Hello again! I cannot believe that tomorrow is the 4th of July. Can you? HAPPY 4th of JULY, my LOVED ones!! The spring and summer are flying by. I swear, the older I get the less time I have. It’s like there is this time warp that takes place each year when you have less and less of it. I am sure most of you feel the same. We think that if we just could get that extra hour in the day than that would make all the difference. I have come to the conclusion for myself that I would use the hour and still think I didn’t have enough time. HAHA!! I will strive to be happy for the time I do have and use it wisely. I think this is my best bet for right now.

So…I am FINALLY posting my pictures from our sweat lodge ceremony on June 16th. I think I already mentioned how AWESOME it was but I will go ahead and say it again. It was AWESOME!! It was a VERY powerful lodge and each of us had our own unique experience that moved us more into a space of really facing our own issues. We each had to get really clear on who we are and what we are wanting in life. I absolutely LOVE participating in ceremonies and bonding and feeling the LOVE of everyone there. By the end, you have made a group of new best friends that you might not have even considered friends in any other setting. Isn’t that COOL?

Here is our lodge when it is all ready for a sweat. We place canvas and blankets over the top to keep the steam and heat in. This was already a VERY hot day and even just entering the lodge without any stones in it felt uncomfortable. Notice the HUGE fire where we are heating the stones. I LOVE this picture. Every time I enter a lodge, I am in AWE of the power it holds in helping us move a step closer to our Savior and Creator.
Here is a side view of it. Again, GORGEOUS!!
Chris and I in front of the lodge. I had decided that it was time to pull the hair up. I was HOT! Chris was the stone carrier for this lodge which means he didn’t actually participate in the sweat by coming in. He actually brought the stones in and then watched the door while we all sweated. This is a GREAT act of love especially when you might be hoping to participate by sweating.
Our Medicine Man, James Mooney, entering the lodge to pray and consecrate it before the actual sweat. He is an AMAZING man and I feel honored and blessed to know him. He has taught us so much in regards to personal healing in all forms in the Native American way.

Here is our other Medicine Man, David. He is ready to get into the lodge and sweat away!! David is another AMAZING and INSPIRED spirit who is here to help others on their emotional path to healing and health. He heads our group that we meet at every week. I have watched him help so many people become more conscious, present and aware of who they are and what God expects of them. Our whole family has been so blessed by having him as such a good friend.

My beloved friend, Shauna, taking a rest before the ceremony. Look how GORGEOUS she is. She is someone who has found the LOVE inside of herself that aids her to truly be the person she knows she is. She is a VERY gifted Medicine Woman who is helping others through her experiences. I LOVE her!!

Millie LOVES coming and helping others! She helps those participating by loving them so much they have no choice but to see themselves as she sees them. She truly cares about everyone and everything around her so much that her LIGHT and LOVE spill over onto them. I am overjoyed that she is my daughter and feels comfortable enough with herself to understand who she is and what her place in the world is at this time.

These are some other people who came and participated. For some of them, this was their very first sweat lodge ceremony. They left feeling renewed and refreshed!
More friends who wanted to share in the process. It is sometimes helpful to come with a spouse even if you personally will not be participating in the ceremony. Aaron and Lyndsey brought their little girl, Nevaeh. Lyndsey watched and shared in the process outside of the lodge while Aaron was on the inside. Aaron sat next to me inside the lodge and he was a GREAT strength to me when the going got tough. Thanks Aaron!!

Lastly, but definitely not least, is my sweet Chris. I took about 10 pictures of him with the pose and he would not pay attention enough to sit perfectly still for me so…this is what you get. He is still a HOTTIE!! I am so happy that we are on this path together and that he LOVES me enough to hang in there with me through all my stuff. I LOVE YOU!!
There ya have it. I hope others will read about our ceremonies and have a desire to participate. I have yet to find a stronger healing modality, in all regards, than a sweat lodge. If you click on my sidebar link, you can read about all the symbolism behind a sweat lodge. It is pretty dang cool, if I say so myself.
I will have to discuss the eating thing at a later date. I have been emotionally eating like crazy!! Of course, it’s all raw foods!! With the summer family get togethers and all my deep stuff I have been cleansing, I have been grateful that I can still eat all the glorious gifts Mother Earth has given! I have days where even though I am not eating as ideally as I would like I still feel GREAT and other days when I don’t. I am too tired to post what I ate today so I will start being more consistent again soon.
I am hoping to take pics of our July 4th celebration tomorrow so wait for those pics. And…I have some AMAZING pictures of a friend of mine who had 3rd degree burns on his feet and 2nd degree on his legs. He chose to be treated herbally with Dr. Christopher’s burn paste with essential oils. We have captured the progress with pictures and you all with be AGHAST at the changes that have taken place. Some of the burns are already almost completely healed after only 2 weeks. You won’t want to miss that. Let me tell ya.
Abundant peace to you all,
Rachel
Oh, if there is anything any of you would like me to discuss, please feel free to email me personally and I will do my best to answer any questions about my life or any other subject. God bless!!