Spring has finally arrived at the top of the Black Hills here in South Dakota. The late winter snows have now shifted into mostly rain, still with a few snow flurries. The longer days and powerful sun have warmed the earth enough for the fresh green grasses to carpet the land. The bison have delighted in switching from hay bales to the fresh green shoots. 

As part of our management practice, we rotationally graze the bison on different parts of the land. This grazing method is part of a holistic approach to support the needs of the bison in concert with the ecosystem. When done correctly the bison always have enough to eat and the plants/grasses are not overgrazed. This not only makes the bison healthier, but it's also been found to increase the diversity and abundance of both plants, insects, and animals in the ecosystem. It is also a great way to sequester CO2 down into the roots of the plants. 

We have divided the property into 6 separate areas (paddocks) which the bison visit...

Accessing a connection is the first step. Living in connectivity is the goal. With the changing seasons we have the opportunity to embrace the movement of life in connection with the natural world. Seasonal shifts are potent ways to realign ourselves with the Earth's natural rhythms with the aim of having healthy connection in every moment. This can be a challenge within the toxicity of the modern context. Within this video, we offer supportive ways to live in connection every day within the modern reality we face. It is also an opportunity to share insights from the recent quarterly Ceremonies around the Equinox that support connectivity. Hosted by Salvatore Gencarelle.

Renewing the connection to life is more important than ever right now. With the human world continuing to enact forms of disconnected behavior, we must find ways to purify ourselves from this negativity and return to life's fullness. Regular purification in a world dulled by the toxicity of unprocessed grief is essential in staying upright in how we live. Within that purification, we can find the connection that guides us towards a new way of being. In this free webinar for the Wheel of Life Quarterly Ceremony of the March Equinox, we offer practices to support purification back toward life. Hosted by Salvatore Gencarelle and the Helpers Mentoring Society Team.

Our bison herd is enjoying a milder winter this year. Local temperatures, while still freezing, are above average. There have been only a handful of days below the negative mark, as compared to the previous years. 

2025 has already been a year of organizational development and expansion of the vision of Bison People Land. In January, application to become a 501c3 (not-for-profit) organization has been submitted to the Internal Revenue Service. This tax designation will allow us to receive tax deductible contributions from our donners, as well as open up new grant and funding possibilities. 

We are in the process of expanding our current nature educational programs as well as developing new opportunities for people to connect to the land, the bison and their "authentic" selves. The plans include both web-based and in-person education. We are also making preparations to expand the herd and video document this endeavor during the summer of 2025. 

Just last weekend so...

An introduction to Helpers Mentoring Society. The video is of Salvatore Gencarelle presenting about the roots, founding and development of Helpers Mentoring Society.

The Solstices and Equinoxes have been times of connection, ceremony, and intention-setting for thousands of years. The Wheel of Life Quarterly ceremonies have always aimed to provide a coordinated way to unite our collective intentions for healing and wellness.  We align these intentions and ceremonial events to the cycles of nature, life, and each other to unlock greater avenues of support from the creational forces.

"We need gratitude to sustain Life, to be in good relationship with Life and to take the right actions. It is still as important as it was for our ancestors." - Sal Gencarelle

For this episode I invited my dear mentor, Sal Gencarelle. The tools and wisdom he is sharing through his work and being, gave me orientation and clarity on my path, and support me in living a life in service of Life. Sal has 30 years of mentoring and delivery of nature-based therapies and wellness practices. He has expert knowledge and experience in both ancient indigenous and modern therapies. Sal is the founder and current director of Helpers Mentoring Society, an international organization dedicated to supporting the revitalization of humanity’s relationship with hope and purpose, so that all life thrives. In our conversation we touch the topic of Cultural Repair and how it is linked with gratitude. Through talking it became clear that gratitude is a nourishment for Life and a fuel for healing and connec...

In late September this year I completed my annual overnight Vision Quest. This quest is held as part of my responsibility in managing Helpers Mentoring Society and all the communities we are part of. Each quest is completed with the intention for guidance for how to move the spiritual healing of humanity forward. The second aspect of the quest is to offer gratitude for all the blessing and support over the past year.

This year the power of the dream as a prayer was the main message to be shared. During the quest I had a long interaction with the Darkness. I capitalize the word Darkness to reflect that this is a proper noun (a name) not the absence of light, but the original form of light - and a conscious identity. In the creation stories of the lineage, Darkness is a feminine power, from which all dreams emanate.  She is the ultimate “Keeper of the Dream” of creation.

During my interaction with Darkness, she communicated how manifestation begins when thought meets her substanc...

After the many gratitude ceremonies across the earth over the September Equinox, there is much wisdom to be shared. This video presents the harvest of the learning from these Wheel of Life ceremonies that can help us all. Watch the video for a rich harvest to support life moving forward into the future. Hosted by Salvatore Gencarelle and Penny Jerram.

With the September Equinox looming, we want to continue supporting human alignment with nature's cycles through immersion in ceremony for life.  For this Wheel of Life Quarterly Ceremony, we will look at giving thanks as a way of life to wrap up the year just gone before moving forward into the coming cycles. Gratitude is essential to being a human being in relationship with creation. We must begin and end the cycles with gratitude to capture and maintain all we have received during the year. If gratitude is not offered, the cycle remains incomplete. On this webinar recording we share the intention for the upcoming ceremony in September and how you can get involved in your own way to be a part of this global collective. Join people around the world dedicated to healing the disconnection sickness. Hosted by Salvatore Gencarelle.