“Don’t just get old, learn something”. For many years I have used this quote given to us from the elders. I am grateful to them for sharing this wisdom. For me it has stimulated much thought and in typical Native wisdom, it leaves a lot of room for us to figure out our own answers. And, all good answers come from good questions. How does this apply in my life? What does it mean?

Like many of you, I have been on this path for many years and have learned a lot. Of course as we learn more we find out that we know so much less than we thought. Maybe this Is part of the great mystery. A large part of what I have learned was thru circumstance or by putting myself in situations and places where lessons came. I missed a lot of things as well because I wasn’t always aware or intentional in my learning. I ask my self, “what would it have been like  if I was always intentional with learning?” Would I be further along my path? Probably.

As we enter into the great 2012 time in history I think about the Mayans and the calendar they left behind that has caused so much debate. You see, they had it all figured out. The Mayans knew that it would take the human race 2000 years to learn how to be. With help from the Star People they also knew of this planetary alignment that would be occurring at the end of this time frame. This alignment would cause a great vibrational shift on our planet that would allow us to access information that exists only in those higher vibrational realms. Now more than ever we have an opportunity and responsibility to conduct ourselves in a conscious manner in regards to our individual paths and what we set out to learn.

2012 is not the end. It is the beginning of a new paradigm for us. We all lost our original set of instructions long ago. Now it’s time to remember them and the universe is in full support of us doing so. To fully learn, we must first slow down. Allow yourself one full year to fully learn one thing. We must go thru all four seasons and the changes within ourselves to learn what we set before ourselves. I will be 47 years old this March. I think I will live to be at least 90 years old. If I learn one thing a year for the rest of my life, then I have 43 more things to learn. What will they be? Wow… that kinda changes how things feel. I think Bonnie Rait said ” Life is precious when theres less of it to waste”.

Personally I am very excited to be alive during this time. Carrie and I are blessed to have a place to offer monthly Sweat Lodges for the community. I will also be holding monthly lodges for the Men. Soon we will create a wonderful space in our Tipi for circles and gatherings where we will be learning ceremony songs to sing in the sweat lodge. We will learn the old way, by showing up and listening.

This past year has filled my life with the the love that comes from Sacred Union and  love that comes from family. Our family is blended and we are good. I hope and pray that yours is too….

Peace and love,

Andrew