Rainbow Bridge Society Beginnings
The Rainbow Bridge Society was formed in 2006 in order to offer a ceremonial path of healing to the People, and to create open spiritual communities for people to gather. It is a national body, with local communities beginning to spread across the country. Part of the work of the Rainbow Bridge Society is to provide opportunities to sweat in local communities.
Shamanic Ceremonies for a Changing World

In support of the ceremonial intent of this Society, there will be a book coming out later this year called, "Shamanic Ceremonies for a Changing World". The manuscript is being presented to various publishers; as well, the possibility of self publishing is being investigated. A terrific young Toronto artist is busy at work designing the book cover. All very exciting!

Annual Meeting of the
Council for Self Governance
Coming Up Soon!

The next meeting of the CFSG will take place on Gabriola Island, B.C, from the 8th-11th of July, 2009. Any circle members who wish to do so are invited to come early and test-drive new RBS ceremonies from July 5th-7th. New members on the Council are welcome. If you are willing to participate on the Council, please write to rbstor@gmail.com. It's a wonderful learning experience and a spiritually fun-filled time, with like-minded seekers. We have a powerful Earth Dance, great food, and maybe kayaking will be on the agenda again!

Community News

Calgary
This active community has sweat lodges usually on the third Friday of each Month. Additional sweats may be held on the Solstices and Equinoxes, along with pipe ceremonies. Calgary Sweat Dates: May 22, June 19, July 24, August 21 Drum Group: May 23. For more information, contact rbscal@gmail.com

Ottawa Region
This community is active as well and holds a variety of sweats: Women's Full Moon Sweat May 9; Solstice Sweat June 21; Ceremonial Week (at Abundare Farm) Aug 16-23, including the Earth Dance - Aug 22. For more information, contact rbsott@gmail.com.

Toronto
This comminity has had a number of meetings to review some of the teachings regarding self governance and the Twenty Count. Sweats are offered most months and have become so popular there are usually waiting lists. New sweat leaders are undergoing training to make additional sweats available. In order to support the growth of sweatlodge activities, people willing to be trained to work with the fire and the rocks are absolutely essential. All interested can write to rbstor@gmail.com.
This community also has has an active drum team called The Thunderbirds, working with a growing body of songs that are becoming part of the RBS linneage. They meet every Tuesday evening and new members are most welcome. Please contact coyotenorth@gmail.com if you are interested in participating. (see featured article below)
If you are not yet on our e-mail list and wish to be notified about upcoming events, please use the above address.
Toronto sweat dates: June 3, July 28, August 24

Featured Animal Totem

The Beaver
Beaver is a builder of strong and firm foundations and structures. Beaver is a doer, focusing on its family and home, providing food and safety. It keeps its options open by creating several exit points in its dam. It's strength allows it to build it's environment against strong currents. Sharp pointy teeth and a strong tail allow Beaver to protect itself. Teamwork helps it to achieve it's goals. Determination is it's innate characteristic. What can you learn from Beaver? Have you built a strong foundation in your life? Are you able to include the flexibility of a number of exit points/options, or are you focused on a single way of accomplishing your goals? Have you the determination of the Beaver as you go about your life, or do you get easily distracted? Do family bonds need strengthening? Are you able to create solid boundaries based on true self acceptance and self love in order to protect yourself? Are you able to accept help from others when you need it and pitch in when others need the same? Meditate on Beaver and all the wisdom that it has to offer to make your life run more smoothly.

Ceremony

Assemble all the materials listed above and smudge yourself and the materials.
Cut each of your 2-inch squares of fabric in the appropriate colors (five 2-inch squares each of red, black, blue, yellow and two 2-inch squares of rainbow-color). You will be creating prayer bundles with these squares, speaking your prayers aloud in your own way as you do so.

Place a pinch of tobacco into each of the five red squares, with prayers for the waters - for the return of pure waters and the care of this precious resource. Ask to be in alignment with the waters of life and to help keep the waters clean both externally and internally. (your own emotions). Tie up the corners of each prayer bundle with string.

Place a pinch of tobacco into each of the five black squares, with prayers for the earth - for the care of the earth and for bringing the earth back into balance. Ask to be in alignment with Her and to learn to be mindful of the footprint you make on her. Commit to lessening that impact. Ask to have increased awareness so you can keep yourself out of harm's way as Grandmother Earth does her rebalancing (with storms and quakes). Tie up the corners of each bundle with string.

Place a pinch of tobacco into each of the five blue squares, with prayers for the air - for the care of the air and for clean, fresh air. Ask to become aware of how you pollute the air so you can reduce the impact you make on the air. Tie up the corners of each bundle with string.

Place a pinch of tobacco into each of the five yellow squares, with prayers for the fires - for the care of the fires, and pray that humans learn to use fire appropriately and not abuse it. Ask for the safe use in the world of combustibles and explosives, including a stopping of the human wars on Grandmother Earth. Tie up the corners of each prayer bundle with string.

In the rainbow coloured squares, place the 22 seeds in one and the 22 crystals in the other square. Tie the corners of each bundle with string. Hold up the seed prayer bundle and ask that Grandmother Earth always be able to rebirth and re-seed herself and ask Her to continue to be abundant.
Hold up the crystal bundle and ask that Grandmother Earth always be able to regenerate and rejuvenate herself and ask Her to teach Her human children how to care for Her.

Measure a piece of string long enough to stretch between two trees and tie the all five red, black, blue and yellow bundles onto it leaving about two inches between each bundle. Tie that string of prayers between the two trees so every time the wind blows those prayers are sent through the winds to Spirit. Place the seed bundle in the ground in a place where it will get enough sunlight and rain for the seeds to sprout and grow. Dig a hole in the earth and place the crystal bundle inside and cover it with earth. Make a declaration to Spirit of one thing you are committed to change with regard to your own personal alignment with Grandmother Earth. Make it a permanent change.

Clear away any tools and leftover material pieces and leave the space in beauty!




Feature Article:
SONIC BLOOM

Martin Prechtel, author, artist, and Mayan shaman, says that for the Mayan people "the sounds of birds and bugs had different powers over the weathers and destinies." The belief was that the seasons didn't bring the birds, but rather the bird's language of magic sounds brought about seasonal changes in temperature and moisture. (Secrets of the Talking Jaguar: A Mayan Shaman's Journey to the Heart of the Indigenous Soul) Brooke Medicine Eagle calls this Sonic Bloom. She says bird song helps to open the stamen of the plant so it can receive more nutrients. As I sit in my back yard and take in the chirps, warbles, whistles, and hoots of our many bird visitors I feel I am transported to a world where language is song and song opens the door to magic...and I look forward to a bountiful harvest from our vegetable garden later this year blessed by birdsong!
The Thunderbird Drummers and the Beautiful Peace Drum are also lending our voices and energy to the creation of beauty and magic. Each time we meet around the drum, our voices and the pulse of the drum beat awaken within us that which lies dormant and opens us up from the inside out so that we can take in and be fed by the beauty around us. At the same time we give back to the Earth with our prayers and our songs. In this way we are "tuning in" to our own rhythms and the rhythms of nature around us. May you be blessed by birdsong this Spring! Pat Red Moon Dragon For information on the Thunderbird Drummers, please contact me at coyotenorth@gmail.com.

...............................................................www.rainbowbridgesociety.com ................................... Vol 1, Issue 2, May 2009

Spring is a great time to consciously seek alignment with Grandmother Earth. This ceremony helps you to find your own natural balance in your body, mind, emotions and spirit. In aligning with the earth, you gain increased awareness of the interconnectedness of life and are more able to discern the shifts and changes around you as Grandmother Earth continues to maintain her own balance. This ceremony takes approximately 2 hours once you have assembled all the materials.

Materials Needed:
Smudge stick or smudge and shell
Loose tobacco
Scissors
22 Crystal points - small quartz crystals
22 Different kinds of plant/flower seeds
Cloth/Material for creating 22 Prayer bundles – natural (not synthetic) ie: cotton, silk, wool, linen, hemp.
**The material is to be cut into five 2-inch squares each of red, black, blue and yellow and two 2-inch squares of rainbow-color material {which has red, orange, yellow, green, blue indigo and violet in it "roy g. biv"} You can apply these colours onto a white cloth with permanent markers or buy cloth that has all these colours in it.
String - long enough pieces to tie the prayer bundles individually as well as to tie them together to string between two trees.

 

Creating the Space

Find a place indoors in which you will not be disturbed. Place your blanket in the centre of your ceremonial space.
On the edge of the blanket, on the foil squares, position the four candles in each of the four directions, East, West, South, North.
In your own way, call in the energies of the specific directions. Light the candles. Take your blank sheet of paper and draw an infinity symbol, or your own original symbol representing the energy of the Feathered Winged Serpent. Place this symbol in the middle of your blanket. Smudge yourself and your ceremonial space.

Community News continued...

Vancouver Area
This community has a variety of ongoing activities and upcoming events. For more information write to rbsvan@gmail.com.