Why Ceremony?

by Clark Fortune

Ceremonial Week in Michigan is coming up the first week of August. What’s it about?

In the Sweet Medicine Sundance path, emphasis is placed on ceremony as much as the teachings. Many folks love to read, or attend study groups, or listen to a profoundly adept lecturer. These are great sources of information from credible sources. But turning that information into something you can use takes some integration.

When I was in college, 50 or 60 of us would all sit in an auditorium and listen to our professor download formulas, concepts, and processes, which we would dutifully record in our notes. But it wasn’t until we sat in a laboratory and used those things that they became real and practical to use. Building something, testing it, and comparing to how the theory said it should behave provided the integration needed to make it knowledge. In the laboratory practical, we always had a professor there to answer questions, guide us when we got off track, or to let us wrestle with the topic as (s)he saw it would serve us.

So it is with ceremony. We must engage with the teachings to turn them into knowledge. In ceremony, Great Spirit, Nature, all of Creation, and your own Higher Self are there to help as well. Although other humans can give teachings and guide you, it is up to you to be your own teacher of how the information works for you. Don’t believe the teachings. Try them out. Make them yours.

Every ceremony on this Path, whether it is for a Gateway, a Rite of Passage, or a personal ceremony, has an intent to it: A desired understanding or gain. ForGateway ceremonies, the intent is informed by the overarching intent of the Gateway you’re in. Rite of Passageceremonies are intended to help us harvest the gains of the past and set us up for success in the next phase of our life. Personal ceremonies are guided by the individual intent of the participant. We often use personal ceremonies when we’re stuck and don’t see a way forward so we need Spirit’s guidance to find our way. Apprentice guides and ceremony week facilitators can help you design a personal ceremony accordingly.

At the Michigan Ceremony Week, you are invited to come and turn information into personal knowledge, with Creation, Great Spirit and your Highest Self all available for consultation. Debbie Mast, Sharon Oliver, and Clark Fortune will be facilitating the Gateway, Rite of Passages, and Personal Ceremonies. We have scheduled the week of Saturday, Aug 1st - Friday, August 7th for Ceremony Week, followed immediately at the same location by the Michigan 39th Annual Eagle Dance Friday, August 7th - Sunday, August 9th. For registration and more details, contact Clark.

May 10 Community Purification Lodge

James Hillman, the Jungian analyst said, “I don’t think anything changes until ideas change. Hillman also said that to develop Strength of Mind – our receptivity to the knock of spirit and all that it is inviting us to see, to awaken and to know – becomes “the welfare of the soul.’’ Hillman concluded that Knowledge “is the way the soul comes to understand itself.” By this reasoning, Strength of Mind acts as a clarity mirror that allows for thoughtful receptivity, contemplation and discernment in relationship to all new knowledge becoming available to us in our ever-changing life experience. To develop Strength of Mind, which is the open mental capacity to contend with the deeper challenges of life experience effectively, our relationship to Knowledge must become flexible, attuned, receptive, clear. What blocks this? What are the ideas that we harbor or practice repeatedly that block our receptivity to new knowledge and strength of mind? How might we identify these ideas, thoughts, opinions or beliefs that block us from new knowledge and strength of mind? In this purification lodge we will pray to identify and release ourselves from ideas, opinions, thought or beliefs that block us from greater Strength of Mind.

We look forward to being in ceremony with you!

RSVP to Ken

Ceremonial Land Work Days

Join us in fellowship and fun working together to give back to the land that unconditionally gives us the space for ceremony! Autumn Olive or Russian Olive trees are beautiful, fragrant trees with delicious and nutritious berries. They are also a highly invasive species. They crowd out native plants making the land unusable for other plants, animals and humans. Come one or both days Saturday, May 23‍ ‍Ceremonial Land Work Dayand Sunday, May 24‍ ‍Autumn Olive Work Day. Housing is available and We will finish our day with a community meal. RSVP to Sharon.

Linden Lodge Work Day

Join us for a fun work day at Linden Lodge on Sunday, May 30, 2026 from 9:30 AM to early afternoon followed by a lunch. This is a wonderful opportunity to gather in community, spend time outdoors and lend a helping hand in caring for the land that supports us when we do purification lodge ceremonies.

Please bring work gloves, work shoes, water, bug spray, sunscreen, and ajoyful heart.

We will be rebuilding the Purification Lodge in Linden. Tasks are divided up to suit skills and the physical needs of those present so that the day can be completed with ease and FUN! A feast and fellowship time will follow. Your willingness to show up is deeply appreciated and it helps keep this special place thriving for all to enjoy. RSVP Tara Hawk Dives Deeply

Shamanism for the Fifth World

Shamanism for the Fifth World Session 4 in person on Saturday, May 30, 9am-7pm EST features the An Experiential Day: Primary Medicine Tools of the Path, Bundle Making, and a Participation in a Purification Lodge. Don’t miss this opportunity to be with Debbie Mast, RN MSN is a Lodge Leader and an A-Roadperson. She is a qualified instructor for all years of Red Lodge and Bravo White Lodge, and a certified Healing Paradigm Trainer. She is the founder of 3 Arrows, and the Women's Hoop, a ceremonial program for women now in its 34th year. Register NOW.