Community Outreach Projects
Substance Abuse Recovery Enhancement Program
Thundermaker Cultural Recovery uses Indigenous Traditional Methods for Substance Abuse Recovery. We provide weekly traditional sweat lodges and talking circles to the sober and recovery community. Traditionally, sweat lodges were used as healing and purification ceremonies. The sweat lodge ceremony provides us with an opportunity to create a spiritual, physical, mental and emotional foundation of well being.
As human beings living in the world we do, we are continuously subjected to influences that add to an imbalance of our core foundation. Some of the decisions and choices we’ve made in our past as individuals can be traced back to that very same imbalance.
When did it become so normalized to live our lives in that way?
It is that imbalance that allowed us to believe that our addiction wasn’t a problem, or allowed us to continue creating negative behaviors, or perpetuate the unhealthy cycle that was passed onto us from childhood.
Inside the sweat lodge we are given the chance to open ourselves to a place of vulnerability, because as we enter the lodge, we crawl in on our hands and knees, presenting ourselves in a humble manner. This is to acknowledge that we are not the center of the world, but entering a center that represents the world, that represents the womb of Mother Earth.
This is one of many parts of the teachings of the lodge, as we are preparing ourselves physically to help ourselves spiritually, mentally and emotionally.
This is one of the most important teaching tools we can provide to our communities and to our people, that everything begins in the lodge. We embrace the teachings of what the lodge represents, what it shows us, and what it allows us to see and face within ourselves.
TESTIMONIALS
“It is the first time in my life that I have experienced spirituality and the ability to connect with something greater than myself.”
“The sweat lodge has been absolutely life changing for me. Spiritual connection and healing on a level I’ve never experienced. So very, very, grateful. ”
“There are so many words to describe the Sweat Lodge, yet none that really define or grasp the experience. Spirituality, connection, meditation, self-reflection, and prayer are among the few. All of these culminate into two things that I believe to be vital in all paths to recovery, healing and reconnection. Each time I sweat I go in not knowing what I’ll experience. After each ceremony I come out more enlightened, connected and less encumbered than before.”
“My clean date is January 8, 2014. The sweat lodge gave me a spiritual way to live my life. I would not be where I am today physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually if it wasn’t for this ceremony. It has given me long-term recovery.”
If your organization would like to offer this program, please contact us HERE for Program Information.
Navajo (Diné) Nation Emergency Relief Assistance Program
Thundermaker Cultural Recovery has engaged in fundraising to be able to provide much needed supplies to the ever growing COVID-19 infected Navajo Nation.
Starting as a very ad-hoc program, after a team member’s family was effected by COVID-19, Thundermaker Cultural Recovery started it’s first phase of supplies donations, receiving the majority of the financial donations from families of another team member in the Ho-Chunk Nation. Different members of the Thundermaker Cultural Recovery team then suited up and went to different bulk stores to buy supplies.
Along with a generous over-the-counter medicine donation from the 100 Angels Foundation, Thundermaker Cultural Recovery was able to provide the first delivery of supplies to a Navajo brother who was making house deliveries outside of Flagstaff, Arizona.
Through the help of another nonprofit, Su Cultura, Thundermaker Cultural Recovery has received more financial donations in order to continue their efforts in helping the hard-to-reach areas of the Navajo Nation. These supplies donations are now able to occur every two weeks, to the Red Valley Chapter House.
Thundermaker Cultural Recovery hopes to continue the supplies donations efforts, however they cannot continue without support through further fundraising and donations.
Please see our DONATE page for information on donating to the cause.
