Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt-marvelous error!-
That a spring was breaking
Out in my heart.
I said: Along which secret aqueduct,
Oh water, are you coming to me,
Water of a new life
That I have never drunk?
Last night as I was sleeping,
I dreamt-marvelous error!-
That I had a beehive
Here inside my heart.
And the golden bees were making white combs
And sweet honey
From my old failures.
By Antonio Machado (version by Robert Bly)
Greetings friends~
May the blessings and blossomings of spring be upon you in full bloom. To notice, share, celebrate, honor, tend and reciprocate the inherent beauty of this world is essential in these times of emergency as in all times. I think of the Chinese character which means both crisis and opportunity, and the Tzutujil Mayan word that means both grief and praise. We are in this time of The Great Unraveling and the Great Turning, as Buddhist activist Joanna Macy refers to our current global situation. The world is falling apart and being re-membered simultaneously. We do not know the outcome. Only the path, and the necessity of heart, courage and togetherness. I am also reminded of the teaching story where a young person is listening to their grandmother about the two wolves that live inside of each of us, one is vicious and afraid and the other full of compassion. The child asks, "which wolf will make it through?" The grandmother responds, "whichever one you feed."
This is a brief note to let you know about upcoming opportunities to grow heart, courage, compassion and togetherness in times like ours, of beauty and trouble: a weekend retreat in the foothills near Santa Barbara at the end of June, a series of talks/councils locally, two youth programs I am involved in this summer- California Global Youth Peace Summit (June), and a two week Immersion with the Institute for Emerging Visionaries (August). I have included the links to these last two transformational experiences for young people in case you know young ones to send, want to volunteer your time, or are moved to consider a financial contribution. This goes as well for the links described at the bottom of this message under "...Other Tidbits" - Earth Guardians and Wisdom Weavers.
Thanks so much.
with heart,
Alexis
Upcoming Events
Weekend Retreat: Remembering the Gift - Honoring the Call
June 28 Friday 2pm- June 30 Sunday 4pm
This weekend camping retreat brings together any one interested in the well being of people and planet, to learn, grow and heal, and receive the nourishment and inspiration needed to continue to show up and honor the call of the soul to bring forth what is alive in us toward the repair of the world. It is an opportunity to be in a beautiful natural setting in a supportive, inclusive community, and delve into best practices for remembering the gift of this life, and the gifts we have to share. Ritual, singing, listening and sharing, nature based practices, shared meals, living outside, and more will be the container of our time together, to hold our love and our grief, and the full range of our human experience.
REGISTER HERE by JUNE 10
June 23, July 21, August 25, September 29, 2019
Sundays 3pm - 5pm ~ for 4 months
Yoga Soup, Santa Barbara, CA
Come to one or all for a sequential arc of deepening
We will unite in a shared context of our love for the world and common care for people and planet, to build connection and courage for bringing forth what is most alive in us in response to a world in need of repair. We have unique gifts to share, as well as obstacles that prevent us from our natural and full expression. We need community and containment to see and be seen and explore our basic humanity. We will engage our love and heartbreak, questions of purpose and participation, and simple practices to listen to ourselves and each other. The theme will vary each month and the form will remain more or less the same.
June 23: The Heart Broken Open
July 21: Belonging, Shame and the Trance of Separation
August 25: Hearing the Cries of the World
Sept 29: Resiliency, Courage and Sharing Our Gifts
REGISTER HERE
Women's Group: Initiatory Mentorship
June 23, July 20, August 31, September 28, October 26
10am - 5pm
Santa Barbara, CA
One daylong a month for 5 months
Come together in shared kinship around healing, vocation, love, obstacles, vulnerability, authenticity and transformation, with a commitment to look together at what is calling each of us, internally and in the world. Where our soul's calling meets the call of the world. What if anything gets in our way. Welcoming home the outcasts, in service of a revolution of love. Truly sistering each other into our own becoming on behalf of what we love. It is important to have community, support and guidance to activate our true nature and gifts.
For more information and registration, please email infowildbelonging@gmail.com (not on website).
July 11-17, 2019
Tara Mandala Retreat Center, Pagosa Springs, CO
A week in the wilderness for youth 12-18, embedded in the annual family retreat program at Tara Mandala.
Saturday, September TBD, 9:30am-6pm
Santa Barbara, CA
An opportunity to honor our personal and collective grief with regards to the sorrows of the world, loss of loved ones, ancestral grief, trauma, places in ourselves that have not known love, what we expected and did not receive, and the reality that everything we love, we will lose.
REGISTRATION COMING SOON
Mundane Miracles, Holy Wonders & Other Tidbits
PEOPLE AND ORGS TO KNOW & TRACK - YOUTH AND INDIGENOUS VOICES
Young climate activist - Greta Thunberg
“This ongoing irresponsible behaviour will no doubt be remembered in history as one of the greatest failures of humankind....You lied to us. You gave us false hope. You told us that the future was something to look forward to.”
"We inspire, galvanize, and train diverse youth to be effective leaders in the climate and social justice movement - using art, music, storytelling, civic engagement & legal action to advance solutions to the critical issues we face as a global community."
Inspired by the vision of Alaskan Unangan traditional and environmental leader, Ilarion (Kuuyux) Merculieff, invitations were sent out to gather Elders from the four directions to sit in council and hold ceremonies for the purpose of deep listening to the wisdom streams that were ready to be shared. Over ten thousand years ago, Elders at that time knew that a great imbalance was coming, so the original instructions of how to live in harmony as one Earth family were partially hidden by a wave of forgetting to keep them safe. Each group of people had enough wisdom to survive and continue on, but no one people had all of the knowledge once available to them.
It is time NOW, many Elders from around the world agree, to reweave the original instructions by coming together and sharing their unique cultural ways that are each a piece in the puzzle with much overlapping wisdom. With Earth's living systems being stressed and dishonored in new extremes, we must come together to weave a new story and new awakened presence as one Earth family in harmony with all of our relations, if human beings are to continue on this Earth.
We invite you to explore a new way of living, being guided by our hearts, with each and every unique heart beating together in the great song of creation.
POEM
Clearing
by Martha Postlewaite
Do not try to save
the whole world
or do anything grandiose.
Instead, create
a clearing
in the dense forest
of your life
and wait there
patiently,
until the song
that is your life
falls into your own cupped hands
and you recognize and greet it.
Only then will you know
how to give yourself
to this world
so worth of rescue.
“Survival of humanity depends on educating the hearts of children.”
– His Holiness the Dalai Lama