The Medicine Wheel
Communication, Team Building, Relationship Building, Motivation
"Doing a Medicine Wheel activity is one of the most empowering experiences I have encountered....our team has never been more motivated, listening to each other, understanding each other and naturally coming up with solutions to problems we have been trying to solve for months. Our group was transformed by this experience. The tolerance and understanding among our employees has dramatically improved after this activity. Thank you! " E. D. Bedemco, Inc.
"Thank you for creating such a wonderful evening! At a time when we need it most, you created an evening that allowed us to contribute and share our thoughts in a safe and comfortable environment. I will always remember this special evening and look forward to our next feeling of empowerment". K. Miller, VP Sales and Services, Scottsdale Convention and Visitors Bureau
"I don't know what it is and I don't know how you do this...all I can say is that I have never seen my employees communicating and sharing so openly". M. Yair, VP Marketing, Motorola, Israel
The Medicine Wheel, an ancient Native American ceremony, has been used for centuries as a most effective communication tool, allowing people to connect to the peace and silence of the land, while opening up channels of communication, understanding and tolerance.
The group gathers in nature, within a circle of rocks (The Medicine Wheel), representing the circle of life, with a campfire in its center, in the peace and silence of the starry night (this can also be done during the day). Each person receives a drum and the group (minimum of 4 people) starts drumming together (a fun experience!). After 20 minutes of drumming, the group settles down around the campfire for the Talking Circle, the central and most important part of the ceremony. During the Talking Circle each person is allowed to express any thoughts and feelings on any subject without being interrupted. The fact that the Medicine Wheel is done outdoors, in nature, connects people to nature (and to their own nature). This allows the group to connect with each other and share in a unique way of peace, respect, understanding and tolerance. The sharing during the Talking Circle opens up amazing channels of communication and the bonding is extremely strong and long lasting. This is a bonding that is achieved by allowing each person to be themselves, sharing and communicating in a safe environment.
Corporations such as Nokia, Motorola and peace organizations of Palestinians and Israelis have experienced the Medicine Wheel with amazing results. This activity has extensively been published in La"Isha Israel (Israel's counterpart to Vogue), TV shows, daily newspapers, national and international business publications.
The Medicine Wheel can be done anywhere....in Arizona, New York, Los Angeles.....
Price based on number of participants.
ABOUT THE FOUNDER OF SACRED LAND TOURS
Suzette’s Navajo name, given to her by a Navajo Elder is “Many Lands”. This name truly matches her spirit. She is very much of this world, but not of one place. Trying to pin her into one country or one nation will not do justice. It will be like locking a hummingbird into a glass jar. Her wide spirit encompasses all Lands, all religions, all countries. Born in Turkey, grew up in Israel where she finished her army service, moved to Germany where she married (and divorced), circled the world and all continents many times over, lived in New York, Scottsdale Arizona, Sedona, Arizona, San Diego. Her business dealings with countries such as Germany, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, Greece, Brazil, Iceland were always accompanied by her deep love of people, her curiosity and acceptance of different cultures. As a guest speaker on the topic of “How to relate to international cultures”, she answered: “We all have the same emotions: we all laugh when we are in love and we all cry when somebody we love dies!’ If we keep this in mind and close to our heart, we will always be connected to everybody, regardless of skin color, difference in language or mentality. There is no difference! We are all the same! By holding on rigidly to our own mentality and ways of life, remaining rigid in our own belief system (out of fear of the unknown, and being hurt), we put walls around us that keep us separate from others. That is when we cannot relate to other cultures. When we drop the fear, open our heart and smile….We will see the other person smiling back at us….We will understand their language.”
Suzette’s professional background is in Sales and Marketing of international meetings and conventions, where she achieved upper management positions.
Her comet-like success in the business world, and the extensive traveling started wearing her down. She needed something, but didn’t know what. She had traveled the world, met the most wonderful people, made life long friendships with many people of different countries, enjoyed red carpet treatment in Jakarta Indonesia, ate the most delicious lamb couscous in Morocco while watching the flying carpet show under the stars of Marrakesh, ate fish-head curry with the locals in Singapore, traveled the Nile River on a Felucca, stayed at Winston Churchill’s suite at the world famous Mena House Oberoi Hotel in Cairo, sipping champagne on the balcony overlooking the pyramids, stayed at the world-renown Mammounia Hotel in Marrakesh by the exotic Jmaa El Fnaa Square watching the snake charmers, flew to Vienna, Austria for dinner in one of the palaces …Her heart was wide open to the world she was living in, she was taking it all in, and could not get enough…. And, yet, she was exhausted and not happy.
Until, one day….she heard the “call”…In her meditation she heard the sound of the flute. The flute music was so clear she thought it was the neighbors. The call came from Long Canyon, in Sedona, Arizona. Her love of the land, with the help of the Ancestors ‘called’ her to Arizona, where she found her smile, as she started taking people on tours on 4x4 jeeps into the magical canyons of Sedona. The joy found in this simplicity, just by being out on the land was what her soul needed. Finally, she felt, she came home! Native American spirituality was introduced to her. The drum “came” to her. When she heard the first beat of the drum she felt her heart bursting with joy! She found an instant connection to this simple but most powerful living teachings. She traveled the land of the Southwest extensively, interacting with Native American tribes and peoples. Camping was the best way to feel the land, the warm earth under her body, the stars above her head, and the sacred silence of All There Is all around! Her drum accompanied her during her travels. Her heart soared as she traveled to Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, Canyon De Chelly, Hopi Reservation where the abundant red earth touches the vast turquoise-blue sky….where time ended, and she began! Her quest brought her to the Zuni Indians in New Mexico, where she discovered one of her past lives (if you meet her, ask her to tell you about this).
Prior to arriving in the Southwest, her interest in world philosophies and spirituality took her deeply into Hawaiian Huna practice, Thai Buddhism, Yoga, Hindu Meditation, Korean Chi Qong, and different healing modalities including Reiki, Crystal Healing, Rebirthing and more.
Born into the Jewish religion, her heart called her to dive into the depths of the world of Jewish Orthodoxy, and studies of the Kabbalah. She experienced the beauty of this modality to perfection for several years. She moved to Brooklyn, New York, studying with highly recognized Hassidic/Kabbalistic Rabbis. She was encouraged to teach. She moved back to Israel for 3 years, where she was the spiritual manager of 2 synagogues and taught Kabbalah.
During her stay in Israel, the Land of the Southwest was “calling” her. She felt the yearning for its vastness, abundance, peace and serenity. The intensity of life in Israel started wearing her down. Until one day, she discovered a Tippi Village in a Kibbutz in the Golan Heights. The landscape of the Golan Heights, the waterfalls and the soaring eagles reminded her of the Land of the Southwest. She knew she found an oasis of safety and peace there. Her drum was happy too. She started drumming. People started coming…from all over…. Israelis, Palestinians, corporate groups, private groups, families, children... She facilitated Medicine Wheel ceremonies for Israelis and Palestinians. Sometime there was only 2 people, sometimes there were 50. But the Medicine Wheel continued. The sharing at these Medicine Wheels touched so many people….people cried, hugged, new friendships were made…miracle stories were told of escaping suicide bomb attacks. The television and the media wanted interviews. Suzette felt the best interview would be the experience itself. So the entire TV crew traveled to the Golan Heights to experience, film and ‘interview’ the Medicine Wheel. The Intifada had been going on for over 6 months. The stories of brutality, lynching, death and horrible violence were everywhere. The tension in Israel intensified. Hatred and pain could be felt at every corner. Being empathic, Suzette felt the pain, sorrow, hatred, fear, anger and rage around her. It was time to retreat. She felt the separation that was building up….the separation within the Israeli society, the separation between nations at war….this didn’t feel good. She needed some time to heal her heart, soothe the pain she saw. At the same time she felt she betrayed the Medicine Wheel, her people?. Maybe she wasn’t supposed to leave?. She was supposed to stay and help?
She moved back to Sedona, to the peace. She felt safe. But…it was too quiet….her heart was crying. She knew she had to go back there, she was needed. She couldn’t sleep at nights. She had dreams of Tel Aviv burning. She went back to Israel, facilitated Medicine Wheel ceremonies for a couple of months, returned to Sedona to go back to Israel two more times.
A historian of the world’s 3 largest religions once said that Suzette's teachings came full circle in our evolution. She mastered the world’s 3 main religions (Judaism, Christianity and Muslim) by experiencing and living it all to its fullest – born in a Muslim country, lived in a Jewish country, and was married to and lived in Christian countries. She now teaches the basis of all….our basic connection to the land, with God in and around us. That is where it all started, that is where it is simple and safe....that is where we can hear God, hear ourselves, connect to our knowingness...That is what her tours are all about....
She now lives in Phoenix, Arizona and is the founder of Sacred Land Tours. Her heart fills up with great joy when helping people find their smile as she found hers, while connecting to the abundance and healing properties of the vast, sacred lands of the Southwest. She is a master shamanic drummer, story teller, and teacher of the drum. Her boundless love of all people is what makes her tours so very special…that love is contagious. Her tours are experiential. She loves it, she lives it. You will love it, and you will live it too!
Aho Metaquiasin
(For All My Relations)
THE (SHAMAN'S) DRUM
The drum was (and still is) the most important tool of the Shaman. The drum is used for meditating, healing, grounding, centering, invocations of guides and spirits, expanding one's consciousness and last but not least....dancing! The deep, earthy sound of the drum beat reminds us of the earth. The reason the drum has such a vital importance in healing work is because its deep, earthy sound represents the Heartbeat, the life-force - the Heartbeat of Mother Earth, the loving, always giving, nourishing, nurturing, life-giving, abundant Mother Earth. As we long for these qualities in ourselves, the drum's sound brings us deep into the womb of the Mother, making us feel safe, nurtured, secure, loved and at peace. The Heartbeat is strong and it connects all life....The Heartbeat, in its essence, is the Heartbeat of All There Is...There is no separation. We all have the same Heartbeat: The Sitting People (the rocks), The Standing People (the trees), The Swimming People (the fish), The Flying People, The Four-leggeds, The Two-Leggeds ((white, yellow, black and red), The Stars, The Planets, The Universes....We all have the same Heartbeat. Andwith every single beat of the Drum we connect to the Heartbeat of All There Is.
When you feel down, lonely, confused, insecure, unsettled, sad, angry, hurt, not knowing what to do next -Take The Drum and Play. It will connect you to the Hearbeat, and you will know!
Published March 2006
in Arizona Good Life Magazine, and Arizona Networking News
Written by Suzette "Medicine Drum"
Deep sounding, 18" lightweight, rosewood frame and goat's skin Shaman's Drums available at $69.
Please inquire about Shamanic Drumming classes by Suzette "Medicine Drum"
Phone:602-277-1924
E-mail: info@sacredlandtours.com
