SPIRITUAL
LEADERSHIP
A NOTE FROM HUA:
UPDATE: Vision Quest, Elder Vision Quest May 20- 23rd:
This year’s Quest was an extraordinary event, harmonious from start to finish. It was an honor to be a part of this year’s Questing. Thank you for your prayers and your commit to Quest: Janise, White Heart, Aweepano, Blue Horse, and Grandmother Turtle Heart. The entire experience was truly smooth with everyone feeling well organized, well supplied, well funded and offering up a co-creation, a deep focus for many different and diverse people who came together to make this dream come true. We had many helpers, donors, guests and elders who came by with spiritual support, food, labor and vehicles – to all of you, our warmest thanks and prayers for ongoing grace and ease in your life.
UPDATE: World Prayer for Water Day May 18th:
The circle was powerful. The Grandmother Ocean came to meet us as we offered our prayers of intention. Out of it came the realization that we must bless our water every day and keep strong our intentions as we acknowledge how deeply in need we are of changing our paradigm so that we may come to better terms with how we treat this life force on our planet.
UPDATE May Magick:
I was honored to offer a Sweat Lodge and teachings at the recent May Magick - Beltane Under The Oaks hosted by Angela Woodock aka Lady Oxannamoon. I just have to say wow. It was different but we felt well received. Thank you to all who participated in pulling together the Sweat Lodge. Blessings to the Pagan/Wiccan community it seemed a good time had by all. We hope that some will join us in Long Dance. Special gratitude to Spirit Woman, Blue Horse, and Dolphin - for your tireless efforts to make the impossible possible. Blessings to the Pagan/Wiccan community. Blessings to all.
As always we give thanks for the joy, abundance, good-will, peaceful awakenings and graceful journeys that are already here. May we choose Love over fear; unity and harmony over separation and discord. May we have the strength to claim our authentic power, standing true in Word, action and deed, and with firm resolve BE the change we wish to see in the world. I love you. I am in the deepest gratitude to all that have helped and served these efforts. I am in deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve my community.
AHO. Blessings...........HUA
A special note from Tobey White Heart:
I was honored to be Hua's chauffeur when she was invited to be a special guest at a weekend long Earth Day celebration and Elder's Council Fire hosted by Earth Peoples United (TJU) in the San Francisco Bay area. The first day consisted of a beautiful event at the Women's Building with Tata OmeAkaEhekatl Erick Gonzalez, Mayan Aj Q'ij (Spiritual Leader) and co-author of Transforming Through 2012- Leading Perspectives on the New Global Paradigm speaking about Mayan Prophecies: Earth Wisdom for a New Millennium. Among the special guests including Hua were a number of Elders from Mexico, the Santa Rosa area, musicians and Maestros from the Bay area.
This is very much in keeping with Earth Peoples United's stated mission "to connect people to the natural and spiritual world, and to bridge the wisdom of the Ancient Ones with the world of today, so that the diversity of life can flourish for future generations." Children participated in the flower ceremony and roses were offered to every guest. It was really lovely and the hosting very gracious. The following day, a large Elders Council Fire was offered at the stunning Point Bonita Outdoor & Conference Center in Sausalito. The view of the Marin headlands was extraordinary, with golden carpets of wildflowers and gentle slopes that headed down to the sea.
The stated intention for the day was wonderfully fulfilled: "The Council Fire has been a way that the indigenous people have kept the clans strong and united by continuously having ceremonial gatherings to keep the people together with one mind and one heart. In this time in history, we have forgotten what it means to include all people, from the youngest to the oldest. These are the precious moments to put together the different prophesies, different creation stories, different spiritual instructions of our many relatives, so that we can perform proper activities to help us really integrate the changes that are happening on our Mother Earth and how to do the things that we have all forgotten, that are vital for our survival."
Hua was warmly received at these events and beautifully honored with a special Haida blanket, embroidered with beaver and owl motifs. The crowd very much appreciated her wise and honest words, and she brought laughter and tears to the hearts of her listeners. It was very touching to see the weaving together of our communities and we look forward to receiving our brothers and sisters from the Bay area here at some of our own events.
We will be going to the Deer Mountain Healing Center as guests of TJU to attend the 5th Annual Wisdom Keeper and Youth Council in August. As Tata Erick writes, "It is important to close the gap bewteen humans by gathering the elders and youth, to join the wisdom that the elders carry with the yearning that the youth are experiencing - both can be fed through the spiritual and the ceremonial exchange that happens in councils."
March 2009
This site was launched in March and has been a great way to communicate the many aspects of Hua's spiritual leadership, involvement with the Church of Empowerment community and her various healing practices and modalities that she puts in service to the benefit of all. The archives below offer a chronological look back at the year so far... enjoy!
March 14 Mexica New Year celebration in San Jose
March 7 Renewing the sweat lodge on the Church of Empowerment grounds in Arroyo Grande April 2009
We had a beautiful day harvesting willow and building our Church with the help of a wonderful crew of volunteers, all under the guidance of our Grandmother Jade Willow Heart. This was an extraordinary learning experience, followed by a special sacred pipe ceremony offered by Grandmother Standing Woman. All who were present are still feeling the love and sacredness of this special occasion, and the powerful offerings of wisdom from our elders and teachers.
2009 Long Dance invitations are out!! Wow what a Month! The intensity of our time seems for some of us to be more than can be held. Mid-month, the Beauty of our first annual Grandmother Ceremony was heart and mind expanding. It was a sight to behold: smiles, fulfillment and life long agreements being made. And we had generational participation! I was blessed with the presence and participation of my Tias (my mother's two sisters) and my two cousins, both of them also first born daughters like myself. Turtle Heart's daughter and one of Jade Willow Heart's sons were present. Fire Fox brought her Mom. 15 Grandmothers altogether were initiated. Oh, much Beauty had by all. And at the Solstice/New Moon at Pismo Beach, a group of Community members showed up for a Water Blessing Ceremony, with the intention to weave and blend with the global effort to lend cleansing and clearing energies for the Earths waters. It was just beautiful and we saw many whale spouts as well.
If you have not yet received your Long Dance invitation and feel you should have, please contact Hua so she can be sure that you arrive safely onto the mailing list. Long Dance organizing has officially begun for the year! Please see the Church website to download any forms that you and yours may still need.
Family Sweat Lodge in April
The new sweat lodge was initiated on a beautiful April weekend with a family sweat - both men and women were in attendance.
Hua In the Press:
Hua is in the March/April issue of Women's Press
Wise Women Classes with Grandmother Bridgeweaver have begun
The new series of Wise Women classes began with great appreciation from the attendees. Dates are still available in May for the condensed class. See above in May's listings or check out the PDF flyer.
May 2009
Sister Sweat Lodge in May
The first sister sweat lodge was initiated on a beautiful Mother's Day weekend with a sweet sweat and sharing that honored the divine feminine and our Mother Earth to whom we are so grateful.
Wise Women Classes with Grandmother Bridgeweaver
The new series of Wise Women classes began with great appreciation from the attendees. Grandmother is continuing to offer special teachings as part of the Grandmother initiation in June.
June 2009
Grandmother Initiation Ceremony Celebration - All are Welcome!
Saturday June 13th (full day program) - We have created an opportunity to acknowledge and honor Eldership in this community. This speaks to our continued attention to the fundamental processes in community building and sustainability. I encourage you to come and an celebrate our wise grandmothers with sweet little give away's and attentions.
Embracing these ways weaves a continuum, and assures you that when it is your turn, the possibility will be there for you. We have Wise Women available to strengthen our circle of life. This kind of tending can effect the whole world. In the face of what is going on in our world we can create anew these wonderful ways. AHO
In the not to distant past, the family, as a unit, was necessary for survival. The work was shared. Everyone had a particular function.We are beginning to look back to the old ways of respecting the aged ones.There is a certain sense of awe surrounding the Grandmother. She’s usually the first to awaken in the morning. She starts coffee or tea, waters the plants, or starts a load of wash before the rest of the household is awake. Her prayers, be they spoken or in her heart, are sent in the silence of the early morning hours. 4 am is Grandmother time. She instructed the little ones in the ways to walk the good path through her meditations, prayers, and songs.
Women in moon pause, who have not bled, naturally or medically, for a full cycle of thirteen moons, can have the right of passage into the Grandmother Lodge upon the fourteenth moon. If you are wanting to be initiated, sign up and/or for more information, call Grandmother Bridgeweaver: 805 773 1196