Sacred Politics: From Conflict and Division to Unity in Diversity

The dance of politics, like the dance of life, can feel complicated. Opposites may seem like the enemy, but they don’t have to be.
How do we find our center in a polarized world? Can we transform opposites into complementary partners, like women and men do in a successful marriage?

Yes, we can, but it is also inevitable that things will break down at some point; they do even in the best of marriages, causing a crisis. This is what is happening in America today. We are in crisis mode.

Every crisis poses both danger and opportunity – but to find the opportunity we must be patient. A desperate attempt to immediately exit the crisis only worsens it. Something like this happens when a nation chooses totalitarianism, attempting to clarify national identity by excluding certain types of people.

There are more effective ways through a crisis – in which diverse people and practices are welcomed and included in the circle; in which different views are listened to for the purpose of understanding, not to defend a position; and out of which a higher level of peace and harmony is created.

For peace and harmony to abide, however, we must go beyond the human level and connect to the wisdom that bubbles up from the land herself. It is this underground spring of perennial wisdom that was originally transmitted to Native Americans, who then transmitted it to our founding fathers. The founders may have started us on a good path, but their work was not finished; they left it up to the people to form a more perfect union.

We invite you to join us as we gather on the sacred land of our Iroquois ancestors at Menla, itself a sacred valley formed by an ancient meteor crater. We will utilize powerful ceremony (water, fire, and pipe); deep dialogue; prayer; “forest bathing” (conscious Nature walking); and dreamwork, all designed to create a microcosm of a more perfect union through embracing the diverse beauty of the participants.

Schedule of Events*

Friday, October 5^th, 2018
4pm: Opening ceremony
6pm: Dinner
7:30pm: Introduction to Ceremony from Susan – Fire Ceremony
Introductions and Storytelling by the Fire

Saturday, October 6^th, 2018
8am: Breakfast
9am-10am: Susan: Water Ceremony
10-11:15am Glenn: Toward a Sacred Politics
11:15-11:30am Break
11:30-12:30 Susan: Role of Native Women in Sacred Community
12:30-1:30pm Lunch
2-5:30pm Group Dialogue:
6pm Dinner
7:30-9:30pm Dream Group/Drum Journey into Dreamland

Sunday, October 7^th, 2018
8am: Breakfast
9-9:30am: Check out of rooms
9:30am-12:30pm Nature Walk/Dialogue/Questions/Closing Pipe Ceremony
* schedule of events subject to minor changes