This section introduces you to the four tasks of a vision quest.
In his book The Four Vision Quests of Jesus Bishop Charleston described the traditional Native American vision quest:
It was a process that most, if not all, young people were expected to undertake. It was an experience that a person could repeat more than once in life. It was a quest that was visionary, but it was also something more. The Native American quest was pragmatic, designed to produce transformation. It was not a private esoteric experience, but a way in which the community prepared, supported and developed functioning members of society. The quest was a tool, a method for seeding back into the community persons who understood both the spiritual nature of life and their role in it.
The focus of the quest is mystery; the process of the quest is mystery; the outcome of the quest is mystery. The reason is simple: since the purpose of the quest is to encounter God, the source of the mystery, the nature of the quest must be in mystery from start to finish. In essence, because the quest is the human search for God, there is no point at which the human ceases to function as human, or at which God ceases to be God. Therefore, the limited, finite nature of the human being undertaking the quest is always just that: limited and finite.
Below are the four parts of the traditional Native American vision quest as described by Bishop Charleston. In magenta text we briefly describe what we suggest you do for each part. This is just a preview. Each of these is keyed to the relevant task in the program.
First, there is a time of preparation. The quest is intentional. It is a planned movement toward the sacred. Therefore, the person must be ready for this journey. There is always a spiritual prelude to the quest, a time of prayer and purification. These acts cleanse the person both physically and mentally, making him or her ready to come into the presence of the holy in a respectful way.
In Task 1 you will do one of two things. (1) If you are wanting to find your passion/work, you will consider a range of alternatives to find where your interests and capabilities are most needed. This will help focus the rest of your vision quest. (2) If you know what your passion/work is, you will spend time in study and reflection to increase your knowledge and understanding of the problem or challenging opportunity you plan to use for your vision quest.
The second element common to any Native American quest is the presence of others. Any man or woman setting out on a quest in the Native American tradition would have at least one other person and often a circle of family and friends helping them. They would be under the care of an elder, usually a respected “medicine” man or woman, i.e., a recognized spiritual teacher of the people. These supporters would join in the rituals of purification. They would be a base of prayer to sustain the good intentions of the quester. One or more would even accompany the person to the site chosen for the quest and remain nearby to help through ongoing prayers and songs.
Community is essential to building a wiser world, so we will focus Task 2 on learning about community and what it takes to establish and maintain community. This will be parts of the awareness and understanding elements of the wisdom model.
...the third element of a Native American quest is the nature of it as a challenge. The quest is not an easy experience to undergo. It is not unknown for a traditional Native vision quest to last up to four days without food or water. During that time the person stays awake, remaining in one sacred space, usually a lonely place in the natural world where he or she is exposed to the elements. The vision quest is not for the faint of heart and it is not something to be taken lightly. There is a physical dimension to it, a test of a person’s endurance and resolve. Preparation and support are crucial because the quest is demanding.
Both personal and community resilience will be essential to build a better world because many and unsuspected obstacles will arise. So in Task 3 you will learn about the factors that support both types of resilience.
The fourth aspect of the Native quest is difficult to translate from the original, but perhaps the best term for it would be the nature of the quest as a lament. In some Native languages, the quest is described as a time of “crying.” Psychology and theology within Native American culture merge in the relationship between human beings and God. The quest begins in a recognition that human beings are in need of help.
Up to this point the tasks have not been expressly spiritual, though they have spiritual implications. But in Task 4 you will open yourself to Spirit, however you think of it, to seek a vision of your calling/passion in the process of building a better world. At this point the wisdom that is within you will be expressed as discernment.
Jim's comment: Meditation is fundamental to this task. The many forms of meditation are all about opening ourselves to the mystery that is larger than ourselves. You have to find a meditation method that works for you. Yoga works for my wife. Flying his plane works for my friend. The Quaker method of simply listening works for me.