A year and a half ago, I lost my father. As an indigenous person, my spirit knows that relationships are never lost, they only transform. As a newborn, you enter into the world with a total dependency on your mother. With each month, neurological development and newly acquired skill, the relationship transforms over the course of your lifetime. When we finally transcend the physical world to join the ancestors, the relationship transforms once again. In my great love and connection to my Araba, I didn't want to call his name or long for him in the days following his physical death so that his spirit would continue its course toward the ancestors. It's important to have loving thoughts and release him from our physical connection in the earthy plane. I was diligent with my responsibilities, but I still often have the need to serve him and hear his wisdom. 

My father was also my Medicine Man. In my egalitarian tradition, it is important to make decisions that improve the lives of the collective, not just the individual. With this in mind, we consult with the Medicine Man, Priest, Shaman (all used interchangeably) prior to making decisions. Since my father's transition, I am now in the hands of 11 elders in my homeland.

The love and wisdom of elders is powerful medicine. Due to Historical Trauma and the changes in our indigenous foundation, we have lost the system of exchange and interaction with elders. It is a great loss for our families and communities. It is a loss in our personal lives. When I cannot be in physical contact with my special 11, I find new elders to serve and allow myself the benefit of the blessing I receive from the words that come from their mouths and being in their presence. When life leaves me depleted or in a state of confusion, I call my mother, state my problem and then listen. When I feel void of love, I find elders in Indian Country and serve; Sometimes that means massaging tired feet in the Caring House extended care facility and other times it means just listening to stories. The more we connect with elders, the more stable our communities become. Elders are the keepers of powerful medicine!