By Mark Plummer
Have you ever wondered what the practice of our religion would be like if our ancestors who came to this land had been more respectful and open to Indigenous spiritual practice? What if there had been a mutual sharing of traditions so that each was enriched by the other?
A group of us had an opportunity to experience Indigenous spiritual practice at a retreat in the beautiful setting of the Beaver River Valley on March 28 and 29 with Knowledge Givers Sheila Robson and Ken Albert.
We had an opportunity to pray, to learn and to heal. We experienced the pipe ceremony, prayers by the river, song and the sacred fire as well as the importance of gratitude in the Indigenous tradition. We collected a $1170 donation to show our gratitude for the teachings, that was given to the Big Canoe project https://www.bigcanoeproject.org/ a non profit that is focused introducing people to the waters of Georgian Bay fostering a relationship with nature. It also supports the Indigenous community Neyaashiinigmiing by supporting the Elders who conduct a yearly canoe trip to teach the youth of the community Ojibway and spiritual teachings.
If you are interested in this experience please reach out to Cathy Miller cathytmiller53@gmail.com or Mark Plummer mddplummer@gmail.com