Each talk, each seminar and workshop and all teachings contain basic elements that enrich and enhance the experience. It is recommended that these basic elements be included and interspersed through the time allotted. Bear in mind that these elements can also be used individually and are offered separately.

ALTAR BUILDING AND BLESSINGS

Permanent Altars

If your group or organization has a permanent location and Altar in place then a blessing ceremony can be done for an existing Altar. If not, and you want a permanent Altar in place then one can be built and blessed. This Altar will be permanent, as long as the need and desire remain and should be located where it will be housed.

Altars are intensely personal and they are very diverse. It is recommended that, if an Altar is to be permanent, that the keeper of that Altar talks previously with the person who will oversee the building and ultimately bless this Altar.

Temporary Altar

A temporary Altar is an excellent way to open a multi-day and even a full-day ceremony. This Altar is built by the participants under the direction of a teacher and is blessed, upon completion, by the teacher. It is used to focus the intent of the participants and to bring forth the energies needed to accomplish this intend. We have found that during the days of a workshop individuals go to this Altar at various times of need and find strength and peace from this visit.

At the end of the workshop participants will come to the Altar and we usually have singing and drumming and a Talking Stick Ceremony, following that the Altar will be disassembled, returned to nature, and the workshop will officially be completed.

TALKING STICK CEREMONY

Most people have heard of the Talking Stick. Many consider it the “Roberts Rules of Order” or the origination of courteous conversation. The Talking Stick is used by Native Americans to give each person that wishes to speak the opportunity to speak, uninterrupted and be given the total attention of the people participating in a circle. We also find that the Talking Stick is a balancing energy for those that wish to speak. Many people will focus on the stick and not the crowd and be able to voice their communication more comfortably.

We use the Talking Stick at various times during workshops. They are used for openings, closings and intermittently if needed.

DRUM CIRCLES AND SINGING

In our workshops we do not normally employ the use of Drum Circles. The teachers that are present and experienced in traditional drumming and singing usually provide our drumming. We do not engage in the social type of drumming and prefer to stress the sacredness of song and music. However, if this is truly a need or desire we can teach in this environment and may offer another element to an established drum circle.

Please understand that this is no criticism of drum circles and their intent just a personal reflection and understanding of the sacredness of the drum and of songs.

DANCING

As with drumming and singing, dance is a true and traditional form of ceremony. Our teachers do not dance in Pow Wow settings and, therefore, participate only in the spiritual dance ceremonies. These ceremonies are never demonstrated but are open to discussion and teachings.

Kam Lau has recently closed his family’s Sun Dance, where he was chief, and is currently conducting a different dance. He would be happy to discuss these dances in a lecture format and would be open to questions.

If your workshop has other teachers that teach other forms of dance this is most welcome. As with Drum Circles, this is not a criticism, only a matter of personal belief and dedication. It has been coined that you can’t be a jack-of-all-trades and master of none, we have chosen to go beyond the more social aspects of some teaching but enjoy and welcome alternative approaches if they are being offered during the same workshop.

Recommended number of people: Unlimited

Materials needed: Altar – depends on type and scope - Will be discussed and planned for prior to event

Talking Stick/Drums will be provided by teachers

Time needed: Depends on number of people

Altar – minimum one-hour

Temporary – one-hour establishing altar and one- hour disassembling altar

Talking Stick – depends on number of people and how much they want to say. Usually, one-hour minimum and two for larger crowds

Drumming & Singing – interspersed through ceremonies time will be different as needed but should be considered as part of the whole in 30 minute increments