Dance to Heal the Earth

When I emerged from the devastating Oso, Washington mudslideon mARCH 22, 2014 (Spring Equinox), Mother gave me a new assignment. She told me that people all over the earth needed to re-connect with her, offer themselves in service and celebration, in gratitude and celebration for all the Great Mother gives us. “How do I do that?” I questioned.

Shortly after, an artist named Jim Nelson, sent this beautiful painting titled, “Earth Mother Dancing”. When I saw the painting, I thought, “That’s me, emerging from the mud!” And I saw the Dance.

Thirty years ago, a Medicine Man told me the first Dances belonged to the women, and were done in celebration of life. A short while after receiving this painting, I read something a Cherokee Elder, Dee Smith, had written:

“Whenever you dance, wherever you dance, dance to heal the earth! Dancing is power. Dancing is prayer. Some say that all is dance. Maybe. Now there’s a big dance coming, a dance to heal the earth. If you’re reading this, you’re probably part of it. You take part whenever you do whatever you do to help heal the earth. When you recycle. When you choose to show love, to fight for justice, to bring healing, to bring out what is good in others. When you avoid cruelty and dishonesty and waste. When you are outraged. When you speak out. When you give. When you consider the generations to come. When you protest to the oppressors and encourage those who feel the cutting edge of injustice. And, of course, when you dance. There is a tree that all the prophets see, and whenever you let your love show, you make the flowers grow. Soon this dance will be done in a big way, in the old way, on sacred ground.”

And so we dance. We’ve already danced in South Africa, America and Europe. And we will continue to dance. This Dance is Sacred. It is profound Ceremony. It is a gift of our bodies, in fasting and in prayer, to Mother Earth. It is a quest, to understand our personal gifts, contributions and service to Mother Earth and All Our Relatives.

As with all ceremony, the whole village participates. Whether we’re helping in the kitchen, gathering wood for the sacred fires, supporting the dancers with our prayers, we receive the same blessings as those who dance for us. Our prayers and service are as important, as needed, and as fulfilling, as those who lead and those who dance.

We invite you to join us. Dancers will fast from food for two days, and supporters will eat for the Dancers as well as themselves. We will all purify in Sweat Lodge, support with our gifts and service. We Dance to the Tree of Life, in seven rounds ~ East, our New Beginning; South, our Passion and Purpose: West, to Release and Heal; North, in Honor of our Ancestors; Above, to Connect to Source; Below, to Ground Intention, and Within, to Integrate All That Lives.

If you’re called to join us, please visit our website, or contact our organizers: Gonda in the Netherlands; Susan in Illinois, Gerri in South Africa, and Steve in Thailand.