FK, I am sure you enjoyed the lodges and I hope one day I will begin doing some myself.
Hey Lesley,
It was a concentrated day of learning and doing. Some Huichol history up to the present. We learned chants, native words and phrases, about power places, their beliefs, etc. Celebrating the ending of Winter and the beginning Spring, we did an outside ceremony with a clear one pointed end crystal which he gave to each of us to keep afterwards. We did a few other outside ceremonies. Not as many as he would have liked as the area had a couple feet of snow and ice. Brant and a few others did the drumming but we all did the rattling. At the end he led the Deer Dance, this was done twice. He had some sessions to answer questions with us. Huichol art was available for sale. I bought a medicine pouch necklace, beautifully done. We were offered to sign up for healing sessions (for payment) and I did this as several others did including my Shaman. This was an awesome experience and within 10 minutes I was pain free and felt wonderful. I still feel rather great today. I could not sleep last night though as it seemed I was just so full of energy.
Brant seems very down to earth, centered, so filled with inner peace. He has the bluest eyes and they are that of a visionary IMO. He is thoughtful before he speaks. He has a wonderful sense of humor and said the Huichols believe this is very important. He talked a good deal of Don Jose' who he apprenticed under for 12 years. He said it was Don Jose's vision and dream that Brant go forward and take the teachings, traditions, history and the tribe's current struggles in to the world.
The good news is that the tribe was down to a poplulation of about 10,000 and now it is up to 15,000. The younger people now do take their children to get antibiotics when necessary so many of the babies have been surviving. Also the Mexican government has by law given only the Huichols their land and no one else can own or have it. This is to aid in their survival as they are a mountainous tribe. Their artwork has gone a long way in supporting the tribe so they don't have to come down seasonally and work in the tobacco fields which contain harmful pesticides which have harmed some of them.
It was a special day with a special healing and yes, I would definitely go again when he is in town.
Donna
