SACRED FIRE, DECEMBER 30 – JANUARY 5

On December 30th the grandmothers will be lighting a sacred fire. They will light it in various ways, with ceremony and prayer for world peace. The intention is to keep the fire burning for seven days. This could be by transferring the flame to a candle, or several candles, burning in our windows. This fire ceremony has been taking off globally. Many people will be lighting the flame all over the world and we can connect with one another and with the Grandmother Council this way.

SPRING REUNION

As most of you know, during the grandmothers’ first gathering together from October 11-17 at Menla Mountain Retreat Center in upstate New York, the thirteen indigenous grandmothers agreed to form a global alliance; to work together to serve both their common needs and their specific local concerns.

Understandably, their concerns are vast. They touch upon the heart of a grandmother’s concerns for the health and well being of her children and family, for the well being of the earth, their medicines and their indigenous cultures which sustain their way of life.

From its inception, we have followed behind the visions and concerns of the grandmothers. In order to further their plans, they requested to be a program of our nonprofit, the Center for Sacred Studies. Their goal is to become an NGO and to bring their alliance to the United Nations.
The next step for the Grandmother Council is to convene privately in the spring in New Mexico to solidify their alliance, create a mission statement and clarify their objectives. Some of their topics of consideration are:

- Furthering of plans for NGO status with legal consultation from several indigenous rights lawyers.
- Formation of a web site and other programs for children
- Formation of local grandmother councils
- Consideration of how other grandmothers can participate
- Questions of Council Governance: selection of successors etc.
- Responding to the Papal Bull: Calling on the Pope to retract the Christian “doctrine of conquest” which resulted in the genocide of the first nations.
- Development and Funding

This global prayer for peace calls on all of us to gather hands and hearts across the borders. Many of you have volunteered your time and inspiration. The lawyers, translators, and assistants have all donated their time for the realization of this prayer. In order to fulfill the vision of the Indigenous Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers, The Center for Sacred Studies is continuing to seek support for:

- General operating and administrative costs
- Travel for the grandmothers to convene in New Mexico for the second Council meeting.
- Lodging and food at the New Mexico gathering.
- Travel for Grandmothers to visit each other’s locations, exchanging knowledge and strengthening their bonds of alliance.

Below is the Alliance Statement, signed by each of the thirteen council members, and the press release article entitled “Grandmothers Unite.” Any support, prayers or inspiration is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for joining in with us. We stand united in this prayer, and we are grateful.

Please feel free to contact us at:

Center for Sacred Studies
PO Box 1655
Columbia, CA, 95310
209 532-9048

ann@morningstarfdn.org

Click here to read the related article Statement of the International Council of the Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers