Hello and Thanks!!

[englishman]

hi there, thought id finally introduce myself......found this site back in 2007 i think and boy did it open my eyes!! havent checked it out in a few years but have been rereading thru the posts the past 2 weeks.....tons of info to go thru lol. Anyway im a 32 year old white guy in michigan who around 21 got caught up in the nuage indian spirituality stuff......read the books by the 'experts' and thought wow this is great, 'so spiritual' and found my way to a sweatlodge open to the public  for a $20.00 'land donation'. it was run by an old white 'rainbow' couple who learned from Sunbear (sigh) Even at the time i remember thinking, how is it a donation if its a set price and u gotta pay that price to attend lol. and it was all white people, not a native in sight, which i also thought was strange. Anyway they were nice and everyone seemed sincere so i went with it and attended off and on for a few years. Then i discovered this site and.........boom my bubble burst! then anger, then depression, then acceptance. I finally realized it was exploitation and inappropriate and not spiritual. I fully support the work you are doing and sincerely thank you again for maintaining this site and opening my eyes!

[englishman]

also the information ive learned from this site has helped me to see that 90% of the rest of the new age movement as well as the neopagan movements are also exploitive and abusive even if they arent stealing from another culture. They sure could learn a lot about the no 'pay to pray' policy and no charging when it comes to spirituality. No weekend workshops to 'become' anything, no self appointed titles, no greed or super egos! ive used the basic principles ive learned from this site as a measuring stick for these groups/organizations and sadly most of them fall short

[Defend the Sacred]

Welcome, Englishman. I also had a run-in with Vincent LaDuke ("Sun Bear") and his crowd back in 1984. Some friends of mine with alleged distant NDN heritage brought me to one of his "Bear Tribe" gatherings. From that one, weird weekend, I saw some people who I knew were white start trying to pass as NDN. Some bought pipes in the marketplace, and had LaDuke "awaken" them for them by simply holding them briefly. Then they returned to the Neopagan community, proclaiming that they were now "pipe carriers", given the right by LaDuke. One white Wiccan even proclaimed herself a Medicine Woman, came up with a whole new backstory for herself, and started a women's drum group. She fooled lots of people in another country. Lots of Neopagans attended that same gathering, and I watched LaDuke and co's newage versions of smudging and fake ceremonies be carried back to Neopagan gatherings where they became an unquestioned part of many people's modern "traditions". I had thought the Neopagan community would be better, but eventually I found the same thing you did: massive egos, greed, alienated people with personality disorders proclaiming themselves spiritual leaders, and it's still going on. From what I occasionally see on the Internet, I think it's gotten far worse since I've disengaged from those people.

[englishman]

Yeah the last sweat i went to with those people back in '07 i got there kinda early and i even witnessed one of the regular 'leaders' hand the 'firekeeper' some marijuana semi-discreetly and i overheard some of their conversation and it was definitely pot from what i heard so i didnt misunderstand what i was seeing........whether it was a drug deal or a gift i dont know but it doesnt matter that sort of thing should not have been going on at a spiritual ceremony. i never went back after that. Yeah its really sad in the neopagan  community, the problem is so widespread and deep rooted. there arent many options for non natives seeking their cultural roots and a way to express an earth centered spirituality in an appropriate way and with integrity and honor. yet there are tons of groups falsely pretending to do so and preying upon seekers. not that there arent any decent people or groups.....i was just amazed after learning the basic principles of true spiritual integrity from this sight that when i measured them up to all the groups i had come across in the pagan community not one of them fully applied them!! The influence of the greedy, materialistic, global monoculture is strong indeed. But there is hope, just need to be patient and diligent.......to end that on a positve note lol

[Defend the Sacred]

The ethnic reconstructionist groups are trying to be an alternative to that, at least the ones who consciously distance themselves/ourselves from the Neoplaygan community. But we're still small. Any efforts to grow these culturally-rooted groups have sometimes been met by nasty people demanding entrance and wanting to change the group into the very thing we've tried to provide an alternative to. So we have to have boundaries and things move slowly. But at this point in my life I'm for quality, not quantity.

[englishman]

well thats good to hear that there are sincere reconstructionists out there! yeah that doesnt surprise me about people wanting in too fast or trying to change things in a bad way. Too many people not willing to take the time needed and check their egos