NO LONGER A MATTER OF CONCERN: Rebekah Simpson & Royce Taghon - Sedona Shamanic

[Epiphany]

Description   Trade Name
Status   Active
Name   SEDONA SHAMANIC JOURNEYS
City   PRESCOTT VALLEY
State   AZ
Business Type   SPIRITUAL HEALING
Domestic Begin Date   2/1/2009
Registered Date   12/31/2012
Owner   REBEKAH SIMPSON

http://www.azsos.gov/scripts/TNT_Search_engine.dll/ZoomTNT?NME_ID=562443&NME_CODE=NME

File ID   473142
Description   Trade Name
Status   Active
Name   COACHES CONNECTION
City   SEDONA
State   AZ
ZIP   86340-
Business Type   LIFE COACHING
Registered Date   10/9/2009
Owner   REBEKAH SIMPSON

http://www.azsos.gov/scripts/TNT_Search_engine.dll/ZoomTNT?NME_ID=473142&NME_CODE=NME

Rebekah has been studying and practicing Native American Shamanism since a young child. Rebekah's blood lines on her Mothers side date back to the Blackfoot tribe on her grandmothers side and the Seminole tribe on her grandfathers side. Her fathers lineage is unknown.She was born and raised on Yavapai-Apache historical land, and studied as an apprentice with Shamans and elders from the Navajo, Hopi, Yurock and Lakota Tribes.

She is committed now to teaching and educating others about Native American Shamanism, Native American history, natural healing, exploring and studying Native ruins of the Southwest, and healing Mother Earth.

Rebekah is also the founder of the New Earth Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to re-integrating the old native ways back into our world today, when everything was sacred and treated with honesty and respect.

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/about/

Works with:

Bear was born and raised in North Dakota. He is an eagle dancer and elder of the Blackfoot tribe. His practice and knowledge in the medical field has given him insight as a medical intuitive, for this he was given the name "Medicine Bear" in 2011. He occasionally will join Rebekah during tours and ceremonies and may also be your guide to Jerome, the Grand Canyon and Hopi. Rebekah and Bear began walking together in March 2011

From http://web.archive.org/web/20120815023847/http://walkashamanspath.com/:

If you are seeking a Shaman or a guidance, there are several things you can do. 1. Ask for them to show up in your life 2.  Search on-line 3. Go to a sacred place and ask the locals where to find them

About $:

Even though it may not be easy for them to put a price on their work, they still have to charge for their services. More commonly today one would not go to see a Shaman without at least $100. Some Shamans will charge up to $500. and more for their services. Either way, you want to be clear about how much to bring and its always a good gesture to bring tobacco or some type of gift as well. Also, it can be very disrespectful to ask the Shaman for a discount. Its like asking them to discount the energy and healing they are giving you! And a Shaman will never offer anything less than their very best. So don't ask questions, just pay them what they are asking for and you will receive the best service they have to offer. Someday this may change and we will return to the barter system, but for now this is the world we live in.

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/shamanic-healing/

She was born in 1976, don't know where. Looking over past web sites focused on her "life coach" endeavors - she seems to have gone through various incarnations, in the past did not mention being NDN, presented herself differently.

[Pono Aloha]

I love this part:

She was born and raised on Yavapai-Apache historical land

I believe anyone born in the US could say they were born on some tribe's historic land! The part about "pay the money and don't ask questions" makes it sound like a cult.

[Epiphany]

Rebekah also has training and experience in...
Meditation,  Guided Imagery, Hypnotherapy, Visualization, Sage Clearings, EFT (emotional freedom technique), Native American Astrology and Animal Totems, Animal Medicine Cards and Sacred Path card readings, Shamanic Healing and Shamanic Journeying, Native American Medicine Wheel Ceremony, Affirmation Healing, Fire Burning Ceremony, Reiki, Feng Shui, Intentional Healing, Energy Healing, Chakra Healing, Stone Healing, Kinesiology, muscle testing, pendulum work and more.

Rebekah has studied the work of...
Jack Canfield, Deepak Chopra, James Redfield, Eckhart Tolle, Dan Millman, Wayne Dyer, Dr. David Hawkins, Jerry and Esther Hicks, Bobby Lake-Thom, Sandra Ingerman and more.

http://rebekahsimpson.com/about-rebekah/

I agree with you Pono, both on the land and the "pay the money and don't ask questions" bit.

[Epiphany]

She's also used the name "Lady Rebekah Simpson" for a costume group Rohann:

Simpply put Rohann is a growning group of individuals located in the Camp Verde, AZ area whom enjoy & love the idea of the Medieval times & arts. A growing group of individuals who voluntarily go out & kick ass & get their asses kick Medieval style.

http://rohanninfo.webs.com/
http://www.freewebs.com/rohanninfo/bdh.htm

She's led a bellydance group Troupe Tribal Shiva "American Tribal Fusion Belly Dance".

Possibly her current Sedona endeavors are a continuation of playing dress up.

Sedona Shamanic Practitioners Training Seven Day Retreat
Seven Day Shamanic Practitioners Training Retreat in Sedona $2500.

This retreat is for those who are interested in learning more about Native American Shamanism while experiencing the healing for themselves. Are you wanting to learn more about Native American Shamanism to heal yourself, use in your healing practice, or just to receive the knowledge and experience? Then you would love a Sedona Shamanic Healing Training Retreat

Day 5. Ont the fifth day we travel to the sacred lands of the Navajo to do a Vision Quest and Sweat Lodge Ceremony. We will leave early this morning and arrive in Chinle at Canyon De Chelly, a few hours northeast of Sedona and stay in a real Navajo hogan. After we set up camp we will enjoy a healthy meal then explore the area where there are over 700 different Anasazi ruins. The next morning we will participate in a Sweat Lodge Ceremony for healing and renewal.

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/sedona-shamanic-healing-practitioners-training-seven-day-retreat/

[Epiphany]

Living in Sedona is not easy, I know from experience. I've lived here since February 2009 and boy has it been a roller coaster ride! I was born in Cottonwood just twenty miles from Sedona and raised in the "Verde Valley." Yes, I'm a local native, but I have also lived in Oregon, California, Oklahoma, Nevada, and Florida . On my fathers side I am Blackfoot and Crow from the North West, and on my mothers side I am Seminole from the south east. Even though I can't prove it, most people can tell by my strong facial features and naturally tan skin.

http://web.archive.org/web/20120625221058/http://walkashamanspath.com/?cat=205

The above is a capture from June 2012.

Now she says this:

Rebekah's blood lines on her Mothers side date back to the Blackfoot tribe on her grandmothers side and the Seminole tribe on her grandfathers side. Her fathers lineage is unknown.

[Epiphany]

Don't know who "Medicine Bear" is.

Bear was born and raised in North Dakota. He is an eagle dancer and elder of the Blackfoot tribe. His practice and knowledge in the medical field has given him insight as a medical intuitive, for this he was given the name "Medicine Bear" in 2011. He occasionally will join Rebekah during tours and ceremonies and may also be your guide to Jerome, the Grand Canyon and Hopi. Rebekah and Bear began walking together in March 2011.

He and Rebekah might both dye their hair darker, looks that way to me. His tats are distinctive, includes an "End of the Trail" image (source of original image http://www.nationalcowboymuseum.org/education/lesson-plans/Fraser/Fraser.aspx) , with a date, might be in memory of someone who has passed on.

[Autumn]

Piff, her hair color has definitely changed to a darker shade.

There is so much that does not add up when you read her history on her website.

As you pointed out, Piff, she changed her heritage.  It is even different on two places on her website, and not just on history capture:

Rebekah is a true Arizona native who grew up in the Verde Valley and began studying and practicing Native American history, beliefs, and shamanism from a very young age. On her father's side, she is Blackfoot and Crow, and on her mothers side, she is Seminole. Rebekah also received a Life Coaching certification in 2007.

(bolding mine)

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/

Rebekah's blood lines on her Mothers side date back to the Blackfoot tribe on her grandmothers side and the Seminole tribe on her grandfathers side. Her fathers lineage is unknown.

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/about-2/

This is a brief timeline of her history:

She grew up near Sedona (in a financially poor, but loving environment), fascinated with Native American culture.
She had two children out of wedlock at the age of 15 and 18.
In 2006, she was working for corporate, but wanted to do some more purposeful work.
She became certified as a life coach in 2007.
She starting having dreams and visions and left a new house, a crumbling nine year relationship and moved to Sedona, which is what her visions were urging her to do.
In 2009, she took one 13 year old child (the other was in foster care) and moved to Sedona.
The older son gave her a grandson when she was 33, but he got in trouble and ended up in prison and the mother of the child did not want to have anything to do with her.
In Sedona, she met lots of interesting people and spent a year and a half healing.
She became a tour guide and this is what is really interesting:

She became a tour guide and began to study about the surrounding area, including the land, the vortexes, geology, Native American history, the plants, animals and so  on.  She has taken hundreds of visitors out on the land and practiced the same ceremonies that her teachers showed her. She learned how to heal with the Medicine Wheel, the natural healing energy of the Vortexes and prayer.

(bolding mine)

So, would these teachers be:

studied as an apprentice with Shamans and elders from the Navajo, Hopi, Yurock and Lakota Tribes

or are they her ancestors of the Blackfoot, Crow, and Seminole?

and could this possibly be Medicine Bear who does tours with her:

She fell in love with an old friend and now lives happily in Prescott Arizona. Both of them are from the same tribe and share the same Native American beliefs.

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/about/

Medicine Bear is with the Blackfoot tribe.

Bear was born and raised in North Dakota. He is an eagle dancer and elder of the Blackfoot tribe.

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/about-2/

and now she is charging $2,500 for a seven day Shamanic Practitioners Training, where you can learn all this:

    Animal Totems
    Balancing the Physical and Spiritual Worlds
    Boundaries
    Ceremony
    Communicating with the Spirit World
    Confidence
    Dreams
    Elements
    Energy Medicine
    Forgiveness
    Gratitude
    Healing with Stones, Crystals and Wands
    Health (Physical and Spiritual) Nutrition and Exercise
    Herbal Medicine
    Medicine Tools
    Medicine Wheel Ceremony
    Natural Healing
    Natural Laws
    Prayer and Intentions
    Sacred Counsel
    Sacred Places
    Sacred Space
    Senses and Inner Guidance
    Shamanic Journey
    Shape Shifting
    Smudging
    Soul Retrieval
    Spiritual Diagnosis
    Spirit Guides
    Sweat Lodge
    Vision Quest
    Walking Between Worlds

(correction, it may include all the above)

However, it does not include accommodations:

*The cost for this does not include accommodations, except for the one night in Chinle. When you call, Rebekah will offer you suggestions on where to stay in Sedona for the other five nights.

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/sedona-shamanic-healing-practitioners-training-seven-day-retreat/

[Epiphany]

Found yet another heritage claim:

Rebekahs Native Side: Rebekah is of Native American Heritage, Cherokee and Seminole from her mothers side, and Blackfoot and Crow from her fathers side.

http://www.sedonacreativelife.com/pre1142.html

Interesting phrasing there, that she has a "native side".

She was born in 1976, she says she was born in Cottonwood, Arizona. And that she and her family (she says she has five siblings) lived other places including Oregon, Oklahoma, and Florida.

That timeline is helpful, thanks Autumn.

Her mother is the Shaman of her tribe, she's the one who everyone went to for natural healing, spiritual counsel, herbal tinctures, and comfort. Now Rebekah follows in her footsteps.

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/rebekah-simpson-offers-native-american-shamanic-healing/

This is on a page where she also writes:

Her Native American bloodlines are of the Crow and Blackfoot tribes of the Northwest on her Fathers side and Seminole of the Southeast on her Mothers side.

So she is saying that her mother is the Shaman of her tribe, the Seminole. Although she changes from her mother being the Shaman now to her mother "was" the one everyone went to, all in one sentence.

So Rebekah's mother was the Seminole Shaman, yet she herself "studied as an apprentice with Shamans and elders from the Lakota Tribe".

Much of her material on websites comes from elsewhere, much of it not properly sourced.

[Autumn]

And just look at one of her inspirations:

"When humans participate in ceremony, they enter a sacred space. The bodies of participants become filled with the energy of life and this energy reaches out and blesses the creation around them. All is made new, everything becomes sacred." -Sun Bear, Native American Elder

(bolding mine)

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/sedona-shamanic-healing-practitioners-training-seven-day-retreat/

[Epiphany]

Mother Seminole
Father Blackfoot and Crow

Even though I can't prove it, most people can tell by my strong facial features and naturally tan skin

-------

Mothers side:  her grandmothers side Blackfoot
Seminole tribe on her grandfathers side.

Father lineage is unknown

-----------

Mother: Cherokee and Seminole
Father: Blackfoot and Crow

--------------------------------

I summarized three of her heritage stories above.

All this doesn't strike me as someone who is learning about their distant heritage, refining their actual genealogy as they learn more through research. This instead seems like someone is making stuff up and can't always remember what they said before.

[Epiphany]

On this page http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/medicine-wheel-ceremony/ scroll all the way down to the Lessons and Gifts section, starting with the paragraph prior:

The Native-American concept of the medicine wheel symbolically represents a nonlinear model of human development.

Rebekah presents this as if it is her own.

The teachings here are mostly Native American based and are a collection of what I have found and studied.

But it is directly copied from Bopp, J.,Bopp, M., Brown, L.,& Lane Jr., P. (1989). The sacred tree: Reflections on Native American spirituality. Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Light Publications.

Properly sourced version here http://www.nd.gov/dhs/services/mentalhealth/prevention/pdf/medicine-wheel-all.pdf

Much of the rest of her site has been cobbled together from other sources.

Her public Amazon wish list includes authors Jamie Sams, Edgar Cayce, Ed McGaa.

The natives believed that when we see a particular animal or insect, they are offering us their "animal medicine."

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/shamanic-vortex-tour/

(I must have a lot of cat medicine, since I see cats often  :) )

[earthw7]

they both dont look like Natives >:(

[Epiphany]

Are you looking for a Native American Spiritual Healing Experience?

We've been offering private and authentic Shamanic Vortex Tours since 2006 and have worked with hundreds of people searching for a spiritual healing experience in Sedona. Our adventures are fun, educational, and healing.

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/

*Even though these are "private tours" there may be other people joining us.

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/contact/

So you can pay to spend time with these people, people who aren't who they say they are, people who  claim to be able to do things they cannot do, you can pay to pray on a "private tour" only to discover that other people join in.

If you complain you most likely will be told a version of:

*Have fun, don't take life too seriously!

and you will already have signed a:

*Must sign release of liability waiver for all services, tours and transportation.

http://sedonashamanicjourneys.com/contact/

[Epiphany]

Medicine Bear = Royce Taghon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw4ELQAyRxo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAmVNGy7y5k

In the 2nd video he intros his tattoo talk with "I'm a Native American" and goes on to explain that some of the designs are in memory of a brother.

He is lead vocals in the band Voodoo Sex Cult http://voodoosexcult.com/meet-the-band/, as the "native American" one:

We are a multi racial kick ass Rock-n-Roll band. We have a native American Lead Vocalist, A viking guitarist, a castillian guitarist, a black bass player, a red neck drummer.

He uses White Eagle Medicine Wheel Deck cards on "native American tours in Arizona"

http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A2IBSKS2V6M39E/ref=cm_cr_rdp_pdp

[Epiphany]

"Medicine Bear" Royce Taghon owns the business Smokopelli's http://smokopellis.com/

Description   Trade Name
Status   Active
Name   SMOKOPELLIS
City   PRESCOTT VALLEY
State   AZ
ZIP   86314-
Business Type   NATIVE AMERICAN ARTS & CRAFTS/SMOKING SUPPLIES
Domestic Begin Date   4/20/2012
Registered Date   5/7/2012
Owner   ROYCE A TAGHON

The "Southwest Art" is made by "Two Moons" http://smokopellis.com/store/southwest-art/

About
Hi I'm Smokopelli,
I'm not the flute player, he's my cousin Kokopelli. I am the pipe carrier and I love to smoke.
I'm all for natural medicine and totally against synthetic drugs.
I educate the public on the benefits and use of Medical Marijuana, and natural medicine.
I can also help you get your Medical Marijuana card.

http://smokopellis.com/about/