My Dear Daughters in the Sacred Sahaptan Healing Way,

All women of childbearing age are automatically members of the Council of Mothers of the Nemenhah Lodge in their community or region and also of the General Council of Mothers. This position of importance is a gift given by the Earth Mother in the First Creation and cannot be taken away.

The Nemenhah adhere to the ancient custom and policy used by many Native American Tribes all over Turtle Island - that is that the nomination of the Community Councils of the Nemenhah is accomplished by the Council of Mothers in that location. In other words, the Council of Mothers decides when a Community is to be formed by nominating a Community Council from among the members of the Lodge of the Sacred Sahaptan Healing Way in a given area. The members of the Lodge, which makes up what we call the “General Assembly of the Lodge,” then affirm the nominations by election or they ask the Mothers to nominate others. When a General Council is needed, the Lodge and Community Councils send representatives from their own council. When a Great Council is needed, the General Councils send members from their own council. In this way, the Councils of Mothers form the foundation for all that the other Councils of the Nemenhah accomplish.

Accordingly, I feel it is of the greatest importance that the Women of the Nemenhah become more integrally involved in the movement. As Elected Principle Medicine Chief, I may adopt members into the Band and I may form Lodges. But my work in organizing the Nemenhah stops there. I cannot form any Council except the Peli Council. I cannot really plan any meetings, except the ceremonies and education circles over which I preside, and that is only when I am invited to do so. The important meetings must be organized and carried out by the appropriate Councils, which really couldn’t exist without the Councils of Mothers.

The restoration of our Band and Traditional Spiritual Path is a relatively new thing and there is much interest in what we are about to do. I am appealing to all the women of our Life Way to come forward and learn their duty and opportunity. It is time for women to be honored and recognized in our society, as they were anciently. I want the Nemenhah to be an example to all the world in this regard.

The world has languished in darkness. Yes, we have moved through a dark cycle. But this is not unusual, nor unnatural. Indeed, every year the cycles of the seasons bring a cycle of dark, followed by a cycle of light. On June 21 each year the light cycle diminishes each day just a little until December 21, the shortest and darkest day of the year. It is a natural process and provides for a period of vigorous growth and activity followed by a balancing cycle of rest and renewal. This is part of the Healing Way of the Earth.

Cultural and societal cycles follow a similar pattern, with episodes of surging spiritual growth followed by seasons of languor. Whereas, the healing cycles of the Earth Mother happen automatically - rhythmically – predictably, the ebb and flow of spiritual cycles are affected by people. We can bring about a cycle of spirituality, and by consequence, cultural development and growth that may be either lasting or fleeting, depending on our commitment and dedication to good. In like manner, we may shorten or lengthen a period of stagnation and darkness.

In 1995 we passed into a period of Light and the days of our spirituality began to lengthen. In that year we saw the return of White Buffalo births, as was prophesied ages ago. It is now our opportunity to either extend or foreshorten this gift of light by the way in which we react to it.

The Lodge Manual is designed to be an assistance to those individuals who choose to extend the light and work to bring about a restoration of the principles that created golden ages of enlightenment in Turtle Island in ages past. It should be used as a guideline, not a litany. It is a rough outline that I suspect will be fleshed out only by the Lodges as they begin to experiment upon it as a model. I do not want this manual to become some sort of dogma and, in the moment that it does, I will certainly be writing a new one to take its place or approving a better one written by you.

May all be edified by the work of the Sacred Sahaptan Healing Way.

We Walk in a Sacred Manner
We Talk in a Sacred Manner.

Hemene Ot To-oh-yelo Akekt (Cloudpiler)