Tag Archives: Native American Church

The Sins of the Fathers

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Michael J. Melville

When the phone rang 17 years ago, it was my niece on the phone, to whom I had not spoken in 18 years. She called to tell me that her mom had suffered an aneurysm in her brain and that … Continue reading →

Posted in Child/Parent Relationship, Family patterns | Tagged alcohol abuse, Dreams, Mentoring Men, Native American Church, Tsalagi Tradition | Leave a comment

Being “Outed” in Whole Foods

Posted on January 1, 2016 by Michael J. Melville

Still wearing my crimson winter jacket and white stole, I donned my Moroccan hat with its small circular mirrors and entered Whole Foods. I paid for my coffee and éclair with a gingerbread man, a clever paper cutout with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Child/Parent Relationship, Christianity, Family patterns, Indigenous traditions, Rainbow Nation, Trickster energy | Tagged Elder Wisdom, Native American Church, Projection | Leave a comment

The Counselor at the dinner table

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Michael J. Melville

If you know a family member, friend, or lover who is struggling with a diagnosis on the Asperger/Autism continuum, or has been abused in childhood, you probably have seen their symptoms and strategies to deal with post-traumatic stress. These adaptations … Continue reading →

Posted in Child/Parent Relationship, Family patterns, Foster Children, Indigenous traditions | Tagged Asperger's Syndrome, Celtic traditions, Elder Wisdom, First Thanksgiving Feast, Native American Church, Tsalagi Tradition | Leave a comment

Happy Birthday Brother Coyote

Posted on August 26, 2014 by Michael J. Melville

The Mexican/American kid who was cutting the weeds this afternoon was very talkative and friendly. He asked me, referring to the hillside, “How does it look?” to which I responded, “How does it look to you?” “Better than it did,” … Continue reading →

Posted in Family patterns, Indigenous traditions, Trickster | Tagged Coyote, Elder Wisdom, Mentoring Men, Native American Church | Leave a comment

Apu Spirit of the Andes

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Michael J. Melville

When the Eagle Woman returned from Peru, she gave me a carved stone figure called an Apu. She said that all the medicine people in the Andes have these stones, but only the most powerful have a star incised in … Continue reading →

Posted in Ayahuasca, Indigenous traditions, Santo Daime | Tagged Coyote, Elder Wisdom, entheogens, medicine ceremonies, Native American Church, Peyote, Yaje | Leave a comment

The Eagle in the Peyote Ceremony

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Michael J. Melville

Time can give us perspective. When I left Berkeley in 2011 I was feeling hurt and angry. The post I wrote at that time “Papou, open the window!” made my most popular list this week and I was curious why. … Continue reading →

Posted in Child/Parent Relationship, Indigenous traditions | Tagged Inner Child, medicine ceremonies, Native American Church, Projection | Leave a comment

Tiny Tim had trouble walking

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Michael J. Melville

The previews before the main attraction, The Book Thief, were interesting. I saw how The Invisible Woman will expose the secret life of Charles Dickens. Although he was the most famous author of his day, Dickens’ darker, human, personal shadow … Continue reading →

Posted in Child/Parent Relationship, Christianity, Indigenous traditions, Psychology | Tagged Dreams, Native American Church, Shadow Archetype, Synchronicity | Leave a comment

The Bed Dream

Posted on September 29, 2013 by Michael J. Melville

The Man’s Dream A young couple, whom I know, are laying on a bed. She’s wearing a short white satin dress, he’s wearing white silk, shorts or pajamas. There’s also a younger man, perhaps in his teens, laying on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Balancing male/female energy, Child/Parent Relationship, Christianity, Dream Interpretation, Individuation, Mythology, Psychology, Trickster energy | Tagged alcohol abuse, Dreams, Hermes, Inner Child, Native American Church, Projection | 1 Comment

Takiwasi meets Santo Daime

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Michael J. Melville

Sometimes the Universe has a plan which we have to accept, even when the formal structure discourages doing what feels right. Within my understanding of the Santo Daime tradition, physical contact is kept to a minimum. The ayahuasca is … Continue reading →

Posted in Ayahuasca, Psychology, Santo Daime, Theosophy | Tagged C. G. Jung, entheogens, Erotic Love, Native American Church, post traumatic stress, sexual abuse in childhood, Yaje | Leave a comment

Coyote in the Dream World

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Michael J. Melville

I noticed the cat pulling the rug around in a room of the house and went to investigate. A dog might do this, but a cat? Not likely. Looking into the room I saw Coyote, my 46 year-old nephew, looking … Continue reading →

Posted in Balancing male/female energy, Christianity, Dream Interpretation, Family patterns, Foster Children, homosexuality, Psychology, Trickster energy | Tagged alcohol abuse, Coyote, Dreams, entheogens, Erotic Love, Hermes, Inner Truth, Mentoring Men, Native American Church, Projection, sexual abuse in childhood, Shadow Archetype, Tsalagi Tradition | Leave a comment