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Ten No Kishi Dojo, Scottsdale AZ

Congratulations to Amanda Brazel, Ten No Kishi Student of the Year for 2011.  Amanda attended classes diligently throughout the year, and significantly improved her kata forms and techniques.

Congratulations also to the other TNK students who also worked hard over the course of the year.  In recognition of your progress last year, and looking forward to continuing learning and growth in 2012: Cheers!

 

Ten No Kishi Dojo, in Scottsdale, AZ, home of Chulukua-Ryu, features karate and self-defense classes.

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Red Lodge Longhouse starts a new year in Calgary, Australia, and Arizona

The Red Lodge Longhouse, the basic training program in spiritual and personal growth of the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path, kicks off a new year in January in three locations: Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Australia; and Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

Red Lodge Longhouse is a four year program of adventurous learning, self-challenge, and spiritual growth, taking students through the basic teachings of this path, and all of the ceremonies in the first three Gateways.  The Longhouse meets 5 or 6 weekends per year (depending on the location), plus a ceremonial week that takes students out into nature.

The Calgary Red Lodge program, now in its third year, offers classes to first year Red Lodge students on this schedule:

• February 10 -12
• March 9 – 11
• May 11 – 13
• June 8 -10
• July 21 – 28 (ceremonial days)
• September 7 – 9
• November 30 – December 2

For more information, you can attend a Red Lodge information session on January 8 (contact info@icssleapcalgary.org).  Note that Calgary’s registration deadline is January 8!

Red Lodge Longhouse Australia starts its year in March.  It runs a 5-weekend schedule, meeting on these dates:

• March 15-18
• June 7-10
• August 2-5
• September 1-6 (ceremonial days)
• November 1-4
• January 10-13, 2013

If you’d like to learn more about the program in Australia, contact info@redlodge.com.au .

The Arizona Red Lodge Longhouse runs a 6-weekend schedule, meeting on the following days in 2012:

• January 20-22
• February 24-26
• April 20-22 (years 1-3); April 27-29 (year 4)
• June 1-3
• July 27-29
• September 17-23 (ceremonial days)
• November 16-18

For more information about the Arizona program, contact info@azredlodge.com.

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Looking for a way to welcome the new year with an extra helping of reflection, connection, and intent?  Several of our associated lodges and groups are hosting events which include ceremony and community, including:

• Warrior Spirit Lodge, Phoenix AZ USA – New Year’s Day ceremony and potluck
• Thunder Awakeners Lodge, North Carolina, USA – New Year’s Eve ceremony and potluck
• Black Lightning Lodge, Toronto, ON, Canada – New Year’s Day ceremony

Visit our locations page to find a study group or lodge near you.

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Yes, snow. On Monday morning, for about 1/2 hour, we had the rare experience of big, fat, fluffy snow falling in north Scottsdale. See a photo and video (flying over the area – good views of snow-dusted AZ landscape) at AZCentral.com.

(And, incidentally, check out SnowCrystals.com for some fantastic images of actual snowflakes captured by Kenneth G. Libbrecht of Caltech using a specially designed snowflake photomicroscope.)

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Looking to  understand more about fire, the element we associate with our spirit, our humanness, our passion for life and growth?  The Light Warrior Clan in Michigan can help! On Saturday November 12, you can participate in “Fire as Our Teacher”:

“Why do we just love looking into a Fire? Why do we say things sitting around a campfire that we wouldn’t say in casual conversation? Come and explore with us the characteristics of Fire and what we can learn from this Elemental Teacher.”

Also on Nov. 12, they’ll be hosting a visit to view the Sandhill Cranes:

“The Sandhill Crane is the Totem Animal for the Light Warrior Clan. It’s the oldest surviving bird species, adapting to its living conditions through several ice ages. It has a lot to teach us about adaptability. These birds gather to make their annual southern migration, feeding in the fields during the day and returning to the wetlands to roost at dusk. They increase in number as the weeks go by and leave at the end of November depending on the weather.  If you have never experienced their prehistoric cackle especially in large numbers you are in for a real treat! Bring a blanket and cameras and binoculars.”

They also hosts a group pursuing gateway work on the Sweet Medicine SunDance path.  This group is open to new participants through the meeting on Nov. 13 – so if you are interested, now is the time to get in touch with them!

To learn more about these events, visit the Light Warrior Clan’s Meetup group: www.meetup.com/The-Light-Warrior-Clan.

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If you are a woman who is going through menopause, has already done so,
or are likely to do so in the near future…

If you are a woman who feels her life as “a woman” may essentially end
with the end of her childbearing years…

If you are a woman who is trying to figure out how best to deal with
the physical and other changes which come with aging…

If you are a woman who is curious about how the power of the feminine
evolves over our lives, and into menopause…

Learn about the feminine cycles with Razel Wolf

We offer you a mind, body and spirit journey into power in the weekend workshop Menopause: Honoring the Feminine Cycle, featuring teachings (cycles of the feminine, concept of aging, the physical body, hungers, and more), ceremony, and experiential learning.

“Being Female on this planet is a wonderful blessing and a great mystery.  We will gather together to explore wisdom from the Grandmothers of the Twisted Hair lineage through teachings, interactive experiences and ceremony. Our intent is to discover our own womb knowing using the sage guidance of the Elders. As we engage with the cycle of menopause we change. Let’s demystify this phase and bring out the natural power and beauty of our beings.”

The workshop, led by Razel Wolf, will be offered in Scottsdale, AZ on November 4-6, 2011.

For more information, please contact Gypsy at menopause@dtmms.org.

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On September 14, Amanda tested successfully for her yellow belt in DTMMS’s Ten No Kishi dojo.  Congratulations on your diligence, effort, and achievement!

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The Sweet Medicine SunDance Path features teachings and ceremony related to all of our human aspects: emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, and sexual soul force energy.  The teachings on this path dealing particularly with the sexual soul force energy, or our life force energy, are called Chuluaqui Quodoushka.

Since 1985, hundreds of Quodoushka Spiritual Sexuality workshops have been offered, with thousands of participants worldwide, bringing an expanded view of sexuality and a healthy integration of spirituality and sexuality into everyday life.

However, these teachings have not been available in written form – until now!  The Sexual Practices of Quodoushka: Teachings from the Nagual Tradition, written by long-time Quodoushka instructor Amara Charles, was officially launched on Tuesday, September 27, with a book-signing party in Phoenix, AZ.  And, on that day, the book reached #1 Best Seller in Shamanism. #2 Best Seller in Mysticism and New Age Religion, #3 in Human Sexuality. Congratulations to all!

From the Forward by Thunder Strikes:

How many men and women could benefit from learning that they don’t have to go through relationships unconsciously or lose connection to their sexuality as they age? Quodoushka shows us that we can do something to sustain and increase our vitality in life. In order to remain healthy, full of energy and to thrive in a world faced with perilous decisions that effect all of our freedoms, you’ve got to get as close to God as you know how. Making love is the fastest and most beautiful way Creation has designed for human beings to be able to touch Spirit. Therefore, examine these teachings closely, question with boldness, search for the truth and find your own way into the heart of your circle of self.

The Sexual Practices of Quodoushka is also available from:

•  Amazon.com
• Amara’s web site: amaracharles.com
• The Sweet Medicine Shoppe
• Barnes and Noble
• Books-A-Million

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There are many ways to study the Sweet Medicine SunDance teachings.  Some people read one of our publications, other attend one of our many study groups, seminars and workshops (such as Red Lodge, spiritual sexuality, physical mastery and more).  For a smaller number, this body of teachings is home, our path with heart; these are the Sweet Medicine SunDance apprentices.

Sweet Medicine SunDance apprentices are a  diverse group!

• We span 17 countries on 4 continents (North America, Europe, Australia, and South America).
• Canadian apprentices can be found in more than 60 cities spanning 4 provinces.
• And apprentices live in nearly 200 cities found in 24 states in the USA.

Across the globe, dedicated individuals bring these teachings into their lives, learning how to love, teach, share and care in greater beauty and balance.  Such bounty!

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In May of 1987, Steven Barnes mentions SwiftDeer in his Secrets of the Shaolin Temple column.  The main topic is Jeet Kune Do, the system Bruce Lee developed.  Terry Lettau, 9th degree black belt in Shorei-Ryu and a 7th degree in Shorinji Ryu Jiu Jitsu, speaks of himself and his teacher, Harley SwiftDeer Reagan, studying with Bruce Lee, and what they learned. Read more in the May 1987 issue of Black Belt Magazine on Google Books – see page 13.

Ten No Kishi Dojo, Scottsdale AZ

In 1989, Steven Barnes wrote about an encounter between Harley SwiftDeer Reagan and Mr. Barnes’ brother in law, who was studying martial arts at the time and seeking advice on improving his techniques.  Read about how SwiftDeer brought the chakras in and helped the student make some immediate improvements in his techniques in the June 1989 issue of Black Belt Magazine – Secrets of the Shaolin Temple, page 94.  (Note: Patric Young, Mr. Barnes’ brother in law, who was preparing for his green belt test in this article, is now a combat and training consultant for the Transformative Arts Institute, which teaches self-defense workshops.)

Visit the web site of the Ten No Kishi Dojo, Harley SwiftDeer Reagan’s martial arts school in Scottsdale AZ.