Circle of Life

Within and from the Circle of Life, a Medicine Way, the Sacred Teachings of my Elders, through the Pipe, sacred ceremonies such as the Vision Quest and Sundance, I get strength of the will to use spiritual strength. I do not make excuses or try to escape my responsibility or accountability for hurts and pains I have caused others.

I have not made excuses for not following the way of living clean and healthy. I believe with all my heart that God and Jesus, along with the Cannupa and the Sacred Ceremonies are MY true source of power.

Yet, I share with my heart - the kind loving teachings of Jesus and the meditational practices of

Buddhism and I honor all other faiths of this life. I am strong in my walk with the Bible and the Sacred Pipe and I truly have "grown" and I will continue to grow in faith.

I have grown beyond just tolerating others... just acting like they are OK and it looks "good" to wish along with them for peace and harmony and love.
I do not just "act" to be accepted or to get or keep a job!
I am committed to the process of recovery and walking the talk... with anyone wishing the same. I accept others choice of spiritual gratitude and love and peaceful healthiness.

I have acquired or learned to have stronger faith... I can now pray with anyone. Even if they do not want "goodness and love" in the way I see it.
I will do my part in making this world safer and healthier without judging and hurting others. I am stronger for my choices today and I will leave this world like this. I do not judge others for their choice of spiritual life. I am committed to seeing people free of violence and abuse and to live compassionately. I have learned forgiveness for past hurts of others of different faiths.

I am no longer controlled by my fear, as I was with my young wings of faith. Now my faith is stronger and ever growing. I never stop learning and I will never shut people out, who express the need for help and want to stop abusing. And this is how I will end my days here. I will seek to forever associate with all peoples, who are seeking awareness and conscious contact with a loving, kind and compassionate higher power or way to live.

People who are willing to speak of love, nurturing, and compassion and live it. I must do this to keep up my strength... to continue to do the emotional work. I must do this to live.

The antidote or cure comes with honoring of the old and new ways… the Contemporary and Traditional Ways of life. Honoring both by getting the practitioner to be healthier. To heal our brothers and sisters, we must strengthen our Emotional and Spiritual Self. To truly have the capacity to deal with the hurts and pains of the present, past and future, especially on the "Indian" reservations and "closed" ethnic communities and even some essential professions and services. To encourage healing behaviors of self and others must be addressed without further shame or hurt to anyone. As well, we must be with others in the way to encourage their faith of love and compassion for self and others within their way of faith.
I do not have all the answers. I have a definite method to reaching a healthier state of thinking, doing and living through feelings.

I have made many mistakes and still - I make mistakes. I do not have complete knowledge and skills and experience, nor will I ever achieve this.
And yet, I know I can help. I do help. I strive to live conscious and aware... to be healthier in every way... every day. I have grown with the love and care of healthy helpers. It is through the spiritual strengthening of the Sacred Medicine Teachings that I continue to grow and evolve in living free and energized to do the work. I work to help, to teach, to share with you!

In sharing this part of my story with you... I wish you to understand my life. It is based on the Native American way or The Red Road or in the contemporary term – Recovery. More specifically,
I follow the Medicine way of The Circle Of Life.

I call this The Spirit-Warrior Way because of my Spirit name - Akicita Wakan Mani which means the warrior of or with spirit who walks and talks to others of the Red Road... And who lives this way as well. My teachings are based on the medicine teachings of the Circle of Life as told to me. My ancestors come from this land and I honor my blood on my great great Grandmother on fathers side. Brought back as a wife during the Riel Rebellion of 1865. See Sitting Bull, Glenn Welker site.

I am fulfilled to be able to be a part of my ancestors. I strive to live true and right always.

                                My way of living is an eclectic holistic style. I strive to learn to live in balance and harmony with all others... regardless of their faith way or religion. I work towards learning and accepting being with all others... though I don't always do perfect - I am willingly open to taking part and learning to love healthy and well.

     While I do share about the usual stories of dysfunctional beginnings
and then achieving “hard-worked-for” successes through “therapy” and “spiritual renewal”, I try not to be so simplistic and so less specific in offering methods, remedies and solutions. I write to be open and real and yet - not disrespectful of any one!
     It is my intention to inspire, stimulate, even provoke you into some way positive change, a kick for new ideas, thoughts, and actions about changing your life or that of someone you care about.
    I share practical contemporary remedies as well as a "disciplined" or "strict" traditional ceremony to give yourself the practice to live in harmony and balance - without chaos... either way it is my hope that you will find through some of the problems I have had and how I overcame them, to sustain and maintain energy and strength to live free and healthy.
   Not only do I share about the typical "bad or dysfunctional" hurtful parts of my life, I share about so-called successes - those "worldly successes" that I was given to help me survive or cope with my origins.
I do this to show my attempts to fit in this "world". That I made some enormous strides in “looking good”, despite my core issues... I do this to show how I wanted so much to be accepted in the unhealthy part of society as a human "doing". I survived and coped with life through these "accomplishments". And as I do admit, even though for a time in my life, I did some things wrong and hurtful, I also did a lot of good things right and loving.

CIRCLE OF LIFE
Enhancing Our Connectedness Workshop

The Circle of Life is a medicine way… with practical application to everyday living… keeping in mind creation and our part within it. Through this way can keep track of our understanding and our expectations of our living life in a healthy and well way. We can be clearer about what is needed in order that we can accomplish all we need and want to… with honor.
In Circle of Life way — That forth aspect is not “spiritual” as is said in the modern, contemporary medicine wheel. In the Circle of Life Way, we are faced with our original connectedness to life, in that all things are spiritual and are expressed with gratitude and honoring.
Given that all things are spiritual or sacred and that we are surrounded and covered by this sacredness... we, accept in a humble way that we are an IMPORTANT part of this – The Scared Hoop. We are an important part of the whole — the Universe and Mother Earth, including all other beings and elements of, on and in Mother Earth, Father Sky, the four directions, the Universes and Creation. In this way we accept that, all things are created by the Great Mystery - Wakan Tanka, Manitou, God, Creator… in the way you wish to express these things.
For us, as two-legged or human beings, we are made up of these four elements or parts and that these 4 parts make up our sacredness. The aspects of our self include our body, our mind, our emotions and our relationships, again all of which are spiritual or sacred. While humility and humbleness are certainly noble human characteristics, our strength comes from our ability to show our genuine care and love for others and this sometimes means we need to stand up to challenges and be heard or seen. We uncover who we are truly, in order that we achieve our goals and those of others who depend upon us. This is relating in the good way… the true way.
Even though we are small and insignificant to this wondrous thing called life, we are still a very important part. And that we have a responsibility and a right to live in unison with all other things created.

Our being is in connection to all things — great and small. All things have spirit in that they were created or given

Certainly influenced, not formed through our original environment, our energy level to withstand pressures or stresses is directly related to our process of relationship with others and/or creation. So, whichever way you need to choose to express your truth… to find true relief, you will need to be strengthened to talk or share your truth.
The Circle of Life Way helps to examine those aspects of our true present self… in practical manner that allows us to become more focused and empowered through understanding our style of living… what we are made up of. Our true—whole self is determined by how we represent our being—our inner self and how we take care of this true self and with whom and how we share this - self.

Body… how we take care of our body; how we feed it; how we exercise it; how we nurture it and how we give it rest. Our environment is about where we live and whom we share life with and how we act with others — what we do. The aspect of mental is what we think and believe in—what our thought process is and it affects our feelings and actions too. Who we are inside is spiritual or sacred or Wakan* and must be lived in agreement with Creation.

Relative, relations, relational - Mitakuye is the about how and why, people in our life, our environment and how we interact with the other aspects of this world in and around us… how we are affected and how we affect them. Understanding how our ability to live free and healthy and fully functional is really affected by these relationships. With these things in mind… we can come to alleviate stressful relationships with anything from a person to food to Mother Earth… to see fully, why and how this came about. Through this training, (life), we will come to clearer understanding as to how and why, our life initial reference point or perspective of life affects our relating today.
While our focus will be general, we will discuss our understanding our connectedness, in a more personal manner about this process. We will work towards understanding, using our personal and professional experiences of living and working. Discussions will be around connection and disconnections to old and new stressors. Exploring what and why is a stressful person, environment or situation or what have you AND how to deal with them effectively.
We are all related - connected… and we pass this on into the universe and to other beings… especially in close… our children. We all affect one and other. Through this way we come to know that those that we come into contact have an effect on us, as we affect those people we are around in our life.
For all of us, as leaders or helpers, we accept responsibility to provide relevant, services of care, support, and advocacy and still maintain our own… We strive to do so in the most healthy and well of course. Our strength comes from allowing others in supporting us and through our becoming more aware and conscious of our true self and our needs.
In gaining more balance and harmony through of the Circle of Life Medicine Way, we can strengthen our capacity, To not only tolerate stressful people or situations, To accept them with all our true medicine/power in place, to do what we can to be effective and relevant. How we interact, how we do relationship, in which ever forum this is, keeping in mind all aspects of the Circle of Life, And that all life is spiritual… this is including our self.

Honestly, you are a most strong part of the relation aspect of the Circle of Life… and they have been entrusted to us. We have a great responsibility to affect them with positive energy to see them grow pure and straight. We have a relationship with all beings and aspects of life, including our self. This relationship is about knowing our self and being fully aware and conscious of what are strengths are and our shortcomings are and becoming stronger and trusting of our commitments as a father and / or husband. It is said that we as human beings are born Wakan* or Holy… whole as human beings and small and weak and entrusted to those older ones / parents… to be raised to a full functioning and healthy adult.

Our Minds struggle every day to be free of negativity and affects of things that are troublesome… even stressful. It must not be a fearful thing or shameful thing to admit to in any capacity. We must be clear about how, why, and when any old distorted thoughts, beliefs, or conditioning causes us to lose our connection to the present tasks or challenges at hand or when our clarity is disturbed. We can become sharper, clearer and healthier… more functional in our thinking in knowing what is in our core and why.

We can increase our capacity in dealing with stresses of life as we learn how to expand our personal Circle of Life aspects… to exercise and nurture our minds with education and teachings from healthy sources. Seeking council or sharing about our relationships: personal, social, professional or vocational aspects of life. is a choice and a right.
After all, we are the important to the universe… we are the center of the universe. Children are this. We are all children of someone and we are the first teachers of our children… all children.

The Circle of Life isn’t the only way to explain our quest, any person’s quest to be free and healthy… nor is it the last answer to all that we need or may want to be better as helpers or parents or what have you. It is a simple guideline requiring energy to explore, study. It is based on our original way of life, to becoming whole as human being and to take part in life in the good way. This good way is what is called the “The Red Road” to some and it doesn’t only apply to those of Red Nations, but of all Nations of human beings.
In a good way this teaching comes and in a good way it is meant – humbly given. Take what is true for you and be gentle about the rest that you may leave behind. Who knows when it may come in helpful to you? It is hopeful that we, as individuals and as a group, will challenge our present place and knowledge. Regardless, let there be no criticism or manipulation or intimidation of one and other… support one and other by sharing your quest for strength to live free.

This is the way of the Sacred Hoop of which we are part… together.
When we speak of being the center of the universe – this is about being conscious and aware of our place in all that is and all that we do. You, especially, are a Leader, a Parent, or a Helper, and you are the focal point of this relating... and as this you are given and accepting the responsibility of the setting for the container for this process, in the most considerate manner.
Initially, the focus of training in this way is to understand the process… to become more aware of our self, to become more conscientious, and relevant to the challenges in our support, and in setting up guidelines for our involved participation.
We as leaders must be willing to provide all we can within our ability and capacity... and yet honor our self. True, we are all related in one way, or another. Yet we must be always able, to be separate our stress, from that of those, we serve.

As a facilitator or leader or trainer or helper… we are role models and teachers… sharing within our capacity and ability. You are that one, who will determine the way in which you help others and how they will learn from you and with you…
When you follow the Circle of Life Way, in a natural, compassionate way for yourself, keeping in mind… love and truth are only one way… you will begin to see all your true strength.
Through this Medicine Way, you will come to add to the tools that you already have and you will develop more tools and increase your strength, and your experience and expertise that is necessary to know and support yourself, more fully… while come to know your importance in the great Circle of Life… you will make the circle stronger by becoming aware and conscious of every part of you.

The Circle of Life is based in Mitakuye Oyasin – we are all related… and this holds no prejudice or judgment to anyone, of any tribe, of any race or spiritual way.
The Circle of Life is a medicine way or process. It is for peaceful life – all aspects - and healthy living - relating to all – especially our self.

            Mitakuye Oyasin – We are all related
            Pilamaya – Thank You,
            Jaye A. La Vallee -

Please note: This program or process is to some people – A Medicine Way… This means that the intention or quest is to connect us again to a natural way and to foster the co-creation of a supportive, co-operative connectedness amongst all individuals, peoples, groups, and systems to unify and strengthen our energies, resources and effectiveness. The components of these teachings are respectfully shared with a conscientious awareness of our connection to all things of life and all people’s approach to life and spirit ways.

CIRCLE OF LIFE MEDICINE WAY - 4 aspects of the human being:

· PHYSICAL - Actions / Behaviors (Body) BLACK
· MENTAL - Thinking / Beliefs (Mind) RED
· EMOTIONAL - Feelings / States of being (Heart) YELLOW
· RELATIONAL - People / Mother Earth (Environment) WHITE

The Circle of Life shows us that we are made up of 4 main aspects or parts and that these parts are connected because they all are spirit or spiritual. We are connected to all things in life - The Universe, Mother Earth and all other beings - this is creation.

When we have balance within our self, we live in balance and have balance with all creation… with our children especially. Our children are our creation. We have this responsibility along with our own life. This is how we are all related. At the center of the hoop is child represented by Mother Earth. How we relate to lour children or life depends on all things inside of us and around us. When they are in balance - we relate well. By following the Good Red Road we can get more balanced or correct any imbalance by talking and sharing with others to find solutions to understanding and strengthening our true self. All life is sacred and we are made in this way too. All that we do is considered spiritual and how we take care of our self and others is part of our sacred journey.

This medicine way honors Mother Earth, Father Sky, the four directions - Grandfathers / Grandmothers, as well as the Universes and Stars. Children are the center of the Universe. We all are still children. You are at the center in a spiritual way - as a child of the universe - as your child is… after all children are totally dependent on us as their caregivers and we can keep their environment loving and safe. It is up to us to keep balance for them. We keep balance by learning, studying and doing the responsibilities as father, a parent, a human being. Our true self includes our body, our mind, our emotions and our relationships, all of which are spiritual or sacred. Even though we are small to this thing called life, we are still a very important part. And that we have a responsibility and a right to live in unison with all other things created.

Our Body - the physical… gifted to us… this is about how we take care for our body; honor it, how we feed it; exercise it; give it love and how we share it with others. Our physical environment is about where we live, how we see it and take care of it and whom we share life with and how we act with them. A strong aspect includes our sexual health, where we prepare our safe, nurturing - loving interactions as well.

Our Emotional is about our feelings - basic ones and groups of emotions called states of being. It is about how these feelings can cause us to do things kind or hurtful. Especially when are emotions are mixed up. We can learn to understand what make us feel the way we do and the do things. How and why they affect our lives. In understanding our emotions better we have more balance to our lives and that of our children. Through this way, we will come to know how those people who raised us felt. How and why they showed us their emotions in the way they did. It is through this way we will do the good things they did and we stop making their same mistakes. It is important to settling old feelings in a way that it doesn't hurt or scare anyone including your self. This part of the circle is about sorting out feelings, understanding from sense or states of being or feeling a whole bunch of feelings at one time and choosing to react to something based on the strongest feeling. The emotional part is about dealing with our feelings in a way that frees us to be loving and kind and be the father we want to be.

Our Mental - The aspect of mental is what we think and believe in - what our belief system and how we carry out our way of thinking. Our thinking is based on what have been trained to do - how we were raised. Our thinking affects our feelings and actions too. Who we are inside is spiritual or sacred or Wakan* and must be lived in agreement with Creation. Our mental is our choice of how deal every day to be free of negativity and affects of things that are troublesome… even stressful. Through this scared way we can become clear of old distorted thoughts and beliefs and become healthier in our thinking and doing. We can learn how to nurture our minds with traditional and modern day education and get teachings from healthy sources. As we learn and grow we are better able to teach and model for our children.

Our Relations - knowing and living our relating to all things or Mitakuye - relative - This aspect tells us of how and why those people in our life and our environment affects us or "interacts" with our will or wishes or ability to live free... healthy and fully functional. Through this understanding we will know how and why all that happens in life are Wakan or holy... and how all things has an affect on us, especially as when we are a young child. Because we will always be the child of someone, we will in turn pass this on into the universe and to other beings… especially our children. We all affect one and other. He ce tu welo.

Through this way we come to know that those that we come into contact have an effect on us, as we affect those people we are around in our life. For us as fathers, the responsibility we have, as we love and care for our children and what about us will affect them. How our treatment of their Mother will affect them.

The Circle of Life isn't the only way to explain our quest to be free and healthy… nor is it the answer to all that we need or want or to better as fathers. Through this way it is a guideline to becoming whole as human being and to take part in life in the good way.

The Circle of Life speaks not only of the Red Nations, but also of all Nations of human beings and all in the Universe. The coming together in loving inner balance and harmony. It is about living conscious and aware with peaceful loving belief and faith. A peaceful consciousness and awareness - knowing of what goes inside us and all around us. And how we are to those who depend on us. In a good way this teaching comes and in a good way it is meant - humbly given.

A Relative, a Parent, a Mother, a Father, a child - brother or sister, is an integral part of this and you are a parent and you are a relative of all children in one way or another. Our role as a relative (human being) is as a role model, a leader, a teacher, a minister, a truth talker and a healthy life-giver. You are that relative, that human being, who we will learn from and with…

When you follow the Circle of Life Medicine Way, it actual living... living on a daily - at first - moment by moment... then in peace. The only way... you will gently and honestly... come to know yourself better and you will become the strongest part of the Scared Hoop - then the Circle of Life will be, even more empowered with you... becoming truly aware and conscious of every part of you.

The Circle of Life is considered our first prayer - Mitakuye Oyasin means we are all related or all my relations. It is because we. all human beings need to live toward "living in peace with all our relatives". In doing this - living this - we hold no prejudice or judgment to your tribe or spiritual way… it is for peaceful life and healthy living - parenting, teaching, leading, whatever way of helping, for and of al beings and for all our relationships - especially our self.

Take what is true for you and be gentle about the rest that you leave to ponder or think about or forever behind. With more light, maybe it will come in helpful one day. Let there be no criticism or manipulation or intimidation of one and other… Remember this is also representative of the Sacred Hoop... The Circle Of Life Medicine Way.

I offer Personal Development and Transformational Workshops, Seminars, Trainings and Consulting. Programs are specialized for individuals, groups and organizations. Although I charge a fee, I am open to barter and trade... may we all be blessed with good health and well being.

Pilamaya - Thank You, Akicita Wakan Mani - Jaye A. La Vallee 2006

The Circle of Life Medicine Way made up of 4 components or parts - The Emotional, The Mental, The Physical, and The Relational... All things are Spiritual.
The European influenced "Medicine Wheel" concept, where the fourth component is said to be "spiritual". In the way I share of here, the 4th aspect of life that is Relational or Mitakuye - Not Spiritual... This is because all things in life are spiritual or Wakan and that all things are from Wakan Tanka - The Great Mystery - GOD.

Chief Crazy Horse, Oglala Sioux - "Upon suffering beyond suffering: the Red Nation shall rise again
and it shall be a blessing for a sick world. A world filled with broken promises, selfishness and separations. A world longing for light again. I see a time of Seven Generations when all the colors of mankind will gather under the Sacred Tree of Life and the whole Earth will become one circle again. In that day, there will be those among the Lakota who will carry knowledge and understanding of unity among all living things and the young white ones will come to those of my people and ask for this wisdom. I salute the light within your eyes where the whole Universe dwells. For when you are at that center within you and I am that place within me, we shall be one." This statement was taken from Crazy Horse, as he sat smoking the Sacred Pipe with Sitting Bull for the last time, four days before he was assassinated.

I follow the Red Road... of Recovery.
I share this with all my heart... I ask you to pray for "our" Mother Earth and others. I pray for us all to deepen our commitment, to deepen our will to live a healthier lifestyle.
It is my belief that we are in the final stage of this period of life here on Mother Earth. OUR Mother Earth deeply wounded,is damaged beyond repair... soon, she will cleanse herself completely.
No matter this outcome, we must live with loving kindness and faith. Through this way, we can make whatever end comes, less painful for others and ourselves... For our loved ones, For all other beings. We can do loving kindness and honesty with others - lovingly challenging or intervening with those who hurt themselves or others... the ones who are afflicted with sickness or dis-ease, who are doing the hurtful, dysfunctional things in life.
I believe that we are speeding up the end by being in our heads and not in hearts, by wars and by greed.
I am not a "doom and gloom" person. I have faith.
I believe in the process of recovery - of healing and love. I believe that we can have a world without addictions and war and pain.
I believe we can make all of our days as it is said - OUR BEST - WITH LOVING KINDNESS FOR ALL.
As if it were our last. Maybe just maybe with faith the Creator will change things - turn things around with a miracle. I believe in miracles... do you?
No matter what, let's work to do all we can in living this life as is pledged at the Sundance... with fearlessness AND most importantly - with compassion and loving kindness.

You can phone me Jaye La Vallee directly at
PHONE: 00 - 1 -204 - 224 - 9520
or email me at: info (AT) spirit-warrior.ca

Circle of Life

CIRCLE OF LIFEEnhancing Our Connectedness Workshop

info@spirit-warrior.ca Phone: 204 - 224 - 952O Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Mother Earth

CIRCLE OF LIFE
Enhancing Our Connectedness Workshop

info@spirit-warrior.ca
Phone: 204 - 224 - 952O
Winnipeg, Manitoba,
Canada, Mother Earth