Cultural Appropriation?

[Astrox]

I have been thinking about cultural appropriation in relation my own spiritual practice (which at this point is more of a fascination of studying and learning about different religions and mythologies, rather than an actual spiritual and/or religious belief).

Recently, I met a wonderful woman who grew up learning how to be a healer (she is of mix ancestry, part Kawai (Uto-Aztec descent) and Cheyenne(Plains). Although both of her parents grew up in different communities, both were healers and passed on their knowledge on to her.

Anyways, I wanted to ask her if she could be my mentor, but I'm wondering if it would be considered cultural appropriation for me, a man of Israeli and English descent to want to learn about Native American healing practices.

While I don't think I could ever call myself "Astrox the great native american healer/shaman" because that would seem ridiculous considering, America is not my place of birth. But, I find myself captivated by the mythologies, celebrations and healing practices...

I have no intentions of taking her knowledge and claiming it as my own. I feel like I would learn a lot from her and later, learning to integrate some of her teachings into my own practice (while always fully acknowledging her as my teacher).

If I went and asked her to be my mentor and began practicing some of her spiritual practices and healing techniques would you consider this an act of cultural appropriation?  

[maenad nuri]

I'd ask her, respectfully.

I don't think it's needfully appropriation if you go about it correctly. Just be prepared for her to say no.  

[Astrox]

maenad nuri

I'd ask her, respectfully.

I don't think it's needfully appropriation if you go about it correctly. Just be prepared for her to say no.

Yeah, you're right.  

[TeaDidikai]

It also depends on if you are going to take cues, or if you're going to lift culture.

For example, there's a tradition I mentioned to someone and their response was "Yeah, that makes sense because I do something similar, but I never thought of the way you do it!"

On the other hand, if he followed the form and function of my tradition, I'd look at him like he was crazy and if he didn't explain, we might have some serious words about it.