Monday, June 2, 2014

My Sioux PTSD Ceremony

have 
a soul 
brother 
who is a 
Native American 
shaman. He invited
 me to come to Washington 
to meet a tribal medicine man 
named Yellowhawk who has successfully 
treated PTSD for Vietnam vets. I spent a day 
talking with Yellowhawk and he decided he would 
like to perform a sweat lodge in my honor. We set 
it up for the next day. A sweat lodge is a large air tight 
dome that will hold about a half dozen people or so. Rocks 
are heated outside in an open fire, carried inside and water 
is poured over them to create steam. It works. The lodge is 
appropriately named. There were about six other Native Americans 
in the lodge with me. There was a large central sweat lodge ceremony 
taking place simultaneously with ours in Canada. The master sweat 
was being conducted my Yellowhawk's son who was the Grand Chief 
of the Canadian Sioux Nation. They were communicating telepathically. 
They sang chants and played drums. Then Yellowhawk told me it was 
time for my part in the ceremony. He told me this was very powerful 
medicine and I was to not open my eyes. He was chanting and I 
could hear him moving about but I kept my eyes closed. 
I felt a literal shock in my spine that forced me sit 
up straight. I was then told to open my eyes. 
Yellowhawk said that he, the Grand Chief 
and the elders had seen all of my actions 
and experiences in the Vietnam War. 
They I was a great man and they then invited 
me to be adopted into the Sioux Nation. I accepted. 
They gave me the Sioux name of Wambali Iskma which in 
English means "Eagles Wing". I did actually feel many freedoms
 from my PTSD for months following the ceremony. I am very grateful 
and honored by everyone involved who felt I was worthy of 
such a great honor. I will never forget it. Thank you.

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