Offering Visionary Leadership Training - Healing, Optimism, Purpose, Evolution
In this episode, I have my second discussion for the Connection Matters podcast with one of my long-term teachers Sal Gencarelle of the Helpers Mentoring Society. In another vibrant conversation, we talk about creating and understanding meaning in these challenging times and what 'responsibility' really means. We also discuss how the young of today are responding to this. Sal shares more about the progress of the Bison Project, rewilding and reconnecting us to the ancient ways in modern times. We also talk about a helpful understanding of consciousness and the multiple parts of this that make up the whole healthy, balanced and happy human being.
Links mentioned in this episode
www.livewild.org.uk/connectionmatterspodcast
https://www.instagram.com/connection.matters.leona/
https://www.patreon.com/connectionmatterspodcast
https://www.instagram.com/livewilduk/
Helpers Mentoring Society Links
Our small herd of bison is doing well this winter. In response to the falling temperatures, bison grows a winter coat of woolly underfur with coarse guard hairs that protect them from the elements. It’s critical for surviving extremely low temperatures in areas swept by strong winds.
This year, the Black Hills of South Dakota temperatures have been relatively mild. Our bison can often be seen lounging in the warm sun and even at times finding shade in the pine and aspen trees. They usually go for walks in the wooded area of our property, grazing on what they can along the way.
Before private land ownership and fencing divided the land and prevented free movement, bison herds would travel vast distances grazing all the while. Historically, bison did not migrate far south as the weather turned cold in the winter, but they traveled to lower elevations where snow was not so deep.
Cold doesn’t seem to bother bison even...
Human beings have an incredible recorded history of their relationship with the bison. The earliest records of human beings expressing their relationship with bison are in European cave paintings dating 36,000 years ago. The history of people's relationship to bison is most often focused on the Native American nations who resided in the Great Plains of North America – but people's relationship with bison extends across land, continents, and time far greater.
According to modern science, the general assumption is that bison's genus has its origin in southern Asia. During the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene, bison spread throughout the temperate zones of Asia and Europe. Eventually spreading from Asia to Eastern Europe - from England to Manchuria. They also migrated to North America across the Bering Strait.
In historical times the range of European bison covered western, central, and south-eastern Europe, extending up to the Volga River...
We’ve now transitioned into the New Year – 2022 according to the Gregorian Calendar. For many of you I’m sure the transition into the New Year is felt biologically, and perhaps even celebrated during the Winter Solstice. For me, there is a palatable sense of pause and then renewal during the Winter Solstice – and by this time, now over a week later – the lengthening days can already be ever so slightly perceived.
It is important to honor the rhythmic cycles of nature, not just in words or in a day of celebration, but by allowing the great natural rhythm to guide our inner rhythm. In this day and age of artificial light and human controlled environments, we can become more easily disconnected from the ancient and natural rhythms that have guided and shaped humanity for millennia. It is now necessary for most people living with modern conveniences to consciously recognize the natural flow of life and to align to it through mindfulness and...
November 25, 2021 is a holiday in the USA called Thanksgiving. On this day people in the US celebrate what is taught in elementary schools around the country as peaceful and caring relationship between the newly arrived colonist from England (Pilgrims) and the local Native American tribes. Children learn that the arrivals to the “New World” were struggling to adapt to the environment and Native Americans showed them how to grow gardens and harvest from the land. The abundance gained from this relationship was celebrated with a feast – which is why a feast is still the focus of this holiday.
But, as positive as the basis of this holiday is presented to children – the true history is much more complex and controversial. The mainstream education on the history of the United States is continually being revealed to be “whitewash”. The conflicts, betrayals, abuses, extractive practices, and outright genocide are not acknowledged – which...
This is the final message that I can share from my Vision Quest this year.
Each Vision Quest for many years, I’ve been visited by a spiritual entity that I call the collective consciousness of the animal nations. This spiritual energy reveals itself in the quest as a shimmering mist that takes on shapes of various animals and delivers a message to be shared with the people.
This year’s message revealed future changes coming to the natural world and provided guidance to the people
The first part of the message revealed that many people around the world need to continue to take responsibility for tending the region they reside in. People working with the Sacred Tools should continue to pray for the environment and all the natural beings who live there – creating “safe spaces” for both the local and migratory animals. Through prayer, attentiveness and deep connection – people will be guided as to how to tend the natural (and...
We have some exciting news regarding our base of operations in South Dakota USA. An additional 31.6 acres of land that is directly adjacent to our current property has come available to purchase. Before the 1970s this land was originally part of the location that currently supports the Bison Project and the in-person camps provided by HMS in the Black Hills. It has been held in a family trust and has never been available until now. Due to several factors including the opportunity to expand our bison herd, the possibility to hold larger teaching camps and ceremonies, and the protection of the ecology in a bigger way, we have decided to purchase this land!
After a few weeks of going back and forth with the current landowners, we have settled on a price which is reasonable – especially considering the current market in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The land needs tending, fencing and water access to make it viable for the bison herd and the camps which was...
After the 4 days of purification, I was finally ready to enter the sacred Vision Quest. My mind was finally clear from all the cluttered stories that had been knocking around in my head. My heart was at peace and not caught in the swings of emotions – and for the first time is a long while I felt robust joy from the teaching of humor that was recently revealed. My body felt strong and limber after detoxifying over the past four days. The voice of my spirit was louder and clearer than it had been before. Now I was ready to quest.
The Lineage Vision Quest that I go on each year is ultimately a part of my responsibility to be of service. While many people might Vision Quest for personal reasons, such as for “power or growth”, there comes a point in the spiritual learning journey that you realize true power is only accessible by being in service – by being a “Helper” to the Powers of Creation. The Vision Quest is a way to connect to actual...
As many of you know, each year I do an overnight (or longer) lineage Vision Quest. This year I completed the quest on September 2nd after going through four days of purification rituals. As part of my responsibility to teach, lead, and be a “Helper” of creation I must enter deep communion with the Powers of Creation and the Great Mystery – asking for guidance, support, and healing for all.
During the four days of purification leading up to the quest there were many auspicious occurrences and deep insights. The smoke from massive fires burning along the west coast and Rocky Mountains of North America clouded the sky and dimmed the daylight at my quest location. On the third day of purification the mid-day skies turned dark orange and the evening crickets began to sing in the eerily still air. The world seemed to stand still for a few hours – conveying the message that the imbalances in nature are worsening and need our prayers and actions. In my mind I...
1 hour video blog taken from the Potency of Fire Quests webinar.
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