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This past weekend I taught the final of four classes on “Spirited Living: A Shamanic Journey into Self-Healing.” It was a very powerful weekend for all participants, myself included.

The focus of this class was on how the students could weave the shamanic support and techniques they had learned into their lives after class. As mesa carriers and pampamesayoq’s (Earth Stewards), I hope that each student will continue to do their own personal healing as well as make themselves available in their communities.

One of the topics raised was the issue of global warming and its effects on all the inhabitants of this planet. I told the class that the spirit world and the animals had asked me to make this a special focus for everyone. We discussed the idea that doing our personal clearing work helps to heal the planet as well as ourselves since we are all connected, but the question was raised as to what more could be done.

In response I have now created a new page on my website under Resources, Inspiring People and Animal Videos, some of which are simply humorous (laughter is very healing), but other videos fulfill the criteria of being geared toward inspiring personal, community, or global change. They may not seem overtly shamanic in nature, but each of the videos I have selected deals with aspects that shamans concerns themselves with: understanding and communication with All Our Relations, the animals that we share this world with; visions of sustainability, green perspective, and harmony with the natural world; and issues of life and death, all of which lies within the purview of shamans of any culture. Shamanism is a living tradition, adapting over time, maintaining a liaison with spirit and community in the language of both. Nowadays our popular culture is contained on YouTube, and within TV, movies, music, and books, etc., and I am very comfortable using all of them as a means of education and communication.

In addition to the new webpage in future blogs I will be featuring some action steps that can be taken by anyone. It is estimated that we have 10 years in which to turn global warming around, to change the climate crisis that we have created and save our planet, the animals and ourselves from certain destruction. The actions of each person is crucial at this time in our history, one person can make a difference!

For my first step I offer the opportunity for you to determine which of three videos you think should win the video contest created by U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), to promote the creation of more and better transportation options. There are three videos that you can vote for: “I Love Traffic,” a tongue-in-cheek (at least I hope so!) look at the beauty of traffic jams and rising gas prices; “Carrick Video: Transportation of the Future” which stars nine-year-old Carrick who pulls out all the stops with his charming and humorous on-stage personality as he takes us on a fun tour of the world of the future (can you tell this was my favorite?); and “Dear Diary,” a look at the struggles of one young man who tries a few alternative transportation methods of getting to work.

Take a moment to watch all three videos at U.S. PIRG Help Us Pick A Winner! and place your vote! I believe that popularizing videos like these can inspire people to take the steps needed to vanquish the spectre of global warming.

P.S. Young Carrick Gareth has other sustainable videos at YouTube. He is one prolific nine year-old!

P.P.S. In case you did not know, U.S. PIRG takes on powerful interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being. With a strong network of researchers, advocates, organizers and students in state capitols across the country, they stand up to powerful special interests on issues where powerful special interests stand in the way of reform, like product safety, identity theft, political corruption, prescription drugs, and voting rights.