This are some thoughts that came to me today:

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT

I'm writing this partly for myself to ground and clarify my intentions and efforts. I have been a bit fixated with this matter and have questioned why. Of course being fixated is always somewhat of an afflicted state so I am constantly monitoring my motivations, feelings and spirit. Yet, there is a lot at stake here which is why the flame burns in myself and others with increasing intensity.

By engaging in PR and proclaiming they are the first public legal Ayahuasca retreat Ayahuasca Healings has also let us see that there are numerous other groups (most of whom have some association with ONAC) besides themselves that have proclaimed themselves to be able to legally provide numerous entheogenic medicines to people in ceremonies and retreats.

The government has shown little to no interest in going after people and groups using Ayahuasca as a spiritual and healing medicine. Nor have they been inclined to pursue the broader movement of psychedelic medicine use. However, if people are now proclaiming themselves to be legal on websites where they offer enthogenic medicines in various ways this could push the hand of law enforcement.
Especially when the murder in Peru and other negative stories in the news are coming to light.

There is a lot to think about, talk about and take action on as the entheogenic medicine movement grows in its many way. I'm not alone in feeling we want to cultivate the best in ourselves and each other; learn to protect the rights we have and establish more rights for all; as best as possible ensure the health and well being of those who are called to do this work; be open to the many paths old and new that the spirit of the medicine catalyzes; know that human spirituality and culture expands and changes in ways beyond the understanding or control of anyone...
AND
Be steadfast in our values, good sense, ethics and determination to speak out when we see that things are going awry.

What we have learned about the misguided and misinformed thinking, intentions and activities of Ayahuasca Healings and ONAC is certainly in the category of things going awry. This does not mean that they may not do good work and provide good healing in a variety of ways. Yet, they are traveling in a direction that will derail and tangle up that tracks for themselves and others too.

That is why this push back is so strong from many quarters. Strong and passionate. Sometimes when people get passionate they may speak in careless ways. We want to be careful of course so understanding and correction can occur. Yet, being careful- full of care-may mean holding firm to a sword of fire to cut through shadows of misunderstanding and misappropriation less we miss the narrow window to avoid unnecessary and unwanted legal, social and spiritual conflicts about the good medicines Gaia and God(dess) have provided us.

wondering if AYAU$A actually paid ONAC for a piece paper for protection to use "peyote, cannabis, ayahuasca, etc"

I know of a native american groop that alows most people into its peyote ceramonies and you dont have to be native american!

usualy.. everyone is welcome!




ALL NATIONS - Oklevueha Native American Church of All Nations ...
www.shamanportal.org › North America › Resources
Location: Boulder/Denver Areas, Colorado ... Oklevueha Native American Church of All Nations is a church for the people, to offer spiritual ... We preserve the ways of prayer with Holy Medicines such as Peyote, our Holy Sacrament in which ...

The only time an actual precedent has been set and an actual court battle has been won was in the Utah State Supreme Court. The specific case is STATE of Utah v. James W. MOONEY, aka James W.B.E. Mooney, Linda T. Mooney, and Oklevueha Earthwalks Native American Church of Utah, Inc. Dated June 22, 2004.

The court ruled that card carrying ONAC members in the state of Utah do have the right to cultivate, transport, and consume Lophophora williamsii for religious purposes if acting within the ONAC code of ethics regardless of whether they are federally recognized tribal members. There has never been a precedent set regarding ayahuasca, cannabis, or any other plant medicine specific to ONAC. The church does claim the right to use all plant based medicines and in practice, in Utah, small scale cannabis cases almost always get thrown out because of precedent. I know of no other cases involving other botanicals at this time.

The other precedents they claim, specifically the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000, United States v. Boyll, May 10, 1990, and the UDV and Santo Daime rulings respectively to my knowledge have not actually been presented and ruled on in a courtroom with regards to ONAC membership.

Several other states allow for the religious use of peyote by people who are not members of a federally recognized tribe (I believe Colorado is one of these). However, this is independent of ONAC membership.

Just be aware that anywhere outside the state of Utah, and even in Utah any material other than L. williamsii, has no actual legal precedent. There have been several cannabis and other cases that have turned out unfavorably for ONAC members in other states.

I have personally sat in the tipi with ONAC leadership and I am satisfied with their intentions and supportive of their mission. Just be aware that when working outside the church's home state and with the various branches, the legal protections they claim to offer may not hold up when tested in a judicial setting.