Based on Deepening and Healing our Relationships with Spirit, the Earth, Ourselves and Each Other
Through circles, workshops, ceremonies and councils, Sacred Connections offers people a different way to be, live and move through life, which is nurturing, fulfilling and authentic.
I believe that deep healing will occur when Honor has been restored. If we honor each other, honor our differences and honor the Earth and all living things, we can change life on this planet. When we connect with nature deeply, we will feel part of it, not separate from it. When we bring nature into our hearts and souls, we will naturally become guardians of the Earth.
In order to do anything well, we need to tend to ourselves on all levels; to remove as many layers as possible, that have accumulated over the years and then open to know and live the truths in our heart and soul. It is important to heal our relationships. When we heal, we heal our ancestors, our descendants and the entire planet.
There will be 4 components to our Community:
Return to Yourself,
Sacred Circles, Ancient Voices,
Embracing and Honoring the Natural World and
Tending to Each Other and the World.
Sacred Connections will also include Peace Circles (to deepen people’s sense of inner peace), a Peace Council (to identify local Peace Projects) and a Peace Round table (to affect global change).
and Standing Tall Circles to empower Young Women ages 13-19.
Peace Circles – An Invitation to Become More
The first Peace Circle will be held on May 19, 2019, from 2:00-4:00 at Second Congregational Church, 115 Hillside St. in Bennington. Peace Circles are part of a year long program offered by the Greater Bennington Peace & Justice Center and the Interfaith Council to support the work of Dr. Martin Luther King. The mission of these circles is two-fold: to help individuals acquire more peace internally and to create more peace in our communities on a larger scale. They will be offered on a sliding scale of $15-25. Peace Circles will not have any religious affiliation.
In circle, we will answer the question: “what brings you peace?” We will learn how to calm our mind, center ourselves and detach from situations that are beneficial to detach from. We will elevate ourselves mentally, emotionally and spiritually. We will learn techniques to see with new eyes; recognize when we are carrying something that is not ours to carry and realize that we do not have to let our feathers be ruffled because of someone’s actions.
Our larger goals will be to know that we are ok, no matter what happens around us, to increase our awareness and deepen our presence and to move through life with kindness in our heart and in our speech. We will work to access a deep part of ourselves that is unshakeable.
The second part is about exploring ways to create peace on larger scales. Some possibilities are: Peace Walks, Prayer Circles, a Walking Meditation Group, to name a few.
If you are interested in doing this work but are not a group person, this work can be done in private workshops.
Grandmothers Rising!
Honoring Women in this Stage of Life
Women do not need to have grandchildren to attend.
In 2004 an auspicious event occurred on my birthday. Thirteen remarkable women came together for the first time to form a powerful council. In 2009 I got to meet the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers.
It was a life event for me.
When I saw them sitting across the stage on that first morning, they stirred something at my core. Before any words were spoken, I saw them as a strand of pearls. I wondered what their lives had been like, to have become part of an International Council. My heart rejoiced at the idea of Grandmothers having this much power! On Monday, August 17, 2009, I made a commitment to dedicate my life to them.
Grandmothers Rising! is a manifestation of this promise. Women of a grandmotherly age gather to be seen, heard, honored and accepted for who they are. In ceremony they share their wisdom, strengthen their voice and acquire a deeper sense of themselves.
Please bring your shawl, an open heart and a sacred object for our table.