I was expecting this woman who described herself as a Quero Apache storyteller, an author, a teacher.  She wanted to talk about renting space at the Center for classes and such.  My shamanic partner Alora and I had been receiving a lot of calls and emails from metaphysical and shamanic teachers wondering about using our Shamanic Healing Arts Center, so that wasn’t such a strange thing.  But this woman was the first “real” Indian who had contacted us.  And frankly, I was a little nervous about meeting her.  Would she reject us when she saw our lily-white complexions? 

When Spirit directed Alora and I, two upper-middle-class overly educated white chicks to use the term “shaman” to describe our unique and spirit-led untrained mode of channeling/healing/teaching people – well, we were a bit concerned.  What would this look like to the “real” native people?  Would they be angry with us?  Don’t you need some kind of bloodline or tribal training or certification or something to call yourself “shaman?” 

And then, after we quit our lucrative jobs and began working publicly as “shamans,” Spirit directed that we open up a center – a Shamanic Healing Arts Center.  Um, that’s a little public, don’t ya think?  Plus, where’s the money for that?  We just quit our ritzy jobs and now work for peanuts doing healing work!  How do you expect us to start a business with a lease and insurance and stuff like that?  Well, one miracle after another lined up, and the San Diego Circle Shamanic Healing Arts Center was born out of a little pile of cashed-in retirement savings, clearance paint, bags of plaster-of-paris, and tons of volunteer work from dedicated people who seemed to come out of the woodwork.  Now the Center was up and running (ok, maybe walking slowly forward), and a real-live Indian had just walked through the front door, with Spirit Guides so big and numerous that I felt like I needed sunglasses.  Uh oh.  The white girls got caught.

My fear lasted approximately one billionth of one second.  Maria Yraceburu, this woman tiny in stature and huge in spirit and poise, was grinning wildly at me with a sly look in one eye, and  wide open arms inviting a big family-style hug.   Her housthé or partner, Lynda, wore a matching grin and wide hugging arms of her own.  I was reeling in the Light.  In embracing these women, I felt a greater movement of Spirit around us, as all of our Guides were also embracing, reconnecting, rejoicing in this long-awaited moment.  My rational mind griped that I was making a big deal out of just one little greeting – a few moments of hugging a stranger.  But my heart knew that these women were no strangers to me.  They were family – sisters – aunties – teachers – mentors – comrades – colleagues – they were FAMILY. 

The four of us, Maria, Lynda, Alora, and myself, sat on the floor of the Center and told our stories.  Maria and Lynda listened to us while we enthusiastically (and covered in plaster and paint) recounted the miraculous events that led to the opening of the Center.  My cheeks hurt from the wild grinning. 

Maria admitted that more than just wanting to rent space, she had been led here to the Center.  She said that now she could see why.  We were meant to work together as priests and as family.  She encouraged us.  She validated us.  She told us skin color don’t matter one bit, and neither does blood.  Because Spirit puts us in bodies the colors of the rainbow, and it takes all colors to build that totality of Light.  It is time for All Nations to come together and live the prayer of All Our Relations – not just in tribal groups – but in this crazy modern world of the Rainbow.

As Maria and Lynda left that day, we thanked Spirit for this beautiful beginning of what continues as a partnership, a camaraderie, a family of Spirit with Maria and the Quero Apache.  “Thank you for bringing us these teachers of Integrity, Tradition, and Truth.  Thank you for providing us this validation that our blood and skin are acceptable in this Calling.  Thank you for leading us from one miracle to the next in the service of the Highest Good.  Lead On, Spirit!  A-Ho!”

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Mellissa Seaman is a co-founder of San Diego Circle and founder of Heart Wisdom and Divine Ravishment.  She provides profound energetic healing sessions, teaches workshops, leads rituals, and writes articles on spiritual awakening, healing, and sacred living.  Reach Mellissa at info@heartwisdom.net. 

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