Let's Swim to the Moon

[H2O Man]

Several family members & friends are on their way over, for a sweat lodge ceremony. Today's ceremony is one for healing. The primary focus is on a couple of families dealing with serious illness, and with the death of a family member. However, there will also be “rounds” for another type of healing, that I would like to take a minute to talk about.

At a time when OWS and related social-cultural movements are beginning to reach a higher level, we begin to experience both the positive and negative potentials of “groups.” Even in something like the regional anti-hydro-fracking movement in upstate New York, we are seeing small clashes between some of the grass-roots movements. This is, of course, to be expected.

There are two basic causes: internal differences, and external attempts to disrupt the movement. Our greatest task is to reach that common ground within the local/area groups, and to coordinate efforts with those groups in other areas, as well as the established national organizations. Sounds easy, but it's not always the path taken. And again, it is not only because of the external forces, or the agents of disruption that they seek to inject into our groups.

This coming Thursday, there will be state-wide rallies to voice concerns about protecting our environment from the “energy corporations” that hope to exploit our natural resources. One of the guest speakers may be Onondaga Chief Oren Lyons. Because Oren and Joe (Onondaga's attorney) may be stuck in one of those endless meetings with NYS officials, I am “on call” to fill-in for Oren.

Today, during ceremony, I will be looking to identify how to communicate a healing message to the various groups at this rally. For alone, we are like individual fingers that our enemy can easily twist and break. Together, we form a powerful fist that is fully capable of protecting our rights.

I'd like to post some of my thoughts here, after ceremony and in the next few days. I would very much appreciate your responses.

Thank you.

Your friend,
Pat

(PS: My sons' book has arrived. One goes out in the mail on Monday morning to Friend Will Pitt, for review. If anyone else is interested, e-mail me here on DU. It's a 360-page Native People's history of the northeast.)

[NYC_SKP]

1. I'm confident that you'll represent our interests, and all of yours, very well.

Were I tasked with bringing together two factions who might differ on such matters, I'd direct them to think in terms of what's best for their grand and great-grand children, and for all succeeding generations.

There's usually very little room for differences under those terms.

Best regards.

NYC_SKP

[Abin Sur]

2. Er...."swim to the moon"?

Ok, I'm stumped. What does swimming or the Moon have to do with anything in this post? :shrug:

[Ship of Fools]

6. It's a Jim Morrison lyric ... not sure of the connection, though

[Octafish]

7. Spiritual Voyage.

It can help accomplish the impossible in the physical world.

[Abin Sur]

8. If something can be accomplished, then it's not impossible by definition.

[dionysus]

11. smog will getcha pretty soon....

[bigtree]

3. well that's a heck of an undertaking

It might do some good to relate an experience of your own where groups you were involved with were able to reconcile their differences and focus their collective energy on the subject at hand.

I feel that we don't have as great a learning curve as in the past. There is an old foe that's emerged as of late -- that old dog, cynicism. It might be good to remind everyone that they are the masters of that particular emotion.

You've made an excellent choice of where to put your energy. Best wishes and best regards . . .

[Zorra]

4. Hoping your sweat will be powerful and healing.

mitakuye oyasin

[mmonk]

5. Best wishes to you and Oren.

Powerful forces have ways to foment division. I will be contacting you soon you over the book and matters in general.

[H2O Man]

9. Done!

It went very well. We had a Lakota guest, a man who has Sun Danced etc. He and I were able to not just take turns leading ceremony, but to focus on the parts that compliment each culture extraordinarily well.

Nothing like six hours in the lodge to clear the mind & body!

[KoKo]

10. K&R...