Vision Quest

There are many forms of retreats that people look for and experience in their lives.
Even a walk in the country is a form of a Vision Quest. As in any religion, without a
ceremony or ritual there may not be that closeness and connection to our God. Many
seek a place, a way, and a guide to experience an inner comfort and contentment.

Contentment does not always have an explanation that we may understand.
Contentment is a state of being in which we know that each day is meant to be a part
of our purpose in life. Then we are able to accept each day and circumstance that we
encounter as a part of our journey in life.
The key to having strength and acceptance is knowing where our true power comes
from and learning about and feeling this true power continually in our daily life. Then
we will learn the answers as we experience the path we walk.

The Native Americans would go off by themselves to experience the Vision Quest.
There were several different rituals that led to the preparation of the Quest. One
common practice was to first endure a sweat lodge which would last most of the day.
Fasting beforehand would ensure that the mind would not concentrate on what the
body had inside and also to purify the body for total commitment as one with the
body, mind and spirit. Today most people have little time to be able to complete the
sweat lodge and then a full night and day for the preparation of the Quest.

What I have found out is that completing a Vision Quest by itself people do find an
answer and or are led to make a decision in their lives to move forward. Stagnation
in our lives is not responding to or acting towards our problems and concerns. This
causes us to be depressed and to vent our concerns in a manner that effects others
negatively, and causes us to seek out temporary solutions that fill the voids in our
lives.

Many companies are sending their employees to Vision Quests to aid them in coping
with their personal lives, while also finding more contentment in the work place.
Different churches have set up indoor Quests called the "Sacred Circle" where people
sit in a circle as one with God as they talk and relate to each other different passages
from the Bible.

Quests give you a place where you can feel comfortable and where you can relate to
your inner self and feel contentment within. At a Vision Quest, you are taught how to
Center and Meditate. Without these two practices, we will never connect to our God
or be open for His answers to us. From practice and prayer, we improve on
Discernment, Intuition and Insight.

Let me explain a little about the Vision Quests I host:
The person giving the Quest must know exactly where everyone is placed and
constantly be near but out of sight. It is not a commercial thing where you're just
going to see what it's like. There are one day and two day Quests, as well as day and
night Quests. It is recommended that you try a day Quest first.
When you are invited to a Quest, you must pray and prepare your inner self for your
journey. Each person has concerns and problems so prayer ties are to be made to
address these and brought to the Quest. These are made from about two-four inch
square pieces of cloth filled with anything from the earth, twisted, then tied with
string.
Then each is tied to a longer piece of string to be hung at the site where you will sit.
You must try to wear only cotton or wool clothes, bring water and a snack for
afterwards, a cotton or wool rug or blanket for sitting, and a whistle in case you
need to summon help quickly.
When you arrive at the site, no vehicles may be parked near, nor cell phone use
permitted while at the Quest. You will find that your guide has prepared a fire and will
have everyone sit around it, where he will talk to each of you and answer any
questions you may have, and will use this opportunity to read everyone to see where
each person is in their life.You will be walked into the woods to hug a tree, which
will help you trust, then you will return to the fire, talk some more, then he will walk
everyone to each site so you may see and feel the area.
You will again return to the fire and talk, where you will be given a demonstration on
how to set the rocks around you, how to use the feather, and where to put your
prayer chain at the site.
Everyone will walk as a group until each one is placed at a site, where you will stay
for about an hour, then everyone will be gathered back to the fire circle for a talk.
Many questions will be answered, then you will be sent out again to your site where
you may stay as long as you wish until dark or until you come in on your own.
I hope this answered many of your questions about what to expect at a Vision Quest.

If anyone is interested in attending or sponsoring a Vision Quest at your location,
please email me for information. Our Vision Quests are held in Pennsylvania about
eleven miles outside of New Bethlehem, or I will come to your area. The cost is a
donation of twenty-five dollars a person, or more if travel is involved on my part.

winterhawk40@googlemail.com