TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
THE SECOND YEAR TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
The Second Year Program is available to those who have satisfactorily finished the first year course. During the 2nd Year of “Walking the Sacred Wheel” you will move from the circumference of the sacred circle into the center where you will explore The World Tree from its roots to its branches, traveling with ease along the vertical plane of the shaman’s cosmology. The Tree of Life or The Axis Mundi is a representation of your own being and of the “heaven to earth” connection that shaman and mystical explorers have known for years. This tree stands at the center of the wheel and reaches deep into the Earth and extends into the highest reaches of the cosmos. It is from this primordial vertical inheritance that we will move into the core of spiritual teachings. And through the branches and leaves we will continue to explore and be nourished by the many spiritual traditions and world religions that give life to the single trunk of the world tree that is rooted above, not below.
During your first four months, where the life-giving tree grows and fully expresses itself, you will descend into the deep roots of your own heritage and be guided in a close examination of your beginnings, your lineage. In the first month, you will trace your physical roots, your genealogy, or family tree, to get a better sense of your place in the earth family, this time around. In the second month, you will look closely at the symbols, guides and remembrances of your spiritual life on the planet - the cultures, people, and ritual practices that you are particularly drawn to. In the third month, you will pay attention to your emotional roots, especially those aspects of your emotional life that need to be cleared up so you can be totally present with all of your available energy. And finally, in the fourth month, you will look at the roots of the belief systems that you hold so that you can make clear decisions which beliefs to keep, and which beliefs to let go.
In the second sequence of four months, you will move up the trunk of the mythic tree to the present time to look at what and how you are manifesting in each of the four dimensions of the wheel - EAST (spiritual), SOUTH (physical), WEST (emotional), and NORTH (mental). Are you manifesting into the physical plane what you want? What is holding you back? Where are you expressing yourself fully? Where are you in or out of balance? Each of us stands at the center of our own world, creating and co-creating our realities with others. Are you creating the realities that you want? Why and why not? And in the last phase of this Second Year, you will have the opportunity to climb high into the branches of your tree to look into the future.
The lessons during this year are designed on a monthly basis, rather than in a weekly format as they were during the first year. We assume that you have the maturity and discipline necessary to “chart your own course” and schedule your own time. The second year is also a return cycle, or completion of the circle cycle – you feed back your giveaway as a completion of the process of receiving and giving. The first year was spent in our sending to you information, processes and exercises for your growth. In the second year you will “feed” yourself and the Institute. Rather than exercises, you will receive assignments and challenges for your growth. There is also a change in cost for the second year to $35 per lesson. Part of the change is reflected in the amount of time you will get in personal mentoring. At this stage, the Institute takes a more active role in giving you feedback and personal attention during your process.
The Second Year is a carefully designed series of teachings and exercises to assist you in fully standing up in the total expression of who you truly are – manifesting fully, freely, and easily those things that you deeply desire. It is also the Teacher Certification year. This essentially means that you will, during this year, begin to consciously share your understandings of the Sacred Wheel, its teachings and processes, more ably and comfortably with a wider and more diverse group of people. During this year, we, at the Institute, will enter more deeply into a personal mentoring and collegial relationship with you as we learn together and more fully share what we each know and value.
What does enrolling into the second year mean?
Stepping into the center of the circle and therefore creating a consciousness or awareness that includes a willingness to prepare yourself for spiritual growth.
Declaring your intention to become a leader/guide/teacher.
Being willing to explore and understand cycles of birth, death and rebirth.
A willingness and commitment to share the spirit of the teachings and the work.
Completing the lessons with a different intention than the first year - not just for yourself but with an intention to serve and share. (Archie Lame Deer talks about his father not being able to die until he had initiated 12 others).
Moving into the awareness of impeccability – your promise keeping and breaking with yourself and others – not a right and wrong, but impeccability, i.e. keeping appointments, and agreements, honorable closure, etc.
Awareness of right relationship with self and others and the Institute – assignments sent in on time, etc.
Appropriate disclosures - being aware of what to share and what to hold.
Commitment to and understanding of mentoring relationships.
Willingness to read at least two books from a supplemental reading list on mentoring relationships.
An agreement to visit and perform an honoring ritual at a sacred site in your area.
Tending a living thing - animal or plant for the year with intention - to come into sacred relationship with an other.
Three Service Projects.
Completing a shield, a “stick” and singing your power song in a circle of graduation.
A wilderness graduation experience.
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask! For more information on the Walking the Sacred Wheel Home Study Course, contact us, or request a free brochure.