THIS WEEKENDS EVENTS:

Hey Elmwood Strip Folks,‎
There's so much going on this weekend I wanted to share some info with you... enjoy and ‎Happy Holidays!‎
Peace and Blessings,‎
Laura Jean Castelluzzo, LMT 716 465-7408‎
www.geocities.com/earthloveljc ‎

Friday Night Dec. 1st Babik's DVD and CD release party at the Tralf... tickets are $12 at the door, ‎‎$10 through ticketmaster. 622 Main St. Buffalo, NY.‎

This Saturday, Dec. 2nd, 9am, is the Full Moon Lodge at Ehk-wheh-heh-weh, led by ‎Tahwehdahqui. $10 suggested donation. Bring a dish to pass for the potluck afterwards. Fire ‎starts around 6:30/7am, go in at 9am. Come early to help with the fire if possible. Any help is ‎much appreciated... even if you come early and just hang out it's nice for the people doing the ‎work to have others around for good company. Wear shorts / tshirts / tank tops / something light ‎into the lodge, bring warm clothes in case buffalo decides to get chilly again. You're welcome to ‎call me w/ any questions: Laura Jean 465-7408.
Address:
‎2323 Printup Rd. Sanborn NY 14132
‎
Directions:
From the east side of buffalo take Niagara Falls Blvd north to 425, turn right, then left on 31, ‎heading west on 31. Turn right just before Smokin Joes, on Chew Rd (probably not marked), ‎Then take your FIRST RIGHT on Printup Rd. (also not marked), and turn Left into driveway. It's ‎on the corner of Printup and Chew. You can't miss it if you follow these directions, even with the ‎streets not being marked.
From the west side of buffalo take 190 North to Witmer Rd / Rt. 31 and turn Right, take your ‎FIRST LEFT PAST SMOKIN JOES on Chew Rd (may not be marked), then take your first ‎Right on Printup (also not marked), and turn Left into Driveway. It's on the corner of Chew and ‎Printup.

Saturday Dec. 2nd starting at 3pm with a reception at 8pm will be an OPEN HOUSE AT ‎BUFFALO WELLNESS COOPERATIVE. www.bwellcoop. com
I will be there all day available for short sample massages :) $1/minute. A few people from ‎Buffalo State College will be facilitating events as well as a few of us B'Well Coop members. ‎There will be a cooking class, a guided meditation, some creative visualization work, chi jung ‎‎(sp?), and a description of a 2 day workshop happening in January. I don't have the exact ‎schedule on me right now, but if you check the bwellcoop.com calendar it may be on there ‎tomorrow, definitely before saturday.
Peace and Blessings,
Hope to see you!
Laura Jean
‎(there is also a sweat lodge that morning at Ekwh. I'm going to put details in a separate email. ‎and in case you haven't heard yet, Babik (gypsy jazz) is having their DVD / CD release party at ‎the Tralf (sp?) Friday night, doors open at 7pm, music starts at 8pm. Ticket's are 12 at the door, ‎if there is any left. I think they're available on ticket master? ‎

This Sunday, Dec. 3rd, 11am is Music Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church on W. ‎Ferry and Elmwood. The Choir (which I, Laura Jean, am in) is amazing (not because I'm in it - I ‎just joined a couple months ago. I'm learning so much from them.) The UU Choir will be singing ‎with the philharmonic orchestra (or at least part of the orchestra, I have no idea how many people ‎are in the orchestra but there were at least ten musicians at the rehersal tonight.) I'm very excited. ‎It will be a beautiful service of ALL MUSIC. AND IT'S FREEEEEEE!!! !! I would love your ‎support in being present. I'm sure the church will be full so come early for a good seat. Service is ‎at 11am till noon.

A

new housing co-operative

is sprouting up in Buffalo!

Who are we? We are a group of people looking to create a home centered on peacefulness, spirituality, music, good food, laughter, dancing, joy, silence, meditation, vegan/raw veganism (though we are open to all diets), a drug/alcohol free space, yoga, ... and new ideas!

Who are we looking for? Anyone interested in this sort of environment! We accept people of all faiths and walks of life.

Where in Buffalo? The west side, in the Elmwood area, in walking distance of public transit.

To contact us:

-Laura Jean Castelluzzo (716) 465-7408 or earthloveljc@yahoo.com
www.geocities.com/earthloveljc

-Melinda Wright mkwright@buffalo.edu

Ironically, the "Forever Friday's" event at B'Well has been cancelled. There is mention of starting up something similiar that happens on a weekly basis, but currently we do not have a regular potluck happening. Please be patient with us as we are going through lots of changes in members, and are still in the process of developing our inner structure - how we function as a coop, application process, etc. If you are interested in becoming involved in any way you can email us at bwellcoop@yahoo.com
Thanks so much.
Peace and Blessings,
Laura Jean
p.s. - go to www.ilovemycoop.com/wellness for our online calendar.

You Are Invited to Join In With Us

---

Every Friday Evening at the Buffalo Wellness Co-Op

---

for
Our Welcoming Dinner Party & Discussion Groups
at B'Well Co-Op, 640 Breckenridge & Elmwood
near Spot Coffee in the Heart of Elmwood Village

FOREVER FRIDAYS- 5-11 PM -OPEN DOOR PARTY
Veggie Pot Luck 5-7 PM--Talk Groups 7-9 PM--Meditation & Music 9-11 PM


THIS FRIDAY EVENING'S EVENTS, May 19, 2006

5 - 7 PM *** Finger Foods & Pot Luck Picnic.
Munch all evening. This weeks theme is Hawaiian Luau.
Suggested: Bring something with pineapple, melon, cantaloupe, ...etc,.

7 - 9 PM *** MAIN TOPIC:
Leslie from ARISSA talks about Community concerns.
What are the political, social and environmental issues, of which, we ought to be developing an acute awareness in our own neighborhoods? Will our CO-OP reach out?

THEN: *** Meditation Music:
Relax and wind down from your busy week.

9 - 11 PM *** ALL ABOUT US:
Discover and chat with New Friends & learn what our new "Wellness Co-Op" is all about:..."Your Successful Personhood".
And Finally:...CLOSING MEDITATION:
Conclude the week & start the weekend;....
"Beginning A New Life."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Next Friday Evening's Main Event: May 26, 2006
Jason Donati talks about the MAP, PUSH, and MOVE Neighborhood Projects. Come & get involved.
BE ACTIVE & CARE ABOUT THE FOLKS NEAR YOU !
@@@@@@@@@@@@

We are open to new and varied topics by different presenters.
Would YOU like to present your "special" discussion topic or talent?
Just contact our coordinator/facilitator to schedule or make changes.
If you phone, stay on the line so your call can be transferred.
Curt.Bish@Yahoo.com or call 716-883-3380

We are a unique group based on BuffaloTRIBE's well known EVENT & Announce Only e-mail list at Yahoo Groups.
Please subscribe to [BuffaloTRIBE] at this URL:


For further information about B'Well Co-Op,.....
Contact: Laura Jean Costelluzzo <earthloveljc@yahoo.com>

Please Forward this Invitation to your Friends
Would you like to join our Wellness Co-Op?
Rent our space for your meetings.
Just Ask !

One last reminder for the party Friday, tomorrow night!!! Look forward to seeing you! It's going to be a great time. Much Love, LJ P.S. - the following info on EKWH will be provided at the party, but i thought you might like to know a little about this place I love so much before you come to the benefit party for it. Maybe it will inspire you to come, to the party to support EKWH or, to EKWH itself. There is a sweat lodge schedule below.

EHK-WHEH-HEH-WEH CENTER FOR LEARNING
2323 PRINTUP RD. Sanborn, NY 14132
TUSCARORA NATION

Ehk-Wheh-Heh-Weh translates as "All the People." The learning center, EKWH for short, was founded in the late 1980's by the Printup family with Tahwehdahqui as the individual responsible for leading the way. Ever since embarking upon a 20 day fast atop a hill in Central New York he has been dedicated to a spiritual path of responsibility and unconditional love. His mission is to bring peace and harmony to the world one mind at a time. He has been teaching others this path via sweat lodges, gatherings and classes for almost 20 years.
Currently the center is going through an unprecedented phase of growth and transformation with many of his students taking on leadership roles. Several of us have been investing our time, talent and energy into the center for many years. This evening's fundraiser is targeted toward generating resources to renovate and build new facilities. We broke ground for construction of a bathroom last summer and need a substantial financial commitment for targeted completion by this summer.
I could easily write a book on my personal experiences on the land over the past 9 years, but for the purposes of this informational piece I will keep it brief. I had the honor of participating in my first sweat lodge a month after graduating from college in January of 1997. I have since been attending sweat lodges, an ancient ceremony of purification for mind, body and spirit. I rarely miss one on a monthly basis. I will be pouring my first in a series of lodges April 30th. I have also been taking a class from Tahwehdahqui since March 2001 and have been enjoying an increasing degree of peace, harmony and prosperity in my life ever since. We invite you to come visit us anytime, pitch in with your unique talent and experience for yourself first hand the magic and medicine of this land and community. – Sean Kennedy

Sweat Lodge Schedule 2006
The following dates are full moon lodges run by Tah-weh-dah-qui.
May 12, 2006 *
July 8, 2006
Aug. 12, 2006
Sept. 9, 2006
Oct. 7, 2006
Nov. 4, 2006
Dec. 2, 2006
Jan. 6, 2006
All lodges are at 9am (except May 12 *, we will be going in at 8pm).

The following dates are lodges run by Buffalotribe members: Laura Jean Castelluzzo, Christopher Sierzchula , Sean Kennedy, and Jason Pfaff. Go to yahoo group Buffalotribe to get current info on who's leading bt sweats month to month, and other local announcements.
April 30, 2006 Nov. 19, 2006
May 27, 2006 Dec. 17, 2006
July 22, 2006 Jan. 21, 2007
Aug. 26, 2006 Feb. 18, 2007
Sept. 23, 2006
Oct. 28, 2006
All lodges are at 9am.

There is a Spiritual Gathering every year on Fathers day weekend (June 16-18, 2006), as well as the last weekend in September. The Sept. gathering is only Sat. & Sun. We also have a gathering with fireworks on New Years Eve, at midnight, followed by a sweat lodge. All lodges have a suggested donation of $10, and are followed by a potluck – bring a dish to pass. There are lodges at the gatherings, as well as a Native Social Dance on Saturday night of the June gathering. All EKWH events are drug and alcohol free. In my experience they are also uplifting, rejuvenating, fulfilling, healing, and lots of fun! Gatherings are also run on a donation basis- Come camp out, and bring food to donate to the kitchen. There is a work day April 22, 2006 from noon - ?. We'd love your help! Your welcome to come out and have fun working with us! Thanks for coming and supporting my home away from home - EKWH! Much love and blessings – Laura Jean Castelluzzo, LMT earthloveLJC@yahoo.com (716 465-7408 cell) (882-6003 home/Nickel City)

Nickel City Co-op
Presents
a Benefit Party for
Ehk-wheh-heh-weh

Friday April 14, 7pm - 2am
208 North St. Buffalo NY 14201

Come PARTY with us at Nickel City Coop and enjoy a great line up of performing artists including
12/8 PATH BAND, and a talk with Tahwehdahqui!

The Line up:

7:00 - DJ ZUK spins to accompany friends and students of EKWH
7:30 - Tahwehdahqui, talk w/ Native American Elder and founder of EKWH
8:00 - Open Mic - come and share your talents!
9:30 - Lara Buckley w/ guitar and song
10:00 - Drum Dance or Die: Jason Pfaff on Drums, Aaron Piepszny and the Buffalo Contemporary Dance Group on Dance, and guest Steve Baczkowski on Saxaphone and Dijeridoo. There will be OPEN DRUMMING for a portion of this section so bring your hand drums and shakers if you got 'em!
11:00 - 12/8 PATH BAND (brass and percussion instruments, fun dance music!)
12:30 - DJ ZUK


There will be a JUICE BAR open all night, and BEER and WINE after 9pm.
$5 at the door
$2 drinks
water and tea will also be available

Tarot Readings with Michele Cleaves $10.
Chair Massage with Matt Overfield. $1/min.
There will be information on EKWH at the benefit for anyone who is interested.

Look forward to seeing you at the PARTY!
Much Love and Light,
Laura Jean Castelluzzo, LMT 716 465-7408

Nickel City Co-op
Presents
a Benefit Party for
Ehk-wheh-heh-weh

Friday April 14, 7pm - 2am
208 North St. Buffalo NY 14201

Come PARTY with us at Nickel City Coop and enjoy a great line up of performing artists including
12/8 PATH BAND, and a talk with Tahwehdahqui!

The Line up:

7:00 - DJ ZUK spins to accompany friends and students of EKWH
7:30 - Tahwehdahqui, talk w/ Native American Elder and founder of EKWH
8:00 - Open Mic - come and share your talents!
9:30 - Lara Buckley w/ guitar and song
10:00 - Drum Dance or Die: Jason Pfaff on Drums, Aaron Piepszny and the Buffalo Contemporary Dance Group on Dance, and guest Steve Baczkowski on Saxaphone and Dijeridoo. There will be OPEN DRUMMING for a portion of this section so bring your hand drums and shakers if you got 'em!
11:00 - 12/8 PATH BAND
12:30 - DJ ZUK


There will be a JUICE BAR open all night, and BEER and WINE after 9pm.
$5 at the door
$2 drinks
water and tea will also be available

Tarot Readings with Michele Cleaves $10.
Chair Massage with Matt Overfield. $1/min.
There will be information on EKWH at the benefit for anyone who is interested.

Look forward to seeing you at the PARTY! Feel free to spread the word!
Much Love and Light,
Laura Jean Castelluzzo, LMT 716 465-7408

Let's come together and support each other. I'm being inspired to get this thing going. There is a beautiful big space available on Breckenridge near the corner of Elmwood. There's a room where we could teach classes - yoga, meditation, nutrition / raw foods, personal growth, emotional healing workshops, etc... , and there is a healing room where we could do - massage therapy, reiki, energy work, acupuncture, counseling, life coaching, tarot readings, etc... There are so many possibilities... We could have one night a week for an art exibit with live music or poetry or both. What is that thing you've been wanting to do all this time but didn't have a space to do it in? What is that gift you have that you haven't been sharing? It's time to share your gifts. Let's come together and support each other. Let's create a Community Space / resource center / networking group. We could put together a monthly newsletter and advertise together. There's all kinds of possibilities. You could teach music lessons, singing, crocheting, knitting... you could offer darma talks, do inspirational speaking, teach abundance classes....

If you are inspired by this email and are interested in possibly becoming part of a cooperative effort to create a community space CALL ME, Laura Jean, at 716 465-7408. Or email but if you call me that's one step closer to making this happen. If we get 6 committed people together, we each only have to pay $50 a month! Depending on what you do, you can make that back in an hour or two, and you'd have one day a week to do your thing!

When I get a small group together that is interested there will be a meeting to make this happen. This is your chance to SHINE.

For as long as I'm in Buffalo, I want to do all I can do here ("be all I can be" ). This is a big step. Let's do it together. Let's support each other and make Buffalo a brighter while we do it!

Much Love and Light,
Laura Jean




Give yourself a gift & call Laura Jean for a massage! 716 465-7408
www.geocities.com/earthloveljc

The brief explanation: "It's like a sauna, but it's more of a ceremony."

The long explanation:
At Ehk-wheh-heh-weh it usually goes a little something like this...

Lava rocks are placed in a fire pit with wood and a fire is started. It takes 2 or 3 hours to heat up the rocks depending on how soon the fire gets going and how cold it is outside. When it's time to go in someone volunteers to smudge everyone, including themselves (first), and the lodge itself - inside and out. Smudging is usually done with burning sage. The person smudging allows the smoke to wash over the person or thing being smudged.. allowing the smoke to purify the energy of anything it touches. Close behind the smudging is someone carrying sacred tobacco. This person will go around and have everyone "stir the tobacco" with their fingers, which can simply consist of placing fingertips in the tabacco and connecting with the energy of the sacred tobacco. The intention is for each person to "put their prayers into the tobacco". This is done in silence, it's between you and Creator. When everyone has been smudged and has stirred the tobacco, the Water Pourer (the person who leads the lodge) takes the tobacco and says a prayer before going into the lodge. Then the tobacco is placed into the fire, and with it, the prayers go up with the smoke.
Now it's time to go into the lodge, ladies first, counter clockwise. People first, then rocks. As the rocks come in (via pitch-fork), they are welcomed ("welcome ancestor" or simply "welcome" is the most common way to do this). - The sweat lodge itself is a turtle shell shaped structure. It is built with tree saplings put into the ground, bent over and tied together; tarps and blankets are placed on top to keep the heat in. - There is a pit in the center where the rocks are placed, and usually after each rock comes in it is given an offering of cedar, sweet grass or some other herb... unless nothing is available. There are four official rounds to the lodge. Each round represents a stage of life: birth, puberty, adulthood, and death. New rocks come in at the beginning of each lodge untill all the rocks are in the lodge. Sometimes there are a few left out and they are used in a more casual setting during a fifth round that usually someone else (somewhat experienced) pours. Sometimes there is a fifth round with no extra rocks if the rocks in the lodge are still hot enough and if some people want to stay in. As far as what happens during the rounds, you have to come check that out for yourself. It's an organic unique experience, and it's completely up to the water pourer... the whole ceremony is at the discretion of the water pourer actually. Usually there is some sharing, usually one person speaks at a time and when that person is speaking everyone else is quiet. Singing usually happens. It's a purification ceremony... and it's whatever ceremony you want it to be - a ceremony of letting go, a ceremony of rejoicing, a ceremony of asking for guidance, a ceremony of listening, a ceremony of being present, a ceremony of giving thanks, a ceremony of being sad or angry - it's a different experience for everyone. There is usually an opportunity for people to share. If you need to get out during a round, try to wait until someone is done speaking if you can, and just say something like, "I need to get out", or "open the door"... Oh, when you are entering or leaving the lodge please give respect to the lodge and to all our relations by saying "All My Relations".

A few rules: Women can not sweat on their moon / during their period. You can't do any drugs or drink alcohol for 24 hours before doing a lodge. The energies just don't go together. Also, you can't walk around naked at Ekwh. Most people wear shorts and a tee-shirt in the lodge / tank top, or a loose dress... guys just wear shorts usually.

Tips: It's handy to bring two towels, one to bring in the lodge, and one to clean off afterwards. If you get too hot you can put the towel over your head and it will protect you from the intensity of the heat. Also, getting close to the ground helps with cooling off. Something to take note of is that usually when the lodge is getting too hot for you it's not the actual heat that's too hot but whatever is being talked about. It can get kind of heavy in there, but it's a hell of a ride and you'll possibly have a whole new way of looking at things afterwards. In other words, if you are getting too hot, do your best to stick around a little while and hear what's being said... or maybe you have something to share at an appropriate time for that. On the flip side of that, a sweat lodge is not a tough person competition. Take care of yourself and do what you need to do.

After the lodge is over, everyone joins together for a potluck, in a warm kitchen. Everyone is responsible for washing their own dishes. Please take home any empty water bottles of water you brought to recycle them. Make sure you look around the lodge for clothes, towels you may have forgotten, before you leave. Things are often left behind. You can feel a little light headed after a lodge so drive safe.
There are out-houses if you need to use the bathroom... we are working on building a bathroom with running water.

A $10 donation is suggested. All people are welcome. If you have any further questions you're welcome to email me - earthloveljc@yahoo. Look forward to seeing new faces at upcoming lodges.

The sweat lodge has become my church. I love it. It's not everybodies medicine, but it is definitely mine. You will know if it is your medicine if you're wanting to come back. One more thing... anything that is shared in the lodge, stays in the lodge. It is a very sacred space. People aren't in there looking for advice or comments in response to what they share... it is between them and Creator... or you and Creator, whatever the case may be. It is a safe place to share anything you feel called to share. You don't have to share / say / sing / pray anything at all.

Currently there are two lodges a month at Ekwh. The Full Moon Lodge (on or near the full moon), led by Tahwehdahqui; and the Buffalotribe Lodge (on or near the new moon). Dates will be posted on buffalotribe, with the name of the water pourer. Buffalotribe lodges are led by one of a group of four people including myself - Laura Jean Castelluzzo, Sean Kennedy, Christopher Sierzcula, and Jason Pfaff. Jason will be leading this months Buffalotribe lodge, March 25. The next Full moon lodge is April 8th. Currently the fire for all monthly lodges starts around 6am, and we go in at 9am. Be there by 9am, or come early to help with the fire.

That's all folks.
Much Love,
LJ

address for ekwh:
2323 Printup Rd.
Sanborn NY 14132

I see I made a typo... in my introduction entry I said I was doing massage a the massage "school" on allen... that was suppose to say, massage "studio". Sorry about the confusion. Someone emailed me asking about prices at the massage school. (I don't know how to email this person back.) As far as I remember it's $30 for 50 minutes. I don't work there. That school is in Williamsville on Transit. I work on Allen St. If you'd like an appointment with me give me a call at 465-7408.
peace,
Laura Jean

in case i forget to say it later...
HAVE A HAPPY BIRTHDAY ON SATURDAY MATT!
peace,
LJ