Grandmothers....This Summer, A Journey

April 29, 2009

~July 18-28 Peace Village, Lincoln, Vermont

    Elders' Gathering with Cherokee Elder Dyhani Ywahoo

    www.sunray.org

~August 3-9 13 Indigenous Grandmothers' Gathering

    near Portland, Oregon

    www.grandmotherscouncil.com

The elders who guide we......

In these times, I have found, the wisdom of the ancient ones, indigenous wisdom, is coming to us from many directions and offering positive guidance and solutions for those of us looking to do good work and be in right relationship.

The Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, holder of the Ywahoo Lineage and Chief of the Green Mountain Ani Yunwiwa, published her book "Voices of Our Ancestors -- Cherokee Teachings From the Wisdom Fire," in 1987 on Shambala press.  "Voices" is ever so powerful and helpful, so Buddhist and so Native American, in a deep, peaceful, instructional weaving. For years now I have wanted to visit Dhyani Ywahoo on her land, at her Sunray Meditation Center in Vermont.  In Maui this winter I met a young woman who works with Dhyani. She invited me to the Peace Village gathering this July.  Sign-ups for this gathering are happening online, so meet me there!  All are welcome. There will be instruction from the elders there, including amazing Hawaiian artists and peace teachers from Maui, Lei'ohu Ryder and Nadine Iao.

The Hopi elders are telling us:

"There are things to be considered:

    Where are you living?

    What are you doing?

    What are your relationships?

    Are you in right relation?

    Where is your water?

    Know your garden.

    It is time to speak your truth.

    Create your community.

    Be good to each other.

And do not look outside yourself for the leader.

    This could be a good time!"

One of my elders, the Chumash storyteller, ChoQosh Auh'Ho'Oh, has been spreading the above words for at least a dozen years now.  Such people are gems to be honored and listened to now. Hopefully I will do at least one show with ChoQosh this year, in which we will weave her stories and my songs, as we have done on some auspicious occasions for about 4 years now.

And for the reason of gathering wisdom from the elders, I will travel, supported by my community, to further inform my songwriting and my presence as a performer, to hear these teachings for our time.