Sunday, September 17, 2017

Are you a Builder or a Demolition worker?

Are you a Builder or a Demolition worker?

          This past week, there were a couple of instances which caused me to think about my use of social media.  The first came when a fellow employee of mine, who I am friends with on Facebook, posted about how she was shocked how a simple rather benign post she had made, very quickly evoked several very personal, vitriolic attacks.

          The second was when I noticed some comments on a post from some friends and former co-workers, who were demeaning and joking about the place where I am still employed.  It did shock me a bit.  Now I don’t know all the personal reasons why they might have left employment there, but I was surprised that they talked about the place in a demeaning way.  Certainly no place of employment will ever be perfect – it’s not a vacation – that’s why they call it “Work”.  And I personally have left several previous jobs and moved on to other things for personal reasons, but I don’t remember feeling any animosity to the place I was leaving as it had provided me a means for support and interaction with so many other good people.  And the place where I currently work is a beautiful facility which has blessed the lives of countless people in the area who have benefited from being able to come there and is filled with many employees who are all caring and kind to the clients we are servicing.

          Then in my church meetings today, one of the topics of discussion was about our use of social media for purposes which are either good or bad, time wasting or of usefulness and so forth.  As I sat listening and pondering, several questions and spiritual impressions came to my mind which were not part of the actual sermon.

“Are you a builder or a demolition worker?”

“Are you trying to raise yourself higher by tearing others down around you?  Or are you building stairs upon which you and others can ascend together?”

“Are you tearing down walls and removing roofs to try and expose something you think is hidden inside?  Or are you constructing places of shelter and safety for others to come into from the storms of life?”

Are you a wrecking ball, which in a moment can destroy something or someone, perhaps irreparably, affecting far more than those to whom your comment was aimed?

Or are you a supporting bolster to those who are wavering and need a firm foundation upon which they can regain their footing?”

          These impressions and questions from the Spirit made me pause to think more deeply about my use of social media, which although it feels distant through the technology, is actually far more connected to the lives of others than we might realize.

          I will now offer a sincere apology to anyone and everyone who I may have offended over the years in any attempt to be humorous or funny!  If I have ever said or done anything to hurt you than I am sorry and in need of and striving for repentance in these things!  And certainly, I am sure there is far more work I need to do in my life to improve.

          As these impressions came through my mind and I grabbed a piece of paper to write them down, some scriptures also came to my mind.
          “…Succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.” – D&C 81:5.

          The thought then came to me that as we demean or belittle others or attempt to pass judgement upon them, that we are really only exposing our own flawed character traits.  This thought then brought to mind another verse of scripture, in which in vision the prophet saw a great a spacious building, which stood up in the air and had no foundation, which represented “the vain imaginations and pride of the children of men,” and “it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female… and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards…” others who were simply trying the best they could to do what was right.  (see 1 Nephi 8:27).

          As I pondered these impressions, I asked myself, “If finding fault in others only exposes the imperfections, gaps and flaws in my own life, then how can I fill those gaps to become better?”

          The quick but gentle reply which came in the reminder of some other verses of scripture found in Moroni 7: 45-48, “And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail— But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.”

          I felt prompted to share these thoughts today, as both a possible means to ask forgiveness if there are any I have ever offended, and perhaps to help all of us consider what role we are playing through social media.  And to think about how we can improve and fill the judgmental gaps and holes in our own lives, not by making others faults bigger, but through filling them with His love and helping others to do the same.

          I am sure we all have a bit of work to do in this department from time to time.

Godspeed everyone!

Thursday, September 14, 2017

A CONNECTION TO THE PAST – AND A REBIRTH (My Unexpected Native Sweat Lodge Experience)

A CONNECTION TO THE PAST – AND A REBIRTH
(My Unexpected Native Sweat Lodge Experience)

            It happened rather unexpectedly, and only through what I would refer as a miraculous set of events.  But there I was, along with my wife, on the night of 9-12-17, helping 7 other people construct a Native American sweat lodge under the direction of a Cheyenne Medicine Man, who is also an active member and priesthood holder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, of which I myself am a member.

            What started as some simple social media contact and a few text messages with a relatively new Facebook friend, I suddenly found myself with an invitation to come help and participate in this ancient traditional spiritual ritual which was taking place for the first time (as far as I know) in this local area.


            I actually have some literal Native American blood flowing through my veins.  Through my mother I have ties into the Creek Indian Nation out of Oklahoma.  I have long been proud and interested in this connection, but had never been involved in any such native practice throughout my life.  So the prospect was very intriguing and inviting to me.

            Without wanting to divulge the names of others who may wish to remain anonymous, I will simply say that some very gracious people had offered up their land to conduct the ceremony.  They were friends with this Medicine Man, named Shawn Littlebear, who is from Oklahoma and who was up visiting in this area for some other business.  He is a wonderfully kind and humble man, with deep spiritual roots both in the modern Latter Day Saint religion as well as his native Cheyenne heritage.


            To give a little background, a Sweat Lodge is a hand constructed short domed hut, made from natural materials (usually saplings stripped of their bark), which is traditionally covered with animal hides or heavy blankets to both trap out any sunlight as well as to contain the steam and heat within for the purification rituals which take place inside, which are often referred to as “sweats”.  The sweat is intended as a religious ceremony – it is for prayer and healing, and the ceremony is only to be led by elders who know the language, songs, traditions and safety protocols. Otherwise, the ceremony can be dangerous if done improperly – both physically and spiritually.   As quoted from a Native American website, “With the help of Medicine Men and Women, they could repair the damage done to their spirits, their minds and their bodies. The Sweat Lodge is a place of spiritual refuge and mental and physical healing, a place to get answers and guidance by asking ancestral spiritual entities, the Creator and Mother Earth for the needed wisdom and power.”

            By the time my wife and I arrived after work, some of the basic construction and preparations were already well underway by the others, but we were recruited to help finish some of the frame construction of the hut and some other preparations.


            Within the center of the hut is a dug out hole, which the Medicine Man had carefully prepared beforehand, with stones carefully arranged in a Medicine Wheel pattern with a cross formed in the middle (which can be seen in the center of the photograph below).  The dirt floor of the lodge was also carefully swept clean and leveled as best as possible.


            As mentioned previously, the entire structure must be carefully covered to block out any light with only a small doorway, through which the participants must kneel and crawl to gain access, which is also then covered with a thick blanket door once all are inside.  The door should also be constructed to face Eastward.

            A short distance away from the entrance a special fire is constructed which is lined with specific types of rocks, which are then heated under an intense burning pile of wood to heat them to red-hot temperatures.  Between the fire and the entrance a special mound of earth was formed by the Medicine Man, which he referred to as “the Altar”.  A bag of medicinal herbs consisting of Cedar and Sweet grass was then placed upon the altar and a line drawn in the dirt from there to the opening of the lodge.


            It was very clearly indicated that one should not cross over the line between the altar and the doorway, but that you had to go around the altar and should only enter the doorway and around the inside of the lodge in a clockwise manner.  (I did not take any further photographs as I did not want to interrupt with the ceremony or have any distractions from what the experience would offer).

            After completion, he gave us some instructions about how the ceremony would be performed along with some of the history behind it and what it represented.  I will probably not do it justice with how I try to describe it from my limited memory, but essentially the lodge and all the outer components combined serve to join together all of the basic elements of life: Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Rocks within the lodge as a symbol of the womb in which life is created, or in this case, spiritually recreated.  We were also allowed to bring in small towels and water to drink, but were instructed to leave outside anything that is not natural, such as: watches, ear rings, gold, silver, eye glasses. Etc.…  (I will refrain from going into further details and explanations, but would encourage those interested to seek out the history behind such events or go find a tribal site where you might be invited to participate in a traditional ceremony and education).

            Following the Medicine Man, we each entered and crawled to our respective places inside of the lodge, with one designated member remaining outside as the door keeper and person who would help bring in the heated stones from the fire.  We sat upon small mats upon the dirt away from the pit in the center and there received some further instructions and teachings.  We were told that there would be 4 sessions completed that night, and that if desired participants could leave the lodge between each sessions to stretch, get fresh air, etc…  If we got too hot, we could kneel or crouch down closer to Mother Earth where the temperature would be cooler and ask the earth to heal and provide strength to us.

            After the instruction, 10 rocks were brought to the entrance by the keeper outside and rolled into the central pit.  The door was then closed and sealed, and in the dark, the Medicine Man offered prayer, as described above, while cedar and sweet grass were successively sprinkled upon the heated stones, providing a sweet aroma in the air.  As the prayer and ceremony continued (which details I will not discuss here as to not divulge anything considered sacred or by doing it a significant disservice through my poor, inexperienced explanation), but as it continued he intermittently scooped clean water from a bucket with a ladle and poured it over the hot rocks, steaming the air and inducing the sweat.  I am sure that the traditional methods were modified or added upon somewhat by his Christian and Latter Day Saint religious influences, but I do not feel they detracted at all from the traditional methods, but rather enhanced them… at least for me and my background, as all of us present were members of the Church ourselves.

            4 progressive sessions of this ensued with breaks and further discussion and lessons taught between each one, with each subsequent session including more hot rocks and gradually increased heat and sweating.  During this process, I noticed and experienced several profound things, which is what I would like to discuss.

            Physically, especially for a bigger man like myself, it was somewhat uncomfortable sitting on the ground in the confined space, which when combined with the profound heat made it difficult to relax initially, but I had determined before entering to embrace the entire experience with an open mind and heart, willing to endure any discomforts as a form of “sacrifice” if you want to call it that, in order to reap whatever benefit might be available through the practice.  What I found was that as the heat and sweat began to pour through me, my muscles relaxed and the posture became much more tolerable.  This allowed me to open my mind and heart in silent prayer and meditation as I listened and learned.

            Although it was completely dark within the lodge, I became aware through my other senses how each participant was having their own unique experience and their reactions to it were all different.  Some were very emotional and could be heard softly weeping.  Others were felt to be gently rocking back and forth in rhythmic patterns.  Still others were heard deeply breathing in controlled manner, while others quietly mumbled their own prayers or mantras. I simply tried to hold still and quietly control my breathing and let the experience happen physically, emotionally and spiritually.  I have to admit that it deeply moved me.

            During the initial session or two, I was concentrating more on myself, my own reactions to it all, and caught up in prayer about and thought about myself and what I would experience as I personally tried to open to the physical and spiritual aspect of it all.  I prayed for my own loved ones and family members, including my wife next to me. But as the sessions progressed, my thoughts and prayers also began to extend out to those in the circle around me.  I found myself concerned about their well-being and trials, and praying that they might receive what they had come seeking for in faith.

            Here we were, with others who were practically strangers to my wife and I, yet at the same time, in very different ways, we were joined together as ONE.  Each of us had our own reactions and different levels of spiritual connectedness to the Divine, yet we were all joined together in a common purpose in reaching out for healing, cleansing, renewal and wisdom as to how we could better help others to do the same.  It was very primal and visceral, but also deeply spiritual – and it affected me.

            There were NO tobacco pipes or peyote or any such sensation inducing elements involved whatsoever.  It was simply a stripping away of everything worldly and literally get back down to the basics of existence in a way I had not experienced before.  The sweating involved was not anything like the type of sweat you experience during a workout at the gym or by doing hard yardwork.  I am very familiar with such sensations, and this was something totally different.  It literally felt like a purging from the inside out rather than a force induced reaction from exertion.  It was also different from a normal sauna experience, perhaps because of the very basic connection to the earth and elements around us as well as the spiritual components involved in the experience.  It felt cleansing and lightening in a way I have difficulty describing, and it was very intense and profuse.

            These bouts of physical and spiritual connectedness, interspersed with breaks when the door was opened and the fresh renewing air poured in deeply rejuvenated me.  And after nearly two hours I did emerged a changed man.  I felt lighter and refreshed.  The stars were brighter in the heavens above as if my vision had been cleared.  I felt a bond with others to whom just hours before had been strangers, as well as more connected with both the earth below my bare feet and the Heavens above me and the cool night air swirling around me.  We had all passed through an experience together and woven and unseen thread of commonality among us in some small way because of it.

            Would this experience be something I would recommend to everyone I knew?… I don’t know.  I think it would be something you would have to determine for yourself, and I can imagine that it may be performed differently depending on where you went to experience it and who was offering it.  I would offer some caution and recommend doing your research and talking to others to ensure it was done safely and in a manner appropriate for your religious beliefs.

            Did it have the effect I expected?… No, it actually surpassed that in every way.  I had been expecting something like sitting quietly in the dark and meditating without much interaction, but instead it was a very connecting experience with interaction with those around me as well as I believe others from beyond the veil that I could feel although not see.  And despite the physical darkness of the environment, there was nothing spiritually dark about it at all… it was completely full of spiritual Light.

            After it was all over, we gathered in our hosts home and partook of a very simple and refreshing meal as we conversed about our different experiences and shared our new bonds of friendship.

            Another thing the experience reminded me of, is that although each of us is at very different levels on our own journey, with different ways of reaction and being connected to the divine, we are all on the journey together.  We each have a lot to offer to those around us, and when we are all heading in the same direction, with the same underlying purpose, and are asking for the heavenly help available to us… then there is a profound power that can be tapped into which can enrich us and help us be “Reborn” each day into a new life full of purpose and meaning.

            I know that this form of re-commitment, connection, change and rebirth can occur through many different manners, and is not limited to only a properly guided sweat lodge practice.  I have found very similar and even more powerful experiences in many other circumstances, especially within the temple ordinances of my religion.  But I am grateful for the unique opportunity I had to experience this ancient practice, become more connected with the ways of my Native American ancestors, and feel to be a better man because of it.

“AHO!” – (which is a Cheyenne word for “Amen” which is uttered at the end of a prayer)