SPIRITUAL
LEADERSHIP
Here's where you can learn more about Hua, her teachings, services and offerings and links to other members of the community. Go to the Circles of Empowerment newsletter for the current schedule of events!
LONG DANCE 2010
20th anniversary
Thursday - Sunday
Sept 23- 26, 2010
see Women's Press: Why Do You Go To Long Dance?
see Hua in the Tribune
www.longdance.org
www.circlesofempowerment.org
QUICK LINKS:
Next Sweat Lodge: Brothers' Sweat is Thurs Sept 23, and Sisters' Home Lodge Sweat is Fri Sept 24th both being held at the Long Dance site (email for directions and disclaimer form)
Next classes: Sept 1st at Earth Tones in Paso Robles at 6:30 pm - a presentation on Long Dance with Hua
Next Drum Circle: September 16th
Next Full Moon: September 23rd, 7 pm at LONG DANCE!
Community Updates:
Long Dance Countdown begins!
September 1st = 3 weeks to Long Dance! Woo Hoo! Please see www.longdance.org for more info
Through the up coming year we are going to be embracing and developing other events. Please be sure to go to the new Circles of Empowerment newsletter for information on events at the Arroyo Grande Church grounds, including drumming circles, full moon ceremony, sweat lodges, classes and special offerings from guest teachers. We are also very pleased to send you to our new Long Dance site - www.longdance.org - which is full of information to assist you in having a beautiful ceremony and easy registration. Thank you!
RECENT news:
A NOTE FROM HUA:
20th Anniversary!
Sisters of the Dance
Long Dance Ceremony
September 23-26 2010
JOIN US! We invite sisters to dance, sing, and pray together at the Autumn Equinox for a weekend of ceremony, celebration and healing under the stars. We will gather between 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23 and 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26 in Arroyo Grande.
We invite all dancers to come on Thursday to help prepare the land. Gate will close on Saturday at 10 a.m. Our Orientation circle starts at 11:00 a.m. Opening Ceremony is at sunset.
Women of all ages, from young women who have begun their moon time to Grandmother Elders, will be dancing all night long to dance our sacred dream awake and to honor our Mother Earth.
Especially for the 20th anniversary of the Long Dance we encourage alumni Sisters and Brothers to save the date and help us celebrate!
For registration and lots more information and downloadable material go to our website: Home Lodge positions still open! The Home Lodge is comprised of both sisters and brothers who facilitate the ceremony. Home Lodge proudly serves as a grounded support for all the dancers and holds a safe, strong space for all participants. Being a member of Home Lodge, what we call becoming a “Dog Soldier”, creates a deeper and more profound experience of the Ceremony, and supports our accelerated growth through spiritual expression. All levels of experience are welcome!
www.longdance.org
Or send a Large SASE to:
Church of empowerment
P.O. Box 76, Arroyo Grande, CA 934321
Defining Dog Soldiers:
The medicine of Dog is the medicine of loyalty – to oneself, to a group, to a ceremony, or a cause. The Dog Soldier shows up with integrity, with everything that they are. They give from the heart, requiring nothing in return. The role of Dog Soldier is a place of learning through doing. By becoming one who uses their energy and resources wisely, we are able to contribute freely to the whole without being drained or lessened. The Dog Soldier is not a position of glamor, of constant praise and recognition. It is a position of honor – where word is backed up by action, and where an individual can demonstrate their impeccability.
We have some new positions and changes we want to share with you and we welcome your input. In deciding to participate in Home Lodge, please call or email to pre-register. Home Lodge members have the choice of logo tank top, short sleeve T-shirts, or aprons included in their registration fee.
Wednesday, September 1st, 6:30 pm
Earth Tones 1319 Park Street, Paso Robles (805) 238-4413
Hua will be at the Earth Tones Drumming Circle in Paso Robles Sept 1st for a Long Dance Presentation. Want to know more about the Long Dance and other events? Please come! Bring your questions!
Tipi Pole Care Day
Saturday September 4th 12pm to 5ish
Every couple of years we need to recondition and care for our poles with a linseed coating. This attention gives the poles long, long life. The set we are retiring is 20 years old! So please join us in this community action. We just took care of the two new sets in late August! They turned out beautiful. However we still have 3 more sets to linseed. So we have a call for another care day. Bring gloves, food and drink. We would really love to see you and feel free to bring your family and friends. More bodies = more fun!
Village Building Weekend September 11th & 12th
Saturday & Sunday
The village building weekend is open to any and all who would like to share the building of sacred ceremonial space. In this giveaway, we experience our strength and the beauty that we carry, and have lots of fun receiving the joy of collective manifestive power. We are aiming to start by 5 am, to take advantage of the coolness of the morning. Anytime during the weekend, feel free to drop in and lend a heart and hand.
All help is deeply appreciated whether you're attending Long Dance weekend or not. (We will still need the disclaimer paperwork for this weekend) This will be a place for brothers and sisters to share prayer stick, community bonding, and learn circle songs. The next Drum Circle will be held on September 16th. Open to sisters and brothers who want to participate – all are welcome. Munchies and water welcomed. RSVP to Hua Contacts: Hua Rosa2hua@aol.com Since the beginning of this cycle of time, humanity has returned to nature to connect with spirit and to seek answers to problems of the physical realms, especially in these days when the messages of prophecy reveal themselves to the seeker. In its own way, the vision quest is an Initiation not unlike the days of the ancient mystery school teachings where one learns about themselves and the mysteries of the universe are often revealed to them. Who am I? Why am I here? It is a time of internal transformation and renewal. A Vision Quest usually lasts two to four days within a circle, in which time the seeker delves deeply into their soul. The physical surroundings will allow the spirit to move into a dimensional reality of total connectedness. In ancient times, the entire clan prepared for the Vision Quest, supporting with food, wood, prayers and other support. The clan watched for the return of the Questers to hear the visions they had received for the well-being of the entire clan. We are asking for support for the Questers, in the form of: To make arrangements for food and wood donations, please call or email Hua.
Date: Sept. 11&12, 2010 Time: 5:00 am Sat through 8 pm Sun Place: Long Dance site Bring: Drinking water, food, gloves, chair, sun block, hat, tools. Trucks are needed for transporting wood, gear and tipi poles. Wood donations are appreciated! (oak or euc) especially. Children are welcome with a disclaimer signed by a guardian and with supervision at all times. (Please respond to Hua via email of your intentions of showing up for Village Building Weekend)
FULL MOON CEREMONY:
Our next Full moon ceremony on Thursday September 23rd at 7pm!!
Call or email if you want to attend this special Full Moon ceremony which is being held for the first time EVER at the Long Dance encampment. You will need directions and a disclaimer form.
This is a women's prayer ceremony. This is a great first time ceremony for anyone wanting to explore our Medicine Way here at the Church. Wear a skirt and layers (for that little nip at night), bring a box of tea, a potluck something to nosh on, water. It will be very good to see and be with all the sisters. Please remember that we always need good drinking water here on the grounds for ceremony and Sisters please also bring a six pack of white flowers for beauty way around the wheel :)
MIXED FAMILY SWEAT LODGE CEREMONY:
The next Sweats are being held at the Long Dance site - email for directions & disclaimer form
Please note there will be a special Brothers only Sweat Lodge on Thursday September 23rd at Long Dance with the Sisters' Home Lodge Sweat on Friday night
Hua has been pouring water for nearly 30 years. She is fully qualified to lead a safe, beautiful sweat and she creates a dynamic space of sacred prayer and transfomation with her seasoned, experienced insight into the mysteries and wonders of the Sweat Lodge ceremony.
Men and women are welcome to join us and keep in mind to dress modestly - women dress in a sweat dress or skirt; men wear shorts and a tee shirt. You are welcome to come in an hour early to help with set up. In the event of rain, an indoor ceremony will be offered, with all other details remaining the same.
Wood donations are gleefully appreciated, as are monetary donations towards wood purchases.
There is a Potluck after Sweat Lodge, so bring your favorite dish to share and a gallon of good drinking water to donate!
Giveaway:
For the attendees, it is always proper etiquette to bring giveaway offerings for the 4 to 6 officers of the sweat to acknowledge their efforts on all our behalf. (Giveaway is a gift of your choice and/or tobacco offering showing your appreciation for officers providing services at Ceremonies).
Water:
When having ceremonies here at the church facilities, we require good drinking water for all to drink and for the sweat lodge ceremonies themselves. We are on a well here whose water is not good for drinking. So PLEASE do bring a gallon of good water to share.
Drum Circle - 3rd Thursday of the Month
Every Third Thursday of the month, 7-9 pm.
Celebration on Saturday October 2nd, 4 pm
Annual Post Long Dance Celebration!
Come and make merry at Hua’s. Bring food & drink and Drums for around the fire!
Empowerment thru Ritual & Ceremony Classes being offered
Weekend July 30th & August 1st
Hua's teachings about sacred plants, the medicine wheel, feathers, shamanic journeying, shielding, opening the throat chakra and many more juicy and powerful lessons have been universally called extraordinary by those fortunate enough to attend. Advanced level classes are sometimes offered to those who have first taken this set of classes. Offered at a reduced price for Long Dancers. All others get the bargain rate of $125 for two full days of material, plus goodies. Both days are required. A non-refundable deposit of $50 is also required to hold your place. Out of towners are welcome to stay on Church grounds. Contact Hua for more details.
Tarot Readings from Hua:
$40.00 Contribution
Tarot Card Readings
I have been reading cards since I was 18, when I got my first deck, and I have been reading ever since. I come from a tradition that allows you to see what Creator wants you to know, in a co-creative manner, what you have conjured up for yourself. It is a wonderful tool that lets you know the potential of what can be happening for you. I use the Ryder-Waite deck and 30 years of reading experience. Please contact me regarding long distance readings as well!
Call to set up appointments. Open from 1 pm to 9 pm. 805.481.0892 International and long distance readings are welcome, and tapes can be mailed per prior arrangement. See my offerings page for other classes and services
Recent Events:
2010 has been a very Spirit filled year so far... please see below for some reports of our recent special events which we have attended or organized recently. We find ourselves in responding deeply to the greater and greater need for ceremony and spiritual growth as we encounter the quickening of the paradigm shift, a shift that promises a planet that is healthier, more humane and more grounded in indigenous knowledges as we design a better life for the next seven generations. AHO
Vision Quest and Elder Vision Quest
The Quest Dates: Thurs – Sunday, May 20-23
We had 5 solid commitments for this year's Vision Quest, including one Elder. Thank you to those who participated in the site build. Deep gratitude to the land owner Nicole, for her attentions and grace.
- Energy and Prayers during the Questing.
- There will be a support team there the whole time so food and wood and water will be needed.
- A monetary donation to support this endeavor will be gratefully received. These donations will help to cover our expenses. It can be any amount to show your support for theses relations that are seeking vision for themselves and for the whole community.
To make a monetary donation, go to www.churchofempowerment.org for paypal donations or mail check to:
Church of Empowerment, PO Box 76, Arroyo Grande, CA 93421
World Prayer for Water Day on Tuesday May 18th, 2010.
Please join us in our efforts to unify en masse to help our precious waters through prayer and ceremony. Let us know how you would like to help. No matter how small of a circle or community, any effort will make a difference when we all work together!
The Church of Empowerment will be actively participating in this event. We are tasked with developing ceremonies in all of our Central Coast Communities, so if you would like to represent your community’s beach, lake, creek … gather together your circles for a prayer ceremony on the shore. Our goal is to have as many Blessing Ceremonies as possible in our area from Cambria to Santa Barbara.
2010 Maya New Year Celebrations kick off in sacred Solstice Grove
Just this February, Hua was an honored guest as part of a group of North County women who attended a Waqxaqui (8) B'atz Mayan Spiritual Renewal Ceremony sponsored by TJU-EPU and led by Mayan spiritual leader Tata OmeAkaEhekatl Erick Gonzalez. Under a gorgeous stand of giant redwood trees, we celebrated with two nights of special fires and drumming, dancing, prayers and teachings that were heartfelt and incomparably inspiring.
The day of Waqxaqui (8) B'atz in the Mayan Calendar is celebrated by millions of the Maya throughout Guatemala and Central America as the day of Spiritual Renewal, when another 260-day cycle of Life is completed. The energy of B'atz is that of the threads of life, the cords of energy that flow from our umbilical cords and connect us to all of our past and future generations.
It is a powerful time to weave ourselves together in councils and ceremonies around the sacred fire. By joining together around the Grandfather Fire, we weave our thoughts, prayers, intentions, and actions together for a better future amidst the great challenges we are facing.
Mexico New Year's events will be taking place in March in San Jose. See the footage Hua took last year when she and a group of sisters traveled up to San Jose and attended the extraordinary Mexica New Year's events - over 580 dancers thundered in the blessings of the new cycle. Here is some video that Hua took of the dancers just warming up.
San Jose 2010: Doe Star, Hua, White Heart & Bridgeweaver
Hua invited to speak at local events on the Central Coast
Hua was recently honored as an Elder at the Deer Mountain Youth and Elder Wisdom Fire Council hosted by Earth People's United in August 2010. She has been traveling and speaking a lot this past year. Locally, Hua has been featured as a guest speaker in multiple venues in the last part of 2009, including the Cambria 350 event to encourage awareness of carbon issues and global warming in October, the Hopedance film screening of the 13 Grandmothers movie in San Luis Obispo this September. At another Cambria gathering in honor of the past Winter Solstice, prayers were exchanged with Mayan spiritual leader Tata OmeAkaEhekatl Erick Gonzalez, with whom she has participated in several events this year.
She also spoke at the Salon for the Spiritually Creative Life held at Pasadena's Institute for Art & Philosophy this summer, and will be a featured writer in the upcoming book by Carol Soucek King celebrating the Lessons learned Under the Bridges at the superb Arroyo del Rey location. Hua is available for special talks, teachings and community events. Please feel free to contact her for your event at 805.481.0892.
Church Donations Accepted
To make monetary contributions (tax deductible) make your check out to:
Church of Empowerment
PO Box 76
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
Hua In the Press:
Hua is in the Tribune August 2010
Hua is in the March/April issue of Women's Press
Click here to see archives of past events