The Sun is high in the sky and shines on the hills of the Catskill Mountains, upstate New York.
Here in the Tibetan Buddhist Retreat of Menla the last gathering of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers will start tomorrow.
A few days ago we have left The Netherlands to join his last gathering. We want to express our Gratitude to these Grandmothers for bringing their Wisdom to the Western world.
Wisdom about: how to live a good life. To live our life in reciprocity and with the consciousness of Oneness.
Wisdom that can lead us to a world in Peace.
We were yearning already for so long for this Wisdom.
A Wisdom that is universal and that we had forgotten in our materialistic world.
We also wanted to ask for the Blessing of the Grandmothers for the new circle of Grandmothers in the Netherlands: ‘The Grandmothers of the Lowlands’.
In 2004 The Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers were called together. Many women from all over the world had the same vision as the Hopi had.
They were asked to share their most secret ways with the world. In order to save the world as we know it.
The Grandmothers worried about their younger generation that could not find their rightful place in society.
They saw the pollution and the wars that were going on.
They knew about climate change.
The world was in chaos.
That is why these brave women travelled to many places. They have initiated us in their secret ways and they touched our hearts.
Now many Grandmothers are of old age and cannot travel the way they used to anymore.
Grandmother Beatrice has passed away in March this year and the Grandmothers want to honour their Sister.
This will be the last time they will come together in this formation.
Joke and I are walking on the road in Phoenicia looking for a place to drink our coffee. We just sat down when Joke said; “Look, at the other site of the river there is a bear”
We had heard of bears living in Phoenicia. but seeing the animal so close made me afraid.
I would rather run away than looking at her and taking a picture.
It came to me only later how special this encounter was. Because in the traditional way the spirit of the bear stands for:
strength and confidence.
Standing against adversity; taking action and leadership.
The spirit of the bear indicates it’s time for healing or using healing abilities.
The bear medicine emphasizes the importance of solitude, quiet time, rest.
The spirit of the bear provides strong grounding forces.
Grandmother Marie Alice told us later that weekend the story about her encounter with an animal in the Amazon rainforest that came towards her in a threatening way. She said she would never have expected to meet this mythical creature. And she reacted very frightened and at the same time she realized and acknowledged the animal as an authority of the rainforest. And she bowed to him en told him hat she came in peace.
The animal accepted her and she could continue her path.
The encounter with the bear and the story of Grandmother Marie Alice made me realize that one can look at reality in so many different levels.
It humbled me and made me feel Grateful.
This is one of the many special moments that we experienced with the Grandmothers.
We would be in a whirl of excitement the coming 3 days. All Grandmothers lead a Ceremony and their prayers had so much power that they touched all the hearts.
They set all in motion.
Creation to Completion was the theme of this gathering
It was definitely a healing experience for each and everyone of us.
The remembrance of Grandmother Beatrice was an essential part of the healing.
Her family and all the Grandmothers honored her in a very moving way that was so healing for everyone present.
Once we were home again, images and feelings from all the experiences we had, popped up.
The call from Grandmother Agnes, to honor all our waters, thank it and speak to it, was so moving.
Water from our mother’s womb, water that can hear us. Water that longs for our loving words, so it can be healing for all of us.
The wonderful water ceremony of Grandmother Marie Alice in all its Beauty and its grounding energy, with all the songs sang by her daughter.
The power of Prayer that we could experience of Grandmother Julieta with attracted so many dragonflies, holy messengers of change.
Grandmother Tsering totally at peace, sending so much Love in all her vulnerability.
We have so much to be Grateful for that the Grandmothers gave us and will give us.
Lets get together as women to find our way back to a good and honest life. We all have longed this for such a long time already.
So that we can take others also along with us on our way to a better World.
For more information on the Grandmothers of the Lowlands
Or phone: Joke Steenvoorden 0640531824 or Marjan Pattje 0622456848
