Healer

My Grandfather’s goal was to teach me the ways of a healer as I was growing up. To that end, when I graduated out of AYOP school when I was eight, he started training me on the medicine wheel. He taught me how to use my mind and body to help move pain through out my body and how to use my hands to soothe anxiety and resolve pain in others. This training went on for about four years. Grandfather, a Shaman, was pushing hard to have me step into his place as Shaman and had me presented in front of the Tribal Console at the completion of my training. I had just turned twelve and the Console thought I was too young to assume such a responsibility. Grandfather died the following summer and the family moved off the reservation to Ohio.

Over the years I learned more and more techniques from my mother and gained more experience and confidence as I put the knowledge to use. When I turned eighteen she proclaimed me a Shaman. Mom died a few years later.

I never really practiced, other than giving comfort to various family members or a few Marines shot on the front line in Vietnam and for years I just sort of pushed it to the back of my mind. Then one evening, while I was studying for my Masters in Clinical Psychology at UO in Norman, one of my classmates experienced a temper fit with the professor and had a meltdown. Without thinking, I placed my hands on him and calmed his spirit and mind to gently bring him back in control. Needless to say, the professor and the class were astonished to see how I took control of the situation and we spent the rest of the evening discussing my training as a young child on the reservation. Over the next few weeks I taught the class a few techniques on how to calm the spirit and mind. At the request of my professor I wrote my thesis on the various teaching experiences I received while growing up.

I have used my God given blessing, over the years, to calm the storms in many people and cool the fires in the minds of many others. I don’t look at myself as a Shaman or healer, but more as a calming spirit in the mist of the turmoil in our daily life. God has blessed me with this spirit and as a child of God I pass it on to others as needed.

Have a blessed day!

Ed