Corinna Veit owns a travel agency organizing various trips which include ceremonies like sweats and sundances, and meetings with medicine persons, and not only exploits ndn spirituality, but also persons. Ms Veit seems a died-in-the-wool esoteric who also functions as a counsellor of persons subscribing to several years of training with the „Personal Totem Pole Process“ method. Furthermore she sells devices promising a reduction in household energy costs due to their making better use of the electrical current provided.
Ms Veit also exploits the name of GfbV [Society for Endangered Peoples] to promote her business as a travel guide:
http://begegnungs-reisen.de/reiseleitung_usa.htmlTour guide and founder of Begegnungs-Reisen: Corinna Veit works as a journalist, yoga teacher, and designer.
During intensive travels, she spent more than two years with various Indian tribes. […]
In Germany, she volunteers on an honorary basis for the political rights of Indians in her function as a coordinator of Gesellschaft für bedrohte Völker [Society for Endangered Peoples].
I first saw this claim about two years ago, and was quite surprised that GfbV – which is wellknown and respectable - should accept esoterics in such functions. I therefore phoned GfbV and talked to Yvonne Bangert (GfbV Official Advisor Indigenous Peoples), explaining to her how Ms Veit used GfbV and its reputation to further her business at her business website. Yvonne was not amused at all and promised to look after the matter, and agreed that the promotional efforts of Veit could have negative effects on the reputation of GfbV. She also mentioned that any activity of Veit's for GfbV took place years ago and Veit hadn't been doing anything for GfbV for several years nor that she was active for GfbV at that point in time.
Some time later, I checked Ms Veit's site and the reference to GfbV had been taken down. When I now had a look at Veit's site this year – voila, Veit must have thought the coast was clear enough again.
Now for a closer look at Veit's site:
http://begegnungs-reisen.de/Veit promotes several trips worldwide: USA, Canada, Guatemala, Peru, India, Africa, Mongolia. Always with an emphasis on authenticity, many of them including promises of ceremonies – and all of them appealing to a rather wealthy clientele, as prices are definitely in the upper segment.
Please be warned before reading on: Veit's promotional texts are rife with racist stereotypes and desinformation.
http://begegnungs-reisen.de/rote_felsen.htmlIn the Land of Red Rocks
May 9 to 24, 2010
Hiking through the landscape and the reservations of Arizona, to the Hopis, Navajos, Hava Supai and Apache, to the ancient power places and the bizarre landscapes of Arizona.
Already in ancient times, Indians traveled here for ceremonies. From Sedona, we will drive through the big Navajo and Hopi reservation [sic] and spend two days with a Navajo medicine woman. You may participate in a healing ceremony if this is your wish. [...]
to the Hopi, Navajos, Hava Supai, and Apaches
Hiking through a bizarre landscape
participation in ceremonies
power places
meeting with healers and seers
a hike through Grand Canyon
2 to 3 days with Navajo medicine woman Louise
Travel details:
[…]
Days 2-4: Sedona
[…] Shared activities: going to power places, hiking, Indian ruins, medicine wheel, meeting with healers and seers (optional).
Day 5: Navajo Reservation
Traveling to our medicine woman via Flagstaff and the Museum of Northern Arizona with its vast Indian department. Overnight stay: in a tent in the vicinity of Louise
[...]
Day 8: Meeting the author
Canyon de Chelly, meeting with a known author who compared the Navajo culture to that of the Tibetans
[…]
Included:
14 overnight stays (7-8 with accomodation in a hotel, 6-7 with accomodation in a tent)
[...]
All meals included, except for eight when we will be on the road; we will prepare meals together on those days with accomodation in a tent
[…]
Participants: minimum of 4, maximum of 12
Price: EURO 2,935.00
Excluded: international flight from Europe to Phoenix, eight meals on the road, tips for Indian guides, horses ($ 80 one way) or helicopter ($ 95 one way), shuttle to airport from Sedona (approx $ 45) […]
The above mentioned medicine woman apparently happens to be Louise Benally who is known for her political activities, but meanwhile also cooperates with other nuage travel agencies posing as a medicine woman.
Please take due note that a price of almost 3,000 for a fortnight with sleeping in tents for half of the time is not exactly a bargain for participants, since traveling to and from Arizona is not included. For about half the time, participants will have to do their own cooking. Please also note the absence of any information on sanitary equipment.
Veit will also take tourists to the buffaloes:
http://begegnungs-reisen.de/bueffel.htmlOn the traces of the buffaloes
June 12 – 26, 2010
South Dakota and Wyoming
15 days with accomodation in hotels – spiritual and today's world of the Indians with intense meetings
[…]
It is a journey into the history of persons who had „higher values“, where the individual in a group was able and expected to live their maximum freedom.
Pine Ridge, Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation, the Black Hills, Bear Butte and more sacred places planned. We will also visit an old chief at his ranch, you can ride a horse or participate in a sweatlodge ceremony, according to preference.
We will follow the traces of a once „lost“ culture and how it survived, in connection with the history of the buffaloes, once completely extinguished, but today reconquering the continent once again.[...]
Travel details:
[…]
Day 3: Wounded Knee
During the morning, we will visit Oglala Lakota College with its museum, in the afternoon, we will meet Henry Red Cloud.
Day 4: Buffalo herd
According to time available, visit to Kili Radio, the Lakota radio station, and the buffalo herd of Henry Red Cloud in a beautiful remote area of the reservation. In the evening: sweatlodge ceremony on demand.
Day 5: Pine Ridge
Visit with Floyd, a Sundance leader and medicine man. He was the one to be told in a vision, when and where the first white buffalo calf was going to be born (in Wisconsin). For many Indian tribes, this was an important signal that times would get better for them. He will talk to us about ceremonies once and now and how they impact the balance of life. […]
As becomes apparent from a different section of Veit's page, the person only mentioned by his first name here is in fact Floyd Hand who gets mentioned in several threads at NAFPS,
[deleted an inaccuracy here, see post below -kpn] (e.g. cf here:
http://www.newagefraud.org/smf/index.php?topic=2273.0 )
Day 7/8: Powwow
We will visit a powwow with our guest family (according to date of travel this may even be a Sundance). […]
Day 11/12: Visiting the ranch of Chief Dave
Two days at the ranch of Chief Dave and his wife Josee. Chief Dave has just turned 90 and in person knew a Sioux warrior who participated in the Battle at the Little Bighorn. […]
Day 14
Free day spent according to preferences […] There is the possibility of going to town e.g. to buy buffalo hides, sinews, or other items […] or visit a project intending to teach their own culture and tradition to reservation children and teach them to estimate it – at Tipi Camp. […]
Price: Euro 3.475.00
Included: 14 stays at hotels, all transfers by minivan, all meals (partly lunch packages, except for 8 meals when on the road)
Not included: flight to Rapid City, tips for Indian guides [...]
In another section of Veit's site, there is an intro on Floyd Hand:
http://www.begegnungs-reisen.de/lakota_in_europa.htmlLakota Medicine Man
Unfortunately we had to postpone the visit to medicine man Floyd Looks for Buffalo Hand and his family. His book „Learning Journey at the Red Path“ will be out in German language in autumn 2009.
You can order books at info@begegnungs....., *49-(0)8382......
All revenue will go to Floyd's non-profit project which hands out meals to person in need at Pine Ridge reservation.
Floyd Hand
is a traditional Lakota medicine man. Besides his working as a healer and medicine man, he is of course a father of a family and a grandfather. With his wife Natalie, he runs a non-profit aid organisation at Pine Ridge reservation which mainly during winter months and at the end of a month hands out food and clothes to Sioux families in need.
Floyd has published a book – originally written for Indians, it has been translated into German language now and will be available in print soon. [...]
http://begegnungs-reisen.de/reiten_south_dakota.htmlSouth Dakota on horseback
Individual booking possible
One to ten days at a ranch with a real Chief, a complete plunge into the Sioux culture and into the area around the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation rife with history, where Crazy Horse once lived. Day trips, conversations with the Chief, riding horses and more. Dave is 88, rides his horse every day, looks after his animals, and loves to speak about „the old times“. He even knew a Sioux Indian who took part in the battle at the Little Bighorn. Many of his tales sound different from what we know – from an Indian point of view. Josee, his wife, is a little younger, and cooks for the guests.[...]
Veit also offers tours to Canada:
http://begegnungs-reisen.de/living_skies_kanada.htmlLand of the Living Skies
16 days in Canada – Saskatchewan
Land of the Living Skies – Encounter with the Indian Canada
Tour Details:
Norman Martell of the Cree tribe is our host:
'Long time before travelers and traders came to our land, we lived in harmony with nature and shared the wide country with other tribes. We hunted and fished, nature gave us all we needed to make a living. I am a Cree Indian and was born here, and live here only. I hunt and fish like my ancestors, gather berries, herbs, and medicinal healing plants. The knowledge was passed on to me by my father. I was chairperson of the commissions on ressources/land and trapping. I furthermore contribute to research and development of oral history and am compiling a map showing all historic places of the Cree Indians in my country.
My tribe are the Woodland Cree. We live in a forest belt where plains border on the forest area. We are a progressive 'band' and familiar with all modern aspects, but we still live off the land we live in. There are only a few small towns. The nearest one is in 40 kms distance. I would like to invite you to visit us, the 'First Nation in Saskatchewan', at Waterhen Lake and gain insights into our culture and traditions. Experience the original Canada first hand!
Participants will stay in a tipi camp from Day 2 until Day 14 and prepare their own meals in an open air kitchen. Veit furthermore promises participants meetings with the Cree, individuals and families, hints at participants being invited by families, and announces participants will get to know the political structures of the reserve. Not to forget:
The emphasis will be on cultural exchange.
Activities:
- In crafts workshops you will learn with expert Indian teachers how to make a traditional item, like e.g. mocassins, a drum, or a dreamcatcher and learn details about how to work with traditional materials.
[…]
- A special highlight is visiting a Pow-wow. Pow-Wow's [sic] are the traditional summer festivities of Plains tribes, with persons from all directions gathering and having a chance to meet relatives and friends living far away, to exchange news, to participate in ceremonies, and meet new people. Music, drum and song groups, the dances and the traditional regalia, often vividly coloured, will impress you (two days, overnight stay in tents). During the Pow-wow you will have numerous opportunities to try typical Indian food – after your own choice (not included in overall price, approx CAD 5-15 per meal).
[…]
Day 15: Leaving the Tipi Camp
[…] Return to Saskatoon. There are many shops in town where you can buy beautiful Indian products, like e.g craft items. […]
Price 2009: Euro 2,490.00 per person.
Same as with the trip to South Dakota/Wyoming above, participants are not urged to buy Indian arts and crafts items on the rez, directly from producers, so that the entire amount will go to the producers and their families. Instead, participants are more or less requested to buy items in the next town. We may assume that, for tour organisers, it is probably far easier to negotiate percentages with professional dealers in town. Apparently the only persons on rezzes being able to earn money from these tours are those who provide accomodation for the groups of tourists brought over by Ms Veit. The others are just requested to chime in as a colourful background, provide further hospitality, and take over the part of cultural exploitees – pardon me: cultural exchange. So, under the guise of expertise, long years of experience and, not to forget, support for the poor ndns ™, Ms Veit's travel agency does in fact not differ from any other corporation cashing in the profits made from Third World tourism.
http://begegnungs-reisen.de/indien.htmlIndia
In Auroville over New Year's Eve
Southern India, Dec 26 – Jan 9, 2010
Sacred Places – Temples and Relaxing:
Cultural trip of 15 days for all senses
[…]
India is the cradle of great religions and cultures, whose philosphy and deeds still influence us today. In an unforgettable way, old and new are combined in India. Moral values, customs, and traditions with hundreds of years of age coexist with the most modern ideas.
Culture and relaxing: Southern India – much green and friendly people
Pondicherry
Sri Aurobindo Ashram
New Year's Eve at Auroville, a spiritual community of 35 nations with its projects, and time to relax at the seaside
Ayurvedic massage included
Temples and sacred places – world cultural heritage
delicious Indian/European food
Tour guide: Cristo is one of the first Aurovillians and has been living there for 36 years. He has a great commitment to the communal project, he loves Southern India with its temples, sacred places, and beaches. Cristo is an Aikido teacher, his responsibility in Auroville is the forrest. He likes to be with people and has a vast knowledge of the culture. He will be glad to introduce his home by choice to us.
http://begegnungs-reisen.de/guatemala_shamanen.htmlGuatemala and Shamans
MAYA journey to Shamans and meetings
Guatemala – Honduras – Mexico
18 day trip of experience and seminar, Jan 29 to Feb 15, 2010
[…]
Tour guide: Christa Thalbauer
Tour of Guatemala – on the Maya Path, you will encounter the real Guatemala with its rich original nature. Right in the middle of the rain forest, you will meet upon ancient Maya places. You will get to learn the living cities, visit colourful Maya markets, explore the rain forest, and on boat trips you will experience the unique beauty of nature with all your senses.
First and foremost, the tour will get you into contact with the Maya world. Being accompanied by Christa Thalbauer, you will learn much about Maya cosmology, about Maya calendar, and about Maya astrology.
You will see the project Aktenamit and the villages of the indigenous people in Guatemala. You will not only see their every-day life, but will also be part in their ancient traditional rituals. Crafts and education in a Maya community as well as biological horticulture is on the project agenda, too.
The famous places of Mayan high culture will take over a special place during this journey. You will amongst others visit Tikal, Palenque in Mexico, and Copan in Honduras, Quirigua and Aguateca. Many scenic trips will contribute to a part of the Maya journey, as e.g. the area of Coban and Candelaria with walks through the jungle, the foggy forest and in Natonal Parks.
[...]
Day 16, 2 Tijaax: Maya Ritual and Lake Atitlan
In the early morning (approx 6:30) you will witness a Maya ritual at the shores of the lake. Shaman Maria Can Sajon will introduce you to typical shamanic practices of the Maya and explain them. The four elements of sun, wind, earth, and water are significant. You are invited to mention a certain matter in your life, for which you need energy, or which needs energetic support.[...]
Dates and Prices
6 – 10 persons: € 2,780 per person
11 – 15 persons: € 2,500 per person
16 – 20 persons: € 2,260 per person
included: tour guide Christa Thalbauer will accompany the entire tour, including seminars on Maya calendar and Maya astrology
excluded: flight to and from South America, brochure on seminar (€ 15.00)
http://begegnungs-reisen.de/peru.htmlPeru – Total Balance Tour
date: July/August 2010
We offer further trips to Peru through the year, also many trips with more of an emphasis on culture and nature in general and not on the shamanic side. [...]
Philosophy
A symbol of magnetic energy, this is the heart of Pacha Mama. Peru is the origin of a wise and transcendental culture. On the traces of this ancient Indian spirituality, we experience power places and sacred temples. We can use these energies experienced there to open our consciousness, to sensitize our senses, and open our hearts. Traditional medicine today has gained back the respect of a valued knowledge. […]
During this journey
you will experience the rare opportunity of an authentic, social interaction with the population of Peru, combined with personal comfort and cultural participation in the life of the Quechua [...]
meditational initiations into the four elements water, air, fire, and earth at the power places of the Inka
Meditations oriented at visualization and issues, powerful sweatlodges in a breath-taking nature at the foot of the Apu Mountains, herbal baths with medicine plants (optional), Indian massage and ceremonies for meditation and harmonization. [...]
Ms Veit also organizes travels to Africa, and oganizes lectures and seminars for her contact there, Ms Sobonfu Some:
http://begegnungs-reisen.de/sobonf_1.htmlSobonfú Somé
comes from the Dagara people in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Her name means „Keeper of Rituals“ in translation. She was sent by her elders to fufill her life task which is expressed in her name. She travels Europe and America, does lectures and seminars.
Sobonfu's message relates to wisdoms of her people. „The aim of a community is to take care that every member is heard and may introduce the abilities they brought into this world in the right way.“
Sobonfu teaches an approach to rituals as a simple, self-evident, and healing means of life which we can integrate into our every-day life.
Revenues of all seminars and lectures will go to non-profit projects at 100%, mainly into drilling wells in those areas of Burkina Faso where water is most scarce.
It is quite interesting to see the similarity of claims: sent by elders, life's task, complete with the claim of revenues transfered „to my people back home“.
Finally, I found two assessments of her travel agency:
http://www.kennstdueinen.de/reisebuero-lindau-begegnungs-reisen-corinna-veit-d18292.html D.S., Munich […], dd 01/09/2009
„Very spiritual lady, long years of contact to Indians, and very competent in shamanism.“
B.B., Garmisch-Partenkirchen […], dd 01/02/2009
„Long years of contact with Indians
C.V. has been cultivating contacts with shamans from all over the world. She studied very intensely!“
tags: shamanism, Indians, workshops, travels, events
Ms Veit, however, has more fields of interest and activities:
http://tiefe-imagination.de/ausbildung_ptpp.htmlThis site offers a training for an „imaginations' attendant“ according to a so-called „Personal Totem Pole Process“ invented by Professor (yup) Stephen or Eligio Stephen Gallegos:
„If you, too, want to meet your power animals (your power!), this training is a unique, valuable means for you and to attend others.“
Valuable may be the correct term, as courses last three years, with two seminars of one week each per year:
Fees: at the moment, fees charged for one year of training (two weeks each) is Euro 1,400, additional cost for accomodation and food.
Gallego's method is also known by the term „Deep Imagination“ (according to sites promoting it) which is called a „dimension of healing“, and uses „chakra animals“, thus mixing Indian and Native American.
At the bottom of the above mentioned site, clients are asked to contact Ms Corinna Veit to apply for courses. Ms Veit publishes her address and bank account in all detail, for the convenience of prospective clients to facilitate payments for these courses.
Ms Veit is also listed as a „counsellor“ at this site:
http://www.fostac-technologies.ch/de/berater/beraterde.htmlPhotovoltaik & innovative erneuerbare Energien
Corinna Veit
Begegnungs-Reisen GmbH
Spiegler.... :: 881.....
T +49(0)8382 …. :: M +49(0)171 534.... :: F +49(0)8382 …..
info@begegnungs-.... :: www.begegnungs-reisen.de
'Counsellor' of course happens to be a term far more gracious to the eyes and ears of prospective customers than a blunt 'salesperson'.
The company for which Ms Veit acts as a counsellor produces and sells devices which allegedly decrease consumption of electrical current, thus allegedly reducing consumers' payments to power companies by 15% to 25% on average. Now, doesn't this sound great... It gets even better: these devices will also minimize harmful influence of electric smog and of underground watercourses. Plus that devices will additionally increase the quality of water in the building and, last not least, the „personal wellbeing“. And all this for a mere € 1,000 for a Fostac Maximus - bills for having the device assembled at your home of course excluded.
Now, do not rush to buy one... Apparently, the company promote their devices using pseudo-scientific claims and absurd physical-technical allegations, like e.g. an alleged „increased efficiency of electrical currant“. The company is said to be quite immune towards criticism and argue their devices needed a certain running-in period to fully develop their impact. They furthermore claim that, with about 10% of their clients, the devices showed no effect at all. Counsellors listed at the Fostac site were predominantly traders of esoteric articles, Feng Shui consultants, organizers of esoteric seminars, and organizers of „Indian travels“. (The latter paragraphs are based on a critical article in German language, to be found at
http://www.esowatch.com/ge/index.php?title=Fostac_Maximus ).
