Help fund Adesbah’s Navajo Blessing Way ceremony!

Yá’á’tééh (hello),

Adesbah here! I am the creator of the Native Power Rangers Instagram page. If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you know that I was in a terrible motorcycle accident two months ago. You may also know that I am Diné (Navajo), was born and raised on the Diné Nation, and that my family and I are very traditional. We love our culture, and we value our spiritual Diné healing practices. One of the many ways that Diné people heal ourselves after injury, injury that can include spiritual, physical & emotional trauma, is to have a Blessing Way ceremony.

This specific ceremony was so important to my grandmother, a respected medicine woman, that I would often hear her say it was her favorite ceremony out of all the hundreds of ceremonies the Diné people have. She used to tell me that many of our ceremonies would fall away, be forgotten and would not be carried forward into the future with us. But she said this is not a bad thing because some ceremonies have served their purpose already and will not be useful to us in the future. And we should not grieve the loss of some of our cultural/religious practices. Likewise, she said, there are ceremonies and cultural practices that will continue to serve our people in the future, that are good for us, and that will continue to have a place and purpose among the Diné. One of those ceremonies that is good, and that will continue to have a special place and purpose among our people, is the Blessing Way ceremony!

I am asking for donations because I will need a Blessing Way ceremony this summer. These ceremonies are very expensive. I can’t pay for it alone, nor should I! We are not supposed to do it alone! This ceremony is a communal practice, we are meant to work together, and each person that wants to contribute a donation or item is allowed to do so. If one person paid for everything, that would deprive the others of the blessing of helping or donating. For traditional Diné people, these ceremonies are healing and help restore balance to one’s life — so no matter the cost or levels of effort needed, it’s absolutely worth it!

Blessing Way ceremonies are also used to give special “blessings” before major life transitions or events such as graduate school! I was accepted into a PhD program at UNM for archaeology and I start in the fall. The Blessing Way ceremony is the perfect ceremony to help me heal (emotionally, mentally, spiritually, physically) and transition from one very traumatic event (a motorcycle accident where I came very close to serious and permanent injury, & death!) and into something very positive like a graduate school. :) I greatly appreciate any donations!

All donations will go directly to funding this ceremony. It will cost between $4000-$5000 but I’m asking for $3500 because I want to contribute my own money to this fund as well. It is a true blessing to give what you can/contribute what you can.

Literally, it is a blessing! Those who contribute their time, labor, or money to make this ceremony happen, they will also receive the blessings/spiritual bounties from this sacred and beautiful ceremony. My grandmother used to say that by contributing our service and/or money to a Blessing Way, we too partake of the benefits of the ceremony. She said the ceremony begins when we start working to make the ceremony happen. The physical labor, the items donated, and the money given from friends and family that go into making this ceremony happen, IS part of the ceremony itself! My grandmother said the ceremony doesn’t start when the medicine man arrives, the ceremony starts the moment the first action for that ceremony occurs! So it begins now! All that is required from those who give their time, labor, or money to this ceremony, is that you have a positive attitude and mindset when doing so. This ceremony is sacred. It’s been practiced by our people for many centuries. It is powerful! It demands of us total reverence and respect. Those who can do that, give and support this effort with joy and positivity, are already receiving the blessings from this ceremony. It all part of the prayer that is this Blessing Way. This is how my grandmother used to talk to me about Navajo culture and our spiritual practices. And now I am happy to be sharing it with you.

By giving to this fund, you will partake of the blessings and prayers too! I will make a list of people who have donated to this fund and to my motorcycle medical fund, and I’ll bring that to the ceremony.

Thank you so much! Any amount is appreciated. Nothing is too small, or too large a donation! Ha ha. :)

Ahe’hee (thank you)