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Don't Pay to Pray
by Lorayne Martinez

Praying or remembering our essence is as natural to us as breathing.

Also like breathing, we very often forget to do it. Well as many of us are aware, for many years now and ever on the increase, there are those that wish to "help" us. For a price, however. Most of these "teachers", "gurus", "shamans", "medicine people" are self proclaimed, self taught, or ordained so by someone who is. They have read books, attended lectures, seminars, workshops and/or intensives that are very expensive. They have gone home and practiced and analyzed whatever they were sold. In a moment of ecstasy, they "realized" they were good at it, they, too, had a gift. But far from giving, these people take and take and take. They take peoples money, peoples attention, they take peoples identities. All the while you are being told, "the more you give, the more you receive." This pulls on peoples needs for spiritual connectedness, healing, and power. This is spiritual exploitation.

It's all about Power and Money, marketed in a magical cape of lavender and rainbows.

In my opinion, one of these supposed medicine people Brooke Edwards, a.k.a. Brooke Medicine Eagle, was here in Sonoma County in March. Many of us were there to encourage others not to support this spiritual genocide and exploitation. Most went in , but several did stay out to discuss this issue, and one person walked by my sign, read it "DON'T PAY TO PRAY", said vehemently "What is this shit?!", and kept walking. After the approximately two and a half hour talk, which cost twenty dollars, Brooke came out and was calmly told by a spokesperson from the Center For The Spirit to stop exploiting American Indian ways, in particular those of the Crow Tribe of Montana.

<Read alert on Brooke Edwards in this issue>

She claimed to conduct what she does in a respectful, harmonious way. However, she did not ask any questions as to who she was offending, why, or to set up a time to discuss any of these issues. She didn't appear to "hear" what was being said. In my estimation she seemed a very gracious brick wall, unwilling to communicate but oh so nice about it. Which is basically how all people of color, including my ancestors here in the western hemisphere, have been and continue to be treated. As they smile and chop off our hands for not giving gold, they ignore our existence, our screams and continue their mantra I WANT, I WANT, I WANT.

Remember, Don't Pay to Pray.

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