LindaMichChippewa

Sedona, AZ

James Arthur Ray, the Sedona fiasco, and discernment on the spi...

OUR BOUNDARIES HAVE BEEN DISREGARDED I am so pleased to view an article such as this and have posted many comments on the Internet these past few weeks, hopefully this one will not be removed from this site. What seems to have happened at the Sedona sweat lodge is extreme negligence, there was no real preparation, IE. no knowledgeable pipe carrier, etc., this appears to have been done out of pure greed. The organization preys upon the American baby boomer dream mentality by appealing to their aspirations of assumption of lifelong prosperity and entitlement stemming from the 1950's non Native mentality of the privileged middle class suburban baby boomers desire to continually aspire to be the first kid on the block with the very latest and greatest,, ironically, these same baby boomers who rejected their very own elders traditional values, regarding them as ignorantly old fashioned in favor of always adopting the newest fad, which now is to emulate Native American Spirituality and healing. Indians are healing from the atrocities that happened in our very own lifetimes and this is what is being falsely emulated in a great number of variations across the country. We didn't get our freedom of religion until the 1970's. How sad it is see our way of healing ourselves being marketed as a new age commodity with no knowledge or regard, but Indians such as myself are the elders now that pass our ways on for our youth that is still being affected through our onslaughts of atrocities and the results directly stemming from them. This organization is no different than those type of people who never fought for our country that hang around the local VFW collecting other people's war stories then claiming the honor & glory as their own. If you haven't been through the work and the battle then you can't claim the glory! If they had they would have some residual effects of PTSD, which by the way, only recently is being acknowledged as caused by Historical Trauma, and consequently they would understand the outrage this has caused Native Americans, not only because of the blatantly misappropriation of our spirituality but also the negative repercussions this may have on our most sacred practices. Our 'boundaries' been disregarded; In James Arthur's website he states the following: "This is the defining factor of real wealth... And, after all, isn't true Harmonic Wealth what you really want and deserve?...blendin g the latest and greatest findings....yet you've been brainwashed to think that only sweat and hard work will get you where you want to be. Here's a better way...Let the journey be your roadmap to an abundant, wealthy and fulfilled life.Yesterday's biggest nerd is today's richest man in the world (and he doesn't even have a college degree). You'll define and enforce your own boundaries without someone else telling you what they should be...There is no sacrifice only greater and more magnificent results, wealth, adventure and fulfillment." In humanistic, relationship-based schools of therapy there are 'BOUNDARIES' in the therapeutic relationship, this however is not only being crossed by this organization but it is 'expected' of participants to completely and grossly disregard the true spirituality of very people it has been blatantly misappropriated,,, fabricated parodies such as this, are compromising to our culture. LINDA MEDLEY (currently a Chippewa in Michigan) (Member of Chippewas of Nawash Unceded Nation and Walpole Island First Nation Unceded Territory)  (Nov 6, 2009 | post #2)