http://keepsthefire.org/davidswork.html
The Sacred Fire Community (http://www.sacredfirecommunity.org/) is an international group of 600 or so people who gather to reconnect to each other and the world through the Sacred Spirit of Fire. Once a year the community has a reunion in a natural setting to celebrate life, dance to trance-like rhythms from the band, and for the high point of the weekend, listen to Grandfather Fire speak.
In the few years that I’ve been a part of this community, I’ve never seen any mind-altering substances or alcohol used by anyone. It’s strongly discouraged and totally unnecessary. I know that when David goes into a trance and relinquishes his body to Grandfather, the only drugs he uses are very long, strong cigars and strong, hot chocolate, both of which he consumes like his life depended on them.
Claire, my brother-in-law, Rob, and I sat under the great smoky tent for nearly three hours while a light Oregon mist fell outside and questions were asked of this wise and humorous being. In a deep, raspy voice (totally unlike David's, which is a bit higher), Grandfather answered questions from a point of view that very much seemed older than 'history' itself.
Most of the questions that weekend had to do with the land we were on at the time: its history; the history of the native people who lived there; the trees, vegetation, minerals, volcanos, placement of the rivers and the 'purpose' of all of these earth forms. It was like getting a glimpse into the distant past that was spellbinding and ‘enlightening’. I asked Grandfather what changes might we expect as the Mayan calendar comes to a close in the year 2012. He chuckled and said (basically) that it's just a threshold that we'll all cross over into a different kind of energy.
Most of the questions that weekend had to do with the land we were on at the time: its history; the history of the native people who lived there; the trees, vegetation, minerals, volcanos, placement of the rivers and the 'purpose' of all of these earth forms. It was like getting a glimpse into the distant past that was spellbinding and ‘enlightening’. I asked Grandfather what changes might we expect as the Mayan calendar comes to a close in the year 2012. He chuckled and said (basically) that it's just a threshold that we'll all cross over into a different kind of energy.
Some years ago, I did my master’s thesis in counseling on “Shamanism and Healing”, considered a bit far out at the time, even for this California university I attended, but I argued successfully that I’d do a scholarly work, which I think I did. I’ve always had more than a passing interest in shamanism and in 1985 received an powerful healing from Don Lucio, a Huichol shaman in Mexico (who coincidentally trained David Wylie a few years later).
I don’t see any conflict with the 'varieties of religious experience' which, for me, include: Roman Catholicism (from my childhood), Esoteric Christianity, Tibetan Buddhism, Sufism, and the New Age path of the Ascended Masters, St. Germain, chief among them.
