| returning star Hi, I'm Joe Montoya, aka Grandfather White Bear. I grew up with Maria Yraceburu, and today, I'm going to be doing a share with you. Maria's mother is in the process of transitioning… and she is attending to some family needs this cycle. So, if you'll indulge me. From the moment I met Maria, I was mesmerized. As we stood at the starting line of our 6th grade track, I wanted to talk to her to learn more about who she was, who were her family, as well as what went into the vast resolve we know as naylin iskinihi naakai ts'ilsoose yraceburu . To start things off, Maria began life running around after her Grandfather, who was a diiyin - a HolyOne, or Priest. He would provide ceremony for pretty much what ailed you. He also provided guidance and had unwaivering love for his only granddaughter. Her life inspired the immersive experiences she shares with all of us these days. Here's an interview I did with Maria years ago – just to share some answers to some questions you have have found yourself asking. Tell us something about your background... My dad was 3/4 Apache and 1/4 Navajo. We never really discussed the difference when I was a kid because the two tribes were once one. We were originally the Navajo, Apache and Kiowa, as one tribe. Now we call each other cousins and we've done alot of our work at Canyon de Chelly. The canyon itself is very holy, being known to the Apache as the Place of Emergence. On my mom's side of the family, I'm French Jew and Basque, with a little - and I mean "little" - Cherokee thrown in. [Joe's note: Maria has since learned that her grandmother was adopted and she was actually Scottish] My childhood was pretty traditional. Grandpa raised me and the cousins. We lived kind of like it might have been 100 years ago. We were isolated in a small canyon full of pinyon pine, a creek and pond. I learned to track animals, gather herbs, tell time by the stars. My first pets were lizards, puppies, and a little black cow that I learned how to ride on. It was a good beginning. It got a little harder when I started school cause I've always been fair skinned. Bigotry goes both ways on the reservation, and kids can be tough on those that are a little different. I never had a problem with the elders though, only the kids. Now when I go to visit it's good. We all laugh and have a great time. In your work you approach everything in a ritualistic manner. You have said "to live life fully as sacred ritual is our mission..." Life is a ritual. Unfortunately, most folks have been raised so far from seeing themselves as sacred that it takes awhile for them to realign their personal perspective of life. Folks initially come to our work and ceremonies because they feel better doing them. I guess you could say it's an energy high. They find if they make a routine of it that they begin to take it home with them. Simple little rituals they learn with us, they begin doing on their own. Once folks incorporate the basic understanding that they and everything they do is sacred, it doesn't take long before they begin to see correlations between rituals and life situations… healing begins. They learn how to approach these situations in a different way... with more respect, reverence, and the understanding that there's always a positive way to deal with everything if we can open ourselves to see it. This is the true purpose of ritual... to partner with Spirit or the Earth energies to facilitate life affirmation in all cases. You really seem to love All Our Relations as you interact with them... Of course! Everything, everybody I approach in my life is a sacred presence that has arrived on my path for a reason. By approaching each entity as a unique experience, I am loving and fresh in my response. They interact with me accordingly. This goes beyond humans. Stones, plants, animals... all are part of the greater scheme of things. All provide me with a confirmation when I need it. Grandpa taught me that if there is one atom in motion, there is life and it can be communicated with. True communication is very different from what we experience with humans. It's much simpler... less complicated. Sometimes it comes as a high vibrational sound, or as picture imagery, but it always comes if we're open to it. Have you ever felt like someone was watching you, but when you looked, saw no one? Ask to see the presence and you will. The plants send out an auric energy that's an amber glow. Sometimes there are symbols, sometimes ringing in the ears. Animals can be talked to. I've never had any trouble with animals, not even those considered wild or high strung. It's all possible if we just believe it. ya'odishiyo … from where we look out, it's a perspective. You charge a fee for your work. It's been said that sacredness should not have a monetary exchange. How do you explain this? This is always a source of passionate discussion with individuals. In the old days the medicine people, HolyOnes, whatever you want to call them, had all their needs attended to so they could devote 100% of their time to the community. When there was a hunt, the prime cuts were gifted, baskets of grain, blankets, horses, firewood gathered. This is how I grew up. People were always bringing things to Grandpa for our family. As I grew older I also began to see that there were other means of exchange, including monetary when special ceremonies and healings were needed. Energetic exchange of this nature is actually the norm. What people need to understand is that when a person works in service to the community in this manner, there is very little time left for things like a 9-5 job. They live outside the perimeters of societal structure, and work much longer hours than the 40 hour work week. I use to work in mainstream. Community demands on my time made it mandatory to retire from that lifestyle. We got our nonprofit standing as a Church many years ago with the help of my Uncle Kilipaka. Yraceburu EarthWisdom relies on volunteerism and charitable contributions to make ends meet. Given our costs and the number of people we serve, our fee is a requested charitable contribution threshold that reflects the minimum amounts we must receive to break even. It's all community oriented. This is the old way. I hope you've learned a little bit that maybe you didn't know about my friend, Maria Yraceburu. She'll be back with you for the hummingbird moon. In the meantime, here's the daily practice ( CLICK HERE ), she and Linda utilize every morning before beginning their work on behalf of you and I . hiyaa gozhoo dolee, may peace flow, Grandfather Joe White Bear Montoya Apache Snake Clan Elder PS Remember, if you got a question about things that are happening to you... physically, emotionally, spiritually... Maria’s a good resource to have your back... you can always take it to her, and she can help you understand it. |
Hi,
I'm Joe Montoya, aka Grandfather White Bear. I grew up with Maria Yraceburu, and today, I'm going to be doing a share with you. Maria's mother is in the process of transitioning… and she is attending to some family needs this cycle. So, if you'll indulge me.
From the moment I met Maria, I was mesmerized. As we stood at the starting line of our 6th grade track, I wanted to talk to her to learn more about who she was, who were her family, as well as what went into the vast resolve we know as naylin iskinihi naakai ts'ilsoose yraceburu.
To start things off, Maria began life running around after her Grandfather, who was a diiyin - a HolyOne, or Priest. He would provide ceremony for pretty much what ailed you. He also provided guidance and had unwaivering love for his only granddaughter. Her life inspired the immersive experiences she shares with all of us these days.
| |
Here's an interview I did with Maria years ago – just to share some answers to some questions you have have found yourself asking.
| |
Tell us something about your background...
My dad was 3/4 Apache and 1/4 Navajo. We never really discussed the difference when I was a kid because the two tribes were once one. We were originally the Navajo, Apache and Kiowa, as one tribe. Now we call each other cousins and we've done alot of our work at Canyon de Chelly. The canyon itself is very holy, being known to the Apache as the Place of Emergence.
On my mom's side of the family, I'm French Jew and Basque, with a little - and I mean "little" - Cherokee thrown in. [Joe's note: Maria has since learned that her grandmother was adopted and she was actually Scottish]
My childhood was pretty traditional. Grandpa raised me and the cousins. We lived kind of like it might have been 100 years ago. We were isolated in a small canyon full of pinyon pine, a creek and pond.
I learned to track animals, gather herbs, tell time by the stars. My first pets were lizards, puppies, and a little black cow that I learned how to ride on. It was a good beginning.
It got a little harder when I started school cause I've always been fair skinned. Bigotry goes both ways on the reservation, and kids can be tough on those that are a little different. I never had a problem with the elders though, only the kids. Now when I go to visit it's good. We all laugh and have a great time.
In your work you approach everything in a ritualistic manner. You have said "to live life fully as sacred ritual is our mission..."
Life is a ritual. Unfortunately, most folks have been raised so far from seeing themselves as sacred that it takes awhile for them to realign their personal perspective of life.
Folks initially come to our work and ceremonies because they feel better doing them. I guess you could say it's an energy high. They find if they make a routine of it that they begin to take it home with them. Simple little rituals they learn with us, they begin doing on their own.
Once folks incorporate the basic understanding that they and everything they do is sacred, it doesn't take long before they begin to see correlations between rituals and life situations… healing begins. They learn how to approach these situations in a different way... with more respect, reverence, and the understanding that there's always a positive way to deal with everything if we can open ourselves to see it. This is the true purpose of ritual... to partner with Spirit or the Earth energies to facilitate life affirmation in all cases.
You really seem to love All Our Relations as you interact with them...
Of course! Everything, everybody I approach in my life is a sacred presence that has arrived on my path for a reason. By approaching each entity as a unique experience, I am loving and fresh in my response. They interact with me accordingly.
This goes beyond humans. Stones, plants, animals... all are part of the greater scheme of things. All provide me with a confirmation when I need it.
Grandpa taught me that if there is one atom in motion, there is life and it can be communicated with. True communication is very different from what we experience with humans. It's much simpler... less complicated. Sometimes it comes as a high vibrational sound, or as picture imagery, but it always comes if we're open to it.
Have you ever felt like someone was watching you, but when you looked, saw no one? Ask to see the presence and you will. The plants send out an auric energy that's an amber glow. Sometimes there are symbols, sometimes ringing in the ears.
Animals can be talked to. I've never had any trouble with animals, not even those considered wild or high strung.
It's all possible if we just believe it. ya'odishiyo… from where we look out, it's a perspective.
You charge a fee for your work. It's been said that sacredness should not have a monetary exchange. How do you explain this?
This is always a source of passionate discussion with individuals. In the old days the medicine people, HolyOnes, whatever you want to call them, had all their needs attended to so they could devote 100% of their time to the community. When there was a hunt, the prime cuts were gifted, baskets of grain, blankets, horses, firewood gathered.
This is how I grew up. People were always bringing things to Grandpa for our family. As I grew older I also began to see that there were other means of exchange, including monetary when special ceremonies and healings were needed.
Energetic exchange of this nature is actually the norm. What people need to understand is that when a person works in service to the community in this manner, there is very little time left for things like a 9-5 job. They live outside the perimeters of societal structure, and work much longer hours than the 40 hour work week.
I use to work in mainstream. Community demands on my time made it mandatory to retire from that lifestyle. We got our nonprofit standing as a Church many years ago with the help of my Uncle Kilipaka. Yraceburu EarthWisdom relies on volunteerism and charitable contributions to make ends meet. Given our costs and the number of people we serve, our fee is a requested charitable contribution threshold that reflects the minimum amounts we must receive to break even. It's all community oriented. This is the old way.
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I hope you've learned a little bit that maybe you didn't know about my friend, Maria Yraceburu. She'll be back with you for the hummingbird moon. In the meantime, here's the daily practice (CLICK HERE), she and Linda utilize every morning before beginning their work on behalf of you and I.
hiyaa gozhoo dolee, may peace flow,
Grandfather Joe White Bear Montoya Apache Snake Clan Elder
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PS Remember, if you got a question about things that are happening to you... physically, emotionally, spiritually... Maria’s a good resource to have your back... you can always take it to her, and she can help you understand it.
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