CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LIVING

THE TOPIC WAS ABOUT GLADNESS. WE NEED TO INTERUPT DRAMA INTO 2011. WHEREVER THEIR IS LAUGHTER GOD IS PRESENT. MAKE ROOM FOR THE NEW AND LET GO OF THE OLD. LET IT BE AND IT WILL LET GO OF ITSELF. KEEP MOVING AND DON'T STOP BREATHING, OUR HEARTS NEED TO OPEN LIGHT. WE TAKE OURSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY. SPIRIT IS NOT RESTRICTED BY WHAT HAS GONE ON BEFORE. LOOK FORWARD TO NEW PROSPERITY, NEW POSSIBILITIES THIS NEXT YEAR. THE MINISTER TALKED ABOUT SEVERAL NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES THAT USE CLOWNS TO BREAK UP THE DRAMA OF OUR SERIOUSNESS. IN THE LAKOTA TRIBE IN SOUTH DAKOTA THEY HAVE A CLOWN CALLED HEYOKA WHO UPSETS THINGS IN ORDER TO GET PEOPLE DRAWN AWAY FROM THEIR NEGATIVE THINKING...THEY BRING ABOUT BALANCE. THEY WERE THOUGHT OF BEING BACKWARDS OR UPSIDE DOWN. THEY MIGHT WEAR THEIR CLOTHES IN SIDE OUTSIDE. THEY MIGHT WEAR THEIR CLOTHES INSIDE OUT. IF FOOD WAS SCARCE HE WOULD COMPLAIN ABOUT HOW FULL HE WAS. IF IT WAS TOO HOT, HE WOULD COMPLAIN ABOUT HOW COLD IT WAS AND PUT ON A THICK BLANKET. DURING A SUN DANCE MIGHT TEMPT DANCERS TO DANCE BACKWARDS IN A CIRCLE TO SHOW RESPECT. HE IS A MIRROR AND TEACHER TO GET PEOPLE TO EXAMINE THEIR OWN DOUBTS. THEY HAD POWER TO HEAL EMOTIONAL PAIN. THEY VIOLATE THE NORM.



IN THE CHEROKEE TRIBE THEY HAD CLOWNS AS WELL USED TI INTERUPT THE DRAMA. THEY WERE CALLED BUGAS. THEY WOULD SAY ANYTHING TO MAKE A JOKE AND MAKE RUDE JESTERS TO ANNOY PEOPLE WHO WOULD LAUGH AND RELEASE THEMSELVES. THEY ARE ENTERTAINERS WHO WOULD PLAY AS A TRICKSTER AND USE TRICKERY IN ORDER TO SURVIVE CHALLENGES OF THE WORLD.