The Seven Circles Foundation is an educational organization established to promote and support spiritual practices based on the ancient ways of Native American Indigenous People.
The Foundation brings these practices to the community at large to improve the quality of life for all.

Founded in 1996 under the direction of Kickapoo/Sac-and-Fox elder Fred Wahpepah, for over twenty years the Seven Circles community sponsored hundreds of ceremonial events, predominantly in the San Francisco Bay Area. These included many monthly Inipi Sweat Lodges, semi-annual Hambleche “Vision Quest” camps, and Pipe Ceremonies presided over by Fred; and many other ceremonies, including sacred Yuipi and Lowanpe ceremonies presided over by medicine men of those altars. For many years we were deeply involved in the Pilot Rock Sundance, with many of our community members dancing under Fred’s sponsorship.

In March of 2018, at 87 years old, Fred retired from his ceremonial work. But we in the community have taken to heart his role of serving as “the on-ramp to the Red Road” and are continuing with two Inipi sweat lodge sites; the Berkeley Lodge, poured by veteran Sundancer Chris Hall, and the Solstice Grove Lodge presided over by veteran Sundancer Santiago Ruelas, and Seven Circles Founding Director, Michael Stocker.

While we will not be picking up Fred’s “staff” (way too weighty for any of us) and conducting personal ceremonies (Home Blessings, Weddings, and Naming Ceremonies), we will continue to return to the sacred Inipi circles, and may host occasional pipe ceremonies.

We will also occasionally welcome visiting indigenous elders and support ceremonies that they may want to offer people who live within the embrace of our community.

All are welcome into our ceremonial circles, free of charge.

Aho! Mitakue Oyasin!