SIERRA DAWN MCFEETERS

One day, feeling lost, she was praying hard for a teacher, in a special place up on Stannard Mountain. The next day she and her daughter ventured up on snowshoes, to heal their relationship, when she saw something brown and big laying in the snow. Somehow, she knew it was an answer to her prayers, but wasn’t quite sure how. It was the biggest moose antler she’d ever seen, and the first one found by her. She knew enough to pull out some hair to leave as an offering. The very next day she went back up there to leave tobacco in the spot where the antler was. She felt a presence off to her left. There, standing with one antler, was the teacher. Eventually the enormous Moose backed up and left her, but not after she shed many tears of gratitude.

One thing led to another as Moose guided her down the shamanic path. After a year-long training with the Brazilian, Ipupiara and his Peruvian wife, Jenny Cleicha one of the Grandmothers who was struck by lightning and thus was blind, asked for her assistance. At that time Sierra was invited and initiated into their Northeast Woodland Midewin Lodge. She was in the medicine Lodge for over seven years. During this time she began traveling to Peru to work with the medicine people there and the Plant nation.

Interspersed throughout these years were invaluable weekends with Martin Pretchel, Nan Moss and her husband David, (when he was Earth-side,) from the Foundation of Shamanic Studies. Mentorship with Paq’o Mary Ann Eddowes from Lima, Peru.

Carolyn Clapper (Lightning) who originally asked her to join the Midewin lodge requested that she become a sweat lodge leader a few years after she initiated her as a pipe carrier through her lineage.

These teachings involved, fasting, praying for a vision, tests, suffering, memorizing the songs. None of these things were simply handed over, but they were worked for. The pipe teachings themselves lasted for many years.

After several trips to Peru, and working closely with Mary Ann Eddowes, she was given permission to be a medicine server.

She is in good relationship with the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation, and the Missisquoi Band of Abenaki.

Lightning recently named her, and asked her to take on her duties as pipe carrier, which is a great honor.

An initiate and graduate of the Eagle/ Condor Council taught by Jeff Firewalker, rounds out her indigenous knowledge, and provides the structure and cohesiveness to pull it all together.

Sierra founded Indigenous Roots Institute in 2003 where she maintains a private practice incorporating shamanic traditional techniques and energy medicine. Sierra teaches all levels of Reiki and a two year Shamanic Apprenticeship Program. She runs a retreat center on her beloved land that is surrounded by Apu’s, waterfalls, and trails. Here a Death lodge is fostered, as well as Inner Quest, vision quests, and immersion into nature ceremony.

Sierra is chairperson of the Red Leaf Elders Council for the Eagle/Condor Council.

Her Yanatin Jerry Hatch, is the fire tender, co-teacher, Men’s group facilitator, and backbone of the school and center.

Our mission is to provide sanctuary and safety for guests going through transitions, by first practicing sound, earth stewardship, responsibility, and reciprocity with the gentle land, and all the beings that ground and support this lodge.

From this relationship of respect, we welcome guests, who come here, seeking solitude to enter a death phase. This death could be metaphorical or literal, we nurture true solitude, without diversion, but with access to ceremony, various forms of healing, and with seasoned helpers.

Solitude is Latin for nature. In true solitude, you remember yourself back home, as a part of everything, a part of nature. You, rediscover, ease, flexibility, inspiration, belonging, and wisdom in your own company, and therefore the community, and how you belong to the Earth.