Where in the Appalachian Bioregion are we going?

Where in the Appalachian Bioregion are we going? The consensus was for the White Mountain National Forest (in the Northeast), or the Appalachian states of Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Georgia. Spring Council selected a site in North Eastern Tennessee.

If you're not familiar with the gauntlet on the road into the gathering, and want to avoid a mandatory court appearance ticket click here.

For the Howdy Folks and directions to the gathering, click here. For the United States Forest Service Incident Command website with groovy maps and updates, click here.

Friday, June 29, 2012

The Silent Prayer/Meditation for World Peace July 4

Some folks may one why we gathering and go through all this craziness year after year. A friend of mine wrote a beautiful peace on this years ago, and it's available here

I gather for many reasons as well, but one of the primary reasons is for the Silent Prayer/Meditation for World Peace. The silent prayer/meditation for world peace is the culmination of our attempts to create a peaceful and harmonious gathering.  Please if you are local, plan on being her for the Silence on the 4th.  The power of all of us together is many times stronger than each of us individually.

 The silence beings as the sunrises on July 4. If you're up during that time, it's amazing to hear this loud crazy group of gatherers slowly go silent. Hands lifted off of drums one by one, music trailing off into silence and the chirping of the birds taking over.

While not everyone chooses to participate, we ask that everyone respect the silence and if they must talk, do so in their own camp in a very soft voice.  As people desire, they make their way to Main Meadow to pray for world peace, to meditate for world peace, to do yoga for world peace, to blow bubbles for world peace.  Everyone is free to pray or meditate to their maker in silence.

We hold this peace in preparation for the arrival of our children. The children's parade (meet at Kid Village a few hours before noon if you have kids and want them in the parade) will come into the center of the circle. Please hold the silence and/or the Om until all the children (even the ones at the end of the parade) have made it into the center of the circle. Our children our are future and deserve our respect. PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WIDELY.

At some point before breaking the silence we will om. Not a short 1-2 minute om, but a long drawn out 15 minute or 30 minute om. If we are all focused and om together, not in a hurry to get it down, but to be with it in the moment, we can create energy that will change the world.

Each of us has a crucial role to play in this sacred ceremony that is the core of the Annual Gathering of the Tribes. This is why I and so many people I know go to the gathering, dig shitters, chop wood and carry water. This is why so many people dedicate so much resources and energy to the gathering. Please if you choose not to participate, please be silent and let those who wish to create a sacred ceremony do so.


4 comments:

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  3. Sorry folks, but I've removede a couple of comments due to advocating violence and using racist language, which if you had read http://appalachiangathering2012.blogspot.com/2012/06/commenting-on-this-blog.html.

    Just a comment, my original post states "While not everyone chooses to participate, we ask that everyone respect the silence" - note the words "ask" and "respect". Nothing in my original posts forces anyone to do anything, but like so much else at the gathering, peaceful respect allows so much wonderful stuff to happen.

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  4. I love u and wish I could still be there... had to leave on Sunday. I am meditating on my own here with u all in my heart

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