Walking Spirit in a Native Way

For a sweat-lodge it is important!  Over the past thirty years I have attended many lodges in different places. One of the most important tasks for the fire-keepers is to gather Grandfather rocks.  Firstly!  They have to be the right ones to assure a good lodge with no MISHAPS! It is NOT just a matter of going into a field to gather stones! In my experience, as is true with many other fire-keepers, volcanic rocks, basalt are the best for a sweat=lodge. It can often be found in old stream beds or in deposits near old volcanoes.    Running stream in New Boston, NH   So! How do you find an old stream bed and where are the rocks?    A stream out of hill country usually has what you are looking for. Over years and years the water has carved it way down to stone beds. Many stones have washed down into the bottom of the stream from up stream in storms and winter run offs. Often these stones will build up around curves in the stream to form larg...

  by  F. Christopher Reynolds, M.Ed. A singer, teacher, adjunct professor in Creativity Studies, Religious Studies and Art. Gotta love Chris Reynolds! Always looks for the depth of Spirit!   "I went through your book again. It's wise how you embedded the Grandfather teachings as the chapters, like Sky Otter tracing over the water. It's wise how you have those animals and the gratitude song and the Medicines because it roots the story in the more ancient stories. It's wise how you root also into the Great Peace that is the tradition where we live, even Maize's name. It's wise how you share the dream of the knife-handed Taker. And to tell your story of the journey of honesty that you have been both enjoying and suffering." F. Christopher Reynolds, M.Ed. A singer, teacher, adjunct professor in Creativity Studies, Religious Studies and Art. He taught high school French in Berea, Ohio, and earned a Master's degree in Rites of Passage in Post M...

  To a Great Mentor ! About this book "Walking Spirit in a Native Way" By James B. Beard This book is dedicated to my teacher, Nagaan we widong, [na-gaan-way-wi-dong / First to Speak, First Thunder, Lawrence Joe Matrious, A man who dedicated his life to the people. An Elder of the Ojibwe Nation of People that live around the great lakes in North America. His teachings, patience and example changed my life and that of many others who knew him. He was one of the last of the Old Ones of Lake Lena Reservation in Hinckley, Minnesota. I say here that he was one of the last, though in truth he is one of the old ones. Though he passed on August 9 th , 2009, he is still with us in spirit and continues to affect my life on a daily basis. A grandmother of the Ojibwe from Red Lake Reservation had been asked to oversee the ceremonies for Misho. Her name was Anna Gibs and she was a very short woman and needed a walker to move about together with a nurse...

  Alone with spirit in the now   Tonight I took a walk on the mountain. No one else here. Just me and the wind. Ten degrees and the wind blowing at twenty to thirty miles per hour. Carefully stepping from rock to rock on an icy trail. Beautiful to hear the music wind plays as it comes down the mountain. Alone with spirit in the now. I feel the warmth of my friends and family knowing that they are in the now too. James Beard aka Noodin                Cultural Storyteller, Educator, Speaker,                Author ...

  NOODIN ~ Cultural Story Teller, Educator, Speaker, Author J ames B Beard aka Noodin Cultural Story Teller, Educator, Speaker, Author   You are invited to visit my Web Site!   I hope you will enjoy the books and services offered here :   James B Beard aka Noodin @ www.northeastcultural.com Behind me, in the photo, is the Grand Monadnock Mountain. It is the most climbed mountain in the Americas with more than 100,000 climbers each year. It is more than that. It is a spiritual gathering place for people. I often refer to her as Mona and she is my friend. Her Native American name is  Chi Manitou’Nuc and means great Spirit place . I lived here on this mountain at Monadnock State Park. In the park I was a Park Ranger, Interpreter/storyteller, Camp Host and Wilderness Responder. I maintained an area of the park to honor this special place with a ceremonial fire, medicine healing lodge and areas for native and cultural gatherin...

  Jithu / influencer to James Beard 11/06/2025 Hello James My team of 13 members did reviews for your book Sharing all the 13 reviews her 1. Walking Spirit in a Native Way: White Mocs on the Red Road is a thoughtful reflection on a spiritual journey that is both personal and culturally significant. James B. Beard, known as Noodin, describes the path he walked under the guidance of an Ojibwe Elder, capturing with respect the essence of Indigenous teachings. His narrative is not rushed or embellished but grounded in humility and the slow unfolding of understanding. What stands out is the book’s emphasis on listening and learning rather than claiming ownership of sacred knowledge. Noodin demonstrates sincerity in how he approaches each teaching, mistake, and realization. The story invites readers to reflect deeply on how wisdom is carried, shared, and lived. 2. This book offers insight into a rare and meaningful apprenticeship between a non-Native learner and an Ojibwe Elder. James B...