Kip's Lodge, Hosted by Kipsuwah

May the new year be filled with pleasant surprises for everyone.

May your day be filled with good food, family and friends.

Kip, not only is today is the first day of Hannukah and also the first day of Winter.

What do you know about Native American winter celebrations?

Merry Christmas Everyone! :)

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! :)

I love it when you share your graphics.

I am not a fan of change.

Made this graphic recently.

Hi Everyone!

mygirls, I love that picture!

I have a new internet connection , a high speed and when I changed over, I lost all of my pictures, so I have to start over. I have photo Bucket also, but hadn't transferred my pictures to it. I still don't know how to post pictures here, but when I get some, I may be asking for help. :)

Have a Great Thanksgiving everyone!

Nan

I can never see a wolf without thinking of Danny Grayhawk. He probably had no idea how much he influenced us all.

I received an email this past week full of beautiful Angels. Thought I would share one here.

I posted once and three more of the same were added !

Thank you for the help ! I

Blessings, and peace to your lodge.

Thank you for the help ! I

Blessings, and peace to your lodge.

Thank you for the help ! I

Blessings, and peace to your lodge.

Thank you for the help ! I

Blessings, and peace to your lodge.

Kip, I see you use Photobucket to store your pictures. I do too. When you want to post a picture use the html link on your photo in Photobucket. It's the really, really, really, long code of the ones that are there.

Don't know if you use Photobucket a lot, but, just click on the html, it will say, "copied" and then all you have to do is "paste" it here and viola, your picture will be here.

Glad you got your computer virus fixed, we missed you.

This new TA has let me down. But, anyway, I tried. :(

All the men and women who have served and are now serving..... we appreciate and honor you.

In honor also, of a dear friend, Danny Grayhawk....

.[IMG]http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq182/ustidali/Vietnam1966.jpg[/IMG]

Sorry I'm late. My computer had a virus and was in the shop.

Thank you so much for the birthday wishes. It was a wonderful day, spent with my dear Mom, who prepared a nice dinner for me. Very tasty, as usual. :)

On October 29, 1943, I drew my first breath, and the years of my life began. So, I consider the day of my birth as my new year 's day as well. I am looking forward to all of the things you two have mentioned for my new year. :)

May Great Spirit grant you both the same.

Sorry I missed your birthday, Kip.

I see each birthday as a new beginning, so hope your life will be filled with surprises.

May your day be filled with friends, family, peace and love.

Yes, I'm more inclined to be the same these days. I am so glad to return to my Indiana woods after a visit to town. I find that I only go there when I must, and try to do all errands and visits during those times.

It's a joy to be welcomed home by my two dogs, who leap about and talk to me as if I had been gone for days instead of hours. Animals show their love opening and honestly. It's a wonderful thing!

This touched a nerve for me today. I have noticed that the times I enjoy most in life now are the times when I can feel the "mellow breezes". I no longer have any desire to be part of the hectic rat race so many people call life.

Down in the edge of the woods a grapevine swnigs back and forth in the dappled sunlight. Two squirrels, young ones, spend time swinging on the vine, chasing each other up and down and crossing from tree to tree. Their obvious joy in simply being alive is good to watch. We seldom do anything with great joy. Most of us are animated only when it serves a purpose - not a genuine enthusiam. We are too full of ifs and oughts to find reasons to rejoice. Sometimes a change can jar us into an awareness of life, and that life is intended to be much simpler than what we make it. Now we are in a season of mellow breezes and a slower pace. If only we can move out of fear and be able to enjoy life minute by minute.
J.S. Hifler

sha ~ I also miss the friendships we had at the old TA. It is nice that some of us pop in to say 'Hi', like I am doing now. lol But it isn't the same :( as it was because of the way it is set up. It is better than nothing though I suppose.

I can't either. Even though we don't chat as often as we once did the people I have met here remain an important part of my life. I will continue to try and nurture those friendships as I would a garden.

I'm sad; too, that so many are gone from TA these days. I suppose it can never be the same as it was. Somehow though, I just can't let it go.

I never did care much for change; but everything does sooner or later. Guess I'll just have to try and keep up. :)

I still make the rounds of the discussion groups but don't see too many people here anymore. It really makes me sad.

One thing about posting now since the changeover is that if you reply to a post it seems to get buried and no one sees it. I always start a new post so it shows up at the top of the page in hopes that more people might see it and respond.

It's nice to see you here. I've sure missed your beautiful graphics.

Hi. So good to find this discussion. :)

Thanks Kip!

I wrote a long post to you earlier and it disappeared. I don't know where it ended up? LOL

Anyway I'll make this one shorter. We have a lot of sage growing here. I have lived here for years, but only found out a few years ago that it was sage. My brother mentioned it, when he was visiting here. I thought it was all tumble weeds, but he pointed out the difference to me. He said that in Oregon they sold dried sage at all of the swamp meets. A lot of the Indian people bought it for their ceremonies.

He had a 90 year old Indian woman that lived near him. He use to give her rides to the store and doctors appointments when her Sons couldn't make it. She taught him how to make the dream catchers and some Indian jewellery. It has become a hobby and he has made several things. He has given his family a lot of it, but sells some of it at a swamp meet.

Thanks for sharing the information about smudging. It is very interesting!

Nan

About Smudge Sticks

Using a smudging tool is part of many Native American traditions. The burning of herbs for emotional, psychic, and spiritual purification is also common practice among many religious, healing, and spiritual groups. The ritual of smudging can be defined as "spiritual house cleaning." In theory, the smoke attaches itself to negative energy and as the smoke clears it takes the negative energy with it, releasing it into another space where it will be regenerated into positive energy.

Common Herbs Used in Smudge Sticks

Sage / White Sage

Cedar / Pine

Lavender

Sweet Grass

Mugwort

Copal

Purposes of Smudging

Ceremony / Ritual

Cleansing / Purification

Clearing / Freeing / Releasing

What To Smudge

Yourself

Crystals

Personal Objects

Home / Office / Healing Space

When To Smudge Yourself

When your spirits are low

After being around someone who is sick or depressed

During meditation

When in prayer

The Smudging Ceremony
Smudging is a ritual way to cleanse a person , place or an object of negative energies, spirits or influences. The smudging ceremony involves the burning of special, sacred plants and herbal resins, then, either passing an object through the resulting smoke, or fanning the smoke around a person or place. The spirit of the plant then purifies whatever is being smudged.

There are two ways of doing a smudging ceremony. The simplest way to smudge is to use a smudge stick. A smudge stick is a wand made of the leaves of a plant or mixture of plants tied together and dried. To use, simply light the end of the wand and extinguish the flame once it has a smoldering end. Have the person being smudged stand facing you and pass the wand back and forth through the person's aura starting at their feet and moving upwards. When you reach their head, have them turn, clockwise and pass the wand down their back. Sometimes it's a good idea to pay close attention to the heart area. To cleanse a room or house, carry in the lit smudge stick, clockwise around the area, making sure to smudge in the corners and behind doors. The second way of smudging is to use self-igniting or incense charcoal as a source of heat. Light the charcoal and place it in a heat proof container. Sprinkle about a half a teaspoon of smudging herb on the charcoal and fan the smoke toward the object being smudged as above.

These are some of the plants that can be used for smudging along with their spiritual properties.

Desert Sage (Artemesia tridentata). This plant will drive out negative energies, spirits and influences. Use this as a smudge to purify people and places before any sacred ceremony.

Cedar (Libocedrus descurrens, Thuja occidentalis). This plant can also be used to purify, especially for negative emotions.

Sweetgrass (Hierochole odarata) This is one of the most sacred herbs used for smudging. This herb is used to bring positive energy in after negative energies are banished by using sage.

White Sage (Salvia apiana) This sage is used just like desert sage, but many people prefer White Sage because of the sweeter aroma it gives off.

Lavender (Lavandula officianalis) This herb will restore balance and create a peaceful atmosphere. It will also draws loving energy and spirits.

Mugwort (Atemesia vulgarus) This herb can used to stimulate psychic awareness and prophetic dreams. The Lakota also believe that when Mugwort is burned it "makes the bad spirits sick", and they move away from it.

Copal (Bereseru microphylla) This resin was used by the Mayans as a food for the Gods. They believe that as the smoke of the Copal would rise, it would carry their prayers to the ears of the Gods. Copal is used in divination and in purification ceremonies. Copal is the Frankincense of the Western Hemisphere.

Juniper (Juniperus ssp.) This herb is also used to purify and to create a safe and sacred space. Juniper was often carried in a medicine pouch or a pocket for protection.

Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicus) This herb can be used to purify and to set and protect boundaries. The name of this plant reflects it's nature. Yerba Santa means sacred herb.

Osha (Ligusticum porteri) The root of this plant can be burned as an incense or carried for good luck and protection from bad influences. Osha is also a preferred gift for Native American elders.

Thanks Kip,
I really appreciate all of your information!

I thought they might have come with the dream catcher, because everything started happening after I returned from Oregon last year. I had several events happen around that time. We had some terrible dust storms and a mini toronado that knocked out our power for several days. I kind of wonder if the winds might have disturbed an Indian burial sight somewhere on the desert. I still haven't found how to contact the historial society here yet, but I'm sure there was many tribes here at one time..

My brother made the dream catcher and it probably doesn't have anything to do with it, but I also had another dream catcher that my daughter bought me in Mexico. When all these weird things started happening I had both of them in my bedroom. I have taken them out sense, but my visiters have been back. So far it has been women and children. My friend saw three women at one time and a women and little girl at another time, but they were kind of grey siloettes. I saw a little boy, but he was in full form. I thought I was dreaming and I might have been, because he was in full color. He was about 7 or 8. He was smiling at me and twirling some colorful rings on his arms. When I blinked, he was gone. He had dark hair and olive skin, but he had short hair and didn't really look Indian. He kind of reminded me of my nephew when he was little. Most of the time I only see the white misty things that looks like they are trying to form into something, but they never do when I'm watching them. It is kind of like they don't want me to see them, because when I move, they vanish

The only reason I thought they might have something to do with the dream catcher my brother gave me, because he said that he had seen simular things in his home at one time, but they left. I told him that I thought he had sent them to me. LOL
I have tried to talk to them, but I'm not sure if they even know where they are at or even aware of me. I just get nervous when they get too close. It doesn't happen every night and sometimes it may be weeks before I see them again. Next time I will try to communicate with them.

Hopefully they will move on.

Nan

Good to see you here again Kip. We've missed you.

Thanks for your input on Spirits. I know Nan and I needed to hear what you had to say.