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Sylas and I have been very fortunate this summer to be immersed in community and in nature, and to share these precious times with our family. Four beautiful, potent days took place at the Aniwa Gathering in June.
Aniwa brought together indigenous elders, teachers, and healers from around the world. They came to share their wisdom, lead ceremonies, and contribute to the healing of our waters and our world. Some of them traveled for days to reach Big Bear, California, some leaving their villages for the first time. More than 50 elders attended, from what we call Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, Colombia, Mongolia, the continental U.S. and Hawaii, Australia, and Japan.
I feel astonishingly fortunate to have been there. We didn't take any photos or video during teachings and ceremonies, but here's one I took before the closing ceremony, to give you a glimpse of some of the elders, and the trees of this beautiful land.

When we returned home, Sylas and I talked about what (if anything) the elders advised us to actually do to change our society’s course. Specific instructions were minimal, but I felt that if we listened in a certain way, there was ample guidance.
I often call the global change we're in “the great turning,” as Joanna Macy termed it. I like how Joanna describes our transition to a life-sustaining society as the adventure story of our time - full of peril, full of beauty, with uncertain outcome. I orient myself to the “three dimensions of the great turning”:
1. Holding actions to slow or prevent damage
2. Creation and restoration of life-sustaining systems
3. Shifts in consciousness
All three are necessary. All three must happen at once. (And, I find that versions of these appear inside us, our own personal healing and transformation, too!)
During the Aniwa Gathering, the first dimension, holding actions, was present in stories of land defense, especially in the Amazon. The second dimension, life-sustaining systems, was there in all the efforts to keep traditional, life-honoring ways of life intact and share this wisdom globally. And the third dimension? It was in everything.
We were awash in “shifts in consciousness.”
Beyond the sweat lodges, plant medicines and dances, the entire gathering was an opportunity for consciousness to shift. We were immersed in culturally diverse, yet ethically similar, ways of relating to the human and the more-than-human world: with respect, reverence, reciprocity, and the guidance of our elders; with joy, music, play, prayer, and clear intention.
My most precious shift in consciousness was a deeper embrace of my direct connection with nature and with the human technologies of sound, prayer, and ceremony. I did think about cultural appropriation, commercialization, and misrepresentation – which are real problems that do real harm. And, it was so clear, they're not the whole story.
We can listen and learn with respect, and reciprocity. I was incredibly moved to see these indigenous elders from around the world who were so happy, so energized by the opportunity to share with us. Teachings were shared with generosity, and with the wish to be of benefit to our beautiful, hurting world. I loved seeing their choices of tools and methods that they understood to “work” – to effectively carry prayers, to move energy, to help nature, to help people. Their processes interacted directly with Earth, with aspects both seen and unseen. This touched me deeply, and I’m gradually integrating what I continue to learn.
I’ll close with some wisdom from Chenoa Egawa, a Coast Salish woman of the Lummi and S’Klallam Nations of Washington State, a ceremonial leader, healer, activist, writer, singer, and photographer. At Chenoa's talk, a young woman asked about how to deal with her fear of legal consequences, or worse, for her non-violent actions to protect water and forest. Chenoa reminded her to go to the water that she’s protecting, and pray for her own protection. She advised her to be round in shape, not angular, as a martial artist does, to be able to move with or around force, and transform it. Chenoa honored those who choose to give their lives to this work, but told the young woman that it’s okay to know when to go in and when to come out. To be strategic. To work in less obvious ways.
And, she spoke about becoming an elder. To paraphrase:
“Keep yourself well. Take care of yourself. Go slowly, like a turtle, slow enough that you can gather all the lessons and gain wisdom. Stay well so that you can become an elder, and share the wisdom you’ve gathered.”
So friends, here we are, doing what we can to stay well and grow wiser, alongside you. As MaMuse sings: "What a time to be alive."
We would love to gather with you at any of our upcoming events that would be supportive on your journey.
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