PRIL

ONE THOUSAND TREESFACILITATING WELLNESS

THROUGH CONNECTION, CREATIVITY, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

PUBLISHERLisa Browning

EDITORIAL STAFFDave Derraugh, Danielle Hughes, Kathryn O’Brien,

Kayleigh Radatus, Shannon Tracey-Boggess

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORSKristen Feduck, Jill Michelle, Christine Nightingale, Sandra Wilson

COVER PHOTOGRAPHYBrian Hawker

Mistissini - February 1997

ONE THOUSAND TREESEmail: lisa@onethousandtrees.com

Phone: 519-362-5494

One Thousand Trees is published monthly. Submissions for Feature Articles (based on the monthly theme)or Regular Departments are due on the 20th of the month prior to each publication. Full ProductionSchedule, including summary of monthly themes, can be found at

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ONE THOUSAND TREESAPRIL 2018

INDIGENOUS ISSUES

FEATURE ARTICLES:

FORKED TONGUES AND TRICKSTER TREATIES

by Brian Hawker 1

DEPARTMENTS: (bolded articles are monthly features)

CONNECTIONS-- The Month in Review, by Lisa Browning 11-- Dear Angels, by Jill Michelle 5-- Spirit Babies, by Christine Nightingale 2

CREATIVITY & THE ARTS

-- One Thousand Trees and Saplings Authors at The Purple Door 14-- Bring Our Sisters Home, by Shannon Tracey-Boggess 9-- My Adventure Called Life: by Sandra Wilson 3

FOOD & NUTRITION

-- Five Smoothies for Spring 6

GIVING BACK-- Volunteering in Southwestern Ontario 12

HEALTH & WELLBEING

-- What is Photo Therapy? by Kelly Gauthier 9

THE LIBRARY

-- The Story Behind the Story: Hazel Grace and the Magic Blanket, by Don Callahan 12-- Solar Eclipse, a poem by Francine Lee 14-- The Raven, by Andrea Lines-Botell 7-- Protector of the Beaver, by Sandra Wilson 13

Bring Our Sisters Homeby Shannon Tracey-Boggess

Campfire Taleby Jake Toohill

THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS

Brian HawkerForked Tongues and TricksterTreaties

Brian has worked as a universityombudsman, consultant in FirstNations human resource develop-ment, and as a teaching administrator

in Tanzania. His projects have included the publication ofan aboriginal adult basic level literacy workbook, thedesign of an accredited, community-based traditionalnative arts program, the development of an aboriginalB.Ed. in Adult Education and the successful accreditationof a “Two Worlds” Bachelor of Education program todeliver culturally appropriate teacher training to themembers of Sioux Lookout District First Nationscommunities.

Kelly GauthierWhat is Photo Therapy?

Kelly is a professional artist, photo-grapher, and Art & Photo Therapist.She currently resides in Torontowhere she operates a small privatepractice that specializes in the use of

photographs in therapy. Having grown up in a family ofrenowned artists and creative individuals, Kelly has cometo understand the essence of art, its amazing potential, andthe ability to heal that lays beneath it.

Don CallahanThe Story Behind the Story

Don grew up in Dartmouth, NovaScotia where he met and married thelove of his life twenty-five years ago.Don’s love of life is evident in his two

grown children, who also enjoy travelling and finding newadventures of their own. Don lives in Waterloo, Ontariowith his wife, two cats, and a magic blanket of his own.

F.H. (Francine) LeeSolar Eclipse

Francine writes from Oxford County,Ontario, Canada. She embraces thenatural world like kin, and has hadsuccess with writing contests,published (online and print format)

poetry, short fiction, and non-fiction, dating back thirtyodd years.

Andrea Lines-BotellThe Raven

Andrea offers gentle support to othersthrough her coaching company TheLeaning Tree. Many modalities areavailable including art, mindfulnesstechniques and supportive tools for

change. With a vast training background in conflict, crisisand mindfulness, Andrea's passion is to help others findtheir own solutions for inner peace and betterment. Formore information visit www.leaningtreecoaching.ca.

Jill MichelleDear Angels

Jill Michelle has been communicatingwith angels for most of her life. She isan angel reader and channels healinglight to her clients. She has been

helping her international clients in person and on thephone for over 15 years. Jill's passion is to help peoplerelease issues and blockages, propelling them forward ontheir spiritual journey and bringing love peace and joy intotheir lives. For more information visit her website atwww.jillmichelle.ca.

Christine NightingaleSpirit Babies

After studying Hypnosis for Fertility,Christine found that while workingwith clients, she would get very clearmessages from their miscarried or notyet conceived babies. Her speciality

has become getting messages from these babiesexplaining their difficulties in coming in, and suggestionsfor making it easier. She has worked with over 400couples, facilitating communication and pregnancy. Formore information please visit her website atwww.nightingalehealing.com.

Shannon Tracey-BoggessBring Our Sisters Home

Shannon has a passion for healthy livingnaturally. She loves researching variousart techniques, healthy recipes, andnatural therapies for self-evolution.Shannon is happily offering her skills as

a contract illustrator for children’s books published bySaplings. With her husband, two teen boys and two furbabies, she is living the healthiest and happiest life she can.

Sandra WilsonMy Adventure Called Life&Protector of the Beaver

Sandra is a writer, educator, andamateur photographer. With a Bachelorof Arts in English and History, much of

her work includes historic facts presented in fun andinteresting ways. Although trained to take portraits atSears Portrait Studio, Sandra prefers to capture naturewith her camera. Her passion is to help people learn, laughand be inspired. For more information, please visitwww.werconline.ca.

PUBLISHER’S PONDERINGS

I find myself at a loss for something to say this month. Usually, I use the monthlytheme as a focus, but I don’t really know enough about Indigenous Issues to saysomething either profound or particularly relevant. It is for this reason that I amlooking forward to this month’s Evening of Sharing with Brian Hawker. Brian has awealth of knowledge about this issue, and I know the evening will be bothinformative and enlightening.

While I don’t know much about Indigenous issues, I do know a lot about neglect, about abuse, andabout pain ... both in my own life, and in the lives of others. I know, and have said repeatedly, that wemust embrace our own darkness in order to see our light. It is interesting to me that the theme ofdarkness vs light has been prevalent these past few weeks leading to Spring, and to Easter.

Yesterday, I received an unexpected gift of the basket you see below. It was an act of acknowledgementand appreciation from a friend and client, and it meant the world to me. I am very good at expressingacknowledgement and appreciation of others ... but I have been very remiss in doing it for myself. Acommon reality, perhaps. I think we can fall into the trap of the darkness of past hurt, fear or shame,and forget to look at the blessings that are around us, if only we would choose to look at the light.

Wishing you joy and peace,

Lisa

FORKED TONGUES ANDTRICKSTER TREATIES

by Brian Hawker

For 17 years I have worked in remotefly-in reserves in northern Quebec andOntario, and I continue being troubledby the unhealthy social conditions thatremain unchanged despite moneytransfers and many forms ofprofessional and technical support.Seventy percent of the children do notcomplete Grade 12. Many as young as11 years old are killing themselves.The opiod crisis shows no signs ofletting up. “Diabesity” is a newcondition afflicting thousands. Apartfrom the human cost in untimelydeaths and lost potential which isstaggering, the added pressures on themedical, social assistance and justicesystems resulting from the failure ofthe school system, the loss of thenative economy and chronic illnesseshave pushed federal budgets beyondtheir capacity to deliver adequateservices.

I became determined to find out whyso much investment ($12b/year) wasproducing net negative returns. Mysearch took me to events that precededthe Indian Act and the ResidentialSchool System, introduced me to atimeless worldview that is incompat-ible with mainstream priorities andconvinced me that dysfunctions withinthe Indigenous world cannot beaddressed without examining dys-functions within our own. I learnedthat our history books have beenselective in validating patterns ofthinking that invalidate Indigenousvalues and that the deeper truth of thiscomplicated relationship is obscuredby the on-going dramas of disturbingcrises related to poverty, drugaddiction and crime.

It has become more than clear thatpolitical strategies have not succeededin addressing historical injusticestowards Canada’s Indigenous people.Increased awareness of First Nations

issues, by itself, will not change thestatistics highlighting the obstaclesundermining the ability of thispopulation to survive and a Liberalgovernment is no guarantee of realchange. Jean Chrétien was PrimeMinister when the Royal Commissionon Aboriginal Peoples was completedin 1996. It continues to be read but its400 recommendations sit dormant. Thecanary in this mine is that if the loss ofIndigenous children to a mainstreamculture is complete, there will be nofurther transmission of their languages,knowledge, insights and practices.

Although there is optimism in the air,reconciliation with Canada’sIndigenous peoples will be a longprocess. Since his election in October,2015, Justin Trudeau has vowed to“reset” Canada's relationship with itsIndigenous peoples, implement therecommendations of the Truth andReconciliation Commission and he haslaunched a national public inquiry intothe missing and murdered aboriginalwomen. Maybe we will see a shift inthe landscape. Maybe this time, thingswill be different. The well-intentionedpromises, however, are ambitious. Foralmost 150 years, there has been a lotof broken telephone between Parlia-ment and the Band Office. The rubbermeets the road on the front lines wherelife happens and the real work is done.The promises are tinged with naïveté.

Since Idle no More and the TRC, thegeneral public has become much betterinformed about the abuses of the pastbut neither awareness nor money northe notable successes of those whohave “made it” in politics, business,academe and the arts will improvenutrition, graduation rates, health oropportunity of the half millionIndigenous people still living onremote, isolated reserves. Heartfeltconcern and symbolic gesturesaccomplish little if anything at all.However well-intentioned, theseefforts do not provide day care, earlychildhood education, protection from

abuse, the skills needed to find decentwork, housing, pre-natal support,recreational facilities, functioningschools, community libraries orreliable connectivity.

Specifically, I have aimed to exposethe gridlock that features soprominently in negotiations and how itaggravates the breakdown incommunication between land-basedIndigenous cultures and the non-Indigenous dominant culture ofcompetition and consumerism. Thenon-resolution of the differences inthese two worldviews and the tensionthat results have created a cripplingdependency in the vast majority of the615 First Nations reserves and they arereaching that tipping point beyondwhich forced integration will becomecomplete assimilation.

Many disagree with the picture I paint.They claim that the situation is muchbetter than it was twenty years ago. It’strue that there have been gains. Thereis less overt racism, more youth areworking in retail outlets and attendingcolleges and universities. Moreconfident young people are assumingpositions of authority. Culturalpractices are experiencing a revival inmany places. Territorial acknowledge-ments by non-native organizations arebecoming common. There have beenvast improvements in the communi-cations infrastructure. Serious lawyers,academics, politicians and myriadseasoned consultants continue tointerpret and analyze the vocabulary ofthis relationship - “independence,”“sovereignty,” “self-government,”“jurisdiction,” “fiduciary obligations,”“Aboriginal Title,” “Treaty Rights.”

Teacher training programs and schoolboards now include curriculum contentto ensure that classroom mentors andyoung students are provided with thebackground and tools to understandIndigenous history and acknowledgethe contributions of those formerlyconsidered “uncivilized.”

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In 2015, a record number of 10Indigenous Members of Parliamentwere elected. Jody Wilson-Raybould,a member of the Kwakwaka’wakwFirst Nation and a graduate of the PeterA. Allard School of Law at theUniversity of British Columbia, isMinister of Justice and AttorneyGeneral. There have been more courtjudgements ruling in favour of FirstNations’ land claims. Some univer-sities have welcomed Elders into theacademy. Incentives and opportunitiesare being created to get more FirstNations people into higher educationand good jobs.

On the surface, one can see positivesigns. For many, life is graduallyimproving. All of this makes for abetter Canada but we must not allowthe positive momentum we read aboutin the media to obscure the parallelstories of tragedy. Despite the positiverhetoric and the increasing budgets, Imaintain that the changes are too slowand are not getting to the heart of thematter, providing a better daily life forthe many thousands of Indian parentsand children trying to cope despite theongoing difficult conditions that definethe reserve system. Statistics don’t lie.They confirm that this Gordian Knothas yet to be unravelled.

Publisher’s Note: Brian has written aseries of three books on these issues,and is looking for beta-readers.

If you are interested, please emaillisa@onethousandtrees.com.

THE SPIRITUAL HEALING OF ANABORIGINAL DRUM CIRCLE

My friend John, who has been fullytrained in shamanism (as have I)conducts a drum circle for our friendsat my home 6 times a year.

A Drum Circle - A Sacred Circle ...

Made up of all nations as brothersand sisters where all are one inSpirit in theEssence of the CreatorWhere people come to share, healand worship in a safe, acceptingenvironment.Where people come to offer thebest of themselves back into thecommunity.The teachings of the Circle aremany but the bases of theteachings are that ofHonesty, Kindness, Caring,Sharing, Respect Strength,HumilityPlease bring a drum or shaker.We will break bread togetherafterwards so if you are moved tobring food to share it would bewelcomeWomen are encouraged to wearskirts to honour connection toMother EarthWe may drum outside if theweather is suitable so please bringa blanket to sit on.

I am also greatly indebted to Dr.Christiane Northup for her words on

this subject. She is an obstetrician andgynecologist who is a foremostadvocate of women's health andwellness.

Drums have been used in every culturefor many purposes... Shamans useddrumming as a means of reaching analtered or trance-like state so that theycan connect with the spirit dimension.Drumming has also been usedtherapeutically since ancient times.

And listening to drum sounds regularlycan have the same effect as drummingitself.

The sound of drumming generates newneuronal connections in all parts of thebrain. The more con-nections that canbe made within the brain, the moreintegrated our experiences become.This leads to a deeper sense of self-awareness.

Drumming also appears tosynchronize the lower areas of thebrain (non-verbal) with the frontalcortex (language and reasoning). Thisintegration produces feelings of insightand certainty.

Drumming:

Makes you happy. Participate in adrum circle or take a cardiodrumming class and you will seehow happy it makes you.Drumming releases endorphins,enkephalins and Alpha waves inthe brain, which are associatedwith general feelings of well-beingand euphoria.

Induces deep relaxation. In onestudy, blood samples fromparticipants who participated inan hour-long drumming sessionrevealed a reversal in stresshormones.

Boosts your immune system.Studies show that drummingcircles boost the immune system.

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Barry Bittman, MD, neurologistand President of the YamahaMusic & Wellness Institute(www.yamahainstitute.org), hasshown that group drummingactually increases natural T-cells,which help the body combatcancer as well as other viruses,including AIDS.

Provides a way to access a higherpower. Shamans often usedrumming as a means to integratemind, body and spirit. They focuson the whole body and thenintegrate the healing at both thephysical and spiritual level bydrumming, which connectsspiritual forces.

Releases negative feelings. The actof drumming can serve as a formof self-expression. You can literallydrum out your feelings. When held,negative emotions can form energyblockages. The physi-calstimulation of hitting the drumscan help remove those blockages.Drumming has even been usedtherapeutically to help addictsdeal with their emotions.Puts you in the present moment.While drumming you are movingyour awareness toward the flow oflife. When you are flowing with therhythm of life you cannot becaught up in your past or worryingabout your future.

In my work with Spirit Babies, I do myshamanic journeying in the wee hoursof the morning, when very few peopleare awake, so there is minimalinterference with the spirit messages.

I have also found that all mothers andsome fathers have the ability tocommunicate with the Spirit babies inthe trance state (however induced).

* * *

Recently we experienced a situationthat changed our day to day routine,and our life focus. During this timeseveral people questioned our actionsand even berated us for them.

I strongly believe that every experienceis unique to each person and they aremeant to deal with it in the way thatthey know best, based on theirknowledge, perspective and experie-nce. When we judge others for theiractions we are basing it on our ownperspectives and experiences. Since

each situation is unique we can’tproperly understand exactly whatsomeone is going through andtherefore we should reserve ouropinions.

Offering judgement is only creating anegative experience for the peopleinvolved. It doesn’t help them and mayactually hurt them. Instead ofjudgement we should offer support –support of their choices because wedon’t know all the details of thesituation. We should offer encourage-ment and provide positive vibes to helpthem through the situation becausepositivity is a better motivator in anysituation. And if we cannot offersupport then we should offer space –distance ourselves from the situationand allow the people to deal with eachday in the best way they can.

* * *

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MyAdventureCalledLife

Authors Sandra Wilson and Brenda Geddesare working on a series of Emotional Animalbooks to help children understand emotions.They are looking for businesses to sponsorthe various books in the series to help withprinting costs and allow them to get thebooks into the hands of more children.

For each book, Sandra goes into a classroomand discusses the emotion with the class.She records their ideas then she and Brendaput the story together. The story then goesback to that classroom so the children canillustrate the story. Once the book has beenmade, Sandra heads back to the school fora special presentation of the story andrecognition of the illustrators, then a book isdonated to the school library.

Sponsorship of this program will allow themto gift the book to each illustrator, as well

giving them a sense of pride and accomplishment. A project sponsor ($25) will havetheir business recognized on Social Media and at book events. A business sponsor($50) will receive a printed thank you inside the book and be recognized through SocialMedia as well as at various book events. A book sponsor ($100) will have the additionalbenefit of their logo added to the back cover of the book. With this sponsorship programyour business will be helping children discover the joy of books, the excitement of havingtheir work included and, most importantly, create discussions about feelings throughoutthe schools in Southern Ontario.

Kindness Kangaroo has been officially launched by the authors themselves. Theremainder of the Emotional Animal books are ready for sponsors!

For more information or to be a sponsor please contact Sandra@quiteacharacter.ca.

Dear Angels,

Most of the time I am ok, busy withwork and my husband and children.But in quiet times, I feel so lonely, likeI am all alone in this world. It’sdepressing.

Sincerely,Marianna G., Burnaby BC

Dear Marianna,

You are not alone, ever. God and yourangels are always with you, helpingyou as much as you allow them to. Inthe quiet times, ask your guardianangels to give you a big hug. Accept itopenly, and declare that you want themto hug you whenever you are feelinglonely. When you give thempermission to hug you, they willbecome increasingly present in yourlife and you will feel love all aroundyou. Because of the law of Free Will,we need to ask our angels for help, andthen they can deliver.

People will keep themselves very busy,so they don’t have time to think abouttheir loneliness, or their issues. Thosewho don’t have families to keep thembusy will often volunteer, work longhours (workaholic), take up a time-consuming sport, or drive longdistances for pleasure and constantlylisten to loud music or any otherdistraction they can think of. There aremany ways that we can keep our mindsbusy looking to the outside world toavoid looking to the inside, and seeingour issues. This creates a deficient life,contrary to progressing on a spiritual

path in which we look within forblockages and negativity that preventus from having a joyful existence. Thebody is created in equal thirds: body,spirit and soul. When we ignore ordiscount our spirit, we are turning ourback on 1/3 of our being. No one canbe truly happy or joyful when only 2/3of their being is acknowledged andnourished.

“Love the Lord your God with all yourheart and with all your soul and withall your mind and with all yourstrength” Mark 12:30

When you set your attention on Godand loving Him with all aspects ofyourself, you will be pleasantlysurprised at how it changes your life.Your angels will be very excited tohelp you with this request, as it is theirhighest purpose to bring you tooneness or alignment with Creator.There are several steps involved andthey occur similar to this example.First, negativity such as unforgiveness,judgement, jealousy, hate, sarcasm,meanness, depression, self-pity and allaspects of fear will be drawn out ofyou. You may feel these negativeemotions as they are being released,and often a specific memory mayemerge that is important to release oreven repent if you were in the wrong.Once you have released unwanted“waste” from yourself, ask for it to beexchanged with light/love of God. Itwill become like a revolving door ofreleasing negativity and bringing in thelight. The more you do this the moreyou will feel God’s presence of joy,love, peace, hope, and all good things.You truly will never feel alone again.

Sending you many blessings,Your angels, by Jill Michelle

Dear Angels,

I have had the same dream many timesand want to know what it means. Idream that I am looking into a lake andsuddenly a large dog appears in the

water about 2 feet away from my faceand is growling, barking andthreatening me. I am so afraid that Iwake up.

Yours Truly,Abigail M., Montreal Quebec

Dear Abigail,

Dreams are often a message from yourinner self or spirit to help you look atcertain aspects of yourself that need tobe realigned. Sometimes, there are sillydreams that are from other sourcessuch as indigestion, so it is up to youto determine what ones are important.Recurring dreams such as yours are asign that they are an importantmessage and once you understandthem, they will not recur.

God speaks to us, and counsels usthrough our dreams, so it is importantto take notice of your dreams and tryto understand the message. Freecounseling right in your home fromGod: does it get any better than that?

Since you are present and active inyour dream, it is about you, not aboutsomeone else. Dreams evolve aroundsymbols that are specific in your lifeand your personality. For instance, areyou afraid of large dogs? It isimportant to evaluate all informationyou receive about your dreams and“try on” the different ideas to see whatfeels relevant to you and your life.When you hit the target so to speak youwill feel an “ah ha”moment, and thenyou know you got it right.

Every animal or person in the dream isan aspect of you. Animals usuallyrepresent your emotions. In this casethe dog is likely an aspect of you thatis afraid to go into the “water,” and isholding you back from achieving yourgoal. Water is almost always a sign forspirituality. Try this on for size: Youwant to move forward on your spirituallife path (into the water), but there isan aspect of you (the dog) that is afraid

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Dear Angels ...________________

JILL MICHELLE

to make that move. If this feels right toyou, it is a good idea to ask your angelsfor help to discover what parts of youare afraid, and figure out how toovercome those. Fear is overcome withfaith, so you may want to start there.Once you have released all the fearinvolved, you will shift forward onyour path.

Journaling and exploring these ideasand any others that come up with theassistance of your angels will help youto discover the full meaning of thedream, and learn everything that isnecessary. If the dream recurs, you willknow there is more to learn.

Sending you love, peace,joy and hope,

Your Angels, by Jill Michelle

Congratulations to the winners ofcomplimentary angel readings! Theirquestions were selected for theFebruary and March issues:

Julian R., DownsviewMary-Ellen P., NelsonAbe P., CalgaryVerna D., Leamington

Please send your questions tojillmichelle.ca@gmail.com. I lookforward to hearing from you!

Jill Michelle

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FIVE SMOOTHIES FOR SPRING!

1. Beauty Berry Blaster Smoothie

1/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries2 tsp chia seeds2 tsp hemp seeds2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla powder2 tsp cinnamon2 cups coconut water

2. Lean and Green

1/2 frozen banana2 kale leaves, washed and de-stemmed1 cup spinach1 tbsp almond butter2 tsp chia seeds2 cups almond milk

3. Natural Beauty

1 cup frozen pineapple1/2 banana2 kale leaves, washed and de-stemmed1 tbsp coconut oil2 cups coconut water1 scoop of your favourite protein(optional)1 scoop of your favourite greenspowder (optional)

4. Tummy Tamer

1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple1/2 lemon, juiced1 tsp ground ginger1 tsp cinnamon2 cups water1 scoop of your favourite proteinpowder (optional)

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5. Green Apple Ginger

1 apple½ field cucumber1 cup spinach⅓ bunch parsley⅓ bunch cilantro1-inch piece ginger root1-2 cups of coconut water or water

Instructions: Wash your produce, coreyour apple, blend until smooth.

Source: www.youngandraw.com

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THE RAVENby Andrea Lines-Botell

The fire was soft with that kind ofcrackle that gets inside your soul. Itspungent heat weaving its path into theelevated fibres of my being and softlynestling in the depths of my body.Gentle soft music surrounded me to thepoint where it was now part of mybreath, part of my being. The air hadits own song that hummed melodiouslyin time with each passing moment.

I looked to my left where a man satpeacefully working with rope andwood. His presence was gentle andwise. Glorious hands lined with suchwisdom that only the unique swirls ofhis journey could ever translate it. Witha motion of his head, he said,“Remember your place in thismoment.” As the words landed Itentatively replied, “What is my place?I have forgotten.” His eyes creasedwith the signs of an infinite lifetime,“To be present. To be now and to be

nothing more than this moment.” Ifaltered, “But my past comes andtroubles my mind. It pulls me when Iam least expecting it.” With a gentleturn of his body, they said, “The past isan illusion. A trick to keep you fromyour now and a test for you to bepresent.” He swapped the rope in hishands. “Can you touch the past? Canyou become the past?” I breathed theicy night air, “ No,” I replied. Heshifted for a moment gently rocking tothe motion of the flames then said, “Itis your time to see. I'm giving you agift. Trust.”

I looked into the startling night skywith such illumination of light thatsmall tears journeyed down my face.Far off I saw a dark form flyingtowards me. It came closer withgraceful swoops and I saw that it wasa magnificent raven.

With careful claws, it took my soul. Weleft my outer body resting at the warmglow of the fire in safe hands of thegentle man. We soared into the nightuntil I could see no more.

“Look,” said the raven. We flew intopast lives of ancient times andteachings, I saw myself as manythings. Some lifetimes were basking injoy while others bathing in torment anddestruction. Some in human formwhile others as part of nature itself. Weflew to the future where lifetimes wereendless. Over and over, unending pastand future. Faster and more swiftly weflew until breath and sight were gone.We stopped as suddenly as we hadstarted. “See,” said the raven.

I saw. I saw colours vibrating in shapesand forms extending from my soul.Extending through before time andinto infinity. I looked down. My outerbody was hardly indistinguishable tothat of the fire, the tree or theilluminated figure. I could pluck at anymoment in any time and strands ofpathways played out in front of me. Icould shape shift into anything or

anybody. I could become any story.Limitless and endless. Connecting andreconnecting. I saw.

"It is time for you to go back,” said theraven. Sight and breath returned. Ibecame one with my body and still Isaw the light of us all and ofeverything.

“Now do you know your place in thismoment?” said the man.

“Yes,” I replied.

“You are all lifetimes in all time. Youare all things. Your past does not ownyou. Your thoughts, your mind or yourheart cannot be owned as we are allone. You can reach and help others bywalking true in the light that iseverything.” He turned to the fire andclosed his eyes.

I breathed in the fire, the air and thenight. I thanked the raven and the elderwith deep gratitude and honour fortheir gifts.

The message became my words. “Isend love and light to the universe andall energies across all times,” I said.Words from my soul travelled into theopen night to dance with the airs greatmelody. I began walking embracedgracefully with the light, and becameone with the true path.

Pencil drawing by Jake Toohill

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WHAT IS PHOTO THERAPY?by Kelly Gauthier

As I sit down to write this article myeye is drawn to a photograph resting onthe corner of my desk. I’ve looked atthis photograph a hundred timesbefore, but it’s uncertain as to why Ipick it up this time and long to knowmore. I look closely at it, admiring itsdetail and simplicity all in the samemoment. I begin to notice things aboutit that I hadn’t before and I find myselffilled with questions. Who are thesepeople? Do they know each other, orare they complete strangers? Does ithave to be one or the other, or can it beboth? These questions and more keepme compelled to look for answers.

A woman with sunglasses controls mythoughts as she stares at me with awelcoming grin. “She’s happy” I thinkto myself. Or, is she simply smiling forthe sake of the photo being taken. Andif so, does that mean she isn’t happy?Does it mean she doesn’t know thephotographer, or she does?

So many questions pop into my headas I try to determine what is reallyhappening within this photograph. I geta sense that she knows the persontaking the photograph simply becauseof her relaxed positioning. Herslouched posture and one arm proppedup on the bench she sits upon, leads meto believe that she is somewhatcomfortable with the person behind thecamera. So the smile I questionedoriginally now becomes sincere.

However, when I look further, I noticethat she is the only one wearingsunglasses. Is she hiding from

something or someone, or is the sunthe only reason that she keeps her eyescovered? And further still, does thisbear any relevance at all?

While I find this question interesting,my attention is distracted by thewoman in the forefront who has herback to the camera. I find myselfwanting to know who she is. This takesmy thoughts away from the womanwith the sunglasses and directly to thiswoman in the lawn chair.

I notice that all the other people in thephotograph appear to be looking at her.I find myself asking “who is thiswoman that she commands such an

audience?” She appears very poisedand positioned. Her legs are stretchedout in perfect unison and her hair looksquite styled given the setting they arein. Why does she sit in a full lengthchair while the other three women areconfined to a wooden bench?Confined? Why is that word comingto mind? Is it something I sense, or isit something I feel? This is a questionthat makes me go deeper and long toknow who this woman is. How is itthat she commands my attention too?I now notice that she not only has herback to the camera, but she also has herback to me as well. This awarenessurges me to move on.

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Bring Our Sisters Home, by Shannon Tracey-Boggess

My eye is now focused on the girl onthe end of the bench with her armscrossed. This typically is known to bea behaviour used by someone who isuncomfortable or closed off. Is sheuncomfortable and closed off? Theslight grimace on her face adds to theconclusions I find myself coming to.

Yes, this girl wishes she weresomewhere else. I look at this girl andI get a sense of who she is. I get afeeling that I know her or know of her.As though she is part of a biggerpicture that I also belong to. I feel asthough it could be me on that bench.That I could replace her in thisphotograph and be feeling asuncomfortable and removed as she isin this moment. I’m now leftwondering why that is? Does thisuncomfortableness stem from thewoman on the lawn chair, or did itfollow her to this situation?

This photograph has stirred somethingwithin me that I didn’t anticipate. So Ilook even deeper. “So many layers toone photograph” I find myself sayingout loud. I am immediately remindedof the many times I have peeled backan onion, layer by layer, and been inawe of its uniqueness and ability tohide within itself. Is that what this girlis doing? Is she hiding behind her ownlayers? I’d only be guessing at thispoint, but I have a feeling that there ismore to her than what I see. I findmyself strangely okay with thisconclusion. As though not knowing isenough.

I move on to the woman at the far endof the bench. She appears to be mucholder than the rest, and her postureintrigues me. She sits somewhat tall,yet with a slight drop in her shoulders.Her hands are entwined and positionedcarefully in her lap. I find myselfwondering whether she has placedthem there not for comfort, but forsecurity. While she is physically a partof this group, her facial expression andbody language leaves me feeling as

though she may vacate this environ-ment at any moment.

Is that true or is it my own thoughtscoming into play again? Since I cannever know for sure, I defer to my ownthoughts. I move passed them longenough to take notice of herpositioning on the bench. For somereason I’m left feeling veryuncomfortable. The distance betweenher and the woman with the sunglassesis not a lot, but it is enough to make mequestion the nature of theirrelationship.

This older woman sits somewhatremoved from the group, even thoughcontained within it, and I wonder if thesame feelings aren’t present for her. Inotice that she appears to be lookingstraight ahead. I can’t tell whether sheis looking at the woman in the lawnchair or if she looking at the persontaking the photograph, but I’m leftwondering if her uncomfortablenesslies with one of these two people. Icould draw my own conclusions, butsomehow I know that wouldn’t beright. So I sit with the uncomfortable-ness that I believe we share, and moveon to the gentleman in the lawn chairbeside her.

This man is positioned on the outsideof the group. Is he there as an outsider,or is he there to hold the rest of thegroup in? Other than the womansitting on the lawn chair, all of theother women are facing away fromhim. Is this intentional or did it simplyhappen by chance? Maybe he joinedthe conversation after it had begun, andwas therefore careful not to intrude.The slight smile on his face leaves mefeeling at ease with him there, but notsure what his role is.

He appears relaxed in his chair;although he too has his hands entwinedand positioned carefully in his lapmuch like the older woman that sitsnext to him. This begs the question, arethey possibly related? They appear to

have similar mannerisms, yet they lookdisconnected. I now notice that he tooseems to be looking at the woman inthe lawn chair, which would indicatethat she has gained his attention aswell. Again I find myself wanting toknow just who this woman is. I callout “turn around”, but she doesn’tanswer and she doesn’t move. Iwonder if she would have turnedaround for me if I was actually there.This makes me feel empathy for thephotographer. A whole other story initself.

So who is the photographer anyway?Is there actually a person behind thecamera? Suffice to say that a cameracan’t stand on its own unless supportedby a tripod. So perhaps the camera wasset up on a tripod and the picture wastaken on a timer? If that was the case,it could mean that the photographerwasn’t actually taking the photograph,but posing for it. It’s a possibility, butmore than likely not the case, since thephotograph doesn’t appear posedenough to have happened this way.And this makes me wonder once again,why the woman with the sunglasses issmiling? Maybe, just maybe my initialobservation was true … she’s justhappy!

In conclusion, looking at a photographis never as simple as it sounds. It willalways stir up a question, an emotion,a feeling, or an observation. That iswhat photo therapy is all about, thestirring of things inside, the peeling oflayers, and the realization that ourinterpretation of any given situationmight possibly be incorrect. And if it isincorrect, how does that awarenesschange how we feel about theexperience itself?

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An Evening of Sharing: The Healing Power of ArtFrom left to right, our amazing speakers ...

Andrea Lines-Botell, David Rankine, Nicole Fantin

I was honoured to be a co-presenterat a workshop on self-publishing,held at the University of Guelph.

The official launch of Hazel Grace and theMagic Blanket, by Don Callahan, our newest

Saplings author!

One of three “Women of Distinction” tables atthe International Women’s Day event held at

the Hanlon Convention Centre.

I was pleased to make my third presentation to Hospice Wellington, fromsales of You Are Not Alone: 52 stories of hope.

I am halfway to my goal of $10,000!

HAZEL GRACE ANDTHE MAGIC BLANKET

by Don Callahan

Approximately two years ago I felt theneed to give back; to do something‘special’ for a very special friend.‘Hazel Grace’ has a unique way ofviewing the world, viewing life, andshining light wherever she goes – andI wanted to recognize her for it.

I thought it would be fun to surpriseher with an illustrated story book of herown adventures; stories she had sharedof her many adventures – told in herown ‘Hazel Grace’ way. Once that seedhad been planted in my mind I realizedI had to write this book.

What started as a friendly pat-on-the-back took on a life of its own. Irealized it had to be kept a secret –what if I couldn’t pull this off?

The story came easily to me – these areadventures told to me over the yearsfrom ‘Hazel Grace’ herself, now I hadto put it to paper. Once the first fewdrafts were completed I needed to haveit illustrated. Enter Samantha ‘Sam’Franken – a highly-talented illustratorand artist in her own right, and goodfriends with ‘Hazel Grace’ and me.Sam was sworn to secrecy and rose tothe challenge; working diligently onthis ‘project’ in her spare time,balancing a busy home and work life.And the artwork was amazing! Wow!

This ‘secret project’ kept growing andkeeping it a secret was hard. OriginallyI had planned on printing a handful ofcopies; after all, it was meant to be afun and personal Thank You. But Sam

and I knew this had potential to be somuch more.

Not knowing how to take it to the bigstage I wandered around, asked a lot ofquestions, and didn’t get too far. UntilI met a very unique individual who hasbecome a very close friend. In veryshort order he put me in contact withLisa of One Thousand Treespublishing. She talked me off the ledgeand guided me through the processes Ineeded to complete to make thisproject a reality.

The books were printed and deliveredon the same day ‘Hazel Grace’ left foranother adventure. The secret neededto continue for another week! But uponher return, Sam and I were able tobreak the secret, and shine the spotlighton our amazing friend – even withouther blanket, ‘Hazel Grace’ truly ismagical!

“Hazel Grace and the MagicBlanket” is available atwww.ottbookstore.com.

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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIESIN GUELPH

Event VolunteerBracelet of Hope

Bracelet of Hope is looking for EventVolunteers to assist with festivals,events and functions during theupcoming spring and summer monthsand beyond. Responsibilities includeset up and tear down of theorganization's display, merchandisingany products (handmade Africanitems), selling handmade bracelets andother African crafts, promoting themonthly donor and other contributionopportunities, as well as informingcommunity members about the visionand mission of Bracelet of Hope.

Crafts (Creative Arts)Homewood Health Centre

Volunteers work closely withRecreation Therapy staff to assist withHomewood patient craft sessions. Thevolunteer will provide a creative andsocial environment for the develop-ment of skills and to enhance a senseof well-being using ceramics andleatherwork. This position requires aregular weekly commitment.

Stroller Hike VolunteerEast Wellington Community

Services, Erin

Volunteers will hike a 4 km trail at theRockwood Conservation area, helpingto ensure Stroller Hike parents/caregivers stay on the trail. May assistby holding a baby, or pushing a stroller.May assist at the registration tablebefore the hike begins and afterwardsby taking part in post-hike exercises.

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Volunteer HousekeeperIgnatius Jesuit Centre, Guelph

Ignatius Jesuit Centre is home toLoyola House Retreat & TrainingCentre, Ignatius Farm, Old-GrowthForest Project, and the Orchard ParkBusiness Centre. We are looking forenthusiastic and diligent volunteers tohelp clean our Retreat House and helpmaintain an atmosphere of hospitality.

Main Duties Include:• Helping to turnover and clean retreatrooms• Sweeping and vacuuming floors• Dusting and tidying• Other cleaning duties as needed

This is a great way to enjoy theatmosphere of our beautiful LoyolaHouse and connect with the largercommunity that is a part of the IgnatiusJesuit Centre.

For information about these andother opportunities in Guelph and

area, please visit www.pinnetwork.ca.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIESIN KITCHENER-WATERLOO

Kitchener Blues Festival

Join the site operations, information/merchandise services, or Eco Team tokeep the blues green!

KW Counselling Services

Volunteer Intake Workers (BSW/equivalent) and Therapists (MSW/equivalent) needed for the walk-inclinic.

Business & Education Partnershipof Waterloo Region

Share your career story and inspiretomorrow’s work force! All areas ofexpertise needed to join the SpeakersBureau.

CJI: Imagine a Just Society

Group facilitators are needed to co-facilitate groups for people impactedby sexual abuse/trauma using therestorative justice framework.

For information about these andother opportunities in Kitchener-Waterloo and area, please visit

www.volunteerkw.ca.

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PROTECTOR OF THE BEAVERby Sandra Wilson

Archibald Belaney was a young boywith a dream. As a boy in England hewould often dream of America and along lost father who he believed wasliving among the “Red Indians.”Archie had plans to escape his Britishlife so he could become an ApacheIndian.

In 1906 at the age of seventeen Archiefollowed his dream to northernCanada. He joined up with theOjibway Indians pretending he was theson of a Scottish man and an Indianwoman. He married an Indian bride,Anahareo, and became adopted intothe tribe. Archie’s dream came truewhen he created a new identity, that ofGrey Owl. He fully accepted the Indianway of life as his own and becameaccepted in the world as an Indian.

From his Ojibway family, Grey Owllearned trapping, forest lore and otherIndian ways. After years as a trapperGrey Owl discovered that greed hadled to slaughter and destruction. WhenGrey Owl looked around he saw onlybarren land. By extending the trapping

season into the spring greedy trapperskilled mother beavers. The orphanedkittens also died. Recognizing that thebeaver was in danger of extinctionGrey Owl gave up trapping and beganto devote his life to the understandingof nature. He was one of the firstpeople to express the need to leavesome wilderness for the children toexperience.

Grey Owl and his wife rescued someorphaned kittens and brought them intotheir home making them part of thefamily. The real life experiences withthese beavers became the focus ofGrey Owl’s writings and lectures. GreyOwl wrote fictional tales of Indianchildren whose family lived withbeavers. By writing these stories, GreyOwl hoped to give children a clearunderstanding of the daily life of thebeaver. Too, he hoped to create inchildren, a greater tolerance andsympathy for those who are weakerthan themselves.

In his books and lectures, Grey Owlpointed out that all people are richerfor sharing the world with animals. Helectured on conservation in Canadaand in England and became known asthe greatest authority on Canadianwildlife and forest lore of his time.

Grey Owl’s tales provided under-standing of the life of the beaver andidentified them as the little people ofthe forest. These little people of theforest, he suggested, need the samerespect you would give a humanneighbour. Two of his beavers, JellyRoll and Rawhide became the subjectsof the first beaver film ever. It wascalled The Beaver People and wasproduced by the National ParksService. Once the film was released thegovernment provided protection forthe beavers and the opportunity forGrey Owl to carry out his conservationideas. The beavers also offered tostudents of wild life and natural historyopportunities for research andscientific observation.

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During his life in the wild of northernCanada Grey Owl became a respectedconservationist and an honorary rangerin the Canadian parks system. GreyOwl and his beavers became famousthrough magazine articles, books,lectures and motion pictures alldevoted to the protection of wild life.

After his death many discovered thatGrey Owl was not an Indian at all. Tosome this was a shock but othersaccepted that in order to promote hisurgent concern for conservation GreyOwl needed to spread the word as anIndian. Should he have presentedhimself as the Englishman ArchieBelaney no one would have listened.Not only would Archie’s dream nothave been recognized but the life of thebeaver may not have been around forchildren to experience.

SOLAR ECLIPSEby Francine Lee

there is a supreme bountyon my table? on my head?stripped of unnecessary belongingsto dance through the eye of the needle

dangerous innocenceplagues my trailed secret stepsseek to suppress the panic of boredomescape the city, the fame of defection

unattainable leaps intothe stratosphere on stagewith decades of witnesseshe remains untouchable

Baryshnikov bailed on the USSRthrough allies at the O’Keefeseeking a new life, his tastefor the Big Apple unabated

I stared at the sun onceand it was good.

(a nod to Mikhail Baryshnikov, whospent his 70th birthday on stage at theWinter Garden in Toronto performingBrodsky/Baryshnikov, his tribute to theRussian)

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One Thousand Trees and Saplings Authorsat The Purple Door!

Saturday, May 5: Malcolm BernsteinSaturday, May 12: Heather Embree

Saturday, May 26: Michelle & Noah NogueiraMonday, June 18: Clay WilliamsMonday, July 16: Lisa Browning

Monday, September 17: Leilan Grace Adair

For information visit www.onepurpledoor.comor email lisa@onethousandtrees.com

NEXT MONTH ....IN ONE THOUSAND TREES

Our focus for May is The Power ofTelling Our Stories.

“After nourishment, shelter andcompanionship, stories are thething we need most in the world.”

― Philip Pullman

Do you have an inspiring story you’dlike to share?

If you know of any community wellnessevents taking place in May, pleasecomplete and send us the Event Listingform found on the magazine page ofour website.

Articles are always welcome for any ofour “regular” departments ...

ConnectionsCreativity and the Arts

Food and NutritionGiving Back

Health and WellbeingThe Library

Deadline for submissions isApril 20.

As always, we look forward to hearingfrom you with any feedback or articleideas!

lisa@onethousandtrees.com

The Grand River flows300 kilometres throughsouthwestern Ontariofrom the highlands of

Dufferin County to PortMaitland on Lake Erie.

The Grand RiverConservation Authority

manages water andother natural resources

on behalf of 39municipalities andclose to one million

residents.

One Thousand Trees’target market is defined

by the borders of theGrand River Watershed.

Department Editorsare responsible for

promoting practitioners,events and volunteeropportunities in thecities of Brantford,

Cambridge, Guelph,Kitchener, and Waterloo.

Visit the Grand RiverConservation Authorityat www.grandriver.ca.