The Homeless Heyoka

My Moments with a Sacred Clown

She was just sitting there in a corner of the Festival of Light gathering in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. After a brief but intense conversation during which she told me that she lived in her car, I invited her to stay at my place if she needed respite from the winter cold. As J’Me has journeyed into the wilds of homelessness she has begun to understand who she is – a “heyoka”.

In Native American traditions, particularly the Lakota, a “heyoka” is a sort of divine clown who enlightens and awakens others by their unusual and often funny ways, like riding a horse backwards and then falling off into a mud puddle. The heyoka is a jokester living and playing outside the realms and realities of ordinary, mundane consciousness. They often have even come into the world backwards via a breech birth, which is how J’Me was born. Having lived with her for ten days, I can affirm that a heyoka is hilarious, fascinating and very serious. J’me the Heyoka is a homeless healer.

But my son and daughter-in-law who live nearby did not avail themselves of the opportunity to directly and personally experience J’Me. Investigating her on the internet they found what they thought was evidence that she was a heroin addict and worse. They wanted me to get her out of my house. A few glimpses of photos on her facebook page convinced them that the marks on her arm showed tracks of heroin injections. But I saw those dots in person. J’Me had tattooed in Universal Morse Code several high-minded affirmations and intentions.

What they thought was heroin was in fact J’Me’s mortar and pestle “mixing” of charcoal shavings from a small piece of burnt wood to be used as an “anointment.” The “crystal meth” was in reality the grinding down of amethyst quartz in order to apply the smaller particles to one of J’Me’s fascinating creations.

The vehicles of most homeless people are full of basic necessities – piles of old blankets, pillows and clothes, cans and bottles, boxes, bags and bits of food. But the front and back seats and the trunk of J’Me’s car were full of her creations. A large piece of driftwood retrieved from a riverbank had been smoothly sculpted and objects of meaning to J’Me were attached. Having come across a long, interestingly shaped stick and a snakeskin while walking in a forest, she had wound and glued the skin up the stick and attached feathers, bells and multi-colored thread. A three-foot tall candelabra, adorned with many unusual artifacts, was a wonder to behold as it stood before me on its three black and white patterned feet. Out of one of her bags J’Me retrieved a black meteorite she had found when roaming in a field, then she placed a large crystal in her other hand.

The nine panels of the quilt J’Me was making for her daughter were cut from tee shirts, two of which were inscribed with the words of the US capitol city, Washington, DC. She had worked in DC but her political views are off the beaten track, well beyond right or left. Her intention is to heal the body politic as she feels an affinity to the high ideals upon which the country was founded.

Also among her curious possessions is a belt she had made out of various pieces of old jewelry and twists of twine, unusual bracelets, bangles and baubles and a small book of her poetry and other writings. One of her favorite objects is a beautiful red box that looks like one the Three Kings had presented to baby Jesus when gifting the gold, frankincense and myrrh.

J’Me feels an attunement to Jesus, Mother Mary, and all the Holy Ones. She drapes shawls (she calls them shrouds) over her head when she prays or meditates, often sitting outside full-face to the sun, or gazing up at the moon and stars late at night.  

J’Me is homeless by intention. She had lived in a big suburban house and had owned and managed successful small businesses. Her older daughter is in a stable situation and soon to be married. She does not understand her mother’s journey.  The younger daughter, age 13, is living with relatives and stays in touch via several phone calls a day and frequent visitations. J’Me and this daughter have a soul affinity. Compare this situation with the story of the Buddha, who left not only his princely possessions but also abandoned his wife and child in his search for enlightenment.

J’Me has a strong love for humanity which shows with her warm and friendly greetings to strangers she encounters along the way. She also has several “clients” who call upon her for physical, mental and spiritual healing. These include mental health professionals, car mechanics and individuals deep in the pits of alcoholism.

We talked about how unused properties with vacant buildings and acres of land could become ecovillages for homeless people and others in need of a safe, nurturing place to heal and to grow.  She was delighted to receive a copy of my book, The Earth Belongs to Everyone. She was full of an “attitude of gratitude” for my hospitality, my singing of Sanskrit and Hebrew prayers, and our visits to a beautiful mountain lake and an art and antiques emporium. She even appreciated my cooking!

The nine days I shared my home with J’Me were fun and deeply rewarding. She is such an interesting human being! But my son and daughter-in-law were afraid of her because of their false perceptions so I had to ask her to leave. However it seems my journey with J’Me the Homeless Heyoka has only just begun. I look forward to the magic and adventure of the unfolding saga.

Heyoka Sacred Clown - The Most Powerful Empath - YouTube