I find it a no brainer these days that anything to do with the earth in our present time of human evolution must be honored. How do we honor? Well words actually are hard for me to come by at times so I've again taken a look at Honor in the Oxford dictionary: 1. high respect; reputation. 2. adherence to what is right or accepted conduct. 3. nobleness of mind... and it goes on. I would have to interject that the words respect and adherence to what is right stand out the strongest for me. Of course what is right is both subjective and objective. There is a 'thieves' code of honor and then there is a 'medical' code of honor and ethics. There is society's adherence to do what is right such as allowing land fills, forest devastation, genetic engineering, you name it as 'accepted conduct'. Would that be honor?

There are times when such attributes i.e. honor is subjective and other times objective. How do we know when we are getting in the way and when we must stand up for our ways?

The most surest and perfect bet for me is to follow Greg Cajete's manner. He advocates a Native Science in education and that it is a way of ecosophy, a strong relationship with the planet and all its inhabitants. I find that a true human responsibility.

Maa Purnananda speaks of responsibility... The word duty indicates compulsion. The word responsibility indicates freedom. Duties lead one to demand rightfully. Responsibilities lead on to command respectfully. Sense of duty is out of attachment. Sense of responsibility is out of love. Duties can be thrust upon others. Responsibilities are taken up by oneself. There can be unwillingness in performing one's duty. Responsibility is always taken up willingly.

Philosopher Emmanuel Kant says that we all have a democratic duty to our society and so far our social order has been set up by many of his principles. There is an existential view that has been a philosophy by many others that states that we each have a choice as to what we do and what happens in our lives. Either we make those choices or we don't and what ever the outcomes they will be of our own responsibility. I find both ideas very important but at the right time or evolution.
Right now taking responsibility is subjective. We must all make our own individual choices as to how we can contribute or not contribute to Earth which includes all life. Eventually as more are moved to connect once again, the society at large will be important to all and then our choices may be more objective.

It amazes me to the extreme as to how our ideas of humankind have evolved on how we look upon and treat our planet, our home.

Since the 'golden age' of reformation we have decided that it was up to our intellectual minds to tell us what our lives are about through the dissection of our planet, our creatures, and our selves. Now we know so much more about our world by having taken it apart. Yet we still have no idea how to keep us all together in peace and honor.

One theory I personally have is that we have evolved to become the aliens upon this land. I've read of stories told by folks that have been abducted by aliens and have had these traumatic experiences of being probed and prodded in human 'examination' galactic sessions. These folks seemed to be forever in a psychological disordered state for the most of their lives after. Are they real, or are they dreams? If they are dreams perhaps they are messages that tell us that what we are doing to each other and to the planet and its creatures is unethical. These types of situations have placed many of our citizens in hospitals and on medication for the rest of their lives.

If we live upon this planet it is our home. For me that is a truth. I was born into this world. It is my home. It is my homeland and if it wasn't then I should have been somewhere else. If we accept our home and say we can fight for our home and family as most creatures do...then why can't we have the consciousness of honoring it?

This is not a new concept but it has to become a way of thinking in order for us to actually treat our environment as it is important to us and we are a part of it. If we have been abducted and we know we have and we have been dropped here from a space ship, then all of us would know this and we'd be banning together to get back home.

I wrote earlier that the Celts and Native Americans knew who they were and where and what their home was to them. They still do and their honor is to that knowledge and connection.

What do you know is right for you? Do you really care about where you live? Do you care about who you are? If not then move, change, do something so that you can make things right for you. In doing just that you will do so much for everything. You will know right relations.

I am a child of this planet and I don't believe that we are to be beamed away to another place and leave devastation in our wake. It is our responsibility to do what ever we can to help the situation here now. The question is are our actions contributing to the care of our existence here in this life or is it condoning its disrespect? There is nothing that separates ourselves from each other. What ever we can do to heal pain and illness we do to ourselves as well. Our brothers and sisters who are ignorant or ill must have examples so they can see that life can be done in other ways. This is the strength we have and always will have if we take it's choice and practices.

A Brief personal account on the Sweat lodge from Diveena

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THE SWEAT LODGE

Rob to the left, Bubu and Marcus

The reason why I personally value the sweat lodge is because it is a gathering that helps those that participate in it know the connection we have as a human family. It also gives us the vital experience of connecting in a real present time way to the Earth, Planet and the Universe.

Wow! You may say that is some great major task and accomplishment. I don't believe it can be done!

In our way of thinking today we have to see everything grandiose and magnificent, larger than life and as a big time operational production in order to pay attention and in order for us to value it as an experiential endeavor. If it costs allot and has some big time producer and 'star' in the fore front then it must be a good thing right?

I value Spinoza's efforts by questioning our ideas about miracles in order to believe or have a value on life. He states that miracles are natural phenomena that we haven't a handle on to explain right now. Eventually they will be explained. It's a matter of time. He didn't say that even if we know about it that it isn't less valued. He also was not an atheist, he believed God was in all living things, as a Pantheist (which are what indigenous peoples are categorized as). Spinoza tried to bring us back to Earth in honoring nature as a miracle, a phenomena in itself. A true miracle is not something that is suppose to lift us out of life but to bring us back to life. A sprouting seed, a baby being born, a love that endures, a home to feel safe and a joy to be alive. These are real life miracles that few participant in their profound simplicity.

A sweat lodge is a process of immersing oneself in timeless now upon the Earth and within each other's presence. Many times we do not know each other when we submerge within the lodge. Many times it does not matter, what matters is that we are experiencing a healing. What is a healing? It is a state of blessedness and grace. After being blessed the fears of what ever is wrong, frightening or traumatic will not matter. That is the miracle of being with the Earth, for when we are with the Earth there is no division from it or each other.

In your area, find a sweat lodge and attend. Trust your sense of connection to who is facilitating the gathering. For the first time go with someone you trust. My first sweat lodge experience was an all women lodge. I knew no one there but I trusted the facilitator. I was invited by her and I felt good to be there. There was no fee for the experience but I did exchange a gift with her. As an indigenous practitioner that is our ways. She was also a Native women from the Apache people. My first sweat lodge was very traditional and extremely harsh. It was what I needed. I was young and full of spirit. Since then I've attended many and many I have not. The sweat lodge is an immersion of spirit, vast but also intimate. We must have discernment with such matters.

I have learned to hold traditional sweat but have been lax with the die-hard traditional requirements i.e. not letting a person come back into the lodge after they left a round. I take breaks between rounds to give those that need them comfort to do so. I am open to adjustment regarding individual needs etc. Here in Hawaii we sit upon the Earth and build the fire on the property we live. I don't advertise because we like it small. Yet all are welcome. There are no other substances used regardless of how many New Agers try to get me to use marijuana in our sacred pipe, other than the sacred tobacco. The main requirement to attend our lodge is that the respect of the land and spirit is paramount.

Traditionally the sweat lodge was upheld seasonally (which I try to adhere to). Living in Hawaii is difficult because you must honor the weather and adjust. Many times we've had to adjust dates. Also traditionally sweat lodge was held for the community or for individual healing and arranged with the family for a private experience. The benefits are many fold ...emotionally, health wise, spiritually and intellectually. If you are interested please contact us. I plan on doing one next year in Mount Shasta CA as a vision quest retreat and plan on offering healing retreats that include the sweat lodge experience here in Hawaii.