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Although this post contains a single image, this is one of my favorite’s I’ve ever taken. This golf cart includes four very different, unique, amazing characters. The two women in the front are from two completely different religions and they met at the ceremony where they were both looking for insight and healing. The little girl on the left is a local who was at the ceremony with her Mom who was learning about the benefits of mindfulness, solitude, and meditation. The girl on the right was from France and her Dad was traveling to the ceremony for the healing workshop later that night after his divorce. His wife is planning to move to Spain with his daughter and he cannot afford to move with them. This girl was full of energy, rocking blue lipstick, and bringing joy to her Dad in a time of hardship. I love this photo because it embodies the idea that no matter what our background is we can all come together and we all crave the same things in life. There comes a time when we all need to heal, meditate, and evaluate who we are and who we want to be. 

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The Lotus Labyrinth! The top photo is of the lotus at Sunray which is made out of natural rocks and dug paths. The Lotus is used for meditation and to direct one’s individual thoughts. As you walk in the Lotus towards the center you should think about unwrapping, forgiveness, and divesting from the past. As you move towards the center you should focus on being open to new experiences and to be empty of judgement. As you move outward, you are to focus on finding direction and new energy and light in your life. I walked the lotus and tried to think in this way. When I exited I did feel a sense of relieve, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It was an invigorating experience to deeply thinking about your emotions and to come out feeling clear and light after walking a pattern and actively meditating. 

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The top pictures is of sweet grass harvested by Mohawk women and the bottom is of a sage stick that is used for smudging. The sweet grass has a wonderful scent and is used to burn or for decoration. The sage is used to purify the soul and areas to rid them of negative energy/identities. In order to view a Native ceremony and sit in the arbor, guests must have their full body smudged and walk around the inside of the arbor stopping and giving thanks to each direction. Sage is used in many Native cultures and has been adopted and utilized in Western cultures for it’s healing properties as well. I personally really enjoy learning about holistic practices and the healing power of natural plants. I also really enjoy the smell of sage and the way it calms the mind. 

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A large aspect of Native American cultures is the intense interconnectedness they believe in and symbolize of other beings that we share Mother Earth with. In the three above photos of a totem pole and a painted children’s shelter, animals are used to symbolize an array of emotions and wisdom for the people to see and believe in. Each symbol has a specific story and purpose for it’s placement. 

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This was my favorite experience at Sunray. This wonderful Mohawk woman sold me a beaded pouch which she had handmade out of deerhide. Every bead she stitches on to the pouch she says a prayer for the person who will wear it. These pouches have been are a part of the Mohawk tradition and are used to keep sacred belongings close to the heart. This woman, Sheri, keeps her children’s baby teeth in hers so that her family will be with her wherever she goes. This woman radiates warmth, light, and positivity in her being. After I took the photos I edited them using an array of color alterations and changes to clarity in LR. 

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First Time at Sunray

Sunray is supposed to be a sanctuary and a place people go to find peace and contemplate obstacles they may be facing. The energy at Sunray is very relaxed and healing. I was nervous and extremely anxious about photographing here because I felt as though taking a photo of this place is contradicting to it’s mission. The mission of Sunray is to share teachings of traditional peacemaking and for people to be present in the moment to meditate. I was doing the exact opposite of that and looking through my lens to take a screenshot of the amazing work that was happening all around me. http://www.sunray.org

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This is the sign at the entrance of the Peace Village where the Native American Ceremonies take place. The ceremony is welcome to all members of the public and there were representatives from many tribes present. The land is beautiful and all of the people were present in the moment enjoying each other’s company. 

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Environmental Photography Theme

For the theme of this blog I will be focusing on Native American Culture. I previously volunteered at the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota and I just recently found a Peace Village in Lincoln, Vermont that I photographed for this class. At the Peace Village there is a grand arbor where elders give their advice and have traditional dance ceremonies that respect each cardinal direction. This arbor is not able to be photographed but I photographed many aspects of the land and culture that Native people celebrate. Through this page and the photographs I have taken I have gained valuable insight of myself and the land of Vermont through the native stories. It is astonishing to feel the energy and the release of meditation by being present in such a rejuvenating space. 

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Backpacking in the Winds! #NOLS