Apache Medicine Man

It's not everyday you get to meet a Native-American Apache medicine man. The weather was awful and my friend cancelled out, so I went with my friend Eliyahu. Nothing like getting some spiritual/mental healing from another source.

"I hope he looks like an Indian, and not a white Presbyterian minister." I remarked to Eliyahu. I had met part-Indian Jeanne White Eagle, who was an interesting woman, but didn't look at all Native American.

Fortunately, he did look the part, wearing a vest with fringes, and had shoulder length hair. An Injun in real life. I had never been up close before. I've always been intrigued by their way of life, which I thought was so pure and close to Mother Earth. I get mad at thinking what the new Americans did to them, all the while thinking how primitive they were instead of getting to know their culture, etc.

He lives in New Mexico on a reservation.

He began by telling us a story - similar to Chasidim, he tells his stories in metaphor. There was a bear looking into the river, and he kept on diving in and jumping out. This continued numerous times. The rabbit sitting on the riverbank laughed at the bear. "What are you doing". He answered "I'm trying to get the berries I see in the river."
"You fool! The berries in the river are only a reflection. The real berries are in the tree above your head."

The healer, Joe-El, continued. The truth is not buried under some river. It is right above your head.

He took out his peace pipe and opened up with an Apache prayer and waves his pipe around us. Then he passed it around for those that wanted to smoke it. It was only filled with tobacco, so I didn't bother smoking. :-) Then he said more prayers waving an eagle feather and brushing sage smoke towards us. I have dried sage at home, and like to burn it sometimes because it has a sweet smell like pot. But I had no idea it was used in Apache ceremonies.

We touched on Apache spiritual beliefs - they believe the world was created in 4 days. The circle divided into four is very symbolic in their teachings, although I can't remember what it was he said. Must have been the sage. Or my age.

But it was awesome, that while he spoke, there was a thunder storm outside - reall loud. And the thunder and lightening came in synch with the stuff he was saying. the whole thing was so wild.

He finished off the evening by singing songs for different occasions, lullabies, etc. He told us that the drumbeat we so often take (in those cowboy and indian films, particularly) for Native American drumming - that ONE, two, three, four - ONE, two, three, four - beat, is not true. He never heard that kind of drumming anywhere in his society. We all laughed, probably because up to now we all thought it WAS real.

The place where this evening took place was at another Eliyahu's house. This guy is a paraplegic mystic. I've never seen anyone so happy. His smile literally stretches across his face. His walls are plastered with postive sayings and mystical Eastern verses, plus kabbalistic art. I'd be miserable so cooped up in a wheelchair every day, but not him.

I was so happy that I made the attempt to meet two very special people this stormy night.