Prayers For Cleansing By Smudging

Aboriginal training pays off

The smudging smoke cleansed the air, attentive heads bowed as the native elder hymned words of prayer.

The introduction marking the open house Thursday of Nokee Kwe’s new London location spoke vividly to the aboriginal training and employment centre’s mission statement.

“We are here to serve the employment and training needs of London, but more importantly we’re all about diversity and cultural-sensitivity. People teach diversity — we live it,” said Deborah Armstrong, the program director.

The region’s only non-native and native employment and learning agency, in a holistic cultural environment, has moved from Dundas St. downtown to 1069 Wellington Rd. S. near White Oaks Mall, an underrepresented area for training centres, staff say.

It made sense to move out of the core to help serve an area in the south end lacking employment services, Armstrong said.

“There is a large aboriginal contingent in this area we can reach out to. I’m hoping we can serve new immigrants to the city as well,” she added.

“There aren’t too many places where participants can improve their computer skills with an individualized assessment, packaged, attuned to their heritage and values — and the scent of smudging.”

The centre, funded entirely by the province, serves 617 people a year, a quarter of them aboriginals.

Staffers, who can instruct in the Cree language, help provide personal educational assessments, credit courses, literary and basic skills programs, help with post-secondary funding and guidance and emotional and professional counselling services.

Kelly Greene discovered Nokee Kwe 15 years ago, after her graduation from University of Western Ontario’s visual arts program when she was transitioning out of her job as a waitress.

“Nokee Kwe helped me move from my previous job into retail and then office administration as my interests shifted towards customer service,” Greene said.

She signed up for the centre’s Career Directions program twice, getting more out of the program the second time around.

“Staff here do more than coach — they are cheerleaders who send people out with more confidence than they came in with.”

Kevin Loft, a board member for 11 years, said Nokee Kwe was one of the few agencies that stayed afloat when employment services changed.

Prayer Ties For Healing Earth Mother | Prayer Books

Please join us in making Prayer Ties for the Healing of Earth Mother.

Place:  Any where you are!

Date:  Saturday, August 7, 2010

Time:  Any time during the day or evening.

While we here in the USA are greatly concerned with our Gulf Coast and the healing needed there, please also bear in mind that there are other significant oil spills going on in other countries.  We are all related, and what affects one, affects all.  Please add prayers of healing for ALL greed based devastation happening on our Earth Mother.  Also please pray for all entities of Earth, i.e., water, trees, plants, animals, sand/soil, etc.  All entities are living and necessary for continued survival.  Also pray for the dominate thinking of human kind to change from greed, power and control to an attitude of oneness and healing of our Earth Mother.  Thank you.

Please do not feel that you have to be of indigenous or tribal heritage to participate!  Anyone of any faith or religion is welcome to participate and pray in your own way whether you are making the prayer ties or not.  We all pray to the same Creator, so please join us in prayer for this event!

Making Prayer Ties

Prayer ties are spiritual focusing tools used by indigenous people for many centuries.  They are considered to be a physical offering and representation to carry the energy of prayers to the Creator and Spirit World.  The making of Prayer Ties is a ceremony within itself and should be done with much reverence, respect, and be treated as Sacred.

The method and ceremony of prayer tie making may differ from culture to culture or from tribe to tribe.  There are many ways to engage in this sacred practice.  Presented here is one way you can practice this ritual.

Materials you will need : Natural fabric, cotton works best.  No synthetics please.  The color we will be using for this event will be green to represent the Healing of Earth Mother.  Cotton/natural string, tobacco, sage (or other smudging herbs such as cedar, sweetgrass, etc.) for smudging yourself and your supplies.  Smudging is an important part of healing prayers and ceremonies and is also protective for you and your ceremonial space.  Smudging will remove negative energy, and will invite positive, healing spirits. You will want to keep your smudge burning during the entire time you are making your prayer ties.

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