“To us, as caretakers of the heart of Mother Earth, falls the responsibility of turning back the powers of destruction. You yourself are the one who must decide.
You alone – and only you – can make this crucial choice, to walk in honor or to dishonor your relatives. On your decision depends the fate of the entire World.
Each of us is put here in this time and this place to personally decide the future of humankind.
Did you think the Creator would create unnecessary people in a time of such terrible danger?
Know that you yourself are essential to this world. Understand both the blessing and the burden of that. You yourself are desperately needed to save the soul of this world. Did you think you were put here for something less? In a Sacred Hoop of Life, there is no beginning and no ending.”
Chief Arvol Looking Horse**
Today is the day the Autumnal Equinox is often celebrated. Here in the Northlands the length of our day and night are matched, just as it is for the Spring Equinox in the Southlands. As an astronomical event, it doesn’t always dovetail neatly into our flawed Gregorian calendar, the actually moment of shift this year is tomorrow. However here in Oregon it is a time of spiders weaving the world together tight before the storms of winter come. Apples are heavy on branches, the morning dews are soaking. The sun casts golden light and the sky is impossibly blue – as though preparing our hearts for the many months of cloud cover to come.
Today, September 21st, has been designated by the United Nations as the International Day of Peace. This came about largely through the efforts of Jeremy Gilley of the UK, starting in 1999. Peace is not simply the absence of Conflict, any more than Love is the absence of Hate. However starting by having an international cease fire is a marvelous start.
Pope Francis lead world religious leaders in a day of Prayers for Peace at Assisi. Calling to all of us to take up the responsibility to cultivate the peace we all thirst for.
This is not the only important day set aside to focus on Peace. For over 20 years June 21st, the Summer/Winter solstice, has been celebrated as a day of Prayers for World Peace as founded by indigenous leader Chief Arvol Looking Horse, who is the 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe for the Great Sioux Nation. The day was established as a focus for Peace after the White Buffalo, Miracle, was born in 1994.
Creating events and joining hearts to offer prayers for Peace is very powerful and very needed in these times. In light of the situation in the Dakotas, between the corporate marauders and the Native Peoples who are protecting the sacred heart of Mother Earth I would like to put forth a broader definition for peace. Because it is not just about us humans. It is also about the Earth.
We are not simply tourists on this Earth. She is our Home.
Our preoccupation with the military industrial complex has far reaching impact on not only this generation but far into the future. When we normalize violence we cease to even recognize how pernicious it is. Violence to the land and all of the beings who live with us goes largely unnoticed. Our health and wellbeing, our happiness, is irrevocably interconnected with all of life.
What Peace is is living together, cooperating as caretakers of each other, and of the land, oceans and all beings who reside with us. Peace is the important work of living in accordance with the truth of the heart.
So let us take notice. Let us take a stand. Let us connect to the water, the air, the land and the sacred fire of Spirit within us. I am sending my prayers to the universe for Peace today. I am recommitting myself to the Earth, and to walking a path in service with the Creator, the spark of life and consciousness within all that is.
Whoever you are, no matter what your faith or beliefs, your prayers are welcome. Peace is possible. We can walk purposefully towards healing, or we can be swept along to our destruction. Take a stand for Peace today. For Love. For Healing. For all of the infinite miracles of this, our beautiful home, Mother Earth. Pray for Peace.
May all of us recognize our wholeness.
May all beings know Peace.
May all beings know Love.
May all beings know Compassion.
May all beings be Happy.
Namaste
Read more at:
**The entire message from Chief Arvol Looking Horse August 26, 2016 http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2016/08/26/important-message-keeper-sacred-white-buffalo-calf-pipe
More on World Peace Prayer Day:
http://worldpeaceandprayerday.com
http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2016/06/21/chief-calls-unity-world-peace-prayer-day-164857
Pope Francis Prayers for Peace: http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/09/20/pope_francis_concludes_world_day_of_prayer_for_peace/1259511
International Day of Peace: http://www.peaceoneday.org/welcome
More on the Pipeline situation in the Dakotas – Despite a pause the situation is not resolved:
A commentary about the Dakotas from the mainstream media, that actually doesn’t suck:
http://player.theplatform.com/p/7wvmTC/MSNBCEmbeddedOffSite?guid=n_lw_rewrite_160825
Riding the Pooka 