Cultural mixing or Appropriation?

Indigenous cultures across the planet have constructed 4-direction medicine wheels from stones, carved them into rock, painted them on animal hides… While the specific colors and animals associated with each direction vary from culture to culture, there is a consistency to the energetics of each direction. The day feels different when the sun is rising than when it is setting, and everything feels different in winter than it does in summer. Recognizing these simple yet profound patterns forms the basis of an earth-connected way of life.

I work with a model based on these patterns, that was developed by Jon Young through decades of living relationship with indigenous people from place-based cultures including the San of the Kalahari, Haudenosaunee from the Lake Ontario region, Odawa of the Central Great Lake, and Lakota of the Great Plains, and Aloha of Hawai’i. While the patterns themselves are inherent to life on planet Earth, much of humanity has lost connection with those simple truths, and the teachings of specific cultures are helping us reconnect.

Individual elders and whole communities shared specific teaching with Jon and encouraged him to develop this model and the other teachings that he shares. In my understanding it is the unconditional gifting of the teachings that separates cultural mixing from cultural appropriation. And so I do my best to only integrate elements of this model that have been freely and unconditionally shared. I do not tell indigenous peoples’ stories, share their songs, or lead their practices. If you ever feel that anything I’ve shared is inappropriate for me (as a descendant of colonizers) to share, please let me know.

Because I and the people I work with have benefited so much from these teachings, it feels important to me to give back to indigenous people. That looks like many things, including donating money to indigenous organizations and gifting my coaching services to indigenous people in financial need. If you are indigenous, want to work with me and would struggle to cover the financial cost, please reach out and let me know. I would be honored to gift my services to you, and I will not ask you to document or prove your financial situation to me.

All of this is complicated, and I think there are no perfect solutions. I’m doing my best and I trust that you are, too. If you have questions, concerns, suggestions, or insights I’d be happy to talk more. Please use the form on this page to contact me.

Thanks so much for reading all of this. Take care, and I hope to talk to you soon