Wisdom Keeper

Ilarion Merculieff weaves the remarkable strands of his life and culture into a fascinating account that begins with his traditional Unangan (Aleut) upbringing on a remote island in the Bering Sea, through his immersion in both the Russian Orthodox Church and his tribe’s holistic spiritual beliefs. He recounts his developing consciousness and call to leadership, and describes his work of the past thirty years bringing together Western science and Indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge and wisdom to address the most pressing issues of our time. Tracing the extraordinary history of his ancestors—who mummified their dead in a way very similar to the Egyptians, constructed one of the most sophisticated high seas kayaks in the world, and densely populated shorelines in North America for ten thousand years—Merculieff describes the rich traditions of spirituality, art, dance, music, storytelling, science, and technology that enabled them to survive their harsh conditions. The Unangan people of the Aleutian Islands endured slavery at the hands of the U.S. government and were placed in an internment camp during WWII, where they suffered malnutrition and disease that decimated 10 percent of their population. Merculieff movingly describes how the compassion of Indigenous Elders has guided him in his work and life, which has been rife with struggle and hardship. He explains that environmental degradation, the extinction of species, pollution, war, and failing public institutions are all reflections of our relationships with ourselves. In order to deal with these critical challenges, he argues, we must reenter the chaos of the natural world, rediscover our balance of the masculine and the sacred feminine, and heal ourselves. Then, perhaps, we can heal the world.

'The Wisdom Keepers Inner Guidebook' welcomes you into the gaze of the 64 Faces of Awakening, each here to recognize your worth, reflect your beauty and love you unconditionally. The Wisdom Keepers share their teachings through intimate stories, contemplative questions and practical suggestions for how to access your wisdom, open to your gifts and fulfill your potential. 'The Wisdom Keepers Inner Guidebook' is best used with its companion, the magical 'Wisdom Keepers Oracle Deck' (available on the wisdomkeepers.net website). Both are empowering tools of self-acceptance, understanding and healing. Rosy has joined her 64 Faces of Awakening with archetypal themes and concepts found in the 64 hexagrams of the I Ching and explored in Richard Rudd's profound visionary book, The Gene Keys.

Ilarion Merculieff weaves the remarkable strands of his life and culture into a fascinating account that begins with his traditional Unangan (Aleut) upbringing on a remote island in the Bering Sea, through his immersion in both the Russian Orthodox Church and his tribe’s holistic spiritual beliefs. He recounts his developing consciousness and call to leadership, and describes his work of the past thirty years bringing together Western science and Indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge and wisdom to address the most pressing issues of our time. Tracing the extraordinary history of his ancestors—who mummified their dead in a way very similar to the Egyptians, constructed one of the most sophisticated high seas kayaks in the world, and densely populated shorelines in North America for ten thousand years—Merculieff describes the rich traditions of spirituality, art, dance, music, storytelling, science, and technology that enabled them to survive their harsh conditions. The Unangan people of the Aleutian Islands endured slavery at the hands of the U.S. government and were placed in an internment camp during WWII, where they suffered malnutrition and disease that decimated 10 percent of their population. Merculieff movingly describes how the compassion of Indigenous Elders has guided him in his work and life, which has been rife with struggle and hardship. He explains that environmental degradation, the extinction of species, pollution, war, and failing public institutions are all reflections of our relationships with ourselves. In order to deal with these critical challenges, he argues, we must reenter the chaos of the natural world, rediscover our balance of the masculine and the sacred feminine, and heal ourselves. Then, perhaps, we can heal the world.

Rich with magnificent photographs and powerful words, this book takes the reader into the inner thoughts, jokes, healing remedies, and humanity of Native American spiritual elders—otherwise known as the Wisdomkeepers. In their own words elders from the Sioux, Iroquois, Seminole, Ojibwe, Hopi, Ute, Pawnee, and other tribes explain who they are, how they live, and what they believe. Readers learn of Buffalo Jim, a Seminole who describes the story of creation as if the Everglades were Eden, and Mathew King, a Lakota who warns of punishments for those who would destroy earth. Readers share the innermost thoughts and feelings, the dreams and visions, the laughter, the healing remedies, and the prophecies of the Wisdomkeepers. Above all, the elders offer their humanity, which shines through each page. They are the Elders, the Old Ones, the Grandfathers and Grandmothers, the fragile repositories of sacred ways and natural wisdom going back millennia, yet never more relevant than today.

With captivating lyricism, Amazon Wisdom Keeper transports us into the multicultural upbringing and transformation of Loraine Van Tuyl, a graduate psychology student and budding shamanic healer who’s blindsided by startling visions, elusive drumming, and her inseverable mystical ties to the Amazon rainforest of her native Suriname. Is she in the wrong field, or did her childhood dreams, imaginary guides, and premonitions somehow prepare her for these challenges? Did Suriname’s military coup and her family’s uprooting move to the US rob her from all that she knew and loved at thirteen to help reveal her soul’s purpose, or is she losing her mind by entertaining far-fetched questions and hunches that can’t be answered or proven—like wondering if her perplexing life story is shedding light on the double-binds in her field on purpose, and suspecting that her soul’s daunting blue print was plotted long before she was even born? Van Tuyl wrestles with these questions and more as she embarks upon her risky quest, enduring test upon test in search of her true self and calling while enrolled in a rigorous academic program that regards intuitive healing methods as unscientific—and even unethical.

Keepers of the Wisdom, a daily meditation guide for older adults, captures the words of the aging themselves and provides a deep sense of spiritual center gained through experience and acceptance. After the first joys of early retirement, author Karen Casey quickly experienced a minor identity crisis. The process of redefining herself in the absence of a career was made easier after interviewing other older adults with similar experiences.Casey's interviews included men and women from a wide range of ages (58-92) and from various parts of the country. Their stories were as varied as their personalities. However, Casey discovered one common element. They had each discovered an activity that gave their lives real meaning and tied them to the larger human community. Keepers of the Wisdom, a daily meditation guide for older adults, captures the words of the aging themselves. Casey, in her classic style, comments upon those insights with her own wisdom and sensitivity, providing affirmations that can become a part of one's daily living. Underlying each of the meditations is a deep sense of a spiritual center gained through experience and acceptance. Keepers of the Wisdom provides a spiritual center gained through experience and acceptance. These meditations are a portrait of active and fulfilling lives that give great purpose to themselves and to others.

"Keepers of the Children" (subtitle: Native American Wisdom and Parenting) uses little known Native American secrets to teach parents how to raise children who know their nature and use their strengths to create lives of meaning and contribution. By raising children to unfold the uniqueness in their hearts, parents touch the depths of their own. By teaching children the secrets of genuine fulfillment, they grow up to lead purposeful lives and cherish their parents for this gift. ("Keepers of the Children" is the first in a trilogy of parenting books.)

The writings in this book are on a path among many, pointing toward ancient meditative practices and techniques. These can lead to new Quantum Living in a present-day lifestyle. The end result is primarily that of powerful co-creation with the highest of powers existent in consciousness and knowing. it is hoped that these short to the point sayings or possible mantras, could be useful in a daily meditative practice. This Wisdom Keeper shares these sutras based on much experience as well as the new and ancient. This can help find a Spiritual Completion for the reader, as I have as the writer.

"Dazzling. . . . In glittering prose, Momaday recalls stories passed down through generations, illuminating the earth as a sacrosanct place of wonder and abundance. At once a celebration and a warning, Earth Keeper is an impassioned defense of all that our endangered planet stands to lose." — Esquire A magnificent testament to the earth, from Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and poet N. Scott Momaday. One of the most distinguished voices in American letters, N. Scott Momaday has devoted much of his life to celebrating and preserving Native American culture, especially its oral tradition. A member of the Kiowa tribe, Momaday was born in Lawton, Oklahoma and grew up on Navajo, Apache, and Peublo reservations throughout the Southwest. It is a part of the earth he knows well and loves deeply. In Earth Keeper, he reflects on his native ground and its influence on his people. “When I think about my life and the lives of my ancestors," he writes, "I am inevitably led to the conviction that I, and they, belong to the American land. This is a declaration of belonging. And it is an offering to the earth.” In this wise and wonderous work, Momaday shares stories and memories throughout his life, stories that have been passed down through generations, stories that reveal a profound spiritual connection to the American landscape and reverence for the natural world. He offers an homage and a warning. He shows us that the earth is a sacred place of wonder and beauty, a source of strength and healing that must be honored and protected before it’s too late. As he so eloquently and simply reminds us, we must all be keepers of the earth.

Wisdom Keepers are those who have the resources to share what they have learned from life's experiences and pass it on to future generations. Prayer and faith-sharing groups, Bible study groups, and other gatherings of seniors have formed in many congregations. Older members of the church face different challenges to their faith than do younger people. They are reflecting on new issues, problems, and opportunities. Wisdom Keepers: A Resource for Faith Sharing Among Seniors was created by the Office of Ministry and Spirituality of the Archdiocese of Louisville to fill a need in their ministry to seniors. Enthusiastically embraced by many parishes in the archdiocese, Wisdom Keepers uses a simple, direct, adaptable format that can be used as the basis for monthly meetings, retreats, or days of contemplation. The book offers reflections on forty-six themes, written for group use, but helpful for individuals, too. No matter how readers use these reflections, God will be with them, calling them to wisdom and sharing.