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38AJournalofContemporaryShamanismVOLUME7ISSUE1SPRING2014TheRedandBlackRoadsTheNewWasichumustcross.WemustboldlystepforwardtocrosstheblackroadthatBlackElkcallsafear-fulroadaroadoftroublesandofwar.Wemustcrosstothegoodredroadwherepeoplefeelaclosenesstospiritandthesacrednessofalllife.WherethetworoadscrossgrowstheTreeofLife.LindorffaskswewhohaveshamanicskillstomakethatcrossingtocrossovertheblackroadtotheredroadtoleavethesquarecultureofmodernAmericaandenterintothecircularworldofna-tivepeople.AsBlackElksaysYouhavenoticedthateverythinganIndiandoesisinacircleandthatisbecausethePoweroftheWorldalwaysworksincirclesandeverythingtriestoberound.Buttocrossisakindofdeath.LindorffwritesCrossingisaformofdeathnomatterwhatonethinks.ButhehasgreathopefortheshamaniccommunitiesbecauseasheputsitAshamanisonewhodiestohimherself...whohassurvivedsomelife-changingexperience...andproceedstoliveintwoworldsthemiddleworldandthesacredbetweenwhichheshetravelsatwill.Practitionersofshamanismwillknowhowtocrossovertomeetthisdeath.AnditispreciselywewhoarenotNativeAmericanswhosepres-enceisneededonthegoodredroad.SomeNativeAmericansrecognizethis.Lindorffnotesthatthereisamove-mentafootamongNativeAmericansthatembracestherainbowspiritofthenewageandpromotestheideathatitistimetopassalongthenativewisdom.HeremindsusthatBlackElkgaveJohnNeihardtthemedicinenameFlamingRainbowanimagehehadinhisfirstgreatvision.LindorffseesthisnameasacknowledgingNeihardtsheroismforhewasnotonlyBlackElkstranslatorbutalsohischampion.Andsoitisagooddaytocross.Itisagooddaytodie.Notonlygoodbutnecessary.BlackElkknewthatmendingtheHoopsofLifeandnurturingtheTreeofLifecannotbedonebyanyonepeople.Itisahumanendeavor.TheNewWasichuarenotanyonecolorbutcanbefoundamongallofthem.AndtheglobalmovementsofpeoplesculturesandknowledgebothsecularandsacredisneededtobringusbackintoharmonywiththeEarth.Wemustdietoouroldwaysandbebornassomethingnew.AreWeHomeownersOncewhileLindorffwasbusywrit-inghewasinterruptedbyatelemarketerwhoaskedifhewasahomeownerheisandifhishomehadasepticitdoesbutheliedtogetridofthetelemarketer.Goingbacktohisworkhewasstruckbytheomenofthisinterruption.Hereal-izedthathomeownershiptapsintothecoreissueofmylifethemoralityofown-ingapieceofarapidlyshrinkingplanet.Itledhimtoreflectonthesacredindebtednesstothespiritofaplacethatwecanchoosetohonorornot.ThisispreciselywhattheNewWasichumustcometorealizethatpossessinglandshouldleadusintothelandsdreamingsothatweareessentiallybeingpossessedbythelandinthesenseofbeingchosenbythelandtopossessit.Theremaybedeedsandtitlesbuthomeownershipisalsoasacredcovenantwithspirit.Indig-enouspeopleeverywhereknowthis.TheNewWasichumustlearnit.TheNewWasichumustfindwaystobeathometoliveasLindorffsaysinaplacethatIlovethatIcallhome.HeremindsusthatWallaceBlackElksayswemustalwayshaveaspiritguideforthensomeoneiswatchingyou.Watchinghowwewalkonourlandwatchingifwetreatitinasacredmannerwatchingusprayaswebeginlifeeachday.EverymorningWallaceBlackElksgrandfatherlifteduphisarmstopraytothemorningstaranpowie.WhenyoudothathesaiditisliketouchingthefaceofTunkashilatheCre-ator.Whereverwelivewearewatchedbythemorningstar.HealingourBrokenCultureAspiritiswatchingusstruggletofindanalternativetothedualisticthinkingthatseparatesusfromtherestoftheworldthatplacesusinpoweroverit.DualismhasbeentheWasichuheritageourmodusoperandiandourlegacy.OfcoursedualityisrealasLindorffacknowledgesbuthesuggeststhatwere-listentoBobDylansadvicetoDontThinkTwiceItsAllRight.Poweritselfisnotdualisticanditsallright.NativeAmericansdonotquestiontheexistenceofpowerbuttheycriticizethewayWasichususeittoconquertoexploittodestroytodepriveEarthofitsLifeForce.LindorffbelievesasmanyofusdothatourcultureisbrokenbutinhisviewitsasacredbrokennessIfwecanseethathewritesthenwecanbetouchedbythepathosofitallandthenNothingisdullanymoreabsolutelynothingistwo-dimensional.Everythingcanbeseeninitsrightnessinitsconnectiontospiritandwewillnolongerhavetothinktwice.Wecanliveintheexcit-ingunityofallthingsandthushealthebrokenness.Eventhetworoadsarenotreallyaformofdualityforwemustwalkbothroadsblackandredsimultaneously.BlackElkhimselfwastoldtodothis.Wecannotdenythattheblackroadisourheritagealbeittroubled.Itempow-ersusanditcontinuestocreateaswellasdestroy.Butourchallengeonthisroadistoavoidtheecologicaldisasterthatawaitsus.LindorffquotesanotherLakotavisionaryLameDeerwhowarnsOnlyhumanbeingshavecometoapointwheretheynolongerknowwhytheyexist....theystumblealongblindlyontheroadtonowhereapavedhigh-waywhichtheythemselvesbulldozeandmakesmoothsothattheycangetfastertothebigemptyholewhichtheyllfindattheendwaitingtoswallowthemup.BlackElkputitsimplytheWasichuhadforgottenthattheearthwastheirmother.InawaythisiswhyGaryLindorffbecameapoettofindmeaningandavoidthehole.HewritesMeaningiselusivebutunlessourlivesaremeaning-fulwearegoingtocareonlyenoughtolimpalongbutnotenoughtoreinvent