Tasks
at the level of Mind:
- Dispel
the illusion that the human "psyche" is somehow
separate from the natural world by acknowledging and granting
psychological status to our relationship with the natural
world.
- Overcome
our deficient childhood psychological development stemming
from insufficient reciprocal and harmonious relationships
with the natural world.
- Bring
to light our current valuation and affiliation for the natural
world so as to critically assess both our lifestyles and philosophical
views.
- Identify
specific psychological imbalances in our relationship to the
natural world.
Tasks
at the Bodily level:
- Reclaim
the awareness that our physical body is the most obvious and
intimate component of the natural world that we could ever
know, and that alienating our selves from our body also alienates
us from nature.
- Realize
that our physical health is continually impacted by the health
or sickness of our environment and also by what our body is
receiving as sustenance.
- Reconnect
with the inherited ancient wisdom held within our human body.
- Learn
that our body is capable of an awareness that is distinguishable
from but complimentary to the awareness of our mind.
- Develop
and engage in shamanic practices to acknowledge that our human
flesh is the same as the flesh of the world.
Tasks
at the Environmental level:
- Recover
the moment-to-moment awareness that every one of our thoughts
and actions are tied to the web of life that encompasses the
entire planet.
- Promote
environmental education with a holistic systems approach.
- Develop
a deep and genuine connection and affiliation for the land
where we live.
- Learn
to see a deeper reality by removing the facades and disguises
that obscure the true identity of objects, situations, and
circumstances.
Tasks
at the Spiritual level:
- Identify
and heal the spiritual - ethical illnesses that allow for
the continued degradation of our natural spiritual home.
- Engage
in spiritual practices that allow the controlling aspects
of our ego to dissolve and our consciousness to flow outward
in connection with the sacred elements and entities of the
natural world: air, water, sun, fire, earth, moon, and also
with the animating spirit of trees, birds, animals, insects,
and flowers.
- Develop
a spiritual connection to the natural world that allows us
to listen to and understand what the earth and her living
entities are telling us.
- Find
our individual reconciliation with nature's cycles of life,
death, and rebirth
- Create
and utilize spiritual ecoshamanic rites of passage and initiation
in order to grow into wise and mature members of the earth
community.
Ecoshamanic
Training
The ecoshamanic
training courses offered by the Earth Spirit Foundation are
designed to provide the tools and experiences that will a usher
a person into a new mode of being. They are more properly rites
of passage and therefore we refer to them as initiations. Each
initiation has specific goals and tasks for the initiate to
accomplish. Instruction is given for completion of the tasks,
but only the initiate can accomplish them and embody the knowledge
contained within them.
Entering
the Vortex
This powerful
initiation opens the door to the ecoshamanic worldview of holism
and cooperation with the world that provides us with life. We
call this - entering the vortex - as we intentionally induce
altered states of consciousness by extending our awareness and
perception to include the entities and beings that we previously
felt that we were separate from. The power spots in nature that
we visit contribute in a profound way during this experience.
The conclusion of this initiation is simply another beginning
as you reenter the world with an enhanced sense unity, power,
and vision. Prerequisite: A thorough reading of Ecoshamanism
and a strong calling to learn the holistic ways of the shaman
Achievements
include but not limited to:
·
Learning the art of counter-practice and how to apply it to
your everyday life.
· Inducing altered states of consciousness through ecoshamanic
practice in nature.
· Learning to see in holistic systems within the spiraling
reality.
· Making a first approach to ecoshamanic chanting.
· Experiencing an internal energetic cleansing with the
Sacred Fire.
· Learning ecoshamanic dance with the Sacred Fire
.Dates in
2018: May
19-20, June 23-24, August 18-19, Sept 15-16, October 6-7
Tuition:
200.00
Click
here for enrollment, payment and logistics
.
Advanced Shamanism
This program
is specifically designed for those in or interested in the healing
arts of the Shaman.
Achievements
include but not limited to:
Inducing
an Integrated State of Consciousness via the Five Points of
Attention
Learning and practicing Direct Shamanic Viewing
Learning the art of Shamanic Dreaming
Learning to work deeply with the Sacred Fire
Dates
in 2018: July
14-15,
September 22-23
Tuition:
250.00
Click
here for enrollment, payment and logistics
The Embrace of the Earth Rite of Passage
In thisinitiation
we clean our connection to the world even more as we humbly
open to the awareness that the consciousness we call "me"
is actually an extension of an infinitely larger field of consciousness
that creates our reality. This is facilitated by spending the
night embraced by the living earth in a personal grave-like
tomb that each initiate digs by hand. Intensive preparation
before and during the rite insure the proper mind-set before
entering the tomb. This nurturing and healing rite of passage
is known to stimulate a wide range of altered states of consciousness
that induce visions, out of body experiences, merging of perception
with the earth mother, purging and healing of emotional wounds,
heightened awareness of our mortality, collection of divine
energy, profound feelings of unity and rebirth, among many others.
Please note that this initiation has been safely practiced by
several hundred initiates during the last 20 or so years by
shamanic researcher Victor Sanchez. James Endredy was trained
in the rite by Victor Sanchez over a five year period and since
1999 has adapted it for inclusion in the ecoshamanic training
of the foundation and has facilitated it for hundreds of people.
The practice is totally safe - no soil is placed on the initiates,
you can be physically removed from the tomb at any time if necessary,
and the facilitator stays awake and vigilant the whole night
in close proximity to the tombs while feeding the central fire
and offering blessings and prayers. The physical dimension to
the rite is only one small part - it simply helps facilitate
the altered states that are the main element of the rite. This
rite of passage is so unique, empowering, and nurturing that
by the end of the night most initiates want to stay longer in
the ground before they rise from the tomb into the sun and "sprout"
into a new form of being. For a complete description of the
rite, including personal experiences from initiates, refer to
chapter 7 of James Endredy's book on ecoshamanism. Prerequisite:
A thorough reading of Ecoshamanism: Sacred Practices of Unity,
Power, and Earth Healing, and a strong calling to transcend
your perceived limitations.
Achievements:
Internal
preparation at home for the Embrace of the Earth Rite.
· Making of offerings to the land and construction of
the tombs.
· Preparing mentally, physically, and spiritually by
sweat lodge cleansing, fire purification, water practices, blessings,
and group work, among others (depending on weather conditions
and the location).
· Passing through the all night Rite of Passage.
· Learning steps to integrate discoveries made while
in altered states during the night.
· Making of offerings related to your personal experience
during the Rite.
· Leaving the land as we found it.
Dates in
2018: July 21-22
Tuition:
250.00
Click
here for enrollment, payment and logistics
Autogenic
Training
Autogenic
training teaches you how to use the mind-body connection to
influence and regulate the body’s normally involuntary
autonomic functions by passively tapping into your central and
peripheral nervous systems.
Acheivments:
Learning
the 7 standard formulas of AT
Learning how to add specific healing affirmations and visualizations
to your AT practice as well as how to work with colors and the
chakras.
Advanced trainings to rekindle your primal touch sensitivity,
experience enhanced sight and hearing, and awaken your primal
sense of smell.
Learn how to use AT to restore our primal connection to the
world of Nature through practices such as Forest Bathing, Nature's
Breath, and Primal Fire Connection.
Dates in
2018: July
7-8, August 11-12, September 1-3,
Tuition
200.00
Click
here for enrollment, payment and logistics
.
Quest
for Vision Rite of Passage
From time
immemorial, prophets, mystics, and spiritual seekers of every
kind have journeyed away from civilization to find answers and
connect to spirit in the solitude of nature. In this rite of
passage initiates lay themselves bare to the elements and the
spirits of nature by fasting alone in a sacred place. Intensive
preparation to set the personal intent of each initiate is of
primary concern, as is the assimilation of the experience into
your everyday life. This rite of passage is an offering that
you make to the spirits in return for guidance and knowledge.
Prerequisite: First or Second Initiation.
Achievements:
·
Internal preparation at home for the Quest for Vision Rite.
· Spend at least 3 days and nights alone fasting in nature.
· Making of offerings to the land.
· Experiencing an altered state of consciousness by perceiving
that while you are watching the land, the land is watching you.
· Deepening your ability to let the land sing through
you with the ecoshamanic chant.
· Receiving visions and songs from the beings and entities
of the land.
· Leaving the land as we found it.
· Integrating the experiences of the Rite into daily
life.
Dates in
2018: This is an ongoing program during June - September. Contact
ESF to request your date.
|
