"In traditional perception, nothing exits in isolation, everything is relative to every other being or thing. As [First Nations people] are wont to exclaim: And all my relations."    Joseph Couture

GOALS:

4.1: To explore the concept of meaning in life;

4.2: To explore the principle of reflection of meaning;

4.3: To practice integrating reflection of meaning in the helping process.

COMMENT: Ask the participants if they have any questions from the last module. Be sure to allow 5 minutes for questions.

ACTIVITY: 4.1: Presentation

TITLE: "Meaning in Life: A First Nations View"

TIME: 20 Minutes

What motives people? A number of views about this are prominent in Western psychotherapy. Sigmund Freud said human motivation originated from personal gratification. Alfred Adler said it is the achievement of power. Carl Rogers said it is the need to ascend beyond what we are. Viktor Frankl said it is the desire for meaning that motivates us. Interestingly, this theory of Frankl's is the most similar to the traditional view of First Nations people. Why? It is Frankl's emphasis on spirituality which sets it a part from the other theories. Essentially, Frankl said that everyone is motivated to find meaning in life. The will to find meaning is not based on faith, but on fact. The search for meaning in life seems to be a powerful motivating force, which all people experience regardless of their circumstances. Nietzche expressed it this way: "He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how." However, Frankl did not envision the circular nature that First Nations people have in their dealings with each other, their environment, the spirits and all living things. Meaning is not just a question between self and some power beyond the self, but the connectedness of all things. Meaning is derived from realizing one's connectedness. Consider the words of Black Elk:

"When I was standing on the highest mountain of them all, and around about beneath me was the whole hoop of the world. And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell and I understand more than I saw; for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of all the things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being. And I saw that the sacred hoop of my people was one of many hoops that made one circle, wide as daylight and as starlight, and in the center grew one might flowering tree to shelter all the children of one mother and one father. And I saw that it was holy." [Black Elk speaks, 1988]

When Black Elk spoke these words fifty years ago, he was expressing the most fundamental belief of all First Nations people of North America. The idea that all living things are related - brothers and sisters. The philosophical essence of this idea can be expressed in one word - respect. Respect for the land, respect for the animals, respect for the plants, respect for other people and finally, respect for the self. This is the essential ingredient for living life. According to Russell Means (Smoley, 1992) the development of respect among First Nations people can be compared to the idea of love for Christians and enlightenment for Buddhists. The notion of respect is that humankind is not separate from any other thing in the world, but just another living breathing creature among many. Thus, the environment, as a brother or sister, is not something to be exploited or harmed, but is to be considered an integral part of everyone. When this does not exist, then nature is separate. As a separate entity, nature becomes like a machine - something to be mastered - something to be exploited.

Disease is caused when people are out of harmony with the land. First Nations people believe that humankind has a choice between two roads: the "road" to technology or the "road" to spirituality. What is the meaning of one's self without the whole - without the connectedness of all living things. To First Nations people, humankind has custodianship of the environment. The land is something that is a part of each person. This idea of connectedness with the land is eloquently expressed by Carl Jung (Smoley, 1992), who said: "children born there [a foreign land] would inherit the wrong ancestor - spirits who dwell in the trees, the rocks, and the water of that country....that would mean the spirit of the Indian gets at the [person] from within and without" (p. 85).

The "road" to technology, which is strongly associated with European civilization, has led society to pollution and a "scorched Earth policy." While the "road" to spirituality, which is inherently less scientific, reflects traditional native people beliefs; the belief in the environment is similar to how natives relate to God. While there is one supreme being, the Great Spirit, there are also spirits of locality, spirits of natural forces and animal spirits. All have distinct powers. In some ways the animal powers are greater than the great spirit. In fact, the great spirit is rarely invoked, while the spirits under the Great spirit are routinely involved. Among the Salish people, "almost every action in life is centered around the Spirit Power" (Ashwell, 1989, p. 68). One spirit is not greater than another but they are omnipresent, in Mother Earth, Father Sky, and the four directions. God is everywhere. The spirit is in the trees, in the universe, everywhere in life.

First Nations people posses beliefs about the world which in turn shape how they view themselves and how they interact with majority culture. Among the most important of these beliefs is the world view involving interconnectedness, balance, and spirituality. An understanding of these beliefs can help the educator work more effectively with First Nations people.

To be effective with First Nations people, it is important to understand differing world views and to incorporate such world views into a helping and learning framework. Despite the naive wish to be seen as 'value free', the Western educational system makes inherent assumptions. These assumptions are rooted in philosophical views of human nature and notions about peoples place in the world (Wachtel, 1977). Our world view affects our belief systems, decision making, assumptions, and modes of problem solving. People consider world view to mean the understanding an individual has about how things and people relate to each other. Lafromboise, Trimble, and Mohatt, (1990) state:

Knowledge of and respect for an Indian world view and value system which varies according to the clients' tribe, level of acculturation, and other personal characteristics is fundamental not only for creating the trusting counsellor-client relationship vital to the helping process but also for defining the counselling style or approach most appropriate for each client. (p.629).

An important point made in this statement concerns the need to recognize the diversity among First Nations people. Thus, world view and personal value systems will vary according to a person's tribe, level of acculturation and other personal characteristics. But how, then, can educators assess world view? Ibrahim (1984) has developed a scale for assessing world view across cultures based on a scheme developed by Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck (1961). The common themes are: 1) People - nature orientation, 2) Time orientation, 3) Activity orientation, 4) Relational orientation , and 5) Modality of human nature. An examination of these schemes would further our understanding of any culture or individual's world view. An example for First Nations people is the scheme of people-nature orientation. Traditionally, aboriginal people attempt to live in harmony with nature whereas non-aboriginal attempt to control nature to meet the needs of the people. Time orientation also differs. According to Sue and Sue (1991), time orientation in traditional native culture has always been towards the present as compared with the Western tendency to focus on the future. This is often confusing to those who have not shared this perspective.

The Medicine Wheel is a ready made model of the First Nations World view. The Medicine Wheel shows the separate entities of the emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical part of man as being equal and part of a larger whole. This reinforces the concept of interconnectedness and the lesson that one part cannot be the center but must instead learn to work in harmony with all of the other parts. The medicine wheel represents the balance which exists between all things. Aboriginal people seek out balance and equilibrium. The First Nations world view as represented by the medicine wheel has balance as one of the basic tenets of healthy living. The medicine wheel represents the all encompassing cycle of creation, from birth to death, in which balance between animal, nature, humanity, and spirits co-exist.

Traditional medicine incorporates the physical, social, psychological and spiritual being. It is difficult to isolate any one aspect, because these parts exist as a harmonious balance. Aboriginal people become ill when they live life in an unbalanced way (Medicine Eagle, 1989). Balance is essential for the First Nations person because the world itself is seen as a balance among transcendental forces, human beings, and the natural environment (Hammerschlag, 1988).

The collective orientation of First Nations people is something which has been stressed continuously by leading Native mental health researchers (Trimble & Hayes, 1984; Lafromboise et al., 1990). It is unfortunate Western counsellors and teachers still stress the role of individual responsibility when helping First Nations students. The role of healing in traditional Aboriginal society has not only been to reaffirm cultural values but to consider the individual in the context of the community (Trimble & Hayes, 1984; Lafromboise et al., 1990). Katz and Rolde (1981) found that the goal of traditional healing was not to strengthen a person's ego as in non-First Nations situations, but to encourage people to transcend the ego by considering themselves as both embedded in and an expression of the community. Traditional ceremonies such as the Vision Quest and Sweat Lodge reinforces aboriginal peoples adherence to cultural values and helps to remind them of the importance of keeping family and community networks strong (Lafromboise et al., 1990).

Traditional helping and learning approaches, unlike Western approaches, usually involve more than just the teacher/counsellor and the student/client. Relatives and community members are often asked to be part of the healing process. Trimble and Hayes (1984) found that First Nations people would usually turn to their relatives and community members when they were experiencing personal problems. This raises serious doubts as to the usefulness of using Western approaches such as Client-Centered counselling with aboriginal clients. The one on one interaction characteristic of many Western helping approaches is isolated outside the context of the community and family and must therefore be questioned as a valid means of dealing with Indian clients' problems.

Traditional American Indians believe that mental health is more spiritual and holistic than western psychology would suggest (Locust, 1988). Many traditional aboriginal healing ceremonies emphasize the spiritual aspect of healing. It is to the Great Spirit, perceived as being everywhere, that the Indian turns to in times of need (Dugan, 1985). Different ceremonies stress the need for reconnection with ones spirituality. In the Vision Quest ceremony the First Nations people's makes contact with his/her spiritual identity. The Medicine Wheel ,symbolized by the circle, represents spiritual ties which bind human beings to each other and to the natural world (Bell, 1991). This spirituality or holiness is seen as the essence of healing for Native people. This means manifesting wholeness in spirit and bringing it into our bodies, our families, our communities, and our world (Medicine Eagle, 1989).

There is a oneness in the First Nations life philosophy, which is reflected in the Salish belief of the creation of the world. Ashwell (1989) emphasizes that the Salish believe the human soul is characterized by an: "....indestructible spark, which once departed went to the sunset, where it remained forever, that which was left behind was the earthly body and its shadows - these shadows held a three-part existence and remained on the earthly scene with either good or evil intent, depending on the characteristic of the person in life." (p.60) This continuity of life is often represented by the circle, which appears in many of the symbols used in First Nations ceremonies (e.g. the drum, the Ghost Dance, etc.). According to Smoley (1992), this idea of spiritual power is conceptualized in "....si si wiss, which means sacred breath or sacred life (p. 85)." When humanity respects everything, there is love of all things, because we see God in the trees, animals, and rocks. Everything experiences the same sacred breath. Because when there is respect, which is the essence of the healing spirits, then we feel "...love of God we feel in our hearts" (Smoley, 1992, p. 85). First Nations spiritualism demonstrates how humanity can harmoniously coexist with the environment.

The major function of reflection of meaning is to explore what an event or experience means. One experience may mean something very different to different people. Therefore, the peer support giver focuses on deeply felt thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in an experience as it relates to life in general. According to Allen Ivey (l983), reflection of meaning has some secondary functions: facilitating a person's exploration of values and goals in life and an understanding of the deeper aspects of a person's experience.

A reflection of meaning might follow any meaning probe or question (e.g., "What does that mean to you?"). The PEER SUPPORT GIVER would then begin to substitute "you feel" for "you mean." This might be followed by a paraphrasing of the main idea being discussed. The PEER SUPPORT GIVER tries to identify the meaning through values and needs.  If, for example, a person is talking about being unable to do the things he or she wants to do, the PEER SUPPORT GIVER might do the following:

PERSON: "The people at this university lodge are basically nice, but I'd really prefer being at home."

PEER SUPPORT GIVER: "You really don't like living here even though things are pretty nice. Can you tell me what being here means for you?"

PERSON: "I like the idea that I'm getting a good education. That's OK. But I really miss my family and all the familiar things there."

PEER SUPPORT GIVER: "What do you miss about it?"

PERSON: "Well, I miss the interaction with them. You know the support."

PEER SUPPORT GIVER: "How is it not having that support?"

PERSON: "I feel pretty sad and discouraged. I guess I'm not able to cope without them. Yet, I know it sounds foolish. Do you know what I mean?"

PEER SUPPORT GIVER: "I think so. I've certainly missed my family. So you mean being here makes you feel sad and discouraged. In what way is your family important to you?

PERSON: "I felt complete . . . I could do what I wanted when I wanted. I had to leave everyone I knew when I left."

PEER SUPPORT GIVER: "Being with your family means being secure and being able to be free to decide what you wanted to do when you wanted to do it."

DISCUSSION:

The PEER SUPPORT GIVER first asked how the person felt. After reflecting the feeling and subsequently paraphrasing what was said, the PEER SUPPORT GIVER now knows the meaning underlying the concern of the person. With this underlying meaning understood and voiced, the person can be redirected to find meaning at a new place through some other means. Security and satisfaction may be achieved only in a diminished way or through some other

The most important element is a respect and sensitivity to the land. When one becomes respectful and sensitive to the land, then one can communicate with the spirits that inhabit the land and everything in it. What distinguishes First Nations healing are the rituals that are full of cultural symbols. Symbols not only provide important meaning in ceremonies, but also have a curative effect in themselves. Each act in a ritual is a reminder of humanity's relationship with the spirit world. For example, when Black Elk spoke (Neihardt, 1988), he described the four ribbons on his sacred pipe as representing: ....the four directions of the four spirits (e.g. black one is for the west whence the thunder beings live to send us rain; the white one for the north, whence comes the great white cleansing wind; the red one from the east, whence springs the light and where the morning star lives to give men wisdom; the yellow for the south, whence come the summer and the power to grow. But these four spirits are only one spirit after all" (p. 39). Thus, when the pipe is smoked, the tobacco is smoked not as it is in white civilization, as an amusement or an addiction, but as an offering to the Great Spirit in the four directions.

According to Jilek (1982), what characterized First Nations helping and learning, such as in the Salish spirit dance, is it provides "....participants with meaningful collective activity, ego-strengthening group support, and an opportunity for socially sanctioned emotional abreaction" (p. 159). Yet the power of these ceremonies is that it brings about a sense of renewal or rebirth in its participants. It is not just the healing of a particular problems, but the beginning of a "new person." Thus culture is an important ingredient in successful psychotherapy, particularly with those from indigenous cultures. Finally, the words of Chief Seattle, a Squamish Indian leader epitomizes the essence of what is basic in First Nations helping and learning:

Every part of this country is sacred to my people. Every hillside, every valley, every plain and grove, has been hallowed by some found memory or some sad experience of my tribe. Even the rocks, which seem to lie dumb as they swelter in the sun along the silent sea shore in solemn grandeur, thrill with memories of past events connected with the lives of my people. The noble braves, found mothers, glad, happy-hearted maidens, and even the little children, who lived and rejoiced here for a brief season, and whose very names are now forgotten, still love these somber solitude’s and their deep fastnesses which, at even-tide, grow shadowy with the presence of dusky spirits. Our dead never forget this beautiful world that gave them being. (Ashwell, 1989, p. 6)

In other words, the meaning is arrived at by the connectedness to all, including our emotions, minds, bodies and spirits; a oneness with everyone and thing around us. The effective peer support giver could use exploration of meaning of the job to get at the magnitude of loss experienced. This exploration could reveal certain needs for the person and reinforce the value and meaning of work which may not have otherwise been revealed The focus of the PEER SUPPORT GIVER would then be on identifying how this might be accomplished.

Meaning:

COMMENT:

After the presentation, ask the participants if they have any questions. Be sure not to spend too much time on answering questions, because the modeling and practice enables the participants to learn the most.

ACTIVITY 4.2: Nature Walk

Time: 45 Minutes

Directions: A good way to begin this activity is by talking about the healing effects of the Vision Quest. You could relay some of the following ideas about the vision quest before everyone goes for the nature walk. On the nature walk, the participants are to pair up and go out into the forest or some nearby area to observe what they see in nature. They are not to talk but just pay attention to what lessons they observe from nature. After 30 minutes, everyone is to return and share what they experienced. Write their answers on the black board. Share with the participants that the main notion behind this strategy is to assist the individual in connecting with nature and that this strategy is a good alternative to asking the person about their problems. This strategy is based on the idea that each person will find meaning in what they observe and that nature itself can heal, if we live in harmony with it as a brother or sister.

VISION QUEST

The vision question is a method of opening oneself up to the spirit world by a process of isolating oneself in the wilderness. A person might go off into the forest alone and stay there without speaking to anyone or even eating or drinking. The seeker is to open the self to a vision. Vision quest embodies much of what is characteristic in First Nations spirituality: exposing the individual to the forces of nature and the supernatural and often severe asceticism; and the most crucial perhaps the individual seeks her or his own inner truth (Smoley, 1992). The vision quest resembles an inner journey, where the spirits are confronted. In all the dancing, healing or shamanistic ceremonies the theme of rebirth and restoration is always constant. It is believed that for personal change to occur there must be a "kind of death." "Death," as a metaphor, is always followed by rebirth. Whether the method is the sweat lodge or the vision quest, the process is always unfluctuating. When a client approaches the healer, the healer always attempts to look inside and decipher the client's state of "existence." The goal is to destroy the patient's faulty and diseased "old self." In a sense a reawakening of what is called "baby" and the "helpless" part of the self. The initial ceremonies produce a kind of infantile dependence, which help in rebirth, reorganization, and the beginning of a "new self." In affect, according to Jelek (1982) there is a revival of a ".....new human being, that's why when they club you, just go and pass out, but you come back....there is not to be evil thinking after they're through with you, all you think is I'm starting life all over again" (p. 66). What happens is a personality rebuilding that facilitate the person in exploring themselves in a totally different light. In the new birth, people have a different, more powerful sense of self. The old self, which might have been addicted, diseased, or confused, now with the help of the guardian spirit or animal spirit, becomes "stronger." The past falls away and only what is "new" is important. The effect is to teach rules of personal and social behaviour and indirectly reinforce coercive group suggestion while also reinforcing cultural pride (ancestral authority), and cultural supernatural sanctions. However, despite this, there is a sense of equality in helping First Nations people to be "whole." We must connect to nature!

ACTIVITY 4.3: Helping Circle: Meaning

TIME: 60 Minutes

DIRECTIONS: Ask the participants to get in a circle. After you ask for a volunteer to start, each participant is to turn to the person on the left and make a statement that has some expression of feeling in it for example, "It is so boring here." The person responds by making a reflection of meaning - for example, "Can you tell me what you find interesting?" The person making the reflection of meaning then makes a statement that has some feeling in it. This continues until everyone has had a chance to do it. Next, ask for a volunteer to make some general statements about something they have always wanted to do (e.g. "I have always wanted to sail around the world.") Try and get the person to talk in more detail about their response, but remember to pay attention to the meaning underlying their responses. Allow the interaction to continue for 5 to 10 minutes. Then ask for feedback from the participants about your reflections. Next, ask for another volunteer to talk about something they always wanted to do and invite others in the circle to explore it with the person. Encourage them to pay attention to any needs, values and meaning. Remember to provide feedback to the participants after the interaction.

ACTIVITY 4.4: Modeling

TIME: 15 Minutes

DIRECTIONS: Ask one of the participants to role play a problem or present any issue that is on their mind. What you want to do is demonstrate how reflection of meaning is used. Sometimes participants have difficulty thinking of an issue to role play or present; thus, you could suggest:

1. an activity that you really enjoyed;

2. a friendship that has ended;

3. sadness on the loss of an important memento.

The modeling does not have to be longer than 3-5 minutes.

ACTIVITY 4.5: Practice

TIME: 30 Minutes

DIRECTIONS: Ask the participants to get into a triad, with each participant taking one of the following roles: PEER SUPPORT GIVER, person, and observer. The PEER SUPPORT GIVER is to use the skill of reflection of meaning, the person is to present some issue or problem, and the observer is to give feedback using the feedback guidelines (Session 1). The observer should also be the time keeper, allowing five minutes for the role play and five minutes for the feedback. After 10 minutes, ask the participants to change roles, until everyone in the triad has had a turn in each role. You may have to give the participants some suggestions on issues or problems to present.

ACTIVITY 4.6: AWARENESS ACTIVITY WITH MEDICINE CARDS

TIME: 60 Minutes.

The purpose of this activity is to explore meaning from an alternative perspective using the "Medicine Cards," developed by Jamie Sams & David Carson. Start by sharing the following quote from their book:

"All space is sacred space. Every inch of Mother Earth needs a specially energized connection to some living creature, and is therefore to be honored. The Medicine Wheel is a physical expression of this knowledge, and can be used to set up sacred ceremonial space...Ceremony is a method for honoring and recognizing the connections to all life through the expression of gratitude in chants, dances, and rituals. It is always done with the guidance of Great Spirit and the Great Mystery." (Sams & Carson, 1988, p. 21)

Next, share the following comments:

"The purpose of helping some open up to their personal awareness is multidimensional. Among the possibilities are that it allows the person who you are helping to talk about where they are at without revealing a problem or issue. Why would they not want to discuss something that bothers them? It's always hard to say. It could be that the person doesn't want to appear vulnerable. Another possibility is that the issue may involve others and so to reveal it, would be to bring in others. Most of us, are in this classic double bind when we have something that bothers us. First, we want to solve it, but we don't want to reveal what it is until we have thought about all the implications. After all, some problems can be solved with time or with thought and so we "play our cards close to our chests." Of course, the difficulty is that the problem continues to nag at us thus taking a lot of our energy. What the medicine cards do is allow a person to talk about a general state of well-being, without revealing what the issue is they have. In addition, it is possible for them to have a revelation or insight that can be helpful. Because the cards reveal "powers" and are therefore positive, they help you and whoever you work  with to become personally aware of things that are occurring in everyday life. In Psychology, this is often referred to as associations. It is quite common, yet in everyday life there is a very practical application for associations.

First, you should know that they are immediate. You have probably heard someone say something, but refer to it as a "Freudian slip." What they are referring to is something they said that has immediate implication to how they see the world. The Medicine Cards act in the same way. What first comes to mind or to words is often much more relevant and truthful. According to Sams and Carson (1988), "...each of the four directions reveals certain things that you need to reflect upon in your personality. They also disclose how you are learning from yourself, from others, and from the animals" (p. 28).

Shuffle the cards:

1. Right all the cards in one direction;

2. Shuffle the cards;

3. Deal five cards, starting at the right face down in the medicine wheel like the following (Figure 4.2);

4. Read the cards:

East Card: This card shows you where your spiritual strength lies, your spiritual direction and the challenges of your present situation.

South Card: This card shows you how the animal medicine is teaching the child in you as your adult travels the path of life. In  essence, the card shows you what you need to trust in yourself and  what is needed to nurture yourself as you grow.

West Card: This provides an internal solution to your problem and  provides information on goals and how to reach those goals.

North Card: This card address your spiritual self and how to integrate  the lessons indicated in the other cards. This card is "...considered the key to walking in wisdom, knowing the teacher within, and connecting to a  higher self" (p. 29).

Sacred Mountain Card: This card focus on the present or a crossroads of the spiritual and physical realities. The card shows you how these parts have come to produce you in the present. According to Sams and Carson (1988), since the you of today will evolve and your understanding will increase, the you of tomorrow will be different. Thus "...in accepting this omen of who you are in the present, you may then see what needs changing or modifying, whether you are balanced or upset, and if you need to enter the silence for answers" (p. 29).

In using the cards, refer to the book by Sacs and Carson. However, you should allow the individual to read and interpret what the book says about the individuals specific situation. The idea is to get the person talking about their situation, via the cards. The more you explore the more information the person will receive from the cards.

[NOTE: We have found that some people feel uncomfortable with the cards, because of the spiritual suggestions within them. Others have found the cards to be useful as a metaphor for focusing on meaning. You should use your best judgment in utilizing these cards.]

ACTIVITY 4.7: "Circle of Life"

TIME: 30 Minutes

DIRECTIONS: Ask the participants to draw a large circle on a blank piece of paper (8x11) and divide it into three equal parts (labeled 1, 2, and 3). Write the following questions on the black board and ask them to put their answers in the parts of the circle:

QUESTIONS ABOUT LIFE

1. Choose a job you have had in the past and write down what was most enjoyable about it.

2. What activities do you have now that are the most meaningful?

3. What three things would you like people to say about you?

After 10 minutes, ask for volunteers to share what they wrote down. After each response, reflect the meaning in the statements. For example, if a participant said, "I like the people I worked with," you could reflect the meaning in this by saying, "People really mean a lot to you."

ACTIVITY 4.8: Meaning Dyadic Encounter

TIME: 30 Minutes

DIRECTIONS: Ask the participants to choose a partner to work with and then sit facing each other. For the first 10 minutes of the activity one will answer a question and the other will focus on the meaning of the answer. After 10 minutes the roles will be reversed. Take 5 minutes at the beginning to demonstrate what the participants are supposed to do and 5 minutes at the end to share their experiences. Write the following questions on the blackboard and ask the participants to answer one. This should be followed by questions or reflections based on the responses given.

Questions:

1. What is something you would really like to do?

2. What is something you are afraid of doing?

3. What is the most difficult decision you have faced?

4. What would you like to be doing in five years?

An example of how someone could respond to the first question:

Participant 1: "I've always wanted to learn a second language."

Participant 2: "It seems learning is important."

Participant 1: "Yes, but also language is freedom. I'd like to travel."

Participant 2: "You really value freedom. In what other ways could you express your freedom?