Next week I am blessed to be attending a gathering of indigenous Grandmothers and Elders celebrating Turtle Island here in New Mexico. Yraceburu EarthWisdom through their Sisters’ of Honua organization are hosting this powerful event. I will be undergoing the Kokua Guardian Training, a very subtle and intuitive way of serving Elders as they offers their wisdom and gifts within a community setting. I have included below a description of the event and the insightful article Maria Yraceburu wrote on how to truly serve an Elder through looking out through their perspective, not yours. If you wish to learn more about Yraceburu EarthWisdom and their teaching go to
Gathering of Hope, Gathering of Future… uneasy embrace… created by women. Searching, insists that it’s Now and Here. We cruise slowly through hundreds of beliefs curving down to earth like the rich, vibrant rain of life. Sweet success… oh Sacred Sisters, we’ve found the freedom. Hold onto your dreams. Breaking out, as you fly in… see the wink of pristine and lush truth of the ancient feminine. The days are over to work underground. Tasting freedom.
At the core of our Annual Grandmothers Summit Celebrating Turtle Island is a basic yet sophisticated understanding of the primary functions and power of women as representatives of the planet we call Earth Mother. To read more about The Grandmothers Summit or order the visionary book Prophetic Voices of The Sisters of Honua featuring many of the Elders from this summit speaking of these changing times go to:
http://www.sistersofhonua.org/
Learn from complementary worlds. Grandmothers and Wisdom Keepers from traditions all over the world will be in attendance at this retreat to share teaching in a tranquil environment that is perfect for the re-establishment of feminine principles. The true uniqueness of this retreat is due to the meeting of ancient ways the Four Corners of Earth. Knowledge will be shared and feminine principles for the future pursued in the pristine mountains of northeastern New Mexico. Living in a traditional camp setting, enjoying the beauty of the land and the teachings of those that come together with something to say that is very relevant in the here and now. The way of Women and this moment in history hold a rare opportunity for all. Our Grandmothers and WisdomKeepers bring with them years of personal practice and experience in their fields. Humor and practical teaching combined with special life in a completely feminine camp are healing in themselves.
Yraceburu EarthWisdom’s Sisters of Honua Project is honored to host this retreat, providing you with the opportunity to hear our Women’s Legacy and participate in circles of discussion concerning our future. Whether listening to stories around a campfire accompanied by the calls of owls or collecting wisdom from ancient trees, it will be an experience that will remain in your heart.
Kokua Guardian Training overview
Traditional Elders have the capacity to communicate without words, they have a rich language of their own that utilizes sight, sound, and energetic sensory awareness that eloquently expresses their intent and feelings to their guardians. Your ability to understand this ya’odishiyo – from where we look out – communication and its particular setting is the cornerstone of working with a Traditional Elder. Being an akicita – guardian, really means understanding what an Elder is communicating to you, not just what you think might be. By taking into account the dynamic interaction of various forms of multidimensional communiction techniques, you can serve with ease and grace, becoming a valued and sought after guardian.
Creative Guardianship 101
by Maria Yraceburu
Egyptian tombs… Russian songs… clans of Native America… Australian Dance… Greek and Roman myth…
Many people come to me wanting to work with Traditional Indigenous Elders. I have been fortunate enough to grow up around individuals of high spiritual nature and ritualistic lifestyle. I have been honored to serve many, beginning, but not limited to my grandfather, an Apache HolyMan.
Traditional Elders have the capacity to communicate without words, they have a rich language of their own that utilizes sight, sound, and energetic sensory awareness that eloquently expresses their intent and feelings to their guardians. Your ability to understand this ya’odishiyo – from where we look out – communication and its particular setting is the cornerstone of working with a Traditional Elder. Being an akicita – guardian, really means understanding what an Elder is communicating to you, not just what you think might be. By taking into account the dynamic interaction of various forms of multidimensional communication techniques, you can serve with ease and grace, becoming a valued and sought after guardian.
One of the things we stress is patience and making yourself a student of observation. Over zealous service and assumptions often close an Elder down to your true intent. This behavior is common in individuals needing validation of their own power, it is a sign to the Elders that they will end up spending a great deal of time taking care of their guardian, not receiving the help they need from their guardians when working in ceremony and public settings. As your relationship and understanding of traditional ways mature, apprenticeship into the nature of life’s mysteries simply unfold with growing trust. If you observe an akicita greeting an Elder, it is always a confident, yet humble approach, never assuming, always bearing a gift of honoring – and ALWAYS being accepted in joy by the Elder. The expression of honor is received gracefully, with an attitude of acceptance by the Elder. The Elders understands the intent completely.
Unfortunately many beginning guardians try to assume what an Elder needs and try to satisfy needs where there are none. I recall one frustrated Elders who asked me, “Why do they assume, are they not here to learn? Every time I try to share what is needed I am cut off by over talking. I become quiet, give the look that tells to be silent and pay attention, they are assuming and not receiving, but it only gets worse. Now I have to spend the time we are working with others, constantly correcting the one who is suppose to assist. Can you train them, so they understand?”
The guardian didn’t understand what the Elder’s communication meant. By misinterpreting the Elder’s signals and energy, the guardian actually created more work in a less harmonious manner, than it would have been for the Elder to work alone. Acting on assumptions based in general societal experience created the problem, making the Elder less receptive to help from anyone. the proper protocol is to watch and learn and ask in the beginning, before acting.
Expecting an Elder to communicate and think as the general populous doe will only lead to frustration for you and the Elder. Instead, learn to interpret Elders by taking what they have to offer and stepping into their world, trying to view life interaction from a multidimensional perspective. This requires a different thinking process than most people are use to.
Try this simple exercise to demonstrates what I have said in an experiential way – exercise from stone 12. With powers of great sensitivity, what is of greatest interest?
The point of this “Elder’s view” exercise is to till the soil of your imagination responsibly, to help you sense, in some small way, what things are like from an Elder’s perspective. A good guardian can receive into imaginative reality the Elder’s communication, interpret it correctly, and then adjust various ceremonial procedures as need be.
The guardian must learn to read the thoughts of the Elder, AND THOSE AROUND THE ELDER TOO. The guardian must observe closely so that they shall not only be prevented from misinterpretation in human arrogance, but also that they may be able to give the Elder signs of shifting energies and act accordingly in a masterful way that flows in harmony with the task at hand for the Elder. Whoever can find the answer to the question, “How can I relay this message to my Elder without disturbing the flow of energy?” has won the game and can receive from their Elder whatever they seek to know.
When you approach an Elder in this way, the experience is surprisingly multidimensional. Not only do you become tuned into your Elder, but you becomes skilled, as well, and the ongoing knowledge you acquire from your Elder’s trust has the potential to bring you into your full potential as you later become an Elder yourself. an often neglected aspect of the graining process is how the guardian becomes the containing safe space for the Elder’s work, helping others to achieve greater awareness by the guardian-Elder team drawing them in greater degrees of sensitivity, patience and energetic choreography. This apprenticeship is of the greatest nature.
Often, we speak of ya-odishiyo -from where we look out – a type of telepathy or imagery projection communication, and it’s importance in your work with an Elder. Ya-odishiyo is standing inside your Elder’s psyche, putting yourself at their center, where they are unique, individual, and understanding them from that perspective. This is possible only when you want to understand what your Elder is GENUINELY communicating. To get inside your Elder’s thoughts, to understand from their point of view, you must continually watch, look, listen and feel, since an Elder communicates what is going on through body language, looks, sign symbology, and lastly words. Ya-odishiyo is not a romantic projection of human thoughts and feelings; it takes into account the whole communication by reading what the major centers of communication are saying.
Your alignment with your Elder will mature into real and compassionate understanding when you learn to blend intuition with multidimensional techniques of earth in a serious grasp of ya-odishiyo and impeccable integrity
Mellissae Lucia 
Great to see this and know this – I know we will stay in contact over 2011 there is much Wisdom Sharing from Elders. Time of coming together.
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