I found it, and to try not to wait too long to name her. I told my mother I would think about what to name her. That night was incredible and my dog and I slept together feeling like we had found each other and nothing was going to separate us. I was totally in love with that baby puppy. When I woke up I went to my mother and told her I had a dream about Kalutza. This means something like a spark in the blackness, in the deepest dark. That is what I named my puppy. She was Kalutza. Years went by fast and both of us grew up together. My parents always encouraged me not only to learn to communicate with words but also to embrace the other unspoken language between myself and my dog. My mother took the time to teach me as she explained this to me. “Giving and receiving unconditional love is a beautiful sensation. You feel like no matter where you walk you are walking on clouds and above all love is in everything and everywhere. It appears at different times in our life, sometimes we feel it before it comes to us and other times we stumble into it when we least expect it. For instance when you found your new puppy it awakened new feelings elevating you into a totally new dimension of emotions. Treasure those feelings and treasure your puppy no matter what obstacles may be there in your way”. My puppy became my best companion and we were inseparable for many years. In my long travels she always went ahead of me to protect the trail and alert me if anyone was coming towards us. She was a truly devoted dog. I’m sad to say that in February of 1976 my dog was killed in a brutal way by somebody who was a cruel bully and wanted to hurt me because I finally stood up to him. Since that time and every year I honor my dog for teaching me who she was and coming into my life when she did unexpectedly. I am also grateful for my sweet mother for teaching me about who she was. Her simple and profound way of loving taught me volumes of life lessons that I am still learning about today. My heart weeps every time I relive the moment of her last words whispered into my ears. Her ceremony and blessings are in the roots of who I am and even though she made a peaceful transition in February 1987 sometimes it feels to me like it just happened a few days ago. Thank you for the memories and teachings. Happy Valentines Everyone PamPaDios Looking forward to our next ceremony Love and Blessings Rutury Thank you to the November workshop participants! The bulbs you planted are emerging and blooming. A note from Nahwi I Don’t Want To! Avoidance, boy am I good at it! I have been meditating on my very large “box” of excuses, and truths to my not doing things that need to be taken care of. The beauty of meditation is that we don’t focus on what runs though our head…we acknowledge it and let it go (OK some things are harder to let pass I do acknowledge that). I find it a bit confusing that I will take care of the bills, not fond of it but want it completed. I can work on the tax info for Indios Huichol and Fiberholics…not fun but not hard. But when it comes to personal taxes, dusting, and cleaning widows…I can find every excuse in the book and make up more if needed. When all this passed in my meditation I found some things actually scare me (tall windows and a large step ladder…bouts of vertigo and thinning bones…OK that is a justified concern…I will ask for help. Dusting…hate it…I had no idea the desert was so dusty! I know it sounds stupid, but I am still surprised after 20 years here how everything including our cats and dogs are dusty! My house is filled with bookshelves, and knick knacks and love rocks (husband brings back a love rock for me every few days from his walks.) I could spend my whole life dusting and then start right over again. So in my mediation I saw I need to actually do a lot of letting go of things (physical and preconceived “truths”) so that I can live a balanced life. I need to go though things and decide if I want them in my life or need them in my life. If I am unsure…I need to find another home for them. Taxes…not fun…have to do…I do it for two other organizations and have never had this resentment or frustration …I know our personal finances inside and out…I know how to do it and it is not hard…it just takes up a lot of time and energy and takes over the dining room table. What is the problem here? Every single time I finish it and get it to the Accountant, I feel like I won a race…so why the stalling? Why the lousy mood? It does not scare me; I do not feel stupid or lost. When mediating about it I may have found at least a glimmer…it is boring…as simple as that…I would rather be doing anything else…it is like sitting in a tire place waiting for your car to go up on the jack and have new tires put on and balanced. Maybe like the tires I just have to ride it out and surrender to allowing myself to be bored for a few hours. I may not have an answer to “fixing” this one, but I have identified why I avoid it…does not sound like much but it is actually huge. Now would anyone like to come over and dust? Miscellaneous Notes Any communications from Indios Huichol will be from Rutury, Anaya or Nahwi. If you receive communications from someone else claiming to be Indios Huichol or assisting Indios Huichol please contact us as soon as possible. Please be aware Indios Huichol Inc. considers your e-mail addresses to be private. Please be assured that we will not sell or share your information. We also want you to understand that all personal emails to Rutury are forwarded to him. Notice Regarding E-mail Addresses: Please be aware Indios Huichol Inc. considers your e-mail addresses to be private. Please be assured that we will not sell or share your information. We also want you to understand that all personal emails to Rutury are forwarded to him. Indios Huichol Inc. Facebook Our Facebook page is up and running! Please take a look and let us know if you have any suggestions. Website Please check it out at: http://www.indioshuichol.org/ The store is open for business as well. Please be aware items are shipped to one address and they are going USPS. We’re not charging for shipping at this time. All profits go to support the Wixarika (Huichol) people. |
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