Last December, PHSA’s Indigenous Youth Wellness team hosted a winter ceremony to wrap up the sixth season of the Teachings in the Air podcast. Hosted by Elder Gerry Oldman, Teachings in the Air focuses on Indigenous health and wellness and aims to inspire, motivate, and empower Indigenous people to be sound in mind, body and spirit. During the ceremony, Elder Gerry shared how he came up with the name of the podcast explaining that everything we know as human beings comes through the air, so we must listen, watch, feel and sometimes even smell to see the beauty around us and how it can be medicine.
The sixth season of the series, entitled "The Healing Road," focused more specifically on strategies for healing.
"When we are in trouble mentally, physically, or spiritually, we must look for help to live life to the fullest and reach our potential," says Elder Gerry. "Healing is in ceremony, music, good food, counseling, meditation and positive activities."
And a night of healing it was. Taking place at the Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria, B.C., the winter ceremony kicked off with a generous feast, Indigenous songs, and powerful words from Elder Gerry and his panel of guest speakers. At the end of the night, Elder Gerry blessed each of the guests with a bough of cedar leaves for protection and smeared every face with bear grease and clay as a reminder to make sound decisions in our daily lives. The full taping of the season six finale can be viewed on YouTube.
Elder Gerry gives blessings to the Indigenous Youth Wellness team.
Listen to the Teachings in the Air podcast on Spotify or learn more at www.teachingsintheair.ca.
