Hi Critter,
I am new here I am Cherokee/Choctaw,
I am not sure about what you are speaking, are you Native? Would you be willing to share what you teach?
I am very aware of those seeking the Spirituality of our people, this is not something you learn but is born within ones heart. It was instilled within us, from childhood our traditions, ceremonies.Passed down from generations. This you can not find in a book, or cyberspace, to try to do so it will Never be correct. Are you saying that the only Spirituality out there for non native is Native?
Since you have worked with so many, why is it that so many non-native people want to/drawn to our ways? I truely want to know.
We do NOT have shamans! never have. The best way to learn is go visit a REZ and spend time there doing work, no matter what it be. The Elders will always be watching, they will come to you, not the other way around. Anything learned from the internet or paid for will be mixed teachings and not true. This is not our way.
Anyway my thoughts. 
Hi, no, I am not native. I do not practice any native traditions, as none have ever been taught to me, nor have I sought out to learn those traditions. I spent some time in sweat lodge in the early 90's, but it was for healing purposes within my life. And, was not the direction of my life. I am grateful. And would never soil the help given to me by spitting on it.
I don't teach anything. Some people try to tell me that I teach, but I don't believe or feel that I teach anything. And I never tell anyone that I am a teacher.
I also do not read books. I can probably count the number of books I have read.. I read Castaneda when I was very young, in the early 70's.. read the 2nd set when they came out later and disliked them and do not believe it. Early 70's read some books by Lobsang Rampa, and read a Ruth Montgomery book, that I barely remember. In the 90's I then read Fool's Crow and Lame Deer as suggested by the people I sweated with. Um.. read Celestine Prophecy, a bunch of crap. After that, I haven't read anything. Oh late 90's I read a book about a man's near death experience.. That's all I can think of that I've ever read. I've met people who all they do is read this book, that book, it drives me crazy. I mean, put down the books, how do you know what is your own thought when your head is filled with someone else's?
In the mid 90's I learned Reiki, but never really practiced it. It seemed to more or less help me streamline what I've been doing since I was child.
No, I am not saying the 'only' spirituality out there for non natives is native spirituality. What I"m saying is that non natives are 'seeking' spirituality, some turn to Eastern beliefs, while some turn to native beliefs, and others seem to make up their own from a mish mash of differing beliefs. It is because non natives have no culture, no 'traditions' handed down, except for religion, which, as in the Christian religion, the book has been rewritten a few times, changing this and that, and basically, there isn't 'traditions' handed down. There are beliefs handed down which change over time, and change based on interpretation of the book. To me, this is not 'tradition' nor a 'traditional' way/form of 'spirituality'. To me, it is not spiritual.
The many I've worked with so far in my life, we did not discuss ndn traditions. I worked with them in aspects of their life to help them.
One person I met who claimed she was Cherokee she taught people, but I elected friendship rather than teacher/student relationship. I still learned some things, but they are not ndn traditional things, and she does not teach them as being tradition ndn ways. I personally think she has some multiple personality disorders and on most counts with me was wrong, almost 100% of the time. But, I don't feel she is 'harmful' to anyone.. she does not sell and she does not claim to be teaching ndn ways... she claims to be ndn, but not that she is 'teaching ndn'.
I did go through hell though, and still feel many instances of what happened in those years with her could have been avoided if she had been honest. And, I should have followed the first warning I felt within and ran.. but I didn't.. so.. I'm to blame as well.
My 'assessment' of non ndn's flocking to other spiritual ways, that are steeped in tradition such as the Eastern and ndn ways, is based on just what I see of it, it's my own assessment of it. That they are seeking something spiritual, and do not find it in the religions handed down, so seek instead to the traditions of other older cultures. The religion I know of does not allow for certain spiritual aspects of being, it is called evil. People are not so stupid.. in my assessment, they 'feel' (not emotional) that something exists.. and seek to find it. They turn to those who they perceive seem to have it.. ndn's, as well as the Eastern... such as Buddhist. There are many in the Buddhist lineages that are also fake. Those lineages are intact to teacher to student, and just as with the ndn's there are people claiming this or that with some Buddhist and it's false.
People seek because they need.. which is why the people you encounter are also so 'needy'.. that is my personal 'assessment'. There are also those who, in my view, are not really 'seeking' from a place within, but are just who knows what pretending this and that.. for who knows why.. some to make a fast buck, some for self esteem issues.. some because they're just crazy, and some again, who knows why.
I wasn't taught by elders, or by ndn peoples. What I do isn't ndn tradition. I don't know what it is, to be honest. And I say that with a little apprehension as I do not wish to be labeled this or that or whatever else can happen by making such a statement.
I have choices too.. I can die and go back to wherever it is I came from, or I can stay and be morbidly depressed living each day simply because I'm still breathing.. or, I can live what I am.. regardless of whatever anyone wants to call at me.. the areas I work in with people would fall under 'new age' terms I think, but I can't help that. All I can say is I've been doing it longer than the 'new age' came on the scene.
I think people take not just from ndn and eastern but also, from the mystery of things learned/known by many without a traditional way of being.. and use that too to make a buck. And call it new age.
The point is, I want to set up a network of service for people that is real, and not for profit. This new age make a buck is way out of control. I don't know if I can do it, I know I can't do it alone.. we'll see.. I don't know why not to try it. If the new age make a buck people had competition, real competition, where people could get help for free.. well, I don't know, maybe that would put a stop to some of it. That is the intention, anyway, to put a hole in their bucket.
