WALK OUR TALK

Mission Statement:

Walk Our Talk is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to assist individuals and groups in the raising of their spiritual, emotional and intellectual awareness through education, example and ceremony.

At Walk Our Talk our goal is:

-To facilitate the raising of personal awareness through experiential exercises that explore trust, communication and intimacy.

-To demonstrate through multi-cultural lectures and seminars how and why cultural diversity is useful and fulfilling.

-To generate environmental awareness through stories, myths and ceremonies that creates an understanding of our relationship to each other and to the Earth.

-To provide a safe and nurturing environment for the exploration of rites of passage that enable youths and adults to deal with life crises such as, addiction, depression and loss.

At Walk Our Talk we see rites of passages as ceremonies where life's transitions are marked or celebrated. Life transitions may include the shift from adolescence to adulthood, marriage, divorce, the death of a loved one, or the desire to leave behind dysfunctional behaviors, relationships, or addictions.

Perhaps the most widely recognized rite of passage is the vision quest. The vision quest is the act of symbolically passing from one life stage to another. The quester actively shifts from a place of "letting go" to a place of "new beginnings." Like most interpersonal work, the vision quest is a process, one that involves three distinct stages.

The first stage of vision quest is severance. It was within this stage that medieval knights would abandon the safety and security of their castle and begin the search for the Holy Grail. Severance was taking place when Jacob, son of Isaac, sent his wives and children across the river while he waited up alone seeking a vision from God. When young adults leave behind the safety and comfort of the village for the first time to seek a name, an ally, or a vision of their life's path, they are severing their ties to the comfort and familiarity of their family, their village and their childhood.

The second stage of vision quest is the threshold. The threshold is crossed when the initiate enters the Sacred World, alone and ready to go beyond the limits and boundaries of the former self. It is within the sacred space of the threshold that the quester marks or celebrates in ceremony that which is to be left behind, embraced, or made new. Some questers cross the threshold in order to ritualize an ending, some a transition and some a beginning. To others this is the time and place to seek insight, guidance, clarity, or a vision of how they may enrich their life, the lives of their family, or their community.

The third stage of the vision quest is called incorporation. Incorporation is a process, not an event. It is the return to a world unchanged; yet seen anew, as if through the eyes of a newborn. Upon return to the family, village, or community the quester begins the process of sharing through words and/or actions how their insight, clarity, or vision can be a catalyst for change.

Vision quest preparation begins when the decision to quest is made. The first phase of preparation is on a physical level, it is the contacting of a quest facilitator and determining the time and place. The second is on an emotional level when the initiate begins to discern if they are marking a beginning, a transition, an ending, or if they are seeking a name, an ally, or insight. The

Third phase of preparation is on a spiritual level. This is when one decides what ceremonies will be used to mark, or celebrate within the Sacred World of the threshold.

If you would like to learn more about the vision quest ceremony, or rites of passage and self-learning, please contact Walk Our Talk:

By telephone: 830-238-9806

By mail: P.O. box 646 Hunt Texas 78024

By e-mail: WalkOurTalk@omniglobal.net