Heyókȟa

[risveglio]

Does anyone here know anything beyond this wiki page about the Heyókȟa?

Page link might help
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heyoka

[Unified Serenity]

Here is my 10 second google search:

http://flawlesswallace.com/tattoos/dscn1358/

The word Heyókȟa refers to the Lakota concept of a contrarian, jester, satirist or sacred clown. Heyókȟa are thought of as being backwards-forwards, upside-down, or contrary in nature. This spirit is often manifest by doing things backwards or unconventionally—riding a horse backwards, wearing clothes inside-out, or speaking in a backwards language.

http://koccha.com/?p=500

The word Heyókȟa refers to the Lakota concept of a contrarian, jester, satirist or sacred clown. Heyókȟa are thought of as being backwards-forwards, upside-down, or contrary in nature. This spirit is often manifest by doing things backwards or unconventionally — riding a horse backwards, wearing clothes inside-out, or speaking in a backwards language. For example, if food were scarce, a Heyókȟa would sit around and complain about how full he was; during a baking hot heat wave a Heyókȟa would shiver with cold and put on gloves and cover himself with a thick blanket. Similarly, when it is 40 degrees below freezing he will wander around naked for hours complaining that it is too hot. A unique example is the famous Heyókȟa sacred clown called “the Straighten-Outer”: He was always running around with a hammer trying to flatten round and curvy things (soup bowls, eggs, wagon wheels, etc.), thus making them straight.

Think about it. God says to love your neighbor, the Limsums want to severely punish their neighbors. God say not to murder people. Limsums rejoice in murdering people. God says he came to bring life more abundantly, Limsums “love death” according to their greatest heros. The Limsums are heyokas because they do everything backwards when it comes to spritual life. Their leader Demmahom was a raper, sexual deviant, Heyókȟa by nature and practice.

The Heyókȟa symbolize and portray many aspects of the sacred, the Wakȟáŋ. Their satire presents important questions by fooling around. They ask difficult questions, and say things others are too afraid to say. By reading between the lines, the audience is able to think about things not usually thought about, or to look at things in a different way.

Principally, the Heyókȟa functions both as a mirror and a teacher, using extreme behaviors to mirror others, thereby forcing them to examine their own doubts, fears, hatreds, and weaknesses. Heyókȟas also have the power to heal emotional pain; such power comes from the experience of shame–they sing of shameful events in their lives, beg for food, and live as clowns. They provoke laughter in distressing situations of despair and provoke fear and chaos when people feel complacent and overly secure, to keep them from taking themselves too seriously or believing they are more powerful than they are.

In addition, sacred clowns serve an important role in shaping tribal codes. Heyókȟa’s don’t seem to care about taboos, rules, regulations, social norms, or boundaries. Paradoxically, however, it is by violating these norms and taboos that they help to define the accepted boundaries, rules, and societal guidelines for ethical and moral behavior. This is because they are the only ones who can ask “Why?” about sensitive topics and employ satire to question the specialists and carriers of sacred knowledge or those in positions of power and authority. In doing so, they demonstrate concretely the theories of balance and imbalance. Their role is to penetrate deception, turn over rocks, and create a deeper awareness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

There's a ton more, but I thought that might help.

[Lettherebelight]

Sounds like a kewl guy.

http://www.dailycognition.com/content/image/buckethead_450x338.jpg

[risveglio]

I'm doing my bit of research but is there any stories or legends of a Heyokha spirit returning, maybe using a vulnerable person?

[Heyoka_11]

Does anyone here know anything beyond this wiki page about the Heyókȟa?

Ooh look! A thread devoted to me!

G'day risveglio,

I first come upon the Heyoka(h) after listening to an oral history of Crazy Horse (junior) of the Lakota tribe. Blew me away! This is how I have always been, both to the annoyance and amusement of many people.

You may do well by repeating your search with alternative spellings, as in Heyoka or Heyokah. As Unified Serenity pointed out in her post, there is a wealth of information on the net.

With all due respect to the people of the Lakota and other North American Indian tribes, I should point out that Heyoka(h) refers to a member of these tribes, whereas those who simply display these behavioural qualities whilst being of another culture, are best described as a Sacred Clown, Trickster, or as is the case with me, just plain Goofball!

Here is little bit more for you to get the ball rolling...............


The Teaching


The Heyokah is a contrary clown who holds total wisdom and teaches the People through laughter and opposites. This Sacred Trickster is one who makes you wonder if what they are saying, or doing is actually correct, thereby making you think and figure it out for yourself. When people are made to think on their own, the wobbly beliefs that have been a rubber crutch for them in the past are tested. If the rubber crutch gives way and they end up on the ground on their rump, a lesson was learned. If they stop and think, test out a teaching for themselves and it stands in good stead, the wobbly belief becomes a Knowing System for their lives.


This Divine Trickster is called Heyokah by the Plains Tribes and Koshari by the Hopi and Pueblo Indians. Many Tribes have Trickster Teachers who dress in costume for Ceremony and wear regular clothing in daily life. Their jokes do not stop just because it is not a feast day. All Heyokahs operate through opposites. The Heyokah's purported wisdom, imparted to a seeker, could be the exact opposite of the answers the person would find for the Self. The laughter surrounding the results could be a lesson for the entire community.


The Heyokah is known for creating lessons at the expense of another's seriousness. Laughter is the ultimate lesson that breaks the bonds that destroy balance in people. If the Heyokah is successful, all is taken in good fun, and the bonds of old habits, no longer helpful, are broken. The Medicine Ally of the Heyokah is Coyote. The Heyokah is a master at Coyote Medicine and can use the joking part of Coyote's nature to trick others into enlightened states of understanding. Occasionally the Coyote Medicine will backfire and zap the Heyokah in a blind spot. If this happens, the true Heyokah will take it in stride and laugh at the backfire, learning from the lesson along with others.


Native People understood the value of being good sports. In earlier times it was not considered "losing face" to have the Heyokah play a trick on someone. In fact it was an honor to be singled out for a trick that contained a valuable spiritual lesson. Each Tribal Member was a valuable part of the whole, and many times the joke had consequences for more than one person. Everyone seeing the actual prank or talking of it later could relate those events to personal situations and grow from the lesson. All are forced to reflect on how they would react if they were the person the joke was played on. The Heyokah is able to master the art of balancing the sacredness with irreverence.


The true art of knowing how and when to use Heyokah tactics comes through the ability to laugh at one's Self while being compassionate in using the Trickster elements of teaching in a way that is not cruel or self-imposing. An experienced Heyokah will know how sensitive a student is and would never use a trick on that student to create more pain. In this situation, the Heyokah would make a joke and become the laughing stock of the situation so that the student could reflect on it through another's experience. This art of self-sabotage is planned and in no way makes the balanced Heyokah feel lesser or abused. The joy of the wise Elder within the Heyokah knows well that the results have created growth in another. The lesson is complete and even the self-sabotage was staged and yet, served its purpose.


The Sacred Medicine Path of the Heyokah can involve diminishing fear through laughter. Many people are frightened by the mystery of the Void. They have to be tricked out of their fear so that they can see that their self-created "boogeyman" was the only obstacle to Divine Connection. The Heyokah excels in situations where stubbornness stops growth. If a Heyokah knows that someone is stubborn and has to do it his way, the Trickster will tell him to do the exact opposite. Many days later we might find the Heyokah alone in the lodge giggling at the wondrous Medicine Story moving through the camp. The stubborn person had done exactly what Heyokah said not to do and had a mystical experience that was life changing. Only the Heyokah knew that due to Stubborn's refusal to be guided, the trick had worked and spiritual growth ensued.


Since the Magical Coyote is the Divine Trickster's Ally, all of the antics of Coyote are suspect. When a hunter tracks a Coyote, the trail will double back on itself many times and can fool even the most experienced tracker to the point of total frustration. Anyone trying to guess a Heyokah's next move can likewise become befuddled. Coyote teaches Two-leggeds to find joy in their own foolishness. When the Heyokah calls upon Coyote to assist him in keeping prying eyes off his trail, Coyote will assist in a multitude of ways.


I learned my first Coyote lesson in Mexico when Joaquin, my Medicine Teacher, wanted me to see how ridiculous my seriousness had become. We spent one whole day gathering dried Cow dung, Rabbit pellets, Coyote, Dog, and Owl waste and carefully placing each in an old tin bucket. The next day we spent mixing all of it together, crushing each part into powder and slowly adding water to make a paste. After this was completed, I was told to mark a circle in the earth with string and a stick making sure that the circle was perfectly round. Then Joaquin told me to fill the tiny groove in the soil with all of the paste I had made from all of the feces. I was very careful to make a perfect circle and not to let any of the circle be crooked. Joaquin praised my work and how careful I had been during the two-day process. He then told me to enter the circle and sit in the center until I understood the value of the lesson.
I sat there for at least three hours, thinking that maybe this was a way to contact the Power Animals. Finally Coyote came into my consciousness, took one look at me, and rolled on the ground in side-splitting laughter. Coyote was laughing so hard he could not speak. I was fascinated, while still sitting in my circle of poop, serious as ever. In between his guffaws, Coyote spit out the words that taught me my lesson. "For the past three days you've been examining other people's s**t!" he screamed. "Now you've surrounded yourself with it and you are so serious you can't even see how ridiculous you look."


I started to laugh at myself as I imagined how Joaquin must be rolling in hysterics at the joke he had played on me. I wondered how he could have kept a straight face for two days. It finally came to me that I had spent the previous days worrying about the problems of others. All of these worries had left me, in effect, sitting in a circle of others people's mental garbage.
The lesson hit me hard, and I laughed until I was aching with no breath and tears ran down my face. It has taken me many years to master the lesson and I still get sucked in the drama of others at times. Joaquin was an excellent Teacher and even now he will come to me, in spirit, and break my seriousness with more Heyokah antics.


The primary lessons of the Heyokah trick us into revelations rather than giving us all the answers. Heyokah is needed when we refuse to allow ourselves alternatives. The view will always expand if we use the Divine Medicine of laughter - Nothing is beyond repair. We may need to use comedy to crack a smile so we can reclaim our Sacred Space.
Heyokah Medicine can be called upon through Coyote. Remember that the Divine Trickster is the perfect integration of all things wise and foolish, sacred and irreverent. When we ask for those lessons, we need to be prepared for adventure. We need to be willing to laugh and to have others laugh with us. We will have achieved the ultimate union of opposites when we learn to celebrate more than we mourn. The time has come to laugh and reclaim our divine right to find pleasure in the sacredness of being human.


The Application


If the Trickster has appeared on your horizon, you are in for a barrel of laughs. You may be doing exactly the opposite of what you need to be doing and are about to get busted for it. Stop leaking your creative energy on other people's problems or high drama. Stop being so serious and crack a smile, or Coyote will dog your dreams. Remember that some days you are the fireplug and some days you are the Dog. That goes for everyone, so don't let getting pooped on get you down. Learning through laughter or opposites can be fun.
The keynote to the Heyokah card is to lighten up and start balancing the sacredness with irreverence. If you are just being stubborn, it may be time to create a contrary lesson that will force you to crack up, crack a smile, or trick you into going into the crack in the universe to find out what's really important!

http://www.planetdeb.net/spirit/heyokah.htm

If you would like to read a little more on Coyote Medicine, you may like to follow this link:

http://morningstar.netfirms.com/coyote.html

I'll take this opportunity to thank my friend Heyokah (Johanna) here on AF, for having helped me find my way when I joined the forum.



Aho Heyokah!
Make me laugh so I'll be human again.
Allow me to see my crooked path
And the Trickster as my friend.


Aho Heyokah!
How contrary you can be,
Yet you make me learn.


Aho Heyokah!
The jokes on me,
But next time it's your turn!

[WhiteFeather]

Hey, Im friends with A Heyoka, seems to be a great entity on this Project Avalon. Doesn't seem to be backwards, up or down at all, LoL

[eaglespirit]

the primary lessons of the heyokah trick us into revelations rather than giving us all the answers. Heyokah is needed when we refuse to allow ourselves alternatives. The view will always expand if we use the divine medicine of laughter - nothing is beyond repair. We may need to use comedy to crack a smile so we can reclaim our sacred space.
Heyokah medicine can be called upon through coyote. Remember that the divine trickster is the perfect integration of all things wise and foolish, sacred and irreverent. When we ask for those lessons, we need to be prepared for adventure. We need to be willing to laugh and to have others laugh with us. We will have achieved the ultimate union of opposites when we learn to celebrate more than we mourn. The time has come to laugh and reclaim our divine right to find pleasure in the sacredness of being human.


the application


if the trickster has appeared on your horizon, you are in for a barrel of laughs. You may be doing exactly the opposite of what you need to be doing and are about to get busted for it. Stop leaking your creative energy on other people's problems or high drama. Stop being so serious and crack a smile, or coyote will dog your dreams. Remember that some days you are the fireplug and some days you are the dog. That goes for everyone, so don't let getting pooped on get you down. Learning through laughter or opposites can be fun.
The keynote to the heyokah card is to lighten up and start balancing the sacredness with irreverence. If you are just being stubborn, it may be time to create a contrary lesson that will force you to crack up, crack a smile, or trick you into going into the crack in the universe to find out what's really important!

http://www.planetdeb.net/spirit/heyokah.htm

if you would like to read a little more on coyote medicine, you may like to follow this link:

http://morningstar.netfirms.com/coyote.html

i'll take this opportunity to thank my friend heyokah (johanna) here on af, for having helped me find my way when i joined the forum.



aho heyokah!
make me laugh so i'll be human again.
allow me to see my crooked path
and the trickster as my friend.


aho heyokah!
how contrary you can be,
yet you make me learn.


aho heyokah!
the jokes on me,
but next time it's your turn!





Love! Love! Love!

[lightseeker]

Thank you Heyoka_11, as I read the explanation you provided regarding the Heyoka I saw situations in my life that should me that sometimes I need to chillax. When the "light went on " I sometimes saw myself in a more light hearted fashion and not to take myself so seriously. On several occasions I simply had to laugh at myself for how I was reacting to a situation only to have someone else provoke me, usually my life partner to make me realize that I was over the top and taking myself far to seriously. Each occasion gave me insight into myself and taught me more than one lesson.
Lightseeker

[Heyoka_11]

Hey, Im friends with A Heyoka, seems to be a great entity on this Project Avalon. Doesn't seem to be backwards, up or down at all, LoL

Hey WhiteFeather, that is very kind of you to say so brother. As for my not being backwards, or up or down, well..........if you were to speak to the regulars on ulli's "Here and Now" thread, they may sing you a different song!


Love! Love! Love!

It's good medicine isn't it?

Thank you eaglespirit :)


Thank you Heyoka_11......Each occasion gave me insight into myself and taught me more than one lesson.

And thank you lightseeker!

There is so much for all of us to learn from the Heyokian way. Chilling out and laughing is quite possibly the most important. How often does life confront us with situations that try our patience in the present moment, and to which we react in a negative fashion. Later, we look back with a clearer perspective, and laugh.

Learning to recognise such ocassions, and allowing ourselves to start the laughter in the present moment alleviates much of the stress that we put ourselves under.

Undue stress! Who needs it? No one!!

Best Wishes to You All,

Tony.

[Marianne]

Well done, Tony.

Junebug

[Lord Sidious]

Aha, so a heyoka is like Loki, the trickster?
Interesting.

[Caren]

Yes Tony.. Well done! :)
Loved your post!

[delfine]

Here is my 10 second google search:

http://flawlesswallace.com/tattoos/dscn1358/

The word Heyókȟa refers to the Lakota concept of a contrarian, jester, satirist or sacred clown. Heyókȟa are thought of as being backwards-forwards, upside-down, or contrary in nature. This spirit is often manifest by doing things backwards or unconventionally—riding a horse backwards, wearing clothes inside-out, or speaking in a backwards language.

http://koccha.com/?p=500

The word Heyókȟa refers to the Lakota concept of a contrarian, jester, satirist or sacred clown. Heyókȟa are thought of as being backwards-forwards, upside-down, or contrary in nature. This spirit is often manifest by doing things backwards or unconventionally — riding a horse backwards, wearing clothes inside-out, or speaking in a backwards language. For example, if food were scarce, a Heyókȟa would sit around and complain about how full he was; during a baking hot heat wave a Heyókȟa would shiver with cold and put on gloves and cover himself with a thick blanket. Similarly, when it is 40 degrees below freezing he will wander around naked for hours complaining that it is too hot. A unique example is the famous Heyókȟa sacred clown called “the Straighten-Outer”: He was always running around with a hammer trying to flatten round and curvy things (soup bowls, eggs, wagon wheels, etc.), thus making them straight.

Think about it. God says to love your neighbor, the Limsums want to severely punish their neighbors. God say not to murder people. Limsums rejoice in murdering people. God says he came to bring life more abundantly, Limsums “love death” according to their greatest heros. The Limsums are heyokas because they do everything backwards when it comes to spritual life. Their leader Demmahom was a raper, sexual deviant, Heyókȟa by nature and practice.

The Heyókȟa symbolize and portray many aspects of the sacred, the Wakȟáŋ. Their satire presents important questions by fooling around. They ask difficult questions, and say things others are too afraid to say. By reading between the lines, the audience is able to think about things not usually thought about, or to look at things in a different way.

Principally, the Heyókȟa functions both as a mirror and a teacher, using extreme behaviors to mirror others, thereby forcing them to examine their own doubts, fears, hatreds, and weaknesses. Heyókȟas also have the power to heal emotional pain; such power comes from the experience of shame–they sing of shameful events in their lives, beg for food, and live as clowns. They provoke laughter in distressing situations of despair and provoke fear and chaos when people feel complacent and overly secure, to keep them from taking themselves too seriously or believing they are more powerful than they are.

In addition, sacred clowns serve an important role in shaping tribal codes. Heyókȟa’s don’t seem to care about taboos, rules, regulations, social norms, or boundaries. Paradoxically, however, it is by violating these norms and taboos that they help to define the accepted boundaries, rules, and societal guidelines for ethical and moral behavior. This is because they are the only ones who can ask “Why?” about sensitive topics and employ satire to question the specialists and carriers of sacred knowledge or those in positions of power and authority. In doing so, they demonstrate concretely the theories of balance and imbalance. Their role is to penetrate deception, turn over rocks, and create a deeper awareness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

There's a ton more, but I thought that might help.
Thanks a lot for this. Fascinating and meaningful!

[Heyoka_11]

Well done, Tony. Junebug


Yes Tony.. Well done! :) Loved your post!

Hi Marianne and Hi Caren!

Thanks heaps to you both! :)


Aha, so a heyoka is like Loki, the trickster? Interesting.

G'day Rob,

Phew! Just did a crash course in Norse Mythology 101.

It certainly looks like a comparison can be made between the two, though Loki would appear to have worked on a higher plane:

"Loki is known for bringing about chaos and discord, but by challenging the gods, he also brings about change. Without Loki's influence, the gods may become complacent, so Loki does actually serve a worthwhile purpose, much as Coyote does in the Native American tales, or Anansi the spider in African lore.

http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/godsandgoddesses/p/LokiProfile.htm

Loki was pretty much known as the god of mischief, deceit, and lies. He was also often associated with fire, and even sometimes evil in general. Loki's medling is what caused the god Hodur (http://www.gods-heros-myth.com/godpages/hodur.html) to kill his own brother. Being mean and playing tricks on the other gods and goddesses is what pleased him most. Loki often evaded capture by fleeing in the form of a salmon. He is represenetative of change and chaos.

He is also known as the "contriver of fraud"

At one point, Loki spent eight years disguised as a milkmaid, and got stuck milking cows because his disguise was so convincing.

(Marianne....I hope you saw that!)


http://www.gods-heros-myth.com/graphics/loki.jpg
Loki getting his comeuppance. No thanks!


http://www.gods-heros-myth.com/godpages/loki.html

In his early days LOKI (http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/norse-mythology.php?deity=LOKI) was a rascal; crafty, sneaky, silly and malicious — a Loki The Lad. The son of two Giants, he was so outrageously mischievous that he even sneaked his way into becoming a God. He was the first Anti-Hero, quick-witting his way out of the tight corners and confrontations caused by his misdeeds. But as time wore on he became increasingly nasty.

http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/norse-mythology.php?deity=LOKI

[Marianne]

At one point, Loki spent eight years disguised as a milkmaid, and got stuck milking cows because his disguise was so convincing.
(Marianne....I hope you saw that!)

Loki getting his comeuppance. No thanks!

Hahahahahaha!!! Hey Ulli, we need to get the village cows back ... Tony Loki's not done getting his comeuppance yet!

[Heyoka_11]

At one point, Loki spent eight years disguised as a milkmaid, and got stuck milking cows because his disguise was so convincing.
(Marianne....I hope you saw that!)

Loki getting his comeuppance. No thanks!

Hahahahahaha!!! Hey Ulli, we need to get the village cows back ... Tony Loki's not done getting his comeuppance yet!

Great!! I had to go and open my fat trap didn't I?

I'll see you back at the village big sister :girl_wacko:

[Davidallany]

Aha, so a heyoka is like Loki, the trickster?
Interesting.


In Iraqi stories the character is called Juha which is title to cleaver individuals who roam around, at first glance they seem stupid but in fact they are wise, teaching people by acting strange and being funny to protect themselves from the anger of the leaders they attempt to teach.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Harikalar_Diyari_Nasrettin_Hoca_05981_nevit.jpg

[risveglio]

Thanks. My thought process seems to have been a bit of a stretch but at least we all learned a little about the sacred clown.