Storytelling
Storytelling is a valuable life skill and a joyful immersion into entertainment and fun. Storytellers can more effectively connect to and engage their audiences then speakers and the retention rate of what they share is higher. It can also provide a joyful immersion into entertaining, fun times that provide a relief from everyday stresses. Come with me and learn the means of creating and delivering effective, fun stories.
Shaman’s Dome – Sacred Land
Shaman’s Dome, Sedona
Jimgraywolf.com
The healing energies are of the sacred places of our Mother are swirling everywhere these days. I hope many of you are asking them to work with you. Without seeking them you allow them to come to you.
My day today changed three times over a period of 12 hours. Remembering not to make a plan because you make God laugh, I got up this morning with an open heart and mind. Beautiful morning so I decided to take my dogs and head to Shaman’s Dome – one of the most sacred places here.
This place has been Shaman’s Dome for generations. Indigenous people have done ceremony here since??? I laughed as I headed out and remembered the tourism sellers and land agencies decided they had the right to change the name to Hide Out Cave – which it never was. Ah, some never get it. 🙂 Just like in Sedona Standing Eagle Rock became Coffee Pot Rock. Best to just laugh at the arrogance.
This place is not too easy to access – about 17 miles from Sedona, the last eight on rutted, unmaintained dirt roads. The last mile a really rutted, rock strewn, gnarly dirt track. I was concerned for my tires and lack of 4WD – but made it.
Once parked it’s about a 1 1/2 mile hike in. My painful knees made it a slow hike, but better than the few days before this. The dogs were thrilled. I always go on top of the dome rather than in the cave. My fear of heights does not like the narrow entrance across an exposed slopping rock. But I faced it and went in today. I drummed and meditated, then journeyed a while. Then some tourists showed up and I went up on top of the dome. I was sitting – burning sage – remembering a Native American man I met there 10+ years ago… on a snowy evening.
As I remembered this two men appeared climbing up on top where I was. As they cleared the edge they saw me and asked if I wanted to be alone since they saw me burning sage and laying my sacred pipe out next to me. I said no and invited them up. It’s a large area anyway. They came over and asked if they could smudge with my sage bowl. I offered it up. They were two Dine men – Sam and Lon (I’m not giving their Earth names since I never asked permission)- on a journey from their Navajo land to sacred places.
More people were arriving and they said they might go off and return later. I asked where they would go and they mentioned the Mago Retreat Center they had been told about. I knew it and asked if they wanted company. Off we went. I had not been there in 12 years and was interested to visit again. It was a great couple of hours. The people at Mago said my dogs could be there with me as long as they were “gentle on the land there”. They were.
About 2 hours later we returned to Shaman’s Dome and went back on top. Sam was also a pipe carrier, so we did some ceremony there, prayed for the people’s healing with our Earth and burned more sage. Lon had a flute he played throughout. Even the dogs sat quietly next to me – tired I think.
Heading back to the cars when we finished I had to go very carefully as my knees were speaking loudly to me. I knew I would pay for pushing it tonight – but it was worth it.
As we reached the cars Sam and Lon drove off with a meeting time set for us in Sedona this coming Thursday. Mexican food – yeah! As I went to my car I got a phone call. I was surprised there was reception, but I answered. It was my friend Rebekah Sage who was calling back to answer some sacred site questions I had. Right when I was at one. Coyote must have been nearby with some trickster medicine.
I visit a lot of sacred places – and will do so more often now. I will be documenting, streaming and sharing through my website soon. Come there and join my mailing list. I’d love to see you all. More freedom and privacy when we connect outside of the big social media engines. Let’s work on bringing in light, raising vibrations and just having fun together!
Graywolf Healing
jimgraywol.com
~ Jim Graywolf