The Gathering of Veterans
WHo we are
Indigenous-Rooted Services for Veterans & First Responders
The Gathering of Veterans is the veteran and first responder initiative of The Gathering of Tribes & Indigenous Cultures. Since 2023, we have offered free, Indigenous-rooted ceremonial support and retreats for individuals carrying the deep impacts of service — trauma, stress, spiritual disconnection, and unresolved emotional weight.
Our work is grounded in the understanding that symptoms begin in the spirit. The body and mind reflect what has been lived and unprocessed. Healing begins when root causes are brought into awareness and met with ceremony, guidance, and community.
Our Path: The Red Road (Camino Rojo)
Walking the Red Road — sometimes called Camino Rojo — is an Indigenous understanding of spiritual life as a conscious path of relationship, balance, respect, and purpose. It is a way of living that honors connection to self, community, ancestors, Earth, and spirit.
Within our veteran initiative, walking this path means:
- Facing the weight of what has been carried
- Standing present with lived experience
- Growing in integrity and spiritual awareness
- Reconnecting with purpose beyond service
This path does not guarantee ease; it offers clarity, perspective, and strength to transform what was endured into lived wisdom.
What We Offer
Ancestral Medicines We Sit With
Ancestral Medicines We Sit With
Free Monthly Ceremonial Retreats
We host free retreats for veterans and first responders. These gatherings create structured ceremonial space to engage with ancestral wisdom and medicine traditions in a safe, intentional setting.
Retreats may include:
- Ancestral medicine ceremonies with ceremonial support
- Communal circles and shared presence
- T
Free Monthly Ceremonial Retreats
We host free retreats for veterans and first responders. These gatherings create structured ceremonial space to engage with ancestral wisdom and medicine traditions in a safe, intentional setting.
Retreats may include:
- Ancestral medicine ceremonies with ceremonial support
- Communal circles and shared presence
- Time for reflection, prayer, and grounding
- Guided integration support
Participation is voluntary, intentional, and rooted in Indigenous-centered process.
Ancestral Medicines We Sit With
Ancestral Medicines We Sit With
Ancestral Medicines We Sit With
Ancestral Medicines We Hold With Respect
Our work respects the medicines and traditions of many Indigenous lineages. Within ceremonial context, sacred medicines may include, but are not limited to:
- Ayahuasca
- Bufo
- Kambo
- Mushrooms
- Hapé / Rapé
- Other sacred plants and medicines traditionally used for spiritual insight, cleansing, and connection
The
Ancestral Medicines We Hold With Respect
Our work respects the medicines and traditions of many Indigenous lineages. Within ceremonial context, sacred medicines may include, but are not limited to:
- Ayahuasca
- Bufo
- Kambo
- Mushrooms
- Hapé / Rapé
- Other sacred plants and medicines traditionally used for spiritual insight, cleansing, and connection
These medicines are part of a larger ceremonial framework emphasizing preparation, cultural responsibility, and integration.
What We Do
Ancestral Medicines We Sit With
Who We Serve
- Ceremonial spaces grounded in Indigenous wisdom
- Individualized support, recognizing that each person carries a different story
- Integration support before and after to help apply insight gained into daily life
Who We Serve
Why We Do This
Who We Serve
- Military veterans of all branches
- First responders (law enforcement, fire, EMS, dispatch)
- Individuals seeking Indigenous-rooted approaches to trauma, meaning, and spiritual reconnection
Services are free for veterans and first responders.
Why We Do This
Why We Do This
Why We Do This
Veterans and first responders carry burdens that are often unacknowledged by conventional systems. Many are living with trauma, spiritual disconnection, and unresolved emotional weight that impacts every aspect of life. Suicide rates within the veteran community remain critically high, often cited at over 40 deaths per day. Healing at the
Veterans and first responders carry burdens that are often unacknowledged by conventional systems. Many are living with trauma, spiritual disconnection, and unresolved emotional weight that impacts every aspect of life. Suicide rates within the veteran community remain critically high, often cited at over 40 deaths per day. Healing at the spiritual root is needed at every level of life; in mind, body, community, and spirit.
Our Commitment
Why We Do This
Why We Do This
Our work is grounded in:
- Respect for Indigenous traditions and ceremonial protocols
- Cultural accountability and intention
- Safety in preparation, ceremony, and integration
- Consent, clarity, and personal agency
These services are supportive, ceremonial, and spiritual
Donation
Pay It Forward
All of our veterans ceremonies are provided completely free of charge, because honoring our brothers and sisters in service should never come at a cost. If you’re able, we kindly ask for a recommended $200 donation for the weekend to help us continue offering these ceremonies to more veterans and their families. Every contribution, no matter the amount, truly matters and helps us keep this mission going.
LOVE & LIBERATION
We are a diverse and welcoming tribe committed to sharing the wisdom and love of ancestral medicines with all people. Come as you are and gather with us as we learn to grow together. We can't wait to meet you!
The Gathering of Tribes & Indigenous Cultures
San Antonio, Texas 78201, United States
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