Author Topic: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma  (Read 51734 times)

Offline educatedindian

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"Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« on: December 03, 2004, 05:14:20 pm »
Alternately claims to be either Russian or Bulgarian Gypsy, a Castaneda and Andrews follower who claims to teach both Yaqui and Comanche ways online. Debbie, does that gathering she took part in sound like one of Bennie Lebeau's to you?

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/11/prweb182191.htm
Comanche Country Inspires Shaman Elder to Teach the Heart of Shamanism
 A trip through the lands of the Comanche has stirred new energies and caused a demand for teaching the ways of the Shaman. As the interest in Shamanism is on the rise, one Comanche woman has stepped forward to share the old ways with the world.
(PRWEB) November 25, 2004 -- Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls spent the last 14 days drumming, praying and communicating with the grandfathers of the Comanche nation. The urgent message was given to her that she should bring back the old ways and offer them in an online course to all those who feel the call to heal themselves and others. The energies of the planet are stepping up and things seem to be spinning out of control but this energy is a sign that we are ready to personally move up to a new awareness, to embracing the gifts that are already ours.

Fear is on the rise and fear is the one thing that the Comanche heart did not contain. In fact, the Comanche way was the way of the heart. By following one's heart there can be no room for fear. Shaman Elder can show the way to live from one's heart without fear, in complete joy. She teaches how to connect with animal totems and Mother Earth to find one's own power. She shows how to access the Inner Worlds without using any drugs and to bring peace to this planet and to each life in it.

Her course is offered online at www.shamanelder.com and between now and Christams she is offering a special price on the 12 week course where she will walk beside the student offering support and guidance to freedom and joy. Visit her site to learn more.

Shaman Elder Maggie says, "The Comanches were a proud people who boldly fought to the death for what they knew in their hearts was right. Today we need this kind of courage to embrace the love and dispel the fear. The Comanche knew about personal power and how to use it to the benefit of the whole tribe. Do what you are called to do by your heart. Don't worry about what others may think or say. Everyone does what is best for themselves. It is time for you to do the same. Let me show you the way."

http://www.byregion.net/profiles/magawards.html
Philosophy and Comments
I have been a Shaman for 50 years and the ride continues. Does life revolve around you or do you revolve around life? I teach a course in Shamanism at www.shaman.bravehost.com
I live Reiki. I am Reiki. I am the Nagual, the wind and I live under the wing of the eagle.
I was born intuitive and have used my skills in counseling spiritual, emotional and physical needs. I have also used my skills in diagnosing pet health problems and have had two sites offering that service for free. I am a graduate of the Star Fire Animal Communication Course.

A Shamanic Gathering
I recently went to a Shamanic healing for Mother Earth. Twenty threeShamans from different cultures met in Lake Tahoe for 3 days And we sang and danced and prayed together. The first day we built a sweat lodge and purified ourselves for the work we were there to do. The camaraderie was high and we all enjoyed meeting each other. At night we built a large bonfire and roasted chicken and corn around the edges. We then opened our ceremony with a prayer to bless the earth and to bless each one of us. We offered tobacco and burned sage. We passed a talking stick and each had a turn to tell about our homes, our practices and our prayers we brought to this meeting. We ended the night with a song and dance. Some people went into their journeys as we danced but I sang and enjoyed the night air. I climbed into my tent quite worn out from the big day and slept to the aroma of cedar and pine. Very healing.
The next day we went up into the Sierras to an elevation of 7,500 feet where we built a medicine wheel. Everyone participated and each brought something to add to the wheel.

Offline educatedindian

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2004, 05:17:10 pm »
Then four Native American Shamans held ceremony
dedicated the wheel and offering it purpose for healing the earth. We began a dance and song with drumming and as we danced we saw the wind become visible and turn into a vortex over the medicine wheel. It was white and spinning very fast directly over the center of the wheel and it slowly rose up into the sky and departed taking our prayers for healing and peace with it. It was awesome. I don't think I had ever seen the air so visible before. We went back to our camp and had a wonderful lunch of bread and salmon and vegetables. Everyone was so cooperative and helpful to each other. It was though we had all known each other forever.
There were Native American and South American Shamans and 2 Celtic Shamans, 3 European Shamans like myself and one Shaman from Australia so we were representing the whole world. We spent the afternoon resting and preparing ourselves for the big ceremony that night.
A program had been developed allowing each shaman to give something of his or her own practice to the group. As the sun sank in the west and bonfire reached into the night sky the Native American Shamans began the ceremony with a song to Mother Earth. We all followed them in procession to our seats around the campfire and watched as they did a ceremonial dance honoring the four directions. Then a beautiful prayer was read aloud and time was given to let it rest upon us. The Australian Shaman brought out his didgeridoo and played an ancient song for us. It really took me back to some distant past time, some universal time of antiquity and connected me to all of history, all of time, to the Oneness of everything.
Then the Celtic Shamans sang a song from their culture that was absolutely haunting and by now the whole thing was extremely surreal! The power was being gathered to effect a healing for Mother Earth and all her people.
It was time for the European Shamans to make their offering so the 3 of us put on a play of one of the old fables of our culture. I told the story of the wolf and the eagle while my two fellow Shamans took the roles of the wolf and the eagle in portrayal. You could feel the totem animals present all around us outside the light of the bonfire.
The South American Shamans passed the pipe of tobacco for us all to share. This communion is a unification of all people everywhere and tobacco is a standard gift to the powers that be as well. It is a ritual to establish intent and was a very sacred act by all those present. I took my tote of tobacco and blew the smoke into the bonfire carrying my own intentions of healing for myself, my loved ones and those intentions I had brought with me as requests from friends, students and clients. I could feel those intentions combining with the tobacco smoke of all the other shamans and uniting with the smoke of the bonfire.
Suddenly the bonfire grew to twice its size and the flames leaped into the night sky with incredible vigor. The drums began beating and a song was begun softly in chumash. We all joined in the singing of the song and it slowly gained strength and momentum and speed and volume and then we were all on our feet dancing together and chanting the song openly, freely and with great feeling.
The rest of the evening was great singing and dancing and many people sat to journey in their own way and time. I wore myself out and put myself into my sleeping bag for another wonderful night under the starry night to the smell of cedar and pine and the sound of distant drumming. How beautiful! I will not describe my own personal journey here as it was something very special and private for me alone. But afterwards I found that every intention I had brought with me had indeed been effected.

Offline educatedindian

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2004, 05:19:00 pm »
The next morning was our last together. We made a wonderful breakfast over open fire of bacon and eggs and pan bread. Then we sat once more in circle and passed the pipe. After an opening prayer and salute we shared the talking stick and gave each shaman a chance to tell about his or her experience the night before. It was fascinating to hear the stories of these great healers as they described their journeys to the Inner Worlds and the beings they encountered there. One shaman told of a healing journey for a patient of his and was sure that a cure had occurred before he even returned home. Others had journeys about healing the Earth Mother. Some had personal journeys about their own practice or an insight to an issue that was bothering them. These were incredible stories from astute healers sharing their wisdom with all of us. I felt so honored to be counted among these people!
We stood and sang one last song together with our arms wrapped around each other in community that would last far beyond just this time and place. We gathered our tents and belongings and made our way back down the mountain to civilization, to our cars and buses and back to our homes. I am so glad I was able to participate in this healing of Mother Earth and to bring my friends and clients healing there as well. I hope someday you too will be able to experience this great feeling of brotherhood and unity in healing.
Aho!
Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls http://www.shamanelder.com
Celtic Ogham Rune Stones
I have done a lot of research on the little known subject of Celtic Ogham Stones. The Ogham is an ancient written language that can still be found on standing stones in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The alphabet is based upon the characteristics of trees. I think this is what fascinated me most.
I have written a book about the Ogham and the meanings of each letter of its alphabet as it relates to each tree. The reader will learn the history of the Ogham and also learn the mythology, history, uses and spiritual strengths of 20 trees.
The book comes with a set of 20 ogham stones that can be cast much like the runes to answer a question for you from three directions, physical, mental and spiritual.
I am selling the boxed set for $18.95 and for each sale a donation is made to Trees For Life, a non profit organization that is planting fruit trees in developing nations.
I really believe in Trees For Life and so this is my contribution to their effort. Won't you join me in supporting them by purchasing this wonderful book and set of ogham stones for your own education and enjoyment?
Learn more at http://www.freewebs.com/ogham

Offline Barnaby_McEwan

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2004, 07:30:49 pm »
Quote

quoting Maggie Wahls:
 
Celtic Ogham Rune Stones
I have done a lot of research on the little known subject of Celtic Ogham Stones.


Probably a minor point but I'd bet that her `research' consists of reading Robert Grave's `The White Goddess', which is perhaps best described as *ahem* a work of poetic imagination. This book and its derivatives are the source of the imagined connection between ogham script and trees, and much other neo-pagan whimsy besides. It's not taken seriously by historians or archaeologists though, to give him his due, Graves is one of the major figures of twentieth-century literature.

And of course runic script is not the same as ogham script:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runic_alphabet

http://www.csupomona.edu/~jcclark/ogham/ogh-alph.html
« Last Edit: January 01, 1970, 12:00:00 am by Barnaby_McEwan »

Offline debbieredbear

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2004, 11:04:00 pm »
I couldn't find any links to her and Bennie. But I did find this link while looking. It's a whole list of twinkie/fraud websites.

http://www.chiron-communications.com/links.html

Offline AlaskaGrl

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #5 on: December 06, 2004, 01:13:13 am »
On that link I noticed:

Twylah Nitsch
c/o Seneca Indian Historical Society
P.O. Box 2313
Orange Park, FL  32067-2313

I didn't know they were here too!  PO Box and all...
She also has a schtick going in NY.    

Linda.

Offline OneTimeUser

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2006, 11:48:33 pm »
Hi All.

I only joined to draw your attention to somebody that might possibly be a fraud. However, as I am not completely sure, and don't really know how to research this, I thought it wise to pass on the information to people who might know more about this subject. And that's how I came across this forum. So, hopefully you will know what to do with this, or you might even be able to tell me that 'hey, this person's ok!' or that yes, she's a fraud but was exposed ages ago. And I have just made a big boo-boo.  :-\

Here's what I've got:

searching the internet for some 'reading fodder' just before turning in, I came across the website of this person who calls herself Elder Shaman Maggie, aka Shaman Elder Maggie Jean Wahls.

http://www.shamanelder.com/aboutme.htm

Somehow I got the feeling that things weren't as they should be, so I browsed the internet a bit and came up with this very interesting article: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/world/2006/08/347110.html

About 1/3 down the page (just use control + F and search for 'Maggie') the real interesting bit can be read. Personally, I find the coincidence between the names - Maggie Jean Wahls and Jean (“Maggie???) Wahls Ziegler - too much to be just that, a coincidence.

Coupled with the fact that 'Elder Maggie' states (either on her website or on a website regarding her photography skills) that she lives or has lived both in the Caribean and Florida, and this Ziegler couple was active in Grenada, I think this bears some investigation.

Why do I care? First of all, I hate liars. With a passion. Secondly, I have always found the 'true' native culture to be far more interesting than the 'scattology' shuffled out by New Age groups. The latter always seem to leave out the harsher aspects of both native American culture and the way they were treated. And I can't stand folks who use other people's cultures without so much as a 'thank you' for personal gain.

I also believe that you should stick to your own culture. That means Celtic for people from Ireland and Scotland, Germanic for northern Europeans, etc. And by that I mean that - if you so desperately want to be a shaman, or healer, or whatever gets your knickers in a twist, look for your own roots, not somebody else's. Of course that could prove to be somewhat difficult for a mixed up genetic product like myself, but oh well ...  ;)

Hopefully this is of some use, and my gut instinct doesn't prove me wrong.

With friendly greetings,

Kya Milo
Lioessens, Fryslân
The Netherlands

Offline educatedindian

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #7 on: December 08, 2006, 03:24:55 am »
I think your instinct was right, though I'm now sure these are the same two Maggie Wahls. Same website, but her claims keep changing.

Most NDNs would agree with you. Some of our best support from non-Natives comes from people of European pagan backgrounds.

http://www.shamanelder.com/medicinebags.htm
"Shaman Elder Maggie Wahls has been a practicing Shaman for over 50 years. She recently received a dispensation to reach out to those who have a desire to learn about a Shaman’s path and now offers an online course at www.shamanelder.com. Many people on this earth have been Shamans in other lives and only need to reconnect with their lost knowledge and skills to bring shamanic healing back to Mother Earth and its peoples. This is Shaman Elder’s goal. Please join her ongoing course to learn more neat tools of shamanism. The cost is $135.00 USD for a 12 week one on one intensive online experience.
Copyright © 2005 Shaman Elder Maggie Jean Wahls. All rights reserved.
Please maintain this honor code: with the exception of one print copy for the personal use of each subscriber, the copyrighted material from the Shaman Elder Maggie Jean Wahls courses and sites may not be reproduced, forwarded, or redistributed by any means, print or electronic. The material may not be incorporated into other programs/training. Sorry to have to put this here but theives have tried to steal these holy teachings for their own material gain.
Disclaimer: All material provided by Shaman Elder Maggie Jean Wahls is provided for educational purposes only. Consult your own physician regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition."

Really covers all the bases, doesn't she? She's genuine, it's those other thieves, she claims. Whining about material gain, and then copyrighting and charging for teaching?

Claims to be an Apache shaman.
 ;D
Sure you are...silly me.

"Through the use of her lifelong practices in Traditional Shamanic techniques, dreaming and trance work, Elder Shaman Maggie reaches within to an individual's eternal soul, unblocking the paths and tunnels to one's own innate healing abilities allowing one's life force to burn brightly once again, enlivening peace, abundance, joy, and creativity. Shamanic healing works on all facets of the person - past, present and future - restoring and opening the natural lines for personal success in mind, body and spirit....

 Shaman Elder Maggie comes from a traditional shamanic lineage,  has a  Doctorate of Divinity, is an Ordained Minister and has been counseling online for free for 35 years. She is also a Reiki Master Teacher and a Certified Facilitator of Adult Learning. She is finishing her third book and looking for a publisher....

She learned from her grandmother who learned from her grandmother back four hundred years to the country of the Ukraine before Christianity. My father's ancestry also stretches back 130 years to the Apache nation. I did my first healing at age 3 and my first shamanic journey at age ten. Kind of young for that but my grandmother was sick and dying by then. She was an awesome woman! She taught me everything I know today."

Don't go blaming your grandma for your own confused mess you're peddling.

"I wanted to see if shamans around the world and across the ages agreed on anything. My expectations were low considering the thing with religion. So I traveled around the world again using contacts I had made before and was able to study with some very powerful shamans in Europe, South America, North America and the Caribbean. I lived with them and learned from them and you know what I found out? That shamans universally agree on EVERYTHING!"

 ;D
Sure they do...

"And the river was the Pecos River where the fall leaves were floating down like a beautiful quilt and there I could feel my ancestors lives woven in time with the myriad colors and flow of water as it flows through our souls and spirits to join us, to go through us into each other and into the world, Mother Earth."

Fall leaves on the Pecos River? She obviously has never been to west Texas.

"But my grandfather is spirit sat with me as I drummed my prayers into the heavens. My prayers for you and for all my students. My prayers for safety and income enough to live and be strong. And my grandfather shows me my heart. It is bright red and orange and beating like a brilliant flame flaring in the night. And he says to me "You have the heart of the Apache." And I know my ancestry and I know the Apaches. They were a proud people with an incredibly strong connection to Mother Earth. They felt that Mother Earth gave them all they needed and they were rich beyond wealth with her. And She loved them and wanted them to have everything she provided. They took her water and her buffalo and her grasses and her shade and made a home with her...."

Yeah, right. You do know, unless you're claiming to be Naishan Apache, that Apaches did very little buffalo hunting?

Didn't think so.

"So grandfather says I have a Apache heart....I teach self empowerment. I teach the Apache way.
And so Grandfather says to me as I stand on the banks of the Pecos River, in my homeland, that I have the heart of a Apache. And I start to cry. Grandfather is right. I am honored to carry the heart of a Apache."

She seems to take a perverse delight in being as crassly commercial as she can.

http://www.selfhealingexpressions.com/course_overview_24.shtml
"Begin your journey now! Have each lesson of this course delivered to your email inbox on the start date and at the frequency of your choosing by clicking the Enroll Now button.
Money Back Guarantee
Course Fee: $34.95
Take advantage of our 2 for 1 Offer!
Take this course with a buddy. If you enroll now, you have the option to take this course with a friend for no additional course fee! The free course will be a gift from you to your friend."

TRIBALMOONS@yahoo.com

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #8 on: December 13, 2006, 03:03:20 am »
Now either I am just plain stoopid......or ignorant call me whatever you will.....but what shaman advertises on the internet anyway??? Besides a Plastic fake one???

Offline runningdeer

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2009, 05:12:27 am »
Aho everyone
You know I know that there are predetors out there claiming to be healers and shamans ect. and no I do not like to see people get charged big bucks for spiritual lessons or whatever you want to call them.
I see it this way NAFPS wants to call out the fruads right? well if some non-native wanted to learn the native way and honestly walked their path why not let them learn? If a jew wants to become a baptist is this so wrong? I attend many intertribal pow wows and I think that it is great that if someone of any faith or walk of life wants to gain knowledge about our culture why not teach them? I am proud to have cherokee/french canadian bloodlines and would guide onto their path. would I charge? NO would I accept a loaf of bread for it? yep, because lets face it alot of people don't feel like they have received anything unless they some how repay you. I have studied with a shaman by the name of Maggie Wahls and she has done me no harm. I talked to here about the payment issue and she said that she has to eat to. She lives a very simple life on her land and yes, she does do some teaching on the internet but she is harmless.
runningdeer

[Al's note: Topic merged with older one.]
« Last Edit: August 25, 2009, 03:35:56 pm by educatedindian »

Offline Superdog

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #10 on: August 25, 2009, 02:42:15 pm »
Aho everyone
You know I know that there are predetors out there claiming to be healers and shamans ect. and no I do not like to see people get charged big bucks for spiritual lessons or whatever you want to call them.
I see it this way NAFPS wants to call out the fruads right? well if some non-native wanted to learn the native way and honestly walked their path why not let them learn? If a jew wants to become a baptist is this so wrong? I attend many intertribal pow wows and I think that it is great that if someone of any faith or walk of life wants to gain knowledge about our culture why not teach them? I am proud to have cherokee/french canadian bloodlines and would guide onto their path. would I charge? NO would I accept a loaf of bread for it? yep, because lets face it alot of people don't feel like they have received anything unless they some how repay you. I have studied with a shaman by the name of Maggie Wahls and she has done me no harm. I talked to here about the payment issue and she said that she has to eat to. She lives a very simple life on her land and yes, she does do some teaching on the internet but she is harmless.
runningdeer

Hello runningdeer and welcome to the board.  

Let's make something clear.  NAFPS does NOT discourage people from gaining knowledge.  In fact, you'll find that people here will direct you to find knowledge for yourself, but to do so from knowledgeable sources.  If you wanted to learn about Cherokee people, the only true way you'll ever do that is to involve yourself with a Cherokee community.  It's not the type of thing that people want to hear all the time, but it's true true true.  Native spirituality (spiritual ways/religion...you get my drift right?) is communal, tribal specific and often tied directly to the land that it originates in.  Even among the same tribe you'll find that as you go from community to community things are practiced differently.  One of the things you'll also find if you engage in Native communities is that all the things you wish to learn can be learned there for free (it's just a way of life....not a degree, doctorate, certificate or any other "title" given to it).  Another strong factor is the language.  Cherokee ways are only really learned from a Cherokee community and in the Cherokee language.  Learning the language is learning the blueprint of a culture and the way people think, the humor, the spirituality, everything are all tied into the way it's communicated, which is NOT the same as learning in English.  I realize that moving away from your home and engaging in a Cherokee community is not something done easily and I'm often asked about what a person should do if that's just not possible....where can you go??  why can't you learn from someone outside the community??

Once you remove spiritual ways from their context (the land, the community, the language) then much of the meaning is lost.  What you get then is someone's interpretation of what those ways are.  That's what you get with Maggie Wahls.  I've reviewed her site.  I have a few problems with the information I see on her site.  http://www.shamanelder.com/

She makes a claim of teaching "traditional indigenous shamanism" and not the modern new age shamanism others teach.  Let's examine that for a moment.  What is "traditional indigenous shamanism"?  What tradition?  What people?  Is she involved with that community actively?  Does she speak the language?  

I noticed she said she learned from her grandmother who traces her ways back to Asia and on her father's side she has some Apache heritage.  So is she teaching Asiatic shamanism (which is where the term "shaman" comes from and also where the concept originates...that title is given to Natives by non-Natives who see similarities and lump it all together when in reality, there are stark contrasts and no Native spiritual leader involved in their community calls themselves a "shaman") or is she teaching Apache ways??  Which Apache community (they're not all the same)?  Does she speak Apache???

From what I've read on her site she teaches a mishmash of different things from a lot of different cultures...a little here, a little there...so where is the "tradition" in interpreting little bits and pieces?

There are also a few things on her website that are flat out wrong.  There's a lot to mention, but I'll only talk about one thing as an example and point out a passage she included on "smudging" not written by her, but reprinted on her website as legitimate information with permission from the author.

This is from an article called "SMUDGING: HOW TO DO IT--HOW NOT TO DO IT" By: Michelle Chihacou White Puma Klein-Ha
----------------------------------------------
excerpt:
"Sweetgrass

Very important to the Sioux and Cherokee nations, its botanical name is Hierochloe Oderata. In these tribes, the sweetgrass is braided like hair braids. It could be burnt by lighting the end of it, or (more economically) by shaving little bits of it onto charcoal in a brazier. Again, use charcoaled Mesquite (I believe it comes packaged for barbecue use under the brand name "Red Arrow") to burn it, not pressed charcoal tablets. Sweetgrass is burnt after smudging with sage, to welcome in good influences after the bad had been driven out. Sweetgrass is very rare today, and traditional Plains people have been attempting to protect the last of it. Myself, I believe that Cedar, which is not endangered, can safely be used this way. Also Pinon pine needles (used more frequently by the Southwest Teneh, like the Navajo and Apache as well as the Pueblo people and the Zuni) and Copal (used by the Yaqui and in ancient times by the Azteca and the Maya) have similar effect. The three mentioned here are redily available either through gathering yourself or, in the case of copal resin, from any good herb shop."

-----------------------------------

Sweetgrass is not endangered or rare and also not only used by Cherokee and Sioux tribes.  In fact it grows wild and is abundant enough that it's sold freely and used as decoration as well as for spiritual purposes.  The barest of research (google) will let you know all that so you can check it for yourself.  It doesn't grow in North America only either...sweetgrass also grows in Europe and Asia.  The claim that it's "very rare" and that traditional Plains people have been attempting to protect the last of it are both WRONG....fallacies.  The statement about burning sweetgrass after smudging with sage is something I've NEVER heard...I'm not saying that statement can't be true somewhere in some community, but it's not THE WAY or even a common practice as the author writes it here.  Once again...it's interpretation and I think from the example you can see how far interpretation is from the actual truth.

I realized Maggie did not write this article, but she includes it as information for you to learn and even thanks the author for it so the person you're learning from seems to be teaching things she doesn't have a whole lot of firsthand knowledge about.....and she charges for that lack of knowledge.

I'm not sitting here making fun on her or attempting to put her down.  I'm sure she has the best of intentions, but she's another that claims to have had a "calling" to teach the wisdom she's learned, when the reality is....she's got a wholllllllle lot to learn herself.  

Her website is also inundated with things to buy.  CD's, books etc.  Even medicine bags, there's even a little Paypal window on the bottom of that page...just include what you want your bag to be made for (requested healing purpose) and she'll gather all you need and send it to you and if you wear it for 21 days....you just might be healed.  Do i even need to go there???  If you'll buy this one I'll gather a few cedar branches and put 'em in a bag for you and send it to you for $15 instead of $29.....it's the same thing....you put a price tag on it then it becomes something you believe is "entitled" to you because you paid for it....if you're having financial woes or maybe unhealthy because of lifestyle factors (weight, smoking, etc) then her bag willl not help you unless you're willing to help yourself.  A medicine bag will not "heal" a financial woe....managing money, not spending more than you can afford and working to get ahead will help that and you'll find that if you follow that common wisdom, your financial woes will go away independant of buying her bag.

So in all reality....you paid Maggie to teach you common sense bagged up in a "traditional indigenous shamanism" (still don't know what that means) package.  

I'm not saying you should quit going to her...if you find what you need there...then go, but be knowledgeable that what you're learning is not "traditional indigenous" anything, but Maggie Wahls interpretation of things she classifies as "shamanism"(which could be anything).  


I worry about you a little bit runningdeer as you call yourself a shaman in training (you used different words  i know) and seem ok with someone breaking the one cardinal rule....never pay to pray.  If you continue down that route you'll find a whole lot of people willing to tell you just what you want to hear for your price and the sense of entitlement from what you learn will begin to take you over you'll find yourself selling your soul on the internet and making a living off of promising better days to those you would victimize for their $$$ ('cause you gotta eat too right???)

I hope you take my words in a good way, I'm not talking down to you, I give you much more credit than that.  Step back and take a look at Maggie objectively.  Apaches, Cherokees...all tribes have been practicing their own spirituality since the beginning of time without a price tag on the internet...those among their communities that take up the role as healers do so as servants of their community and land....not the other way around...and they still eat without charging a price.  Don't buy it.

Superdog
« Last Edit: August 25, 2009, 03:36:13 pm by educatedindian »

Offline educatedindian

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2009, 03:47:59 pm »
Aho everyone
You know I know that there are predetors out there claiming to be healers and shamans ect. and no I do not like to see people get charged big bucks for spiritual lessons or whatever you want to call them.
I see it this way NAFPS wants to call out the fruads right? well if some non-native wanted to learn the native way and honestly walked their path why not let them learn? If a jew wants to become a baptist is this so wrong? I attend many intertribal pow wows and I think that it is great that if someone of any faith or walk of life wants to gain knowledge about our culture why not teach them? I am proud to have cherokee/french canadian bloodlines and would guide onto their path. would I charge? NO would I accept a loaf of bread for it? yep, because lets face it alot of people don't feel like they have received anything unless they some how repay you. I have studied with a shaman by the name of Maggie Wahls and she has done me no harm. I talked to here about the payment issue and she said that she has to eat to. She lives a very simple life on her land and yes, she does do some teaching on the internet but she is harmless.
runningdeer

[Al's note: Topic merged with older one.]

I wonder why you went to a woman making lots of contradictory claims about teaching Apache ways, Comanche ways, Yaqui ways, etc, who also says she is Gypsy, if you are yourself Cherokee?

To go to your earlier example, should I go to someone claiming to be Jewish to learn Baptist teachings? Would I do that as an Episcopalian? Or would it just be very confused to do that?

As far as payment, my answer to her as simple: Let her get a real job like everyone else. Is she afraid to work? Many medicine people have "regular" jobs". Or more often they are being supported by their communities. (I realize many elders are not being properly supported, but that is another issue, though an important one.)

What I strongly suspect is that Wahls is not backed up in what she does by her alleged community, whichever of the many she now claims. Fact is she's changed who she claims to be and what she claims to teach quite a bit. Like SD points out, what you've gotten from is some vague claim of teaching indigenous ways. What is that supposed to even mean? She's teaching all the hundreds of different tribes' beliefs? It can take a lifetime to properly learn a single tradition. If she's claiming to teach many, likely she doesn't know any of them especially well. More likely, she's teaching a Nuage knockoff of a supposed generic Native tradition. I see her teaching a fraud like Castaneda. I see her doing a Nuage imitation of medicine wheels, which I don't think is even a Comanche traiditon. She is spreading many falsehoods. And by doing that, she is harming you and others.

Why not go to your Cherokee elders instead?

Offline oh gee hna luh

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #12 on: September 01, 2009, 07:11:55 pm »
She must be another on of these Don Juan readers. You know I find it just amazing how many of these Yaqui shamans are popping up around here in Az. I swear they read Don Juan and then I guess that is like going through seminary for them, BAM, they're a shamman. Funny, I know for a FACT that Yaqui Most Yaqui ceremonies are CLOSED to NON community memebers. There are a few that are open, like during Lent, but not even all of those are open to Non-comms. In fact they will let you know this ceremony is closed to tourists, VERY matter of factly. But we see them every year when my children have their ceremonies, gathering around and soaking up the spirituality and making mental pictures of regalia and traditional dress.

RayoDeSol

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #13 on: June 21, 2010, 08:10:46 pm »
Has anyone looked into this? I did a search, but wasn't able to find anything relevant.

Shaman Elder Maggie http://www.shamanelder.com/


Registrant of website:
 Web Daemon Inc.
 2119 - 8 Avenue S.E.
 Suite #100
 Calgary, Alberta T2G 0N9
 CA

 Domain name: SHAMANELDER.COM

 Administrative Contact:
    Kuzik, Rick 
    2119 - 8 Avenue S.E.
    Suite #100
    Calgary, Alberta T2G 0N9
    CA
    (403)714-6749
 Technical Contact:
    Kuzik, Rick 
    2119 - 8 Avenue S.E.
    Suite #100
    Calgary, Alberta T2G 0N9
    CA
    (403)714-6749

The META description of the site says: FREE consultations, free courses, free articles by Traditional Shaman Elder ... well, other than a free booklet one can pay for everything, for example medicine bags for $19,95 up to an online course with a "practicing indigenous Traditional Shaman from the comfort of your own home" for only $135

"Shaman Elder Maggie" writes about her background:
"Aho!
 I is truly my pleasure to share with you what Creator has shared with me! I learned shamanism at the knee of my grandmother when I was three. She learned from her grandmother who learned from her grandmother back four hundred years to the country of the Ukraine before Christianity. My father's ancestry also stretches back 130 years to the Apache nation. I did my first healing at age 3 and my first shamanic journey at age ten. Kind of young for that but my grandmother was sick and dying by then. She was an awesome woman! She taught me everything I know today.

When she died I went off to college and began to study the religions of the world. I was looking for the things that they all believed in common. I could not find it in books so I packed my bags and set off around the world to see first hand. I lived with many teachers, learned every major religion out there, practiced many of them and found they only agree on one thing. that there is some higher power. Well kind of disappointing to me.

I went home and got my doctorate of divinity became a minister and had a congregation of 300 souls for three years. People would come and listen to my sermons about God's love and walking your path and they expected that to be enough to save their little souls! It was somehow my job to walk their path for them , I felt like an enabler so I left the congregation. I still counsel for free one on one today and have been doing so for 35 years.

So then I decided to see about shamanism. I had continued to practice what my grandmother taught me quietly but I wanted to see if shamans around the world and across the ages agreed on anything. My expectations were low considering the thing with religion. So I traveled around the world again using contacts I had made before and was able to study with some very powerful shamans in Europe, South America, North America and the Caribbean. I lived with them and learned from them and you know what I found out? That shamans universally agree on EVERYTHING!
Wow!
Unbelievable!
Everything that my grandmother taught me was being taught in every culture in every time forever! Now that knocked my socks off and I went home and began to practice publicly!

Then one day about two years ago I was told that Creator would write this course and bring the students who needed this knowledge. And so I asked if there could be at least one person who would find their path in this course, realize their power, find healing in an awesome and radical way through this work. And you know what, there have been hundreds! of people who have found healing and purpose and strength here!

 I am awed at the results of Creator's work in this course. I am honored and humbled to be a part of Creator's work here. I am thrilled to offer you what Creator wrote for you and to give you the guidance and friendship that is given to me. This is my path, my walk to teach you to guide you and to love you. To give you back your full power and authority to walk your path, not mine. And to show you the complete joy and awe of walking your path as a healer. I am glad you are here! You are not here by mistake. Creator brought you here. You can even visit me in person for a vision quest or personalized retreat if you choose. Just send me an email.

Welcome!
Aho!"
Shaman Elder Maggie

Offline educatedindian

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Re: "Gypsy Shaman" Maggie Wahls, Yaqui, Coma
« Reply #14 on: June 21, 2010, 08:59:42 pm »
Merged your question with the older threads on her. Our search function is off...

As you can see she keeps changing what she claims to be. For some reason her site's down now. Too much to hope she's out of business though...She shows up online more than Miss Cleo did in those old TV ads for psychics. The two have a lot in common, a similar crass approach about making money and no pretense at all of even pretending to be genuine.

Apparently there's another Maggie Wahls out there, not the same as this one, that's involved in laundering money to Nigeria.