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www.shamansociety.org 27 for places where pain and suffering are too enormous for individual shamans to heal directly or where pain and suffering will continue until the earth herself can bring about healing. But in the midst of pain and suffering we come forward with visions of goodness and songs of hope. We also noticed that vibrations of yes are healing and expansive while vibrations of no hurt and contract. When the vibrations of noise aggravated our shamanic work we viscerally felt the contraction of no. When we saw the eagle y over us as we left the sycamore and rock shelter we recognized it as a yes. When the drums came into harmony they sang a beautiful collective yes. We continued our yes response on Sunday. We journeyed for individual ways that we would continue our week- ends work in our lives back home. We recited the Lenape principles of respect which are for feelings and for suffer- ing for individual space for limitations as well as strengths for boundaries and individual differences for truth for the earth and all paths peoples cultures and customs growing here and for yourself from Evan Pritchards Native New York- ers page 19. We said yes to our desire to amend a litany of abuses and misjudg- ments of the past and present for which we took responsibility. Lastly we dismantled the Hudson River from our circle taking water and stones with us as we left. We decided we would not say good by. In keeping with many native languages in which there is no phrase for good by not even in death we said to each other the Lenape phrase for Ill see you again which phonetically is La- pitch-ka nae-o-wul. We exchanged stones from the river and promised to see each other sometime somewhere again. Being Here We each took river water and a river stone home with us. But the Hudson River Valley does not belong to us. It doesnt belong to the people of the past or the generations to come. But we are here. And we decide to pay attention to it now. We arrive for a few days and nights to watch listen learn and to be alert to the life that is and has been here. As we remember the ancient ones in our shamanic practice we are confronted with mortality our own and that of others. We connect with the generations of ancestors both through blood and culture and our descendants who may be related to us or not at all. The long river of life that ows around this earth passes through us and we pass through it pausing here and thereand here. If we can bring our humility strength passions and dreams to places that call to us we can create an intimacy with those places that enriches our life and the life of the place. We can leave with deep gratitude for our having been here. We can say to the river mountains trees clouds animals birds and all liv- ing things Well see you again La- pitch-ka nae-o-wul. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Tom is a shamanic practitioner specializing in Celtic visionary and healing techniques. An internationally respected teacher author lecturer and tour leader he is the author of Yearning For The Wind Celtic Reections on Nature and the Soul Fire in the Head Shamanism and the Celtic Spirit Shamanism as a Spiritual Practice for Daily Life The Pocket Guide to Shamanism The Book of Seance The Way of the Saints Prayers Practices and Meditations and Wending Your Way A New Version of the Old English Rune Poem.