Heal - Change - Grow

The Sweet Medicine SunDance path inspires spiritual evolution. It is a shamanic tradition dedicated to Sharing Knowledge that Works which guides us to Heal, Change and Grow. The Sweet Medicine Sundance path shows us how to establish a deep connection to Nature which teaches us how we are interconnected with all of Life.

This is a path of the spiritual warrior who chooses to engage the battle with hers or his inner darkness and overcome limitations and offer a greater light to humanity. It is a path of healing, where we learn to heal ourselves and thus learn to help others heal.

Seven Principles

These seven principles lie at the heart of who we are. Our culture and practices are inspired and guided by these core principles. These are the guiding values that we collectively and individually stand for, and they are at the heart of our approach as an ethical and responsible organization.

Our principals also provide the basis for our rules of conduct and principles of action. They are part of our organizational DNA shaping our culture.

HONESTY, openness, transparency, and loyalty. True connection and reflection begin with open transparent willingness to see the truth of what is. Honesty is daring to look at oneself, exposed in the mirror, and say, “this is me”.  We strive for transparency and to be open to new experiences.

INTEGRITY, the unwavering desire within our core to do what is right no matter what, combined with Authenticity, the willingness to go deep within, to sit with what is real and true. Authenticity with Integrity is the power of self-ownership, our willingness to own ourselves where and how we are, with responsibility and self-authority. Personal transformation occurs when we are committed to what is right, even when it means admitting our ego is wrong. This is commitment to a greater Truth.

RESPECT begins with respecting ourselves for who we are and what we are capable of, combined with self-forgiveness. Respect, honor, and benevolence guide us to be compassionate and accept others with appreciation for who they are in all their uniqueness. We are all human beings in the act of becoming.

BALANCE is having all parts in right relations, working in harmony to create something greater than the sum of the parts. Inner balance unlocks our natural authentic expression. We call this our beauty. As spiritual warriors, we are committed to balance and to engage the battle with our inner darkness, so that our light may prevail. Only when we are balanced, can we make lasting positive impact and bring greater Beauty to those we meet.

EMPOWERMENT is experienced when we see that we have the ability to make decisions that impact and make a difference in our life. It is not what happens to me, but rather what I do with what happens to me, that shapes my life. Self-Empowerment occurs when we make the conscious decision to take charge of our own destiny.

KNOWLEDGE is felt. True knowledge is gained from life experience and the most valuable knowledge is self-knowledge. When we apply our knowledge in a co-empowering way that benefits all life, we discover wisdom. We value knowledge that makes a positive difference, that heals, inspires, empowers, opens heart felt acceptance, increases presence, and leads to greater truths. This is knowledge that works.

INDIVIDUALITY, somewhere inside us, there is our authentic genuine self. It is unique, profound, and priceless. The time is now to stop trying to fit in, belong and conform. Something unique cannot be compared to another or told it doesn’t measure up. It is unique. Risk and dare to be your inner true nature, even if it is quirky and awkward. It is something that has never been seen before that will show the world a better way to be. Who you truly are contains boundless beauty and will inspire anyone you share yourself with.

DTMMS

The Deer Tribe Metis Medicine Society (DTMMS) was founded in 1986 by Harley SwiftDeer Reagan for the purpose of gathering, translating and teaching the Wheels and Keys of the Sweet Medicine SunDance (SMSD) Path of Turtle Island.

DTMMS offers a variety of programs for those who seek spiritual connection, growth and maturation. Our programs and publications range from basic shamanic teachings including rites of passage, healing ceremonies, physical mastery, community ceremonies and gatherings.

For more information, contact us at (480) 443.3851 or dtmms@dtmms.org.

 

 

 

The Nagual Thunder Strikes

The Nagual (man of knowledge) Thunder Strikes, also known as Swift Deer, was a shaman and Elder on the Twisted Hairs Metis Medicine Society Council of Elders. As a master teacher his vast medicine knowledge and dedication to sharing it with others inspired students and apprentices around the world. He encouraged his students not to believe anything he said, but rather to put knowledge into practice and find out for themselves whether it worked or not. He inspired his students to dream that they could be more than they ever imagined and he was dedicated to providing teachings and tools to support them.

Thunder Strikes devoted himself to his ongoing evolution to be able to guide others into their talents, skills, and abilities. Thousands of individuals have experienced healing and increased self-love through him and through those he trained.

Born into Two Worlds

Thunder Strikes was metis (or mixed blood), part Cherokee and part Irish, born into two worlds and two cultures in northern Texas. Texans are highly independent and Swift Deer was no exception. He was resolutely unfazed by whether you liked him or not, and regularly challenged people to think for themselves. He was firmly a part of the Texas cowboy culture, taking part in rodeos as a teenager and maintaining a love for competitive shooting.

His Cherokee ancestry on his maternal grandfather’s side was also important to his identity. His first and perhaps most influential teacher was his grandmother who educated him about life and death through experiences in nature. This early training motivated him to seek excellence in many arenas. Even so, he never considered himself to represent a specific tribal tradition, referring to himself as a Texas half-breed cowboy, a Twisted Hairs Elder, and a human being walking on Grandmother Earth.

A Warrior’s Mindset

Thunder Strikes loved his country and was proud to be an American. Shortly after graduation he enlisted in the Marine Corp. He was discharged eleven months later, having left the base without permission.

He went on to develop expertise in martial arts, teaching, competing and earning belts and certificates in multiple disciplines. Anyone who has been in the dojo with Thunder Strikes could attest to the depth and diversity of his skills.

Below are some of his Martial Arts accomplishments

  • 7th Dan in Kempo Karate with All Japan Karatedo Federation in 1970 (certificate)
  • 7th Dan in Kempo Karate with Kobudo Association in 1987 (certificate)
  • 3rd Dan in Kamishin Ryu Jujitsu in 1974 (certificate)
  • 1st Dan in Judo with Armed Forces Judo Association in 1970 (certificate)
  • Certificate of Commendation from the International Kung-Fu Federation in 1988 (certificate)
  • Two World Cup Champion certificates from the International Kung-Fu Federation in 1987 & 1989 (certificate)
  • Certified as an international judge & referee of the International Kung-Fu Federation 1988 & 1989 (certificate)
  • Inducted in the World Sports Medicine Hall of Fame in 1994 (certificate)

Martial arts taught him an intensity of focus, attention to detail, and knowledge of what really matters in technique and life’s circumstance.

Competitive shooting gave him great joy, including taking part in the Single Action Shooting Society, known as Cowboy action shooting. He created the Deer Tribe Gun Club to compete and have fun with others who were also interested in this sport.

He taught that spiritual discovery is rooted in physical mastery and presence: that the ability to be aware of what is in one’s space, and to focus and follow-through on an action, directly enhanced a person’s self-mastery. Deeply rooted within the warrior’s mindset, he understood there is no separation between physical mastery and spiritual prowess.

Becoming an Elder

Thunder Strike’s journey to becoming a Nagual (a man of knowledge) was initiated through his grandmother and then guided by other significant teachers in his life.

Grandfather Wilson, whose use of traditional Navajo medicine in modern western settings was featured in Human Behavior magazine (July 1973), taught Thunder Strikes about sand painting and healing. Grandfather bonded Thunder Strikes to his beloved Nightbird in 1979.

In his thirties, Thunder Strikes met Hyemeyohsts Storm, a metis of Cheyenne, Sioux, Irish and German ancestry. Storm had experienced first-hand the distrust a “breed” can encounter from whites and full-bloods alike. Storm has written beautifully in his book Lightningbolt about his training with the brilliant Zero Chief, Estcheemah. Storm shared a significant number of teachings with Thunder Strikes, and also taught him the heyoehkah way of never taking yourself too seriously as an alternative way of perceiving the world.

Thunder Strikes credits several Twisted Hairs Elders, men and women weaving knowledge from various sources, as his teachers. As in many spiritual traditions, certain knowledge was received directly through personal visions as well as through lucid and pre-cognitive dreams. He also received insights through ceremony, spiritual practices, wisdom from the ancestors, and the energies that surround and support us each day.

Building Bridges among the Eight Great Powers

During the 80s and 90s, Thunder Strikes traveled, studied and taught with shamans and wise Elders all over the world including the Americas, Europe, and in Burkina Faso (Africa).

This was a dynamic time in which people from many traditions around the world openly shared the beauty of their medicine with others, with no concern about “appropriation” or who was “entitled” to what knowledge. During this time, Thunder Strikes attended the Dreamer’s SunDance in Pryor Montana and was given permission by Thomas Yellowtail to begin holding a SunDance for Thunder Strikes’ students.

In 1986, Thunder Strikes and his wife Nightbird founded the Deer Tribe Metis Medicine Society – a non-profit international gathering together circle for sharing the Sweet Medicine SunDance teachings with all interested seekers. The headquarters were moved from California to Arizona in 1992, where the Rainbow Powers Center was established so knowledge from the Sweet Medicine SunDance path and other lineage traditions could continue to be shared.

Twisted Hairs Elder

Thunder Strikes was many things: a Texas half-breed cowboy, a martial arts master, a spiritually dedicated human being, a bridge-builder, and primarily a Twisted Hairs Elder, a Shaman whose gifts brought inspiration, hope and healing to those who were privileged to work with him.

He was highly tuned to crystals, working with pioneers like Marcel Vogel to optimize their use as healing tools. His gift for working with the Pipe, impacting energy fields, and ability to “see” into other dimensions, made him an extraordinary healer. He routinely took apprentices into ceremonial spaces that allowed new possibilities for greater balance to emerge.

Thunder Strikes, although known for his straightforward direct manner, was a deeply benevolent being who continuously supported those in need of counsel and guidance. He was endlessly generous with his time and wisdom, teaching for hours to ensure that his knowledge would be available to others. He encouraged apprentices to take what they learned from him out into the world and “let it shine” with their own artistic originality. His impact continues to be felt by people around the world whose lives have been changed through his genius and the Sweet Medicine SunDance teachings.