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Old 06-20-2012, 08:36 PM   #81
Chris Parkerson
Dojo: Academy of the Martial Arts
Location: ohio
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 740
United_States
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Re: My Spiritual Aikido.

Tom,

I just got my Oomoto kyo book in the mail today. I am excited about it.
Regarding shamanism, as a deep ecologist, i am deeply moved by Apela Colorado's position that one must first tap into your own DNA's indigenous mind. For me, that is Celtic, andalusian and Amerindian. Our ancestry is in our DNA, we also have a tribal memory. This connection is like a silver chord to our "knowing".

Thus, I am moved by the Hopi traditional elders like Dan Evehema as well as the Mayan Eagle Clan priests. Being from Texas (Father's side since 1820 and mother's side from Mexico and Spaniards, Teotijuacan, Yaqui curanderos and Comanche shamanism is like eating locally grown veggies.
My Spanish (Andalusian) connection has all the emotive connection to mediterainian Sufism, and
Christian Mysticism as it runs through me like hot blood. Then comes my Asian practices. It is foolish not to dabble in the tantra.
My closest teachers right now are Will Taegel (Comanche/Lakota), Carlos Barrios (Mayan), and Andrew Harvey (Indian Raj and British). Each are well healed in mystic/Shamanistic practices as well as being highly educated.

Andrew Harvey is a poet, novelist, translator, mystical scholar and lecturer. At the age of 21, he became the youngest person ever to be awarded the Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford University. England's highest academic honor. He has taught at Oxford, Cornell, Hobart and Smith Colleges, California Institute of Integral Studies, and UCS. Honors he has received include the Benjamin Franklin Award and the Mind Body Spirit Award and the Christmas Humphries Award. He is the author and editor of over 30 books including: The Return of the Mother and Son of Man: The Mystical Path to Christ, and The Direct Path. He is Founder and Director of the Institute of Sacred Activism, and his forthcoming book The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism is being published in

Dr. Apela Colorado, a member of the Oneida tribe and traditional cultural practitioner, created the first doctoral program in traditional knowledge at the California Institute of Integral Studies. She also established the Spirit Camp cultural revitalization project at the University of Alaska and began the Native Social Work concentration at the University of Calgary. With assistance from the Canadian International Development Agency, Dr. Colorado founded the Worldwide Indigenous Science Network (WISN) in 1989. WISN brought together western scientists and indigenous practitioners of traditional knowledge in a series of international workshops, conferences, and overseas projects. The work created a forum and established a process to promote consensus, collaboration and cooperation between experts of western and indigenous knowledge in conservation and education programs and alternative resource development. Dr. Colorado is Director of Wisdom University's Indigenous Mind Program, which offers Masters and Ph.D. degrees.

Will Taegel (website)

Ph.D., Wisdom University

D. Min, Graduate Theological Union

M. Div., Emory University, Summa Cum Laude

B. A., McMurry University, Summa Cum Laude

Licensed Professional Counselor, State of Texas

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, State of Texas

Will Taegel brings an integral approach to his work at Wisdom University as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chair of the Academic Council.  He weds his Native American background and traditional training in shamanic circles with his 30 year practice of psychotherapy, including a stint as Chair of the Texas State Board of Examiners in Psychotherapy.  He balances  his academic interest in evolution and trauma with the spiritual practice of rain water collection, solar and wind energy, and environmental restoration.  He is the author of 8 books and numerous professional articles.  He was among the first researchers to connect clinical and cultural disturbance with human estrangement from the sacred core of Nature and, in that regard, to build a number of ongoing eco-spiritual communities and is the co-founder, with Judith Yost, of an eco-spiritual, integral practice community called the Earthtribe. 

The above are my mentors at Wisdom university. At any given class, there are about 30 shamans from various traditions.

Finally,Carlos Barrios was given permission by Wandering Wolf (Don Alejandro Perez Oxlaj) to conduct fire ceremonies for non Mayans. I was present at the first one (in Beliz) and follow their message closely. I hope to get closer to their practice some day.

Puha

Chris