October 1, 1999

I write this to all the people who are looking to find, and only think they do. I write this to warn and teach. I write this for the ones with disappointment in their hearts, for 'NOT ALL THAT GLITTERS IS GOLD.'

I write this to say you know, listen to your Spirit (your feelings, your gut.)

A long time ago, 100 years or more, it was common to know a Shaman or Elder. Shamans and Elders were common in all races then. It hasn't taken long for the way of tricks to tear the truth apart.

Shaman is an interesting term. If you look shamanism up in the dictionary, you will find that the word is not completely defined. Those who wrote and write the dictionary undoubtedly did not and still don't have a full understanding of shamanism - perhaps this stems from a fear that grew from not knowing. All I can say is: "You always fear what you don't understand and the one you don't know." Many find it difficult or are afraid to believe in someone who can see another's life. Nobody wants someone to see all that they have done - especially not what they have done that they consider bad. The Shaman would simply say that what is to come will be different than the way the person wants their life to go.

Long ago, a Shaman was a gifted seer and healer (meaning the truth was told and lived by--if you were to be well, you were--or if you were to die, you died.) The Shaman was identified and raised as a gifted one by the family and tribe, as well as the nation. The Shaman was also a true spiritualist.

Now it seems that anyone can take a few workshops or rub elbows with a spiritual person and poof…they become a Shaman.

Well, I differ. The spiritual ones in my life raised me with many years of study. To this day there are teachings that I learn from the spiritual ones in my life. Shamanism is a lot of hard work. It is a dedication of a life. It is NOT a moneymaking occupation.

By some I have been looked down upon because I did not have a tribe or nation standing behind me, or because I was not of full Native blood. Nevertheless, I was born with the gift and the ways, so my mother taught me the spirit way. I grew to live that path to Spirit to the fullest.

I know from first hand experience over 40 years of spiritual life and through many people that the spirit works through the hands of the hollow bone - the Shaman. I also know that it is love and goodness that carries the Shaman on to the next day of work. I live with and have always lived with the truth as the path. The knowledge is a flow from Great Spirit's River of Wisdom to my mind.

Since 1987 we have seen a lot of spiritual writings and teachings come into public view. How do we know what the truth is? How do we know all that the Shaman really is? I have heard a lot of things that I don't agree with and I wish everyone knew the truth. So, I will put the following out as the truth as I know it. I will share with you the way a spiritual person is to act when they work for the people and represent themselves as a hollow bone, messenger of Great Spirit.

The Shaman is a worker of Spirit, one who knows and teaches spiritual teachings to the people. A Shaman works with the truth, as the people need it. The Shaman teaches the truth to the students, family, tribe or nation. The Shaman is the one who knows spiritual Ceremonies and teachings from the light and Great Spirit. A shaman treats you, as he/she would want to be treated and lives their teachings 24 hours a day 7 days a week and never walks away from their responsibilities. The following are the beliefs and actions I feel any contemporary Shaman, spiritual teacher or healer should live by. A Traditional Shaman is governed by the rules and traditions of their own tribe.

BEWARE - if you don't see ALL OF these beliefs and actions!

1. Is open to speak freely and clearly about their family.

2. Will speak about their training and the teachers that taught them their beliefs. They will not meet your questions with anger or take them as accusations.

3. Will state their bloodline, their family name and some family stories. The spiritual teacher/healer will tell you where they grew up and tell their childhood stories.

4. Has written proof of whom they are and the family they belong to.

5. Can tell you about their Elders and teachers. If the teacher/Shaman is unwilling to reveal their teachers or Elders, or tells you that their teachers or Elders are unaproachable, or that you can not be put in touch with them, or that there isn't anyone that you can speak or contact directly to verify that they have or had this relationship and were taught by these people, you are probably dealing with someone who doesn't want you to learn their truth.

6. Can show and speak of their teachings and their vision and the structure of their healing actions.

7. Respects the laws of the land and country. They do not run out on their obligations, to people, children, taxes, creditors, etc... If they have had difficulties with the law in their past, it was in their past and will not repeat again if they are on a true Shamanic road. They will be honest about their legal difficulties. They will not try to hide or lie about it. Therefore, the spiritual teacher/healer can be an example to all youth/people.

8. Can find 25 people that can write a letter of respect and praise about the teacher or Shaman. The teacher is not angry at any living being. Instead, the teacher closes the doors and sets limits with any who wish to waste or steal the teacher's time.

9. Can find 100 people who will say from personal experience that the teacher is a Shaman and/or a Grand teacher, without one report of trickery, harm, lies, or wrong doings. Those people can say that the teacher never hurt the aged or a youth, but was the Grand example of the Great Spirit.

10. If there is an aged person (over 65) or a child (to 21) that can say that the teacher has hurt them on purpose (to gain physical or spiritual power with pain) then the teacher must remove the title Shaman. A true Shaman, spiritual teacher or healer would never use their position to abuse another in any way. This includes seducing the person in any way into doing anything, which includes giving them their savings, supporting them, buying them things, or defending them, for they need only to stand in their truth.

11. The teacher can never use drugs when teaching or in the presence of the youth. If the Shaman has tribal medicines they use such as peyote or other medicines the teacher must present their tribal blood records or the Elder that is their sponsor. Any use of any soda pop, coffee, smoke or other drugs and or sugars must be accounted for and spoken of. All western medicines and treatment must be known and understood about the teacher. This includes mental health issues.

12. There can be no sexual actions or a history of sex acts in the medicine lodge or on the grounds of the lodge by the teacher.

13. The teacher can not have a history of divorces or live-in relationships that have gone wrong.

14. There can be no verbal or physical abuse to students. If there are ones that wish to come forth and state their story it has to have a witness, the witness can not be a family/friend member of the accuser.

15. The teacher can not be accused of stealing, lying, and cheating in the act of business.

16. The teacher can not say they are the bloods of a people, if they can not back it up with those who know.

17. Ceremonies have to work and bring joy and goodness to those who use them. They can never be used to harm or bring illness or death.

18. A shaman can not sell traditional or tribal/nation Ceremonies. There can be no use of a ceremony that is not from your bloodline or nation or peoples unless it is given to the teacher and the teacher can prove the passing of the ceremony.

19. There can be no money changing hands through the Shaman. All gifts must be given to a personal assistant of the Shaman.

20. A seer of vision (Pipe carrier, shirt man or another Shaman) should be able to see all visions.

21. The contemporary Shaman can give teaching lectures and sell books they have authored ONLY as long as tribal teaching and Ceremonies are not in the book, or sold in conjunction or in any other way.

22. A Shaman does not use gossip and does not talk bad of others, for they must remove themselves from all acts of lies and ill will.

These are a few of the rules and beliefs that I walk with and was raised to follow. The idea is to not harm another and to act, as you would want others to act. I will have an article coming up soon with a lot of information about what makes a Shaman a Shaman in this time.

A Shaman is a parent, one who parents the person as the Great Spirit parents. The Shaman is an Elder. To be an Elder, neither the hair, the age, nor the eyes are the core. The heart and knowledge are the core. All Elders are known by their hearts and by the good lives they live.

In this day the word Elder has too often become a word to hide behind. Lots of people get called Elder, so someone can say they have a teacher. NO - that is not truth. An ELDER is a real person. They are to be a teacher of truth in a student's eyes. The terms Auntie, Uncle, Grandmother or Grandfather are a truth by blood or adoption.

A true Elder is the following:

1. They follow and teach the above beliefs.

2. They are in Ceremony daily and prayer is done a minimum of four times a day.

3. They are responsible for their family, and care for the Children at the foremost.

4. They are good to animals, use them to teach with and share their life with.

5. They carry oral stories and give credit for the story to the one whom has lived the truth of the story.

6. They are respected by all who know them, and never borrow from anyone without proper return.

7. They set a public example in ways of action, in dress, in marriage, and with family members. They never speak harsh to anyone in public or to one in front of another. (Unless the person is a student and is learning self-respect and the harshness is a lesson to the student, and the student has agreed to be spoken to as they act).

8. They have strong beliefs and carry the teaching for all to learn.

9. They have no hate or anger in their heart. They never slander others or ask any one to slander others for them.

10. They carry their medicine with pride and can tell their story to all who want to know and can back it up with others who can tell or authenticate their story first hand.

11. They are proud of every person they have walked with and will let anyone ask questions of the persons they teach or raise.

12. They need not be about blood for they walk with the pride and honor of the people and are open to any questions about their wisdom.

13. They live with and practice the faith of their vision, the word and guidance of Great Spirit.

14. The term trickster is a cover and the person may not know what they are or what they should teach, so they cover with the trickster role. When a trickster is at hand in an Elder it will be a lesson the family oversees and you know your boundaries or the teaching is abuse.

15. THEY ARE NOT TROUBLEMAKERS… everywhere they go good follows and ones learn and grow. Knowledge is spread and given freely.

My mom taught me that an Elder or a Shaman does not need to look like you think they 'should', for they are the teacher and carry the truth as they will teach you. White hair and age are not the expectation or badge of an Elder. Elders are like Shamans; THEY know and teach what they know.

I send this as a small amount of knowledge for you to know your way around. I have also been asked to teach about the truth of the work of the Shaman and the Elder around money and will share my feelings next time on that topic…. Thanks for reading… Aho! Wolf Moondance-Author

The next teaching by the White Wolf Woman will be "Money Evil or An Evil Shaman?"

Past teachings will be archived under "Teachings of the White Wolf Woman Archives."