A Gathering of Shields

Rain-In-The-Face (Lakota Ite Omagazu) - the shielded Hunkpapa Lakota War Chief

The Story of a Well-Made shield

Now in the dawn before it dies, the eagle swings low and wide in a great arc, curving downward to the Place of Origin. There is no wind, but there is a long roaring in the air. It is like the wind—nor is it like wind—but more powerful.

In its basic form the Plains shield is round and made of durable materials. It is relatively small and light in weight. A diameter of 24-inches is close to the average. The manufacture consists of hide and adornments. The hide is thick and dried to a remarkable hardness; it is most often the hide of a bison. Only in a limited sense can the shield rightly be considered armor, although it is strong enough to dispel missiles, stones and clubs certainly, but also arrows and even balls and bullets shot from firearms, especially if the blow is glancing. But first and above all, the shield is Medicine.

The Plains’ shield reflects the character of the Plains’ culture, also known as the Horse culture or Centaur culture. It evidences a nomadic society and warrior ideal. Those who carried shields were hunters and fighters whose purpose it was to raid, to capture, and to demonstrate extraordinary bravery.

The aesthetic aspect of the Plains shield is pronounced; the shield is a unique work art. Without exception great care is given to the decoration of a proper shield. The artwork on many Plains’ shield is highly evolved in terms of proportion, design, symmetry, color, and imagination. Plains shield art is the equal of the great ledger book drawings of the nineteenth century, which in turn have been compared to Archaic Greek vase painting. It is an art of high order and singular accomplishment.

The shield bears a remarkable relationship to the individual to whom it belongs. Indeed the relationship is so immediate, so intimate as to be impossible to define. In a real sense the Plains warrior is his shield. It is his personal flag, the realization of his vision and his name, the object of his holiest quest, the tangible expression of his deepest being. In bearing his shield he says, “ My shelf stands for me, and I stand for my shield. I am, and I am my shield!”

The shield is involved in story; the shield is its own story. When the shield is made visible it means: Here is the story. Enter into it and be created. The story tells of your real being. The shield is a mask. The mask is an appearance that discloses reality beyond appearance. Like other masks, it bespeaks sacred mystery. The shield is what you see, believes the Plains’ warrior. It reflects your own reality, as it does mine, he says. It reveals to you the essence of your self. It charms you, frightens you, disarms you, renders you helpless. You behold my shield and you are transfixed or transformed, perhaps inspired beyond your own imagining. Nothing will ever be the same again, for you have entered into the presence of my power. Oh my enemy! Behold my shield! — N. Scott Momaday, In The Presence of The Sun

Our Fall Comprehensive Spiritual Development Retreat

The reds, yellows and L’orange of The Higher Haven’s wooded backyard backwoods trails make Fall the season of the Soul.

“Although I was born in April”, said Peggy Horton in Stop The World and Get Off, “I’m quite certain I was not fully awake until October.” We know the feeling, and believe it similarly shared by attendees of this weekend’s Fall Comprehensive Spiritual Development Retreat. Yoga practice, meditation instruction, healthy farm to table meals, an ancient healing purification ritual and extended time exploring nature were all a part of the agenda, with a focus on relaxation, rejuvenation and renewal. Kelly Girl Kelly came through and helped lead us in healing and restorative yoga practices, with extended nurturing in a lovely Sunday morning Yin class. And Wild Heart Guide J. Scott Campbell was on hand to lead us in a Forest Therapy Walk, a Sunday afternoon slowdown where we were we invited to take part in some very simple, very original sensory connectivity activities that had us adopting nature’s pace and relating to ourselves, others, and the outer world in new and inspired ways. 

 Forest Therapy is actually the research-based framework for supporting healing and wellness through immersion in forests and other natural environments inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku, translating to "forest bathing”. Studies have demonstrated a wide array of health benefits, especially in the cardiovascular and immune systems, and for stabilizing and improving mood and mental cognition. And the walk participants can attest to the energy of the child-like, wildly-creative-adventure-vibe inspired during the shared session. “The forest is the therapist,” said Amos Clifford, one of the leading voices for Shinrin-Yoku-inspired Forest Therapy in the United States. “The guide opens the doors.” That said, we’re fortunate to have a backwoods best with Scott’s intuitive guidance, training drawing on the latest medical research, new developments in the field of nature connection, and ancient traditions of mindfulness and wellness promotion, felt deeply by all present.

 If you’re feeling it (or hoping to) and want to come out and experience the warm embrace & crisp connectivity of this Fall’s retreat season, check out our upcoming Pre-Holiday Female Empowerment Weekend with Henry Winia November 15th-17th or one of our monthly Ceremonial overnights, next up Nov. 9th-10th & Dec. 15th-16th. Toksha Matakuye O’yasin 

The New Age Woman

Girls We run this Motha yeah, who runs the World? Girls! Who Runs the World? Girls! This goes out to all my….

We are moving forward into the 21st century and the increased vibrational energy of planet Earth continues to raise the consciousness of all individuals, beckoning them to look inward, discover and express unique message into manifest reality, thereby furthering the spiritual escalation of humankind. The greatest symbol of this spiritual renaissance is the emergence of the new age woman. She is truly committed to a path of connection with her deep inner knowing, the powerful intuition of the divine feminine principle.

She approaches life with the understanding that she cannot express herself fully as a woman unless she is self-determining. She knows that she cannot activate the awesome creative principle within unless she is strong and self-responsible, accountable and willing to accept her mistakes and learn from them. This is the key for her to have the faith to surrender fully, letting go and allowing the divine feminine within to guide her. This inner guidance unlocks her deep spiritual beauty, freeing her to pursue the highest, most profound purpose. The magnificent, mystical creative dynamo that is her intuitively directs intelligence gives her the ability to achieve whatever her heart desires. This special connection to the unlimited universe makes her a veritable fountain of creativity, but the overwhelming effervescence of the divine feminine must be managed and focused otherwise its energy is scattered and ineffective. The New Age Woman knows this and applies a gentle but firm discipline of patience to calm and balance her natural exuberance.

Totally secure in her femininity, the New Age Woman is a tower of strength, but she is not rigid. Instead she is a picture of flexibility, retaining the natural, soft sense of yielding associated with the divine feminine and she does so without ever feeling weak or submissive. She is confident in her honest vulnerability and its power to persuade, knowing full well what it means to be a woman, basking in the immense quiet power of her connection to all that is.

The woman of the 21st century exhibits her independence, self-reliance, and personal freedom by pursuing a career path that gives her the opportunity to make her unique ideas a reality. She is very capable of and anxious to manifest her own prosperity; therefore she is likely to do so through some level of self-employment. This allows her to fully observe and enjoy the implementation of her uniquely motivated ideas. This woman trusts her inner guidance and requires no proof of its validity. The proof is in the making. She takes action on her ideas rather than question or reject them outright and she looks for business partners who do the same. She successful teams with these people to create a viable finished product – the result of their trusting partnership. The New Age Woman is conscious of the whole and always concerned with mutual benefits, therefore she designs her career endeavors to harmonize with her surroundings. She is very open to receiving life’s bounty but she is also always willing to give something significant back.

In matters of love, marriage and family, the New Age Woman is extremely patient. She understands the serious nature of these values and their ultimate power to fulfill her as a woman, but she also knows she can only reach the state of maturity that these things demand by exploring her independence and freedom to create a fulfilling life of her own. While she is intent on this goal, she is at the same time open to a relationship with any man who is strong enough, secure enough in his masculine role to honor her as a woman and add to, enhance her already existing state of inner contentment. A man who loves her for who she is; his equal and complimentary partner. This woman, in her strong self-reliance and self-created joy, will settle for nothing less.

The New Age Woman is never in a hurry, she totally trusts the process of life and understands that the divine feminine principle is an inner movement of faith that surrenders to a greater universal power and therefore is an integral aspect of creation, of equal importance to an outer force. She knows that she will see her dreams come true because she lives on a moment-to-moment basis in harmony with the benevolent Universe. This fully evolved spiritual woman is playful, adventurous and spontaneous, the world is her oyster and she herself is the glowing pearl of wisdom that points the way to everlasting joy and the spiritual bliss of total fulfillment.

If you enjoyed this article from the writings of John Ashbrook, consider joining our Fall Female Pre-Holiday Empowerment Retreat Weekend with Henry Winia November 15th-17th or look to a Spring 2020 Comprehensive Spiritual Development Retreat co-lead by John and open to registration later this Fall.