Dear Feathered Pipe Friends,
I was 6 years old when Brant Secunda came to the Feathered Pipe Ranch with Huichol Shaman Don Jose, who was nearly 100 years my senior. Don Jose made a lasting impression on me. Aside from exuding the unique beauty and wisdom that comes with living to that age, he wore his traditional clothing including his sandals. There was a huge snowstorm and it was his first experience in snow. As he ventured out through deep snow, he continued with a type of bravery and perseverance wearing his poncho and sandals and declined offers of snow boots because he was sure he would fall with such foreign footwear.
We all cozied up in the Main Lodge with the fire blazing, joining with generations of people ranging from 2-month-old Sean Ryan to centenarian Don Jose. Don Jose and Brant led ceremonies and we made god’s eyes (symbolic yarn weavings). It was a true experience of community in which all ages were included, respected, and valued as integral components.
Brant has carried on the wisdom he learned from Don Jose and has returned many times through the years to the Ranch, leading ceremonies and workshops and participating in the Peace Encampments with Cree Elder Pat Kennedy.
Brant returns for a Summer Solstice celebration
It’s an honor and a pleasure to welcome Brant back to the Feathered Pipe Ranch for the summer solstice week of 2021. We hope you will join us for this transformational workshop to help find our center as we transition back from a year of uncertainty and social isolation towards (re)connecting with one another and the spiritual world of nature.
During Brant’s workshop at the Ranch, we will explore techniques of Huichol healing that are based on personal, community, and planetary healing. People can learn and practice different ways to develop a relationship with nature, with the elements, and with each another at the Ranch and then bring those practices home with them. The goal is to let go of fear and anxiety so we can live our lives with a true heart and cherish every day.
AND to honor Brant’s return to the Feathered Pipe, we are offering five $750 partial scholarships for those who desire to be present but may not have the financial means. Please consider joining us!
The Dandelion Effect podcast
For an uplifting listen and to get a taste of what Brant will teach at the Ranch, please tune in to our latest episode of The Dandelion Effect. He talks about the importance of laughter medicine, connecting to nature and what it means to “find your life,” a saying in Huichol Shamanism that Brant shares in his workshops. We invite you to slow down and take it all in, not just filtering the words through your mind, but seeing if you can tune into this episode with your entire body, your heart and your spirit.
Healing is something many of us can use right now. As Brant says, there is no guarantee, but we will try it and hope that the healing works. In the meantime, he suggests smiling and enjoying the gift of every day. Join us for “The Healing Journey of Huichol Shamanism.”
We cannot wait to welcome you back this summer!
With a smile and a refreshed appreciation for life,
Crystal Water