“Ayeli”: Centering Technique Based on Cherokee Spiritual Traditions

Abstract

A centering technique called “Ayeli,” based on Cherokee spiritual traditions, is presented as a way of incorporating spirituality into counseling by helping clients identify where they are in their journey, where they want to be, and how they can get there. Relevant Native cultural traditions and meanings are explored, including the importance of honoring personal truths (values), significance of numbers, looking to the Four Winds, symbolism of circles within circles, Medicine, connect/disconnect, and seeking vision. In addition, practical considerations and implications are discussed. The center of the universe is everywhere. —Black Elk, Oglala Lakota Medicine Man (as cited in M. T. Garrett, 1998, p. 185)

The Sweat Lodge Ceremony: A Healing Intervention for Intergenerational Trauma and Substance Use

“…Many of the participants shared that they never had a sweat before and some stated that it has been years since their last sweat (see Garrett & Garrett, 2002;Marsh, Coholic, et al, 2015;. Elder Julie continued the teachings with the sweat lodge itself as a return to the womb of Mother Earth.…”

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“…In the traditional American Indian way, leadership is nurtured in young people through self-mastery, inner strength, and the development of individual abilities that contribute to the wellbeing of the tribe. In essence, the concept of leadership from an American Indian perspective is one of service-to and for the betterment of the community (M. T. Garrett & Garrett, 2002). Thus, this leadership style encompasses not only the cultural worldviews of American Indians but also specific values and beliefs for doing things in a way that benefits the community or, in the case of this article, the counseling profession.…”

Counselling with First Nations Women: Considerations of Oppression and Renewal

“…While there are distinctive features, cultural identity is embedded in community membership and heritage. Individuals may view themselves as parts of the greater whole rather than a whole consisting of individual parts (Garrett & Garrett, 2002). However, "although our life situations may differ dramatically, the lives of all Native peoples intersect at the junction of state-sanctioned assimilationist policies and genocidal attack" (Anderson, 2000, p. 31).…”