Author Tells Of Her Spiritual Quest With Bear Tribe Society

As the decade dawns, Wabun Wind is a member of the Bear Tribe Medicine Society, a writer, teacher and ceremonialist who believes that you open many doors on your spiritual odyssey through life.

In 1971, as Marlise James, she was a New York journalist with a master's degree from Columbia University writing a book on radical lawyers.

One day she opened a door to find a man she then thought was the love of her life, standing there with a big smile on his face. His name was Sun Bear, whom she describes as an Ojibwea medicine man then gaining notoriety as a healer and visionary.

Wind, who is in the Seattle area for a series of workshops and readings, talked about her writing - her latest book is ``Woman of the Dawn: A Spiritual Odyssey'' - and the transformations in her life.

She said Marlise James went through the door that opened the day she met Sun Bear. She sold her possessions and headed West to join the racially mixed Bear Tribe Medicine Society, described as people dedicated to attaining harmony among its members and with nature, the Earth Mother.

Twenty years later, Wabun Wind (East Wind) lives part of the year at the tribe's headquarters, ``Vision Mountain'' outside Spokane, and part of the year at her residence near Philadelphia. She has a new husband, a baby, and a new love: writing New Age spiritual books, leading workshops and performing healing rites as Sun Bear's medicine helper.

She is giving ``medicine wheel'' and ``earth stone'' readings by appointment until Feb. 14 at the Lodestar Center in Wallingford and the Stargazer in Bellevue. Prices range from $40 to $65.

The fees are only part of what makes the Bear Tribe controversial. Native Americans and others disagree with the mostly Caucasian Bear Tribe's practice of attempting to perform and sell the traditional practices of Native American peoples.

Wind counters by saying, ``People think they shouldn't have to pay anything for Native services. They don't have knowledge of what's appropriate to pay. So we set guidelines. The money helps the community, goes to inform others about ways they can follow a vision, and to help the Earth. We never refuse anyone.''

The workshop brochure states: ``Under no circumstance is this sharing to be misconstrued as a `for sale' sign on Native Religion. It is intended to guide other two-leggeds in helping themselves, each other, and ultimately our Earth Mother. Ceremonies and fellowship are a private gift between all parties . . . involved.''

In the interview, Wind said, ``One thing I learned is that you can't jump cultures. I learned to accept myself for what I am, a white woman of Welsh-American heritage, and to take what I learn and make it my own.

``A lot of people starting out on the Native path get caught in shame for what the white people did to the Natives. But I've known no good to come out of shame and guilt. I don't think racism is good from anyone. I'm not teaching everyone to be a Native American, but how to connect with their own visions, and the Earth, to help heal it, before it's too late.''

She believes that her attraction to Sun Bear is what started her on her current path, but that she evolved to a broader concept of love and concern for the world.

``It was not a conscious decision to follow this path,'' she said. ``Something wanted me to.''

In her latest book with Sun Bear, ``Black Dawn, Bright Day,'' she tells of Sun Bear's dreams and visions about a world holocaust, an ``Earth cleansing.'' Many lives will be lost, but the earth will be cleansed for survivors, as the floods cleansed the earth in the Old Testament time of Noah and his ark.

Earthquakes, extreme weather, volcanic eruptions, nuclear-plant disasters and wars are foretold. ``The war (in the Persian Gulf) makes me feel sick,'' Wind said. ``The young and vibrant beings over there, who won't be that for long.

``In an ideal world, violence is never justified. But we don't live in an ideal world. It has to start early with giving birth and raising children with love. Human life should never be thought of as an expendable resource . . .

``Whenever a peaceful society has met with an aggressive society - like many Native American tribes met with European settlers here - the peaceful society has to become invisible, or be destroyed.''