Sunray Meditation Society

Wisdom Streams from the Sky -- Webcasts with Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo. First webcast this Saturday, March 19th, at 3pm Eastern Daylight Time

2011-03-13T22:03:00.000-07:00

Hello friends,

This coming Saturday, March 19th, at 3 pm, Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo is going to be offering a live webcast from the Adawi Temple at the Sunray Peace Village. You can watch by going to the Sunray website, http://www.sunray.org/. The broadcast will be shown in the top center of the home page. We would encourage people to show their appreciation and support these webcasts by making a donation.

Venerable Dhyani is going to speak for up to 90 minutes, and will lead people through the Medicine Wheel Mandala practice. It is a very volatile time, and this practice helps stabilize the mind and one's surroundings.

Please join us! And please invite others to watch. This will be our first public webcast.

Thank you.

We need your help -- to bring webcasting of Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo to the world

2010-11-13T17:07:00.000-08:00

Hello friend,

We need your help. As soon as we are able to -- by January 2011 -- we would like to begin webcasting Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo teaching live every month from the Adawi Temple at the Sunray Peace Village. After each live broadcast, we hope to make a taped version available, and even an audio version that could be downloaded into your MP3 player.

We intend to broadcast these teachings without charge, so that the widest possible audience can view them -- indeed, anyone in the world who has internet access should be able to watch -- and to manifest the greatest potential benefits.

To sustain these broadcasts, and to sustain Venerable's teachings in the world, we are going to ask anyone who is touched by her teachings and is able to donate to make a regular sustaining pledge. To make this work, monthly or quarterly pledges will be most beneficial, at whatever level one can afford to give.

Sustaining funds are needed to not only cover the costs of running the broadcasts -- which might cost a couple hundred dollars each month for broadband, videography, broadcasting, and website charges -- but to support Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo so that she can teach.

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That's the preview.

To bring us to the point where we can launch this project to the world, we need some seed money. The seed money will enable us to upgrade the website so it can host the webcasts after they have been broadcast live, set up a smooth system for people to make sustaining pledges, and cover broadcasting expenses for several months until our viewership and support levels are able to sustain us into the future.

We would like to raise $3,000 or more, of which we have already raised more than $2,000. If you would like to make a financial contribution to launch the webcasting of Venerable Dhyani, please make a tax deductible gift here. Just write "webcasting" on the purpose line.

We would also love volunteers who would like to work on this project going forward. If you would like to help, please e-mail Brian at bjsiebel@msn.com and he will find a way to plug you in.

Thank you. We hope you are as excited as we are about this opportunity to bring Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo's teachings to more and more people. Please make a gift to help bring this about.

Wadogh,

Brian J. Siebel
President, Sunray Meditation Society

Sunray Peace Village blog is our main blog -- Sunray.org is our website

2010-07-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

This is just a reminder that we have moved our blogging activity to http://www.sunraypeacevillage.blogspot.com/. You should also visit our website, http://www.sunray.org/, to sign up for our events, or to download audio teachings.

2010 Elders Gathering -- We Are Relatives in the Dance of One

2010-05-10T22:40:00.000-07:00

Click here for more information.

You may register for the 2010 Elders Gathering here.

The new Sunray Meditation Society website is now live

2010-05-08T16:49:00.000-07:00

You can find it at http://www.sunray.org/. Check it out. Feel free to post any feedback or comments you have here, or at our Sunray Peace Village blog here.

Please visit the Sunray Peace Village blog

2010-03-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

Thank you for visiting the Sunray Meditation Society blog. We are working on a new website for http://www.sunray.org/ that we hope to have up and running shortly. In the meantime, we have decided to post new events and announcements on the Sunray Peace Village blog rather than continue updating this parallel blog for Sunray Meditation Society. Please click here to find it.

Wadogh!

Peacekeeper teachings upcoming in Boston April 10-11

2010-03-20T17:13:00.000-07:00

New cycle of Peacekeeper Teachings. All are welcome.
April 10-11 in Boston area.
Contact lucieleb@aol.com or caoller@comcast.net.

There is also ongoing Tuesday night practice.
People of like mind and heart who are interested e-mail: Rev. Chonyi Richard Allen ra@oddiyana.org.

Friends Making New Ceremony on March 13th at the Peace Village

2010-03-09T20:41:00.000-08:00

Crystal Vision. This Friends Making New Ceremony, which occurs during the new moon of March, is a potent community celebration actualizing the energy of the forgiveness meditation for the benefit of the family, the clan, the nation, the land.

•Stick Dance at 7:30 AM
•Lighting of the Sacred Fire
•Prayers and offerings
•Dance and Basic Meditation practice

Special practices for this Ceremony may be offered in the Sacred Arbor, the stream or in The Temple of the Adawees, depending on weather.

•Lunch 12-3
•Re-gather at 3 PM for practice
•Special dances, hymns and crystal viewing at 4 PM
•Dedication and closing at 5:30 PM

Please bring rain gear and dress in layers, slippers for Temple, shawls and rattles, blankets for the babies and children.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Ani Tsultrim's Memorial Ceremony, March 14, 3pm, at Vajra Dakini Nunnery

2010-03-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

We gather Sunday March 14th at 3pm at Vajra Dakini to remember our beloved Ani Tsultrim. We will begin with prayers - a traditional 49th day ceremony, tell stories and conclude with a feast. Please bring vegetarian food to share.

When a family member dies it is considered most meritorious on the 49th day and beneficial to the loved one's fortunate rebirth, to make offerings to monastics, sponsor statues, paintings, lasting things that will generate merit for many beings. In this spirit, Vajra Dakini is starting the Ani Tsultrim Legacy Fund to fund and name a nun's room after Ani Tsultrim! Contributions can be made online or sent to PO Box 382 Bristol, VT 05443.

Khenmo Drolma
Abbess

Spring Into Spirit -- March 14 -- in Dorchester, MA

2010-03-03T07:41:00.000-08:00

SPRING into Spirit

East Coast Chant celebrates the coming of Spring. Together we will make new ways of being in the world by washing away misgivings and misunderstandings in all our relations with self and others; giving and receiving forgiveness in our lives; making fresh new spaces in our relations with self and others so we can Dance in a new way with the Soul’s divine expression of right relations .~~ Join us for Spirit-filled Music, participatory Chants, and a Healing Ritual that will jump-start the spiritual makeover you’ve been longing for.~~ Afterwards, we'll share an informal pot luck and our personal stories of love, miracles and healing.

Date: Sunday, March 14, 2009 Time: 5-7 pm*

Place: Gallery G at The Black Indian Inn,
38 Bicknell St., Dorchester MA, 02121
(for map and more info visit: http://blackindianinn.com/)

Tickets: $15 at the door;
$12.60 if purchased in advance at:
http://eastcoastchant031410.eventbrite.com/

Bring: a food item or non-alcoholic beverage to share that you’ve made or purchased with love.

East Coast Chant is led by Tonia Pinheiro with musicians Mark Nathanson and Ukumbwa Sauti. It’s a "cosmic cabaret" and soul stirring experience with songs, chants, spontaneous dance, healing journeys, and world service designed by Spirit to awaken the Soul. The entire experience is woven together by musicians and audience with threads of Light, Sound, Love, and Shared Purpose. http://eastcoastchant.com/

*NOTES: Please arrive on time to experience the opening invocation. A $3 Gallery G donation is included in the ticket price.

Meditation and ceremonial practices in the greater Boston area

2010-03-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

Meditation

Tonight meditation will be held in the large gallery first floor of the Inn. 38 Bicknell Street Dorchester 02121. Doors will open at 6:30 PM for the sharing of food. 7:15 we begin the practice ( please ware lose fitting warm comfortable clothing.)

For those that take the T, The Black Indian Inn Shuttle will pick-up people at Forest Hills and Ashmont Stations to reserve a ride Call 857-492-1070 by 5:30 PM leave a message with a return phone number.

Saturday Morning Sun Rise
March 13th

Friends and Family are joyfully invited to Brookline Reservoir in Brookline, Mass. The Reservoir is located at the junction of Route 9 and Lee Street 1 block from Chestnut Hill Avenue.

Celeberate the Cherokee Ceremonal cycle under the guidance of the Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo.By doing celebrations and prayers we can help heal and benefit the whole planet.

We gather to generate love and manifest wisdom mind. We return kindness to the land, our ancestors, and All of Our Relations with prayers of appreciation for seven genration of the ceremonial cycle is a continuation of the SunrayGreen Mountain Ani Yunwiwa seasonal celeberation.

Please bring drums, rattles, and something to sit on. If you have any questions or want to make a committment to support the Celebration Cycle contact Tita.

US State Department "LISTENING SESSIONS" for Indigenous Peoples, Tribes and Community Members

2010-02-26T18:32:00.000-08:00

Dear Sunray Community,

I thought the following information would be of interest. I got this information from the International Indian Council http://www.treatycouncil.org/ where you can find more specifics.

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The United States of America became a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in 2009 and will be reviewed for the first time this year by the HRC's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process in November 2010. Under the UPR all 192 UN member States (countries) are reviewed every 4 years to assess compliance with their obligations to respect and implement human rights for all. The review is based on each country's national report as well as independent submissions from "civil society stakeholders" including Indigenous Peoples.

The US State Department has arranged "listening sessions" across the country, including 2 planned specifically for Indigenous Peoples and Nations, to receive input for its national report. Indigenous Peoples, Nations and organizations are invited and encouraged to participate in any of these meetings.

The current national schedule:

1. New York City Date: Feb. 26, Location: Columbia University and proposed site visits
2. Dearborn, MI Date: March 3 (TBC) Location: (TBC)
3. El Paso, Texas Date: March 8 - 9, Location: Camino Real Hotel
4. Birmingham, Al Date: March 11 - 12, Location: Miles College
5. New Mexico Date: March 16-17, Locations: UNM Law School (16th): Window Rock, Navajo Nation (17th)
6. Chicago, Il Date: March (TBC), Location: TBC
7. San Francisco, Ca Date: March 25 - 26, Location: USF Law School (SF) and/or Boalt Hall (UC Berkeley) (TBC)

In some cases meeting sites and/or local contact organizations are still being worked out. A good person to contact for more information is Sarah Paoletti, Senior Coordinator for the US Human Rights Network UPR Project. She can be reached at: paoletti@law.upenn.edu

Whether or not you can provide input directly for the US National report through these "listening sessions", Indigenous Peoples and other "stakeholders" can also submit their own written statements to the Office of the High Commission on Human Rights presenting concerns, questions and recommendations about the activities of the US government which are impacting their human rights. UPRsubmissions@ohchr.org

In Peace,
Sandy Sheridan
Sunray NGO/UN Representative

H.H. Drikung Kabgyon Chetsang Rinpoche to come to the Sunray Peace Village and Consecrate Vajra Dakini Nunnery September 11-12, 2010

2010-02-26T18:21:00.000-08:00

Consecration of Vajra Dakini Nunnery

September 11-12, 2010

H.H Drikung Kabgyon Chetsang Rinpoche

Please join us in celebrating the consecration of the first Tibetan Buddhist Nunnery in North America on Sept 11 &12, 2010.

His Holiness Drikung Kabgyon Chetsang Rinpoche, supreme head of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage, will conduct the consecration of Vajra Dakini Nunnery and the White Tara statue and temple. Attendees will be offered an empowerment of White Tara, the healing and long-life female emanation of Buddha.

You are welcome to help us prepare for this event by:

Sponsoring H.H. Chetsang Rinpoche, his entourage and the monastic dignitaries
Helping on the White Tara Shrine raising weekend (date TBA)
Painting the retreat cabin for H.H. Chetsang Rinpoche
Landscaping (windfall trees) and gardening
During the event: driving, ushering, cooking and serving

In addition, in July, on a date to be set, the White Tara Shrine will be placed at the Peace Village. On September 9, HH Chetsang Rinpoche will visit the Peace Village. We will keep you informed.

To help directly with these projects, visit http://www.vajradakininunnery.org/

(The Vajra Dakini Nunnery is located 1/3 mile down the road from the Sunray Peace Village. Eventually, a new nunnery will be built at the Peace Village.)

Please share the news of these auspicious events.

Million Merit Holiday -- February 28th at the Vajra Dakini Nunnery

2010-02-26T18:10:00.000-08:00

Please Join us in celebrating the first Million Merit Holiday of 2010. Sunday Feb 28th commemorates the days of miracles that Buddha Sakayamuni manifested after his enlightenment and in our tradition, Marpa and Milarepa. Bring vegetarian fare to share for lunch. A very good day to make offerings to the Three Jewels as the merit is considered to be multiplied by 10,000,000!!!!

8:00 am. Smoke Offering

9:30 am. Calm Abiding and Tonglen Meditation

Pot Luck Lunch

1-4 pm. Preparing Mantras for the White Tara Statue and readings from the life of Marpa and Milarepa

6 pm. 49th Day Andy Tobey's Father Ralph Herbert Tobey

Khenmo Drolma
Abbess
Vajra Dakini Nunnery

American Federation of Teachers Video on Vermont Health Professionals' Haiti Disaster Relief

2010-02-26T16:15:00.000-08:00

With big thanks for all of your prayers and support. It made a difference.

Mari Cordes

A Prayer for the Spirit

2010-02-22T20:31:00.000-08:00

Download Elizabeth Siebel - A Prayer For The Spirit

(Right click to open music in a new tab so you can read and listen at the same time.)

I am not your friend, I am your maker.

The light and the dark, the one true creator.

The leaf of the tree and the soil of the earth,

the wet of the water and the flame of the hearth.

Trust in me, for eternal love.

Trust in me, the one above.

The wind on the wing of the sparrow.

The blood surrounding the marrow.

A star in the sky, a moon, a sun.

A galaxy burning, a world still turning.

I am your life, I am your maker,

let us be one, let us be one.

Deep Peace and the Healing of the World

2010-02-21T20:59:00.000-08:00

An 8-session self-study program on treasure teachings from the seven stars. With Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo, Dr. Louise Diamond, and Ministers of Sunray Meditation Society. To order this wonderful audio program, please click here.

Diane Patterson's "Grandmother's Tour" -- part two

2010-02-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

To read this post on the Sunray Peace Village blog, click here.

Community sustainability report -- next meeting March 11th

2010-02-19T12:55:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, February 18, the second monthly meeting was held to discuss community sustainability. Present were Robert Rex, Kelly LeCain, Madeleine Piat-Landholt and Rev. Tori Hovde.

Please read the notes here from the first meeting. The decision was made to move the monthly meeting to the second Thursday of the month. Next meeting then will be MARCH 11 at 7:30 PM, in the Temple of the Adawees.

Madeleine talked about the possibility of attending the next meeting of Seed Savers. Rev. Tori made lists of first aid supplies needed for each family, as well as a list of herbal first aid items (created by our friend Annie McCleary).

It is time to energize the teams! Find a way to join in! Each group,which is described in the first meeting (see this link) has a focalizer with contact info.

•THE PLANT TEAM. Focalized by Madeleine. Contact her: redbear@gmavt.net
•THE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY TEAM. Focalized by Robert : robert_rex@gmavt.net
•THE SURVIVAL RESOURCES AND EDUCATION TEAM. Jim Vyhnak: vyhnak@sover.net
•THE ALTERNATE SCENARIOS TEAM. Dechen Rheault: reiedinst@gmavt.net
•INFORMATION SHARING TEAM. Rev. Louise Diamond: diamond@louisediamond.com
•MEDICINE/HEALING TEAM. Rev. Tori: vhovde@gmavt.net

Please take responsibility NOW to contact a focalizer(s) to let them know that you want to join. The focalizers will inform each person about their team meeting and the whole community will meet on the second Thursday of the month with a practice at 7:30 and meeting at 8 PM.

NEXT MEETING MARCH 11!

ALL ARE WELCOME. SHARE THIS WITH FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY!

Wadogh!

Peace,
Rev. Tori

Tibetan/Cherokee New Year weekend, Sat-Sun Feb 13-14

2010-02-08T06:36:00.000-08:00

Click on image to enlarge.

Bittersweet goodbyes -- a parting report from Haiti

2010-02-05T10:59:00.000-08:00

Some of you may not know me; I'm an RN (on the left) who lives in Lincoln and works at Fletcher Allen. I wanted to share a little about the experience I and my colleagues have had assisting with disaster relief for the Haitian people. We have teams lined up to continue the effort through March. Please consider supporting the continuation of the wonderful work our Vermont team has been doing by donating to the Vermont Haiti Project (please designate as for Vermont Haiti Relief - union). Thanks in advance.......

I’m writing to you on my last night in Jimani; feebly attempting to discover a metaphor that would describe any part of this slice of time in this spot on our planet. It’s an impossible task; I can only share what in the telling seems like brief episodes of a two dimensional mini- series compared to actuality. And I’m feeling very sad.

I’m not sure exactly how long I’ve been down here. I believe it’s been between 2 and 3 weeks. Down here = on a hot dusty piece of real estate owned by folks from Tennessee who set up a hospital, clinic and orphanage called “Good Samaritan” or “Buen Samaritano” in Spanish, in the border town of Jimani, Dominican Republic. We can see Haiti from our “home”. After the earthquake, Haitians began crossing the border into Jimani any way they could, looking for emergent medical assistance. At first it was completely disorganized, however they could get a ride, and some of them walked. Eventually earthquake victims were sent here by helicopter and ambulance as well.

Buen Samaritano was inactive at the time of the earthquake. The systems and supplies sprang up almost immediately, and were ever-evolving as more patients and volunteers arrived. As I write, we have 2 highly functioning, though primitive, operating rooms with PACU, 2 pharmacies, digital xray at the orphanage and fluoroscopy at the main building; we’ve been staffed with ortho and trauma providers, nurses, EMTs and paramedics; infectious disease, ob-gyn, plastics, physical therapy, psychology, and more.

As soon as we arrived, our prayers were answered: we were able to do what we came here to do - work really hard (and, serendipitously, fall in love with these amazing people). Initially, we worked 7 twelve hour shifts in a row (both day and night crews did – I would not recommend it, but it mostly worked).

The heat and the sweat were incidental. The aching feet eventually became so as well. The 12 hour day shifts passed very quickly for the staff because there was so much to be done. For the patients I think the days must have been endless, like a nightmarish Groundhog Day. The nights dragged on for some as well, who couldn’t stop thinking about how their family members died, how they tried to get their children and parents and siblings out of the rubble, but couldn’t.

At the beginning, the Vermont team was caring for 40-55 patients in the post-surgical ward A (other Vermonters were in PACU or ICU), sometimes with only 2 RNs or EMTs or med students, and if we were fortunate, 3 or 4. We begin every shift rounding on every patient, managing pain, doing assessments, and taking notes for that day’s plan of care. Rounds typically took up to 3 hours when the census was high, because patients always had immediate needs. Family members would also come get us when their loved ones needed something. After rounds, we would start doing dressing changes on the major abrasions, avulsions, amputations, and pin care on the external fixation devices. We had no xray for at least 10 days: external fixation was performed by landmark and physical assessment. When we finally got the digital xray, every patient had films taken, and many had fixation adjustments or revisions. Some had undiscovered fractures. And then we planned for and assisted with mobility, bowel management, and chronic medical problems. And get up and do it again - Amen.

The family members with each patient are as heroic as the patients. We could not have done our work without them. We were able to leave supplies of medications, even opiate analgesics, with instructions at the bedside – because the patients and the families were incredibly responsible. The families bathed the patients, and assisted with toileting.

Three weeks ago, most patients were afraid to move. Many were afraid to be taken to the operating room because they might find a part of their body missing when they awoke. Yesterday and today, I witnessed two sights (among many the past few weeks) that were a holy balm for the accumulated ache moving through my heart for all of this suffering.

The first – I was with a patient on the front porch of the orphanage when I heard someone call my name. I looked up to see, waving at me, twenty something year old Wilfred with his new above the knee amputation, beautiful twenty something year old Chantel with her new complete arm amputation, and feisty twenty something year old Emmanuel with her new below the knee amputation all walking together outside of their cardboard/bedsheet ‘shantytown’. I hadn’t seen them out of their cots together since I’d been there. They’d overcome their fear of mobilizing, and were so excited to be walking about together, like they were all going out on the town. Indescribable joy.

The second – I visited a similar disaster relief clinic in Haiti today called Love a Child, about an hours drive away (depending on the traffic). We have gradually been discharging patients from Buen Samaritano to Love a Child (previously a well established orphanage). Amos Hare and I rode on a school bus there today with more of our discharged patients there, including 14 year old Lorentia, and her mother Saintenise. Saintenise also has a 3 month old baby who she hasn’t seen since the earthquake; both Lorentia and her mother have left fractured femurs with external fixators and were sent to Buen Samaritano while the father and the baby had to stay in Haiti. Today – Saintenise and her baby were reunited – as was the whole family. Indescribable joy.

For most of them, the future beyond physical rehabilitation in Love a Child or any other clinic is a colossal unknown. And still, they gave us such grand affection and love, and grew to trust us immensely. This alone was a magnificent gift and honor, one that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Though I’m using first person narrative, it is not my story - it is theirs. I will probably never see these people again. I remind myself that this great beauty in this great tragedy is a collection of moments that continue to pass all of us by, and that grasping to the feelings or to our new friends will only diminish the power of the love and insight that has passed between us.

Mari Cordes

Here is some music from emergency room patients. Click to download.

Peacekeeper training in Munchen, Deutschland

2010-02-03T14:24:00.000-08:00

Peacekeeper Training

Weekends, 20 to 21 Feb. 2010, 10 to 11
April 2010, Sat 10:00 am to Sun 16:00
Life Garden - Growth Area 80336 Munich, Mathildenstr.12

(Translated by Google toolbar.)

Sunray Peace Project Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo, Spiritual director

The highlighted action is guided by three principles:

Implement the will perceive the mystery as it is the intention of its own goals for the benefit of all the courage to try and do that which we need to do.

The Peacekeeper Training is based on the teachings of Ywahoo line of the Cherokee and the Drikung Kagyu and Nyingma schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo, Whose vision of the Peacekeeper-back training, is in 27th generation of priestly guardian of the knowledge of their people. In Bristol, Vermont, she maintains a peace village, where in summer the teachings of the Cherokee and the Tibetans are taught and practiced. There is also the first Drikung Kagyu nunnery in the U.S.. For further interest: http://www.sunray.org/

It is managed by Angelika Peacekeeper Training Salberg. She is a teacher in the traditional Ywahoo. She is assisted by Dr. Hanna Mührl she is the healer SUNRAY School of Healing Arts. Both are prepared for 20 years by the Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo And trained for this task.

The time is calling us to bring peace into our own lives, and emissions into the family, community, contribute to the world consciousness enhanced dimension in the awareness of the connected-satisfaction of all, we walk in the Peacekeeper training in learning practice, practice apply and everyday, our mind and body cleanse, clarify, strengthen and align. Thus the development of our potential is encouraged and provoked the memory of the original, radiant wisdom.

We are born of Mother Earth, Father Sky inspired by it. Spirals sent us out, we climb to the stars, sun and moon balance, are supported by the qualities of the directions, become one with the universe ...

... return back to our daily lives, take care to implement in practice, the guardians of peace-keeping in action and attitude.

Peacekeeper training means a process of physical and mental training in a group based on the centuries-old teachings of the Cherokee and Tibetan.

Meditations, visualizations,

Physical exercises, singing, dancing, rhythm, ritual craft ...

... intended to clarify the mind and body for a clear and conscious life activity within the human community and creation.

Connectedness is experienced, explored and shared Actively.

We activate our inner wisdom-heitspotential. A network is created, established in our relationship between heaven and earth.

On the basis of willingness, compassion and active work force, we Ensure peace and harmony in ourselves, in the hearts of the people and the earth.

Price: 200, - euros, plus room rental and materials.

Registration (until 13.2.10) Sunray Peace Project, Dr. Hanna Mührl Klenzestr. 59 a

80469 Munich

089/2606099 Email: mailto:hanna.muehrl@gmx.de

I hereby register for the Peacekeeper training at 20 to 21 February 2010 and 10-to 11.4.2010.

Shortly before the start of the first weekend, there is a newsletter by email!

Church singing from Haiti

2010-01-31T20:59:00.000-08:00

In Haiti today, Sunday morning. The man in the picture on the left sitting in front of us in church (we visited briefly on our way to love a child) was rejoicing loudly because he was in the earthquake with his family, and no one was hurt - especially relieved about his children. Unbelievable the sound of Big Love emanating from the hearts and throats of these strong, lovely people. Click here to download and listen.

Dechen Mari

Sunray activities at the United Nations

2010-01-28T19:46:00.000-08:00

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

August 10, 2009

At UN Headquarters in New York the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is celebrated with traditional indigenous ceremonies and performances by indigenous musicians and panels and workshops on various topics. This year the event was held Monday, Aug. 10, 2009 on the theme of HIV/AIDS. There was a cultural performance by the Crimean Tatar Dance Ensemble and a panel discussion with Tonya Gonella Frichner, (Onondaga) Member of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Bertil Lindblad, Director, UNAIDS New York Office, Kent Lebsock, Owe Aku - Bring Back the Way - a Traditional Lakota (Sioux) Cultural Preservation Organization and others.

WHITE HOUSE FIRST EVER TRIBAL NATIONS SUMMIT

November 5, 2009

The White House held the first ever Tribal Nations Summit on November 5, 2009. Invitations were sent to all 564 federally recognized tribes and each tribe could send one representative. Approximately 400 people attended the event held at the Department of Interior. President Obama vowed that there would be no more “going through the motions” and that his administration would face the severe economic and social problems that are the result of centuries of federal abuse and neglect. He has appointed Kimberly Teehee of the Cherokee Nation as his Native American policy advisor and Jodi Gillette of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe as Associate Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. He and Secretary Salazar selected Larry Echo Hawk of the Pawnee Nation to serve as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs at the Interior Department.

WEEK OF SPIRITUALITY, VALUES AND GLOBAL CONCERNS

“The Spirit of the UN” Global Peace through Reconciliation

October 26 – 30, 2009

The Week of Spirituality, Values and Global Concerns was created to bring about a culture of peace in which we can address together our common challenges in holistic, positive and transformative ways. The Week’s activities recognizes that spirituality and adherence to universal values (such as those expressed in the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) are key to providing solutions to global concerns. Events included a Silent Meditation in the UN Meditation Room; panel discussions and programs on, Reconciliation: A Manifestation of the Science of Consciousness in Everyday Life and Peaceful Action Through Reconciliation.

Sandy Sheridan, Sunray NGO/UN Representative

Ani Tsultrim passed yesterday; please offer prayers

2010-01-25T10:45:00.000-08:00

Our dear friend Ani Thupten Tsultrim Wangmo died at 4:20 Sunday evening, eveloped by prayers. Please offer prayers for her an all beings.

We will be offering prayers with Ani Tsultrim and from afar. Those who would like to join in a vigil today are welcome to come to Brown McClay 4 South St Bristol from 2-7pm. The nunnery shrine room is open continuously for you to drop in anytime. Whatever prayers and practices are most meaningful to you are welcome. You can also read from the Tibetan Book of the Dead, practice Amitabha, and her heart practice Vajrasattva.

You can also connect to the Lotsa Helping Hands community here.

Khenmo Drolma
Abbess
Vajra Dakini Nunnery

A personal report from Haiti

2010-01-23T11:09:00.000-08:00

Mari Cordes (Dechen Drolkar) is part of a nursing team from Vermont that is helping in Haiti. She sends us this report.

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After much effort organizing transport, gathering more supplies and continuing to develop very important infrastructure and network for this and future teams, working with the Cruz Roja in the Dominican Republic, communicating with Partners in Health in Haiti and our own reconaissance team that struck out ahead of us yesterday, we have joined the rest of our group in a large medical compound in Jimani. Jimani is a border town with Haiti on the western side of the Dominican Republic.

The compound has been established in an area that appears to belong to a church mission. There is a chapel, a larger 2 story building apprx 4000 sq ft. for supplies which currently is the command center and kitchen with food for volunteers, and another building about the same size as command center, called the orphanage.

The orphanage and the chapel are being used for patient care and surgical areas - Dr.s Charrash and Greenhouse performed 8 procedures today in the orphanage, including surgical edebridements. There is also a large tent for med surg care.

I don't yet know how many patients there are but we think more than 500 just in this compound. There are other ORs set up in Jimani as well, but what our recon team learned yesterday is that they are very chaotic. A major part of the chaos in all of these areas and in parts of Haiti is related to the fact that groups of surgeons from Puerto Rico and other countries flocked in to perform very necessary surgeries, had no nurses to provide post surgical care, and had to leave the patients on their own. There are not enough ORs for all of the surgeons, and they were fighting amongst themselves for control of them (of course not our docs). One of the co-directors of this outpost is a Nurse Practitioner - who with her Family Practice MD husband have lived in this area and provided health care to the Haitians for 12 years - said she wouldn't mind if she never saw another surgeon again, the situation was so bad. She said that they were desperate for nurses.

They are incredibly grateful that our team is here; we've already demonstrated to them a high level of skill and integrity, as well as a commitment to work with them into the future by rotating relief teams into the compound. They are relieved that we are completely self sufficient, and incredibly well organized and supplied with selfcare items (e.g. food and water) and telecommunications. They repeatedly called our group "a blessing".

Part of our team is already at work on 12 hour night shifts; the rest of us are resting from the long hard drive with our two rigs across the D.R. (if any of you have driven in a developing country, especially in a border area, you can probably imagine what the roads are like!) - and we'll take the next 12 hour shifts.

Just as we were pulling into the compound and greeting our dear dear Bill Charrash, David Greenhouse, Jeremiah ......and Brian......, an aftershock occurred - terrifying the Haitians in the buildings, causing an instantaneous mass exodus of patients from the 2 story orphanage including 3 patients jumping off of the balcony causing spinal injury and two fractures. Family members - all of the patients have family members with them - were dragging matresses with patients on them down the stairs. We jumped in and helped move patients out of the chapel as well and under the large tent because everyone was so terrified to be in a building.

Most of the patients have crush injuries and amputations. The patients have external fixation, fasciotomies ..... including children. Nearly 100%, according to one of the coordinators here, have some sort of tissue infection because they did not have post operative care. We are concerned about bacterial resistance, too, as the antibiotic administration was very irregular until command center was able to begin establishing standard of care routines for patient care. The NP director has me in line for probable PICC placements on patients that will require Vanco, Ampicillin, etc. - she said that patients arms are getting very chewed up from the meds they are getting. I'm also very concerned about sepsis, and am strategizing providing family members with many alcohol prep pads and swab caps and employing them to guard every access of their loved one's line.

Bill and David were instrumental in creating significant order in pre and post surgical care in the orphanage - they created a wound care center out of chaos. They insured that patients had a translator so that the surgeons could describe what they were going to do before they did it (which definitely has not been standard routine, on top of many of the patients having experienced surgical procedures with minimal or no anesthesia.)

We are so incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing amazing team here, and all of you that are supporting us in your own way (prayers I think must be helping, too). All of us are In very good spirits, everyone gets along fantastically, everyone is very honest and respectful to eachother, and each of us has important and highly relevant skills and experience to bring to every aspect of this mission. We have succeeded in forming the kind of bond with each other that is absolutely essntial in successful disaster management.

But by far - WAY far, the Haitian people are the most amazing of all. They model for us over and over incredible perseverance and hope, even as hell descends upon them again and again. Family members attend to one another so patiently. They are often singing. The children are so beautiful; and yet it is hardest to witness their suffering. Many have a blank look in their eyes that is very painful to see.

It is getting late, and I must sleep and prepare for another long day tomorrow. Know that we feel your love, compassion and support, and it is incredibly important to us, especially because it is helping the Haitians so significantly.

Salud y Solidaridad,

Mari
Sent from my iPhone

Please offer aide and prayers for Haiti

2010-01-14T11:34:00.000-08:00

Dear Community:

The earthquake in Haiti and the massive loss of life reminds us of how fragile is life upon this planet. I invite each of you to offer aide to the American Red Cross and most importantly to offer prayers for those who have lost their lives and for those who have survived the catastrophe.

We are each part of the human family and the suffering of one touches every person upon this planet. The prophecies of many cultures speak of these times as ‘trial and tribulation’. Our compassion can be expressed as contributions for the healing and rebuilding of Haiti’s communities.

Sincerely yours,

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo

American Red Cross link

New Moon and Solar Eclipse ceremony, Friday, Jan. 15th, at 1 and 7 pm

2010-01-14T09:37:00.000-08:00

This coming Friday, January 15, is the day of the New Moon, as well as a solar eclipse, where our prayers and practices are said to multiply 10,000 times, benefiting all beings!

Lighting of the Fire in the Sacred Arbor at the Peace Village in Lincoln, VT. Offering prayers, dances and practices will be offered on Friday at 1:00 PM for several hours.

All are invited to make offerings!

******

Also, at the Vajra Dakini Nunnery at 7 pm, we will be holding ceremonies. Traditionally Samantabhadras prayer is recited. Good to practice your heart practice, the one you are most close to. You are welcome to join in the evening service at Vajra Dakini at 7pm. We are doing the Sukavati prayer for 5 families who have lost loved ones this month in addition to protector prayers and the Samantabhadra prayer.

Khenmo Drolma
Abbess

Help Haiti with mediation, your prayers, and donations

2010-01-14T09:18:00.000-08:00

We have many spritual and artistic friends who are Haitian. This disaster is striking their spirits a fierce blow. They need our love and support. Give if you can give, pray and meditate, send RIP and LOVE .

Many Blessings,
Ama & Nate
Doctors Without Borders

2010 Calendar for Cherokee Ceremonial Cycle and Buddhist Celebrations

2010-01-08T20:39:00.001-08:00

Sunray Sunday School in Germany

2010-01-05T17:54:00.000-08:00

There was a dream since 1992, to bring ancient wisdom back into schooling. Well, noticing that in Germany some 15% of all boys of 12 years are on Ritalin, and some other events put an end to postponing. In 2005 the Munich Sunray Sunday School was started. The school is an official Sunray program, supported by Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo. It addresses children and those who can be present as a child at heart.

Foundation of it all is the wild river and the axe. The site is a post-civilization wilderness at the shore of Isar river, with concrete ruins, white water and sometimes hundreds of tons of scattered driftwood - paradise for young ones who are in for an adventure, but within tramway distance from the city centre. The axe turned out to be the first step of initiation for every single member that joined activities at least for some period of time, and owning an axe (preferably of Swedish make) has become a priority item on Christmas wishlists.

The trust by parents is most precious - in a country of overprotecting parenting, forbidding fire and handling of dangerous tools it is quite something to hand over an 8 year old to a bunch of kids with logsaws, axes and very, very long knifes. But that is how it is, and I see that parents' trust is part of the medicine generated.

Arrival in the circle is complete when the first log was chopped through just with an axe (no saw, no help by others). Then usually the building starts, and it remains a central occupation throughout the years. Bridges, cabins, furniture, ovens - whatever can be made of what the river brings. Firekeeping is a standard feature, as well as swimming in cold and turbulent water.

The road points towards a coming-of-age ceremony. It is by intention that we will make coming of age tougher again, gradually. We want them to be able to swim in white water, perform under severe frost and heavy rain, be able to keep fire, handle saw and axe and thereby learn to listen to nature, tree and bird, be aware of where the comrade stands and that he is safe, and we want them to experience that all is different if it is embedded in ceremony and recognized as medicine.

In the same time we explore their incredible wisdom potential: Each child has different gifts, different rhythms and timing - an endless realm to explore. We were sent children that were officially labeled as of "critically disturbed behaviour." In Sunray Sunday School in not a single case were we able to confirm such perceptions. All we found are children and youngsters that learn at tremendous speed, offer magic wisdom and evidence that their ancestral medicine is alive.

Love,
Waya Usdi (Little Wolf)

P.S. If you have google toolbar when you open the German site, there is a translate option in the upper right corner that will translate the website for you.

Vajrayogini retreat with Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo -- sign up by Feb. 1st

2010-01-01T09:50:00.000-08:00

“In retreat we deepen the experience of the Holy Mother’s wisdom as the natural state. We pacify conflictive states that give rise to separation and strengthen that which gives rise to the seed of wisdom within with skillful practice.” Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo

Vajra Dakini Nunnery is pleased to host a Vajrayogini retreat with Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo! The retreat from May 27 – June 21 is a rare opportunity to go deep into meditation with Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo. Students are accepted for the first week if they are unable to attend the full month. Note: most students who attended previous retreats regretted not arranging to take the full month. All received joyous inspiration! We need a commitment by February 1st along with a non refundable down payment of $500.

Ven. Dhyani will teach the Drikung Vajrayogini and Nyingma Yeshe Tsogyal sadanas and three special sadanas made public in the retreat for the first time. These are two mind termas or sadanas revealed through Ven. Dhyani as an emanation of Yeshe Tsogyal. One is a complete practice in movement! In addition we will be given a special protector practice written for Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo.

The retreat will be held in Lincoln, VT and is open to qualified students. Please contact Khenmo Drolma for information on prerequisites and detailed information.

info@vajradakininunnery.org 802-453-6867

New Year's Eve Meditation

2009-12-30T09:14:00.000-08:00

Please join Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo and the community at the Temple of the Adawees, Wise Protectors, at the Peace Village in Lincoln, VT on Dec 31 at 9:30 PM for our traditional Meditation, welcoming the New Year.

FAMILIES AND CHILDREN-- ALL ARE WELCOME!

Please park in the parking lot and walk carefully to the Temple. Bring warm slippers or socks (as the floor may be chilly) and blankets for the children. Bring personal meditation objects (cushions, shawls, etc). We also have chairs in the Temple.

Wisdom of the Peace Village Elders -- Documentary Series

2009-12-16T19:41:00.000-08:00

2 0 1 2: What Future Do You Want To Energize? - This video is an excerpt from the Wisdom of the Peace Village Elders Documentary Series. Algonquin Elder Mike Bastine delivers a positive and powerful antidote to the misunderstanding and fear that surrounds most messages about the end of the Mayan calendar on December 21, 2012. This video invites each one of us to join the tipping point of consciousness toward co-creating a culture of peace and sustainable living on the planet.

The WISDOM OF THE PEACE VILLAGE ELDERS Documentary Series

Produced by: Mutual Abundance Media

Here’s the challenge: Are we so hypnotized by our steady diet of media-fed horrors, that we’ve despaired of ever achieving the dream of a violence-free world? Or are we ready for the shift from the war path to the peace path? Does anybody even know what peace looks like?

The WISDOM OF THE PEACE VILLAGE ELDERS documentary series provides a rare opportunity to witness Native Elders from North, Central, and South America, exploring how to walk the way of peace and sustainability in a world overrun with paths to war and environmental devastation. At the Peace Village, the indigenous Elders remind us that we are all co-creators of our agreed upon dream / reality. “Change the Dream!” the Elders inspire, calling for us all to reconnect to the cycles of Nature, and to practice compassion-in-action in our daily lives. Only together, moment to moment, can we co-create & energize a future of peace and equanimity on the planet.

Mutual Abundance Media has decided to produce these documentaries as independent films, in order to guard the integrity and freedom of expression of the featured Native Elders. The documentary series is a sacred trust, for the Elders have entrusted us to deliver their message as good medicine for the planet now & for generations to come.

This project is supported by Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo and Sunray Meditation Society.

Please donate by clicking here. Visit the website here.

Join our team of Sponsors / Supporters. Help us complete editing of the first two documentaries in our series by the summer of 2010 & become part of an important tipping point toward a culture of peace. Any amount is appreciated. Be as generous as you can.

Ceremony and Celebrations at the Peace Village in December

2009-12-07T22:33:00.000-08:00

You and your family, along with community members and neighbors are invited to the Winter Solstice Ceremony in the Sacred Arbor at the Peace Village on Sunday, December 20 with the lighting of the Fire at 7 PM. There will be an all night vigil on Sunday night, followed by dances and practice at 7 AM on Monday morning.

The solstice ceremonies are the times of strengthening community bonds and offering thankfulness for the beauty of the seasons' change and progression! These Ceremonies are under the guidance of Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo.

CALENDAR DATES:
December 20 7 PM Lighting of the Sacred Fire for Winter Solstice
December 21 7 AM Dances and Practices after all night sacred vigil
December 31 Gather in Temple of the Adawees, Wise Protectors for NY's eve meditation with Venerable Dhyani at 9:30 PM.

ALL ARE WELCOME TO CEREMONIES AND CELEBRATIONS!

PLEASE COME JOIN US.

Vajra Dakini Nunnery newsletter

2009-12-04T16:47:00.000-08:00

We are known as the practice lineage. Retreat is when our meditation practice becomes a part of us, down to the bone. We remove all distractions and focus solely on specific practices to see the nature of our minds and reality. In the time of the founding of the Drikung Lineage 150.000 people went into retreat. Two retreats are highlighted in this newsletter:

Spend New Years with us! As we close this year and start anew, we invite you to gather perspective. Dharma teachings invite us to contemplate the immanence of death and to meditate with impermanence and our fragility in mind. With ample practice time, Turning the Wheel of Time; Dec 27 - Jan 3, will focus on readings that familiarize us with the aging and dying process. This retreat is suitable for both beginning and advanced practitioners and will be an intimate in-house event.

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To see the rest of the newsletter, please click here to visit Vajra Dakini Nunnery's website.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T11:38:00.001-08:00

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo offers tele-teachings. Next class Nov. 19th

2009-11-15T09:55:00.000-08:00

http://www.beautywayproductions.com/

Quick Links
Register for Tele-Class
Donate & Support
Products

Here is an inspiring excerpt from Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo's forthcoming book Learning Cherokee Ways:

"Realizing the Winds that move through the universe also moved through my body, was a very significant discovery for me. I learned to recognize my channels as the pathways through which the Winds flowed and nurtured me. I began to recognize my body as part of continuous streams of communication. I experienced this as hollow spirals. These spirals were information conveyed in communion with fields beyond any individuated mind or species, or element of being.

Understanding ourselves as multidimensional beings is expressed through the Wind. The movement of the Wind, up, down, or across, expresses how potential takes form and how our minds are part of a dynamic dance with the atmosphere and the stars above. The internal and external and even the cosmic Winds that can be perceived as a turning cross at a black hole, are a reminder of an ongoing process from whence even the most minute expression is inseparable. These Winds, are a spiraling pathway through which life's potential arises as form. These Winds are ascending and descending, North, South, East, West and diagonal."

The completion of the Mayan Calendar Cycle of December 21, 2012 will bring us into direct contact with the inner teachings of mind, matter and nature. As we prepare ourselves, we anticipate the thunderbolt as an initiator, revealling time as strata of the mind. What future do you envision? What do you energize through your thoughts, words and actions?

Please join me In our next TELE-class on Thursday, November 19th. We will talk about these things.

See you in the light!

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo

Register for Tele-Class NOW!

Save $100 and receive all 10

Included in this Wisdom Teaching Offering is a BONUS of a healing transmission during the Tele-Class.

You may register for this class - only $79 - which includes a FREE download - click here to REGISTER NOW.

Thursday, November 19th
3 pm Hawaii
6 pm Pacific
7 pm Mountain
8 pm Central
9 pm Eastern

Past Tele-Classes in this series are also available for purchase. There will be 10 in all this year. Purchase all 10 of these calls and you will save $100.

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo

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Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, motivational speaker, author, musician, co-parent of brighter tomorrows, offers transformational programs and life coaching via the BeautyWay Wisdom Seminars and private consultations.

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo is the 27th generation lineage holder of the ancestral Ywahoo lineage in the Tsalagi/ Cherokee tradition. She is a respected Teacher of Vajrayana in the Drikung Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. She is the Chief of the Green Mountain Band of the Aniyunwiwa (Cherokee Tribe). Founder and Spiritual Director of: Sunray Meditation Society, an international spiritual organization dedicated to world peace and reconciliation, she has been recognized by Amma (also known as the "Hugging Saint") as one of 13 honorees in the Int'l Extraordinary Women Campaign because of her deep spirituality & work for social justice. To learn more go to www.sunray.org

Beautyway Productions

Charter for Compassion launches this week

2009-11-10T20:21:00.000-08:00

Vajra Dakini Nunnery has joined with hundreds of organizations world wide to sign the Charter for Compassion. VDN is a partner in the international interfaith effort to launch the Charter. (Sunray Meditation Society also plans to support the Charter.) This effort by Karen Armstrong to unite all faiths with their common value of compassion is an extraordinary multi media web incorporating online lectures and networking as well as spiritual gatherings all over the world. Khenmo's Canadian teaching tour will focus on compassion teachings from the Tibetan tradition during the launch week of Nov 9 -15 arranged by the Gaia Center of Ontario. Join with us in your area to listen to the Charter when it is unveiled November 12 and add events in your area.

http://charterforcompassion.org/

Peacekeeper Training, Wayland, MA, November 14-15

2009-11-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

PeaceKeeper Training

Wayland , MA

Saturday November 14 & Sunday November 15, 2009

9:30 am - 1:00 pm

3:00 pm - 5:30 pm

There will be three further practice sessions on future dates, to be announced.

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The PeaceKeeper Training is a course of study dedicated to living in harmony with Earth and all of our relations. Peace Within sets the resonate field for Peace in the world. Inner Awareness allows us to recognize Wisdom Arising and develop Skillful Methods of Reconciliation.

We will be working with basic sitting and moving meditation, use of sacred sound and geometry, crystal attunement, dream practice, and community service.

This Peacekeeper Training is offered by Sunray, an international organization dedicated to peace through personal and planetary awareness, attention and activity. Many have requested we continue in the cycle of Peacekeeper teachings. These teachings are offered to us through the generosity of Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo, 27th generation lineage holder, Wild Potato Clan, Aniunwiwa (Tsalagi/Cherokee) and the Spiritual Director of Sunray.

Donation Request: $ 200.00

This covers both the initial weekend and three upcoming study/ practice dates. Sacred Teachings are offered freely and are neither bought nor sold. Donations support Sunray’s mission and activities.

For directions and further information, please contact Carolanne at (781) 640-2631or e-mail her at caoller@comcast.net . Let us know if you'd like to carpool. We will be sharing a potluck lunch each day.

We ask that you please refrain from using perfumes or scents.

White House to Hold First Ever Tribal Nations Summit on Nov. 5th

2009-11-02T07:29:00.001-08:00

Dear Sunray Community and Friends,

The White House is planning to hold the first ever Tribal Nations Summit. MyTribeTV will stream; the President's meeting with Tribes - November 5, 2009, as requested.

The first Tribal Nations Conference will be held in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, November 5, the White House (http://www.whitehouse.gov/) announced. Tribal leaders heard about the summit during the morning session of the National Congress of American Indians (http://www.ncai.org/) conference in Palm Springs, California. Invitations are being sent to all 564 federally recognized tribes. Each tribe can send one representative.

* MyTribeTV will stream President's meeting with Tribes - November 5, 2009. MyTribeTV (http://www.mytribetv.com/) an Indian-owned business in Seattle, Washington, will provide online coverage of the first-ever White House Tribal Nations Conference (http://www.whitehouse.gov/) on November 5. The event will be streamed at http://www.tribalsummit.mytribetv.com/. MyTribeTV is the exclusive provider for the event. President Barack Obama has promised to meet yearly with tribal leaders.

In Peace,
Sandy Sheridan
Sunray UN/NGO Representative

Join us for Community Practice, Thursday, Nov. 5th, at 7:30 pm at the Peace Village

2009-10-28T15:45:00.000-07:00

In the Temple of the Adawees, Wise Protectors.

It is special to sit together, renourishing ourselves and offering prayersfor all! Madeleine and the community will review the Sun and Moon Dance, as taught byVenerable Dhyani Ywahoo.

"It is important at this time to do this dance,as it brings about transformation."

Please come. Everyone is welcome and we will practice this dance together! No experience is necessary!

Community practice continues on Thursdays in subsequent weeks with David Walker focalizing the community evening practice.

Wheel of Life, Sacred Dance and Sound Medicine, at the Sunray Peace Village, starting November 5, 7-8, 2009

2009-10-20T18:02:00.000-07:00

WHEEL OF LIFE

SACRED DANCE & SOUND MEDICINE

Teachings & Events / 2009 – 2010 / Lincoln, Vermont

Madeleine Piat-Landolt

Autumn Weekend Teaching / November 7-8, 2009

Introductory Session / Thursday, November 5th, 7:30 pm

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For more details and registration information about this exciting teaching cycle, please visit the Sunray Peace Village blog.

Peacekeeper Training, November 6-8, Sausalito, California

2009-10-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

Double click on the image to enlarge it for easy reading.

Dear Friends -- please send us your links

2009-10-11T15:17:00.000-07:00

If you are a friend of Sunray Meditation Society, we would like to list your website among our Friends links that appear down the left column of this blog. We can also list them on the Sunray Peace Village blog. We simply ask that you reciprocate if you can and list our blogs on your site.

Please e-mail any links, with the e-mail title "Friend of Sunray," to bjsiebel@msn.com. Thank you.

Information on Grandfather Silverfox's ceremony in Poland

2009-10-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

Following a vigil last night, early this morning our Beloved Grandfather Silverfox was prepared and dressed in his Regalia at K-ochana. The community of loved ones who gathered from Poland the United States and Germany sat in Meditation Practice and following the "Way Nay Nay" chant, Silverfox was placed into his cremation box and was taken to the cremation site. Grandfather Silverfox's remains have arrived back home again to K-ochana, his urn of ashes have been placed under the Sequoia tree. A Feast followed.

........Ewa has shared she will write and share more reflection's with us , after some rest, and has invited us to visit at the following web site: http://www.k-ochana-homeplace.com/

With deep love and respect I pass these words on.

"As as our beloved Grandfather Silverfox makes his journey home, may our hearts be blessed by our memories, and our prayers of appreciation continue to enfold him and his beloved wife Danuta, his family and all that he loved."

Mailing Address for Danuta in Poland

Danuta Mette
Kornatka 52
32-410DOBCZYCE
Poland

A reflection on Grandfather Silver Fox

2009-10-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

THE SUN ................... is almost ready to peek over Odali Utugi..Hope Mountain ..as the new rising sun warms the earth mother on this chilly Autumn morning...... May its rays also warm all of ours as one heart as we pause and remember our beloved Grandfather Silverfox.

May the seeds of love peace and understanding Silverfox has planted in so many hearts so lovingly during the years of his earth walk ... bring forth beauty for many generations to come in their own divined place and time

May HOPE fill all of our hearts this morning that Creators humble servant, known as Silver Fox, Grandfather , Dr. Harvey Mette ....Harvey ........has been lovingly breathed again onto Creators own breath ........and surrounds all of us.

Love Lives ......may our actions be filled with the gentleness he so endlessly shared , and may they touch many beings continuously in his memory. What a precious gift you have been to so many Dear One one Silverfox .......our heartfelt blessings travel with you on your journey. We will remember you. You live in our hearts. We are grateful Creator allowed your beautiful presence to enter into our lives. May you continue to be remembered in the presence of kindness, beauty and the eternal tones of music in every heart that loved you .........may our grief flower with HOPE.

Unending love,

Joanne and Greg Swierz

Grandfather Silver Fox has passed. We honor his legacy.

2009-10-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

October 1, 2009

Dear Friends:

Today Grandfather Silver Fox, Dr. Harvey Metes, passed over in the early hours of the morning. He leaves his lovely wife Danuta and family spread through out the planet. He has shared his wit and wisdom with many communities over the years and founded a ‘Peace Village’ in Poland. You can visit the webpages here.

Born of those Cherokee who hid in the state of Florida during the Cherokee removal. Harvey Metes was a Psychologist and musician who taught at many colleges and universities within the United States and was loved by many.

His presence at our Native American Elders gatherings will be greatly missed, while his words and friendship will sing continuously in our hearts.

Silver Fox walked the earth for eighty-seven years while dancing to the timeless rhythm of the cosmos.

Ceremonies will be held In Poland and within local Sunray communities on Saturday in honor of Silver Fox’s life.

Sincerely,

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo

Reflections on Summer 2009 from Vajra Dakini Nunnery

2009-09-29T11:52:00.000-07:00

As the Peace Village begins to settle for the fall and winter, we look back on the Vajra Dakini Nunnery’s activities there.

We opened the Peace Village for the summer by hanging the long prayer flag in the center of the peace village, that Ani Tsultrim makes every year. One of her special Dharma commitments is to make these large hanging prayer flags for the Peace Village and Ven. Dhyani’s home.

A joyous animal blessing at the Sunray Peace Stupa followed. The whole community attended with their dogs, cats, chickens and horses! We all circumambulated the stupa and liberated worms into the Peace Village gardens (saving their lives from being sold as bait).

This has been a year of planning and preparation. One important legal aspect for our future Vajra Dakini Temple and Library at the Peace Village is our zoning status. The Vermont Act 250 and Lincoln zoning permits that we received at 2007 are time limited. We needed to begin construction this year or loose our zoning entirely! At the same time an exquisite statue of White Tara was donated to the nunnery. We proposed to the state that we build a Tara Temple on the Nunnery Peace Village site as a start on our future Temple/Library project. They approved our zoning for another five years. (Zoning can be one of the most difficult aspects of building a public building in Vermont).

Auspiciously we found a glass tea house suitable for a temple the White Tara. With great gratitude we are finished in our fundraising efforts to install the statue at the Peace Village. Currently we are rolling the thousands of mantras to fill the statue for it’s consecration next year. Please joins us for “Mantra Rolling Parties” during the winter.

This museum quality statue, Tara and her beautiful temple will enhance the Peace Village as a significant pilgrimage site. After consecration the statue is considered to be inseparable from White Tara herself, the Buddha of Long Life and Healing. She is especially appropriate, as we are a community of many healers, and our annual Healing Ceremony at Elders is the culmination of our ceremonial year.

As the summer ended, Lama Gape conducted a Mountain Purification Ceremony by Water for the entire Valley. He blessed water by capturing the reflections of all the nunnery’s statues and thangkas in a mirror and then pouring water on the mirror, thus blessing the water. This water was then carried to the Peace Village where Lama Gape recited a text as he reflected the mountains in all the directions. He then purified them by washing the reflection with the blessed water.

We closed our summer season by adding landscaping to the stupa. An entry hedge has been created with cypress, juniper and holly. The planting design reflects the “One Taste” of our practice. Juniper and cypress are used in smoke offerings of both lineages, while the holly is considered a Vajrayogini plant. The shrubs are gathered in groups of three reflecting the Three Flames and the Three Jewels; the four punctuating plants remind us of the Four Posts of the Medicine Cabin and the Four Immeasurables.

It is lovely to witness the growing beauty of our community practice as Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo’s vision manifests.

Khenmo Drolma

Abbess

Vajra Dakini Nunnery

********* Please visit the Vajra Dakini Nunnery website to learn how you can support the nuns and participate in their activities.

Sunray Meditation Society is connected with 3 wisdom streams

2009-09-21T11:59:00.000-07:00

Sunray Meditation Society: Our mission is to preserve and share teachings of the Peacemaker from the Cherokee tradition and methods of peacemaking of the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual tradition.

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, also recognized as Pema Sangzin Khandro, is founder and Spiritual Director of Sunray Meditation Society and Principle Chief of the Green Mountain Ani Yun Wiwa Band of the Tsalagi or Cherokee People. Sunray is recognized as the home fire of the Green Mountain Ani Yun Wiwa Cherokee.

Sunray offers three wisdom streams.

Ywahoo Lineage of the Cherokee People
Nyingma Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism
Drikung Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo was trained by her grandparents. She is the 27th generation to carry the ancestral wisdom of the Ywahoo lineage, committed to rekindle the fire of clear mind and right relationship in these changing times.

In 1983, Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo was recognized by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche of the Nyingma lineage as Pema Sangzin Khandro. In 1986, Sunray was recognized by His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche as a Drikung Kagyu Dharma Center.

For more information, visit the Sunray Meditation Society website.

New Moon and Autumnal Equinox Sacred Fire -- September 20th at the Peace Village

2009-09-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

Ceremony will begin at 7:30 am in the Sacred Arbor to celebrate the September New Moon (September 18) and the Autumnal Equinox (September 22) at the Peace Village in Lincoln, Vermont.

Stick dancers, drummers, singers to meet at 7:30, followed by lighting of the sacred Fire.

PLEASE COME JOIN US! All are welcome.

"It is very beneficial to all of us that these ceremonial Fires are being kindled as it is the Fire is the spark of our pure nature, recalling us to enlightened action. This fire of clear mind is in everyone, and to remove any obscuration of its clarity is the duty of all people in this time, that each one may remember and find our way again to the source of our being." Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo in Voices of Our Ancestors.

Dreaming the Heart of the Peace Village

2009-09-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

This year our family is celebrating 21 consecutive years of engaging with activities at the Sunray Peace Village in Lincoln, Vermont. There is nowhere else, up to this point in our lives, with which to compare the impact of our experiences from this sacred ground which have inspired such a unique and beneficial evolution of consciousness in community. First to express gratitude to the ancestors of Ywahoo lineage, whose foresight to create such a sanctuary was remarkable and to the living lineage holder, Chief, and Spiritual Director, Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, who has persevered tirelessly, with the help of many hands, to manifest and develop this prophetic vision. In the following words are shared a few anecdotes from the countless collection of memories from our direct experience. Simply, there is such good fortune for all who are able to find their way here.

To finish reading this personal account, please click here to visit the Sunray Peace Village blog.

Sunray United Nations Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Update

2009-09-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples was celebrated Monday, August 10, 2009 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. There were messages from the Secretary General, President of the General Assembly, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. There was a cultural presentation by the Crimean Tatar Dance Ensemble then a panel discussion on Indigenous Peoples and HIV/AIDS.

CRIMEAN TATAR DANCE ENSEMBLE

KENT LEBSOCK, Owe-Aku-Bring Back the Way – a traditional Lakota (Sioux) Cultural Preservation organization.

OLIVIA SLOAN, (Navajo/Tohono O’Odham) Special Liasion, Partnerships, Programs and Policy, Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

TONYA GONELLA FRISCHER (Onondaga Nation, Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy Haudenosaunee - United States) Member the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and Chris Archibald, Director, Surveillance and Risk Assessment Division of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

For more information: www.un.org/esa/ocdev/unpfii . Look for International Day, you can also view a video of the event.

Sandy Sheridan, Sunray UN/NGO Representative
9/1/09

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo tele-teaching this Thursday, August 27th, and September 17th

2009-08-24T11:02:00.000-07:00

Just as the wise gardener plants seeds in accordance with lunar cycles, we too may energize seed thoughts of accomplishment through understanding lunar cycles as a support for energizing the accomplishment of life and spiritual goals.

Consider that you are inseparable from the creative potential of the universe and that the thoughts you contemplate manifest within your life and circle of relationships. When you envision a goal that will benefit you and your relationships during the new moon it will develop and reveal results during the full moon. This process is supported through careful tending of your mind and receptive vision.

We shall discuss methods of utilizing lunar cycles in cultivating wisdom and skill during our next two monthly telephone seminars. August 27th and September 17th.

We will also consider the aspects of physical, emotional and intellectual cycles based on the number of days since your birth through the system of biorhythms as a support in manifesting joyful wisdom and skill.

6pm - Pacific Standard Time
7pm - Mountain Time
8pm - Central Standard Time
9pm - Eastern Standard Time

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Ripe Corn Ceremony at the Sunray Peace Village -- August 22nd

2009-08-13T08:44:00.000-07:00

ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 22 AT 7:30 AM,

THE RIPE CORN CEREMONY WILL BE IN THE SACRED ARBOR AT THE SUNRAY PEACE VILLAGE IN LINCOLN, VT.

The Ceremonial Cycle of the Green Mountain Ani Yunwiwa is under the guidance of the Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo. We gather together at ceremonial time to ever more skillfully generate love and manifest wisdom mind. We return kindness to the land, our ancestors, and all our relations with prayers of appreciation for seven generations unto now. May our hearts and minds ever reflect the mystery as it is.

The Ripe Corn Ceremony is part of the Planting Cycle ceremonies and celebrates the kindness and the opportunities to show appreciation for the life force as it manifests in all of the edible kingdom. This is a time of gathering corn from all the fields and bringing a portion to be blessedat the community "fireplace" and also to prepare by saving seeds for next year's harvest. Everyone is Welcome! Please come.

Stick Dancers, singers and drummers to gather at 7:30 AM, followed by the lighting of the Sacred Fire. Please note that this is a Saturday Ceremony.

White Tara, to be placed at the Sunray Peace Village, is being prepared at the Vajra Dakini Nunnery

2009-08-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

THE WHITE TARA ARRIVES IN VERMONT

The Vajra Dakini Nunnery's White Tara, created and donated by Maury Lowe, Professor Emeritus, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Fine Arts and an internationally known sculptor, has completed her journey from New Mexico to Vermont. White Tara is known for her blessings for long life and healing!

We will then fill the cavity in this bronze sculpture with mantras and prayers. We have found a beautiful glass temple to house her at the Peace Village. This will be a most auspicious pilgrimage site.

Please visit our Sunray Peace Village blog to read more about this precious statue and how you can help Vajra Dakini Nunnery complete this project.

Achi Festival at Vajra Dakini Nunnery. August 20-23rd. Empowerment Aug. 20 at 7 pm

2009-08-04T08:12:00.000-07:00

Achi is Tara as Grandmother, ever watchful and protective of her children. In this special event we will visualize her as both peacefully radiating loving kindness and wrathful; commanding with compassion that all harmful activity cease.

An empowerment of the Pure Vision Achi practice of Gyabra Rinpoche will be offered Thursday evening at 7pm at Vajra Dakini Nunnery. Teaching and practice sessions will be offered over the weekend.

This is a special opportunity to focus on dispelling obstacels - personal, national and global. The force of a community praying together is extraodinary. You are welcome to come for any part of the event.

Thurs 7pm, Fri -Sat 9-12, 2-5, 7-9
Sun 9-12, 2-5

August 2-6 Ngondro Retreat at Vajra Dakini Nunnery with Khenmo Drolma

2009-07-29T13:09:00.000-07:00

Ngondro means "preliminary practice". It begins with contemplating our precious human life. It includes Refuge, Vajrasattva, Mandala and Guru Yoga practices, the foundation for accomplishing any other practice. It is the basis for all vajrayana Buddhist practice. All Ngondro students are welcome. For students who wish to begin Ngondro, Khenmo will give the Drikung transmission of Ngondro.

This is being offered at the Vajra Dakini Nunnery, near the Peace Village in Lincoln Vermont.

There is room for "day students" in the Ngondro Retreat. We will begin with a talk at 2PM and continue into evening practice on Sunday Aug 2. You may attend morning and/or evening practice sessions if you come for an orientation and the Sunday talk. Please register if you wish to attend. You can email me for the application form. The orientation will follow Sunday public meditation 9:30-11:00. The retreat concludes following the morning meditation Aug 6.

Khenmo Drolma

Abbess

Vajra Dakini Nunnery

HH Phacock Rinpoche to speak this Friday at Vajra Dakini Nunnery

2009-07-28T21:27:00.000-07:00

Hh Phachock Rinpoche will speak on Compassion 2-3 pm on Friday, July 31 at Vajra Dakini Nunnery. He is the head of the Taglung Kagyu Lineage (cousin to Drikung). A brilliant and warm teacher, he is the light of the new generation! It is a great honor that he will give us teachings, please join us.

Khenmo Drolma

Abbess

Vajra Dakini Nunnery

25th Annual Elders' Gathering -- starts this Friday, July 24th

2009-07-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

Friday-Sunday, July 24th-26th, 2009
25th Annual Elders' Gathering
Sunray Peace Village, Lincoln, Vermont

(Elders' Wisdom Seminars July 27th-28th)

This year at the Elders' Gathering we welcome:
*Patricia Downing DeAsis
*Bernard DeAsis
*Nanatasis Bluto-Delvental
*Warren Redwing Ramey
* Mike Bastine
*Queen Mother Sylvia Jordan
*Dr Dieta Biebel
Dr John Carlton-Foss, Ph.D
Dr Rudy Schild Ph.D

The Gathering Place: The Sunray Peace Village, is located in Lincoln, Vermont approximately 1 hour south of Burlington and a half an hour north of Middlebury at the foot of Mount Abraham. Directions can be found here.

The Gathering Schedule: * Arbor Teachings with Native American Elders
July 24 -26, 2008, Friday-Sunday, 10am-1pm & 3pm-5pm
* Sunrise Gathering, Fri-Sun at 6:30am
* Women's Moon Teachings, Fri-Sun (after Sunrise Gathering)
* Activities for Elementary School-age Children (Morning and Afternoon Arbor Sessions Only)
*Friday night concert

* Healing Ceremony Saturday Evening, July 25, 2008, 7pm-10pm

In 1969, the Elders of the Ywahoo lineage and other Tsalagi Elders granted permission for this Tsalagi (Cherokee) Healing Ceremony to be offered in ways that were appropriate for all people. This ceremony has continued each year to benefit the earth and change the destructive course of the past, to one of healing. This ceremony is open to the public. Donations are accepted, but not required.

Elders' Wisdom Seminars, Monday-Tuesday, July 27th and 28th

One day Peacekeeper Mission session July 29th.

Each year we return to the sacred fire in the Arbor of the Peace Village to listen as Native Elders speak about ancient teachings and prophecies that will help prepare for the years to come.

REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

An Open Invitation to Participate in the Sunray Blogs

2009-07-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

An Open Invitation to Participate

in the Sunray Blogs

I hope you have visited our two main Sunray blogs. There is one for the Sunray Peace Village – http://www.sunraypeacevillage.blogspot.com/ – on which everything related to the Peace Village is posted. There is also one for Sunray Meditation Society – http://www.sunraycentral.blogspot.com/ – which includes the activities of Sunray Meditation Society.

There are also two local community blogs. One for DC/VA/MD and Georgia – http://www.sunraydc.blogspot.com/ – and one for the Northern California community -- http://www.circlecenter-gfd.blogspot.com/.

The Peace Village and Sunray Central blogs are intended as community blogs. By that I mean that they are open to contributions from any member of the Sunray community, or anyone else who has something germane to offer to the community. I would like to extend an invitation to you, if you feel inspired, to offer one or more things that could be posted on the blogs.

So far, most of the postings on both blogs have been announcements of upcoming events. There have also been some after-event reports. And the Peace Village blog has posted some stories from people who have been there. This is an excellent beginning.

However, the potential is there for the blogs to be more of a community dialogue if people would offer their thoughts up for general reading. We are a series of far-flung communities. These blogs provide an opportunity to share more substantive material. By doing so, those of like mind may hear of our community and seek to join us, and we can learn from each other. At least, that is my hope.

I would also note that these blogs offer the opportunity to comment on any of the posts. This is another way to engage in dialogue as community members.

Please join the dialogue. For now, items for posting (other than comments, which can be done by anyone) should be sent by e-mail to Brian Siebel at bjsiebel@msn.com Indicate which blog(s) you would like to post to. And please send photos or graphics if you have them.

Thank you.

Green Corn ceremony, Sunday, July 19th, 6:30 AM at the Sunray Peace Village

2009-07-15T15:03:00.001-07:00

You and your family are warmly invited to the Green Corn Ceremony on Sunday, July 19 at 6:30 AM at Odali Utugi, Peace Village in Lincoln, VT.

This ceremony is one within the cycle of the Cherokee and Ani Yun Wiwa planting ceremonies and celebrates the ripening of the seeds planted, both in our gardens and in our lives!

Stick Dancers, Singers and Drummers to gather at 6:30, followed by the lighting of the Sacred Fire. Dances, practices, corn meal offerings with prayers will be offered in Gratitude!

Everyone is Welcome!

Peacekeeper Mission training from Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo -- July 29th at the Peace Village in Lincoln, Vermont

2009-07-12T09:43:00.001-07:00

Peacekeeper Training with Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo

Wednesday July 29th, at the Peace Village in Lincoln, Vermont

Time:
Registration 9:30 -9:45am
Get Settled 9:45 -10:00am
Morning Session 10:00am - 1:00pm
Afternoon Session 3:00pm - 5:00pm

Reciprocity: General Public $85.00. Volunteer who works 10-30hrs $50.00. Volunteer who works 30+ hours or 2 meal shifts/day including dishes! FREE

The Peacekeeper Mission Purpose:
The purpose of The Peacekeeper Mission is to bring forth a mostgreat peace in the hearts of the people and the Earth. The Peacekeeper knows each being to be empowered by; Will to Choose Wisdom to See Intelligence to Act. Thus each one is responsible for Manifesting the Whole.

The Peacekeeper Mission fulfils its purpose through individual and group study, training and practice to develop four fundamental qualities of mind:

1. Mindfulness: The ability to see things as they are, to be fully presentin the moment, and to manifest right thought, right action.
2. Peacekeeper Consciousness: Recognition of one’s responsibility andpower to manifest peace through right relationship with all the family of life.
3. Caretaker Mind: Awareness of one’s privilege and duty to serve as acaretaker of this planet, honoring the Earth as a living being and sowing seeds of abundance and harmony unto seven generations.
4. Continuity of Mind: Understanding of cause and effect in determining thequality of one’s life, death and future lives, and in shaping the karma of groups, nations and the planet.

The Peacekeeper Training offers the opportunity to align with one’s lifepurpose, that one may manifest one’s gifts in harmony with the building elements of life in oneself and the planetary biosphere. Peacekeepers learn to perceive the patterns of mind-emotion and to clarify the stream,that our actions may bring abundance and harmony for all beings.

Medicine Mandala Mirrors Clear Mind As The Sacred Hoop Is Renewed In This Time Fly As A Eagle On Wings Of Thought Perceiving Rainbow Lights Of Good Relations As Mountain Streams Come To Rest In A Limpid Pool Of Understanding

Teacher: Sunray Ministers
Phone: (802) 453-4610
Email: info@sunray.org

Click here for additional information and to register.
(Please note that the registration form says July 30th. The event is July 29th.)

Deep Peace and the Healing of the World -- 8 month self-study program is available

2009-07-05T16:09:00.000-07:00

DEEP PEACE AND THE HEALING OF THE WORLD

An 8-Month Self-Study Program
On Treasure Teachings from the Seven Stars

With Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, Louise Diamond, Ph.D.,
And Ministers of Sunray Meditation Society

As we approach 2012, a critical choice point for humanity, we know that global warming and global warring are opportunities we have given ourselves to make an evolutionary leap in consciousness. When we wake up to our true oneness, we realize that each of us is an agent of Deep Peace, a peace that grows from the inside out and expresses itself as compassionate action to assuage suffering and serve the well-being of those around us.

To assist those who would be practitioners and exemplars of Deep Peace in these times, Sunray Meditation Society is offering this home-study course.

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, Spiritual Director of Sunray Meditation Society and Principal Chief of the Aniyunwiwa, Green Mountain Band of the Eastern Cherokee, brings to us these ancient teachings from the Pleiades, given in these times so that we might remember that we too are star people – beings of light – who can choose to caretake the most precious treasure of Deep Peace for the benefit of all our relations.

The program will cover the following topics:

The Ywahoo Way – Introducing the basic spiritual principles and meditation practices of the Treasure Teachings from the Seven Stars
The Earth is Alive – Exploring our relationship to the living earth
The Family of Life – Understanding nine dimensions of right relationship
The Peacekeeper’s Mission – Practicing the steps of peacemaking, inside and out
Medicine Wheel Mandala – Savoring the ‘one taste’ of Native American and Tibetan Buddhist wisdom
The Healing Basket – Considering the basic healing principles for self and others
The Secrets of Transformation – Understanding the alchemical process that leads to manifestation of the ideal
Deep Peace for World Healing – Integrating the whole of the course material and applying it in your life and work to benefit all beings, in light of the unique times we live in.

The program consists of 8 months of home-study. Each month you will receive:

A Wisdom Card highlighting 7-9 Treasure Teachings on the subject for the month, suitable for meditation and reflection;
A CD talk by Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo, Louise Diamond, or other Ministers of Sunray Meditation Society on the monthly topic

At the end of the program, you will be able to bring these ancient teachings alive in your whole being, and to practice Deep Peace for the benefit of self and others. In this way you will be assisting humanity in these days of change and challenge, supporting our choice for a world of peace that works for all.

Logistics
The course costs $219.00 plus shipping and handling. You can begin the course any month, and once registered and paid in full, you will receive a monthly package of course materials.

Please register here.

Temple of the Adawees -- Ribbon Cutting ceremony

2009-06-28T20:16:00.000-07:00

Photos from the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

On June 15, 2009, Venerable Dhyani performed a ribbon cutting ceremony forthe newly renovated Temple at the Peace Village in Lincoln, VT--the HomeFires of the AniYunWiwa.

Joining Venerable Dhyani were 15 community members celebrating the reopening of Temple after this beautificationproject, including finish work on the windows and doors, removal of the window behind Ven.'s teaching dias, new floors, repainting, wall mounted shrine tables for the Buddhist Protectors, Children of Abraham and Christian traditions.This completed the first stage of the Temple Beautification Project and it was celebrated with great joy by Stick Dancing, drumming and completion of the shrines!

The second stage of this project includes new shrine tables for the Cherokee and Buddhist altars, a new dias for Venerable Dhyani, windowshades to help with temperature control and a divider for Venerable Dhyani's consulation room.

If you or members of your communities wish to sponsor any part of the project, we would joyously accept your donations! Contributions can be made on-line by going to the Peace Village's secure site.

We hope you enjoy the photos from the ribbon cutting celebration! And we look forward to seeing you in person at the Temple of the Adawees, Wise Protectors!

Rev. Tori Hovde

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo retreat at the Sunray Peace Village -- July 1-7

2009-06-26T11:09:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo's summer week long seminar is scheduled for July 1-7th, 2009 from 10AM-1PM and 3PM-5PM daily.

The cost for the week is $1050. If you would like to attend the seminar, but are not able to come for the entire time, Venerable has graciously said that LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS may attend the first three days of this seminar ON A DONATION BASIS. She is making this possible in order to honor the continuing service that the local community members give to the Sunray Peace Village.(The donation for these three days for other folks will be $300.) Peace,Patricia

For more information, and to register, please click here.

*********************

BirthPath Songs at the Peace Village

Dear Friends of Sunray,

I have been exploring Venerable Dhyani's BirthPath Song teachings for the past year. During that time I have used this Cherokee Teaching as a method to create music to resonate with the hope and potential brought forth with the election of President Barak Obama.

". . . I find the music evocative of our nations' potential to actualize wisdom and skill. . . . My heart is filled with joy knowing that you apply the teachings which are so dear to me."
Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo

I have also been creating BirthPath Songs on the piano for individuals as a musical reminder of the essential vibrations present on the day of their birth. During Venerable Dhyani's upcoming retreat (July 1-7, 2009), I will be available to create BirthPath Songs in The Temple Building during the evenings. The 1 hour sessions include:

The option to energize specific intentions into your Song

Optional slow, gentle, energy/bodywork on the shoulders, neck and head, to invite relaxation and to deepen the integration of your Song

A BirthPath Song created on a electronic keyboard, experienced live as it "flows" (10 - 20 min in length). Depending on the length of your Song there may be the option to hear/experience it more than once.

A CD of your BirthPath Song to use during yoga, meditation or manifestation

There will be 2 times available each evening (6:30 pm and 8:00 pm) of the retreat, creating an opportunity for up to 14 people, to receive their BirthPath Song live in the Temple's sacred space.

The cost is $65 to $80 depending on your means. Twenty percent of the profit from the creation of your BirthPath Song goes to Venerable Dhyani and projects that she supports.Please contact me if you would like to place your name on the schedule of available times.

Wado, Margaret
info@margaretcarol.com 207-310-3890

Learn more about BirthPath Songs

***************

The Sunray Peace Village is in Lincoln, Vermont. Please visit our blog at www.sunraypeacevillage.blogspot.com for directions.

Elders' Kitchen -- donations needed

2009-06-24T09:57:00.000-07:00

Friends,

In about four weeks the Elders kitchen will begin making meals for the Elders, their families and the volunteer staff. Every year for almost 20 years we have sought donations of food and money to support this undertaking. In the course of a week we will provide as many as 1500 meals in three dining areas. We also help support the ceremonial celebrations and caregiving between meals and at the Elders host homes.

We have been able to do this because of generous donors from the Vermont Business Community, Gadugi members, friends, and the Elders themselves.

This year our letters are out and the responses are coming in. We are on track, but no ice cream donation from Ben and Jerry's (now part of a multinational ).

We have been asked to lower our budget this year because of the economy and we had overspent last year. Which brings us to the point of this email...we need everyone's help... so let me suggest some ways you can help support the Elders Kitchen.

Easiest and most flexible is a monetary contribution: we thank many including Corrine, Barbara W, Janet, Julie, Shannon, Aviva, Mary K, Eberhart and many others who have been generous financial donors in the past.

You can donate food. I donate the older emergency food I have each year and renew it fresh. Some ideas of what we need are:

Bulk Foods
1 case Eden Soy plain
1 case rice milk
50 lbs bag yellow organic cornmeal
25 lbs lundberg short grain brown rice
25 lbs white basmati rice
25 lbs organic all-purpose flour
20 lbs black turtle beans
10 lbs pinto beans
10 lbs oatmeal
5 lbs green lentils
5 lbs red lentils
5 lbs Arrowhead multigrain pancake mix
5 lbs corn flour
5 lbs pearled barley
1 Pail X-firm Tofu
1 case of Tempeh

The greatest single expense is for animal protein which is Chicken, Fish, Beef etc: Donating the money as a community to support one of these items would be great.

Sea Run Salmon $150
Roast Beef $75
Hamburger $40
Lamb roasts $75
Chicken breast $100
Ocean wild caught fish $100
Fresh Produce: total for 1 week
7 Cases of mixed lettuces
20 lbs green and yellow beans
50 lbs of onions
50 lbs of potatoes
25 lbs of red potatoes
3 cases beet greens
3 cases swish chard
1 case Oranges
1 case Lemons
2 cases Banana
4 cases grapes
1 case peaches,plums or nectarines
2 cases melons
plus:
tomatoes
fresh herbs
spinach
broccoli
Other Items
2 gal Maple Syrup
Fresh native Berries

This gives everyone an idea of what we have to procure. So if you can donate money, great. If you know of a good source for product let me know. If you can donate items let me know if possible by email artobey@gmavt.net . Produce and berries we accept freely, but advanced notice prevents surpluses where we have limited storage capacity.

We have had a great cheese donation every year from Saputo in Hinesburg and many of you know the factory burned down this year leaving many out of work and requiring us to look elsewhere for cheese donations. Perhaps you could help with that...we use Mozzarella, Provolone, Cheddar, Feta, and Goat Cheeses.

All donations are tax deductible...make checks out to Sunray with a clear note that it is for the Suray Elders Kitchen. And if you want to sponsor a particular item, please let me know via email. We will have to order our food items one week before the Gathering. artobey@gmavt.net phone/fax 802-453-5327

Wadogh (thanks)
2009 Sunray Elders Kitchen
Andy, Julie, Shannon, Amy, John, Janet, (hopefully Claire)

Women of Wisdom in Tibetan Buddhism: Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo on Yeshe Tsoygal

2009-06-17T10:27:00.001-07:00

CLICK HERE to watch an excerpt on YouTube of the Women's Wisdom series as Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo illuminates the life of Yeshe Tsogyal as a template for contemporary practitioners." The entire three day seminar is available by CLICKING HERE. Please forward to all your friends.

Khenmo Drolma
Abbess
Vajra Dakini Nunnery
Bristol, VT

Report on Sunray's United Nations work

2009-06-17T09:50:00.000-07:00

NEWS FROM INDIGENOUS NGO WORLD AT THE UNITED NATIONS
INTERNATIONAL MOTHER EARTH DAY

APRIL 22 has been declared INTERNATIONAL MOTHER EARTH DAY (A/63/L.69) by the UN General Assembly. On hand to celebrate this historic occasion was Mr. Roberto Mucaro Borrero (Taino) Conch Shell opening of event, Ms. Tonya Gonnella Frichner (Onondaga Nation), President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia H.E. Mr. Evo Morales Ayma, General Assembly President Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann and a cultural performance by The Silver Cloud Singers. Assembly President Mr. Brockman thanked Bolivia for having taken the lead in bringing the resolution to the Assembly and added that, by declaring the International Day, Member States recognized their responsibility, as called for in the Rio Declaration, adopted at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the “Earth Summit”, to promote harmony with nature and the planet to achieve a just balance among economic, social and environmental needs of the present and future generations of humanity.
Sunray was a co-sponsor of this event.

PERMANENT FORUM ON INDIGENOUS ISSUES

The Eighth Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues was held at UN Headquarters in New York 18-29 May 2009. Over 2,000 Indigenous representatives from all regions of the world as well as state representatives, civil society, academia and UN system bodies attended. The Forum discussed the relationship between indigenous peoples and industrial corporations, and the need to promote corporate social responsibility. Focus was on extractive industries (oil & mining) while other items on the agenda were climate change, the Arctic region, land tenure and implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. For more information please CLICK HERE.

Sandy Sheridan, Sunray UN/NGO Representative

Monthly tele-class by Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo -- June 18th at 9 pm Eastern time -- on the Summer Solstice

2009-06-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

Thursday, June 18, 2009
9:00 PM - EST, 6:00 PM PST

~ Summer Solstice Teachings ~

"Some of the Southeastern Native Peoples of North America claim descent from the sun. In essence we are all star dust and during the Solstice time we may consider the fruits of thought and action and offer loving thoughts and action dedicated to bringing forth a harvest of communities in harmonious relationships. What seeds do you choose to plant for an abundant harvest. Let us energize together the field potential of wisdom of the Solstice."
~~~~~~~~~

Please join Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo for teachings offered through the Masterful Living Course. Venerable will offer these tele-classes approximately once a month for 10 months. This is a wonderful opportunity to stay connected with the BeautyWay Wisdom teachings in an ongoing way. For more information or to sign up for one or more tele-classes, please CLICK HERE. If you miss the class, you can log on afterward to listen to it.

Late Planting and Solstice Ceremony -- Sunday, June 21st at 6:15 AM at the Peace Village

2009-06-16T14:40:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, June 21st at 6:15 AM, the late planting and solstice ceremony will be in the sacred Arbor at the Peace Village in Lincoln, VT. All are welcome!

Let us celebrated our community and connections with coming together at this time!

We will begin the day with stick dancing and the lighting of the sacred fire together. Together we will offer the Dance of the Four Directions, prayers, and corn meal offerings.

After basic meditation practice, sharing of a potluck breakfast at the community hall (please bring food for firekeepers as well), we will return to the sacred fire to make special offerings for an abundant harvest, to energize the seeds, plants and the Earth.

This is a time of great openings and good to be together to practice the medicine wheel mandala. Traditionally at this time, we offer plantings in the garden and caretaking the land with brush cleanup, weeding gardens, and beautifying the land! Even one hour of of care contributes greatly and is joyful to do together!

Please bring:
-- Potluck breakfast to share,
-- Extra seedlings/plants/seeds to plant in the community garden (Elder cooks are suggesting lots of basil, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, beans). Bringing one plant will help feed the people and Elders in July!
-- Drums, rattles, dance sticks,
-- Gloves for caretaking land

****************
The California community will be having their Solstice Fire on Saturday and with our connections to Fires in Boston, California and Europe, we celebrate together these precious Teachings.

This is from Robert Eichsteaedt in California about Solstice:

The Solstice Ceremony is a large community gathering that has relationship with the individual, family, clan, national and universal unity. This is a time to celebrate the fullness of Life and witness the growth of the seeds that we have planted, to celebrate going through the cycle of the seasons together. Let us strengthen our community bonds as we come together around the sacred fire and offer prayers for those we know, for all beings, and for ourselves. How wonderful it is to simply enjoy being together recognizing all that we have in common and remembering how wonderful it is that we have found one another. Let us offer our thanks for the beauty of the season and may we note the common factors that unite all people and remember that we are all one in the light.

25th Annual Elder's Gathering -- July 24, 25, 26 -- at the Sunray Peace Village

2009-06-15T11:24:00.001-07:00

Please sign up to attend. YOU CAN REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE.

Please also circulate this poster.

Thank you.

(Clicking on the image will enlarge it.)

Ribbon cutting ceremony -- Temple of the Adawees -- Monday June 15th

2009-06-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

Many hands and generous donations have created beauty in the Temple of the Adawees, Wise Protectors at the Home Fires in Lincoln! And now we are completing the first of 2 stages of beautification with a "RibbonCutting"!

Please come or join in at 6:30 PM EST this coming Monday evening, June 15 as Venerable Dhyani will cut the ribbon to the Temple doors, honoring the Lineage, Wise Protectors and all those who have contributed to this project! We are so grateful!

After the ribbon cutting, the community will stick dance, sing the Heart Chant and do the shrines together! Photos will be sent including the ribbon cutting on Monday!

The second stage of transition after fund raising will include window treatments in the Temple (which will retain heat in winter and cooling in the summer), repainting the hall and VDY's consultation room, creating a screen for kitchen/caretaking area and a new dias. And we celebrate the completion of the first stage as a new tone has been created in the Temple!

We look forward to seeing each of you again this summer and practicing together!

In Gratitude,
Rev. Tori

Buddha's Enlightenment Day ceremonies and blessings -- June 7th

2009-05-26T10:09:00.001-07:00

June 7th is Sagadawa or Buddha's Enlightenment Day filled with special merit for all activities. Please join in any and all the celebrations at the Peace Stupa at the Sunray Peace Village and forward the invitation to your friends!

7:30 am Smoke offering and Tsog

1 pm Animal Blessing

On this million merit day it is appropriate that we celebrate our friends that teach us pure loving kindness! We will circunambulate the Stupa together.

7 pm Achi the Grandmother Protector and candle lighting

Khenmo Drolma
Abbess
Vajra Dakini Nunnery
PO 382
Bristol, VT 05443
802 453 6867
www.vajradakininunnery.org

Early Planting Ceremony -- Sunday, May 24th, 6:30 AM

2009-05-21T08:29:00.000-07:00

EARLY PLANTING CEREMONY At ODALI UTUGI, SUNRAY PEACE VILLAGE, LINCOLN, VT.

On SUNDAY, MAY 24 at 6:30 AM, under the guidance of the Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo. At this time during the New Moon in May, we celebrate the early planting with the lighting of the sacred fire. These spiritual practices of singing songs of thanksgiving, dancing to give energy to the earth and offering prayers bring vitality to the seeds and goodness to the entiregrowing season.

After the lighting of the fire and making offerings, we will process to the garden to prepare for the early planting with songs and dances, preparing the earth for the seeds!

EVERYONE IS WELCOME

Monthly tele-class by Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo -- May 21st

2009-05-19T09:27:00.000-07:00

Venerable Dhyani will be participating
in a wonderful new Monthly Tele-Class. The next Class is Thursday May 21st, 2009.
Click Here to learn more about this special opportunity.

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, motivational speaker, author, musician, co-parent of brighter tomorrows, offers transformational programs and life coaching via the BeautyWay Wisdom Seminars and private consultations.

Gleaned from her success in business for over 30 years, BeautyWay Wisdom Seminars are a powerful tool to learn how to apply spiritual insights to the practical issues of one's everyday life. Dhyani's coaching methods awaken creative potential resulting in skillful action and creative solutions that lead to successful life planning and career development.

For the last 3 decades, Venerable Dhyani has also been involved in training peace makers and mediators, and in designing effective methods of reconciliation.

Offering inspiration for those who hear a different beat, Venerable Dhyani guides one beyond the doors of perception to a place where spiraling wisdom expands into all aspects of one's life.

Blessing of Seeds Ceremony -- April 26th

2009-04-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

BLESSING OF SEEDS CEREMONY

at

Odali Utugi, Peace Village, Lincoln, VT

SUNDAY, APRIL 26

7 AM

Everyone is welcome! Bring your seeds for your family gardens! These seeds may be placed on the Arbor shrine to be energized by the Fire and prayers, so that the seeds may feed many and quicken the seed of wisdom in the hearts of people.

INVITE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS>
>

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo tele-teachings on Forgiveness -- Thursday April 16th (downloadable later)

2009-04-14T06:49:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Venerable Dhyani asked me to send you the following information about the next teachings that she will be giving within the Masterful Living Course, via tele-conference this month. This is an ongoing series that is open to registrants at any time. This 3rd class in the series will be available live on Thursday evening, April 16, 2009, at 9:00 pm, EST, 6:00 pm, PST, 7 pm, MT, and 8 pm, CST. Individuals who are not able to attend the class in its live format can purchase and download a copy of the broadcast for listening any time after the live class. There is a link below to sign up for the class or for additional information.

Wado, Margaret

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday, April 16, 2009
9:00 PM - EST, 6:00 PM PST

~ Forgiveness ~
“The sweet balm of forgiveness assuaging the pain of blame and shame;
tears turn to elixir nurturing the seeds of compassion within;
energizing one's potential into skillful activities in the now.

Sweet waters of forgiveness
I see my true face reflected in your quiet grace.

I forgive myself and others for what might have been,
could have been, should have been,
and for thinking myself separate from holy mother’s grace.

At the magic lake we are renewed
in the life giving waters of forgiveness.”

"The opportunity to speak via the tele-class through the Masterful Living Course reveals the wisdom within and the way it applies in one's life today. Individuals together establish through thought the ideals and outcomes which are life force and wisdom enhancing. Each one is inseparable from the master Wisdom Being within. Through our explorations we observe the pathways of actualizing vision as joyous accomplishment."

~~~~~~~~~

Please join Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo for teachings offered through the Masterful Living Course. Venerable will offer these tele-classes approximately once a month for 10 months. This is a wonderful opportunity to stay connected with the BeautyWay Wisdom teachings in an ongoing way. For more information or to sign up for one or more tele-classes, please visit the link below.

http://www.beautywayproductions.com/seminar.html#teleclasses

Opening Prayer at Vermont State House, April 3, 2009

2009-04-02T20:56:00.000-07:00

On Friday morning I shall make opening prayers at the Vermont State Senate Chamber. During this session the Senate will bring forth the following resolution in regard to human rights and the plight of the Tibetan people. Also on this day the young pages will be honored for their service to the community. Our state is also making a decsion on same sex marriage to recognize equal rights for all. May any appearance of obstacle fall away to reveal that each person is equal in the light of love. Opening prayers will commence at 8:30 am eastern daylight savings time, please take moment to join us in prayer.
Sincerely yours,
Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo

****************
Here is the prayer:

Opening Prayer at Vermont State Senate Chamber:

Holy Father, clear light awakened mind, we are grateful for your continuous blessing and the generous and skillful activities of our state lawmakers, may their lives be long and strong ever in harmony with your holy voice and for the young pages who demonstrate benevolence in their civil activities for the benefit of the citizens of the state of Vermont.

We are grateful for the clean waters and green forests and care take well thy precious bounty and consider carefully the impact of our present actions beyond seven generations.

While we are small in number, the power of our voices continuously send ripples throughout this great nation and the world, reminding all that “human rights” are the basis of civility and harmony.

The penetrating insight and questions of the small town meetings express an inclusive Republic wherein each voice is heard and through cooperation good deeds are accomplished benefiting many.

During the period of American Slavery, small Vermont communities cleared the way for many to find freedom as on this day Vermont Senators bring forth S.R.8 condemning the repression of the Tibetan people and urging the United States Congress to take action in calling correct the repression of human rights in Tibet.

Wherever is the sound of refugee’s shuffling feet, wandering in fear, holy one, you which is beyond name and conception please grant your blessings that each one may find a home, safety, clean water and the right to live as free dignified human beings.

The voice of Vermont opened the door to recognize the rights of same sex partners in civil union and now explores the true meaning of human equality while contemplating same sex marriage. Holy father let our ears hear the sound of your voice in each person and our eyes see clearly that we are one in your field of myriad flowers.

Great spirit of mystery, g-d, luminous mind we are thankful that you return safely our sons and daughters home from wars around the world. Please grant your blessings to those who travel far from home in response to the call for freedom and bless their families. May your kindness and support nourish those families who have lost a loved one in war and may we as communities support one and another.

Oh great field of light from which we are all born may we grow wiser in transforming aggression within our hearts, mind and action growing into our potential as the ‘beloved community’ anchored with compassion and skill to assuage the causes of suffering.

We are grateful for thy blessings and dedicated to expressing the potential, Buddha mind/ Christ mind /awakened mind within all.

May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness and never be separated from the joy, which is free from sorrow.

April 3, 2009

Dhyani Ywahoo

***************
Here is the resolution:

Montpelier, Vermont

Senate Resolution
By Senators Miller, Ashe, Ayer, Bartlett, Campbell, Carris, Choate, Cummings, Doyle, Flanagan, Giard, Hartwell, Illuzzi, Kitchel, Kittell, Lyons, MacDonald, Maynard, Mazza, McCormack, Mullin, Nitka, Racine, Scott, Sears, Shumlin, Snelling, Starr and White,

S.R. 8. Senate resolution condemning the repression of the Tibetan people and urging Congress to take forceful action to end this denial of human rights and to extend diplomatic recognition to Tibet.

Whereas, the people of Tibet lived in peace and harmony for centuries, and

Whereas, they harbored no ill will toward anyone or desire to extend their mountainous territory beyond its historic boundaries, and

Whereas, with absolutely no provocation from the Tibetan people, on March 10, 1959, the army of the People’s Republic of China illegally invaded this peaceful Himalayan Mountain kingdom, and

Whereas, it has been reported that over one million Tibetans have perished as a direct result of the Chinese occupation, and

Whereas, the Tibetan people have been deprived of any right of self‑determination, and it is now nearly impossible for them to continue their distinctive cultural practices and religious observances, and

Whereas, despite the assertions of the government of the People’s Republic of China, the Tibetan people pose no threat in any manner to the security of that government, and

Whereas, Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states in no uncertain terms that “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,” and

Whereas, the cruelty and repression that the People’s Republic of China has inflicted on the Tibetan people during a half-century of occupation is a serious violations of human rights, and

Whereas, the International Convention on Human Rights states that contempt for human rights deserves condemnation on the part of the international community when it results in barbarous acts that outrage mankind, and

Whereas, on March 10, 2008, large numbers of Tibetans protested against their occupiers from the People’s Republic of China, and hundreds of Tibetans were killed, and many remain missing or are in prison, and

Whereas, March 10, 2009, marked the 50th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China’s invasion of Tibet, and protests around the world, also known as Tibet Solidarity Walks, sent a message of outrage and an unmistakable demand to the government of the People’s Republic of China that it is way past time for Tibetans to be treated with respect and human dignity, and

Whereas, the plight of the Tibetan people must be an urgent matter of the highest priority for Congress and the international community, now therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate:

That the Senate of the State of Vermont condemns the continuing repression of the Tibetan people and expresses its solidarity with the individuals who participated in the protests that occurred around the world on March 10, 2009, and be it further

Resolved: That the Senate of the State of Vermont urges Congress to:

1) Take forceful action to end the People’s Republic of China’s repression of human rights in Tibet;

2) Recognize Tibetan political autonomy;

3) Ask China to sincerely negotiate with representatives of His Holiness the Dali Lama to solve the Tibet problem, and be it further

Resolved: That the Secretary of the Senate be directed to send a copy of this resolution to the Ambassador to the United States of the People’s Republic of China, the Office of the Representative of the Dalai Lama in New York City, Students for a Free Tibet, and the Vermont Congressional delegation.

Crystal Teachings in Arkansas with Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo -- April 19-24

2009-03-24T13:49:00.000-07:00

This is a special and wonderous opportunity. We have been envisioning this
journey for 12 years. Please join us, WE ARE GOING!!! Check out our
website: http://www.blueskiesrock.com/Arkansas

*** only $1125 for early registration (with $250 non-refundable deposit)
thru March 1, 2009

Please let us know if you are planning to attend, even if you are not
registering early. We need to know for the housing arrangements.

Crystal teachings with Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo,
Hot Springs, Arkansas
April 19 - 24, 2009

"The crystal is an amplifier of that ever-present voice of creation
within." Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo from "Voices of our Ancestors"

In this time together we will explore our relationship to the Earth
element to see how our thought, word and actions are amplified and carried
via the crystal ley lines to all living beings. We will experiment with
sound, movement and meditation, as amplified through the crystals, to
stabilize the mind and to energize the wisdom potential bringing forth
health and joy.

Sunday we will gather to practice together in preparation for teachings
Mon. morning.
Monday through Friday, the mornings will be dedicated to teachings with
Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo, moving and sitting meditation. In the afternoon we
will explore the Crystal shops of several of the local mining operations,
dig for crystals at a working mine, enjoy a mineral bath at the Buckstaff
Bathhouse, historic bath house and explore the area in relation to the
crystal ley lines.

Shared ground transportation, condo housing and activities (listed above)
all included.

$1250

*** only $1125 for early registration (with $250 non-refundable deposit)
thru March 1, 2009

*Travel to Arkansas and food on your own.
*Other housing arrangements possible, please contact Julie with special
needs and requests.

To register or any questions contact Julie James:
jultech@blueskiesrock.com. Please include your contact information.
Fly to: LIT Little Rock, AR

Friends Making New Ceremony -- Saturday March 28th -- Sunray Peace Village

2009-03-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

The Friends Making New Ceremony is on the New Moon in March and is done under the guidance of Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo. It is at this time that transgressions are put aside and we let go of attitudes and behaviors that do not contribute to wisdom growth. So we come together, friends, family, community-ALL ARE WELCOME-to actualize the energy of forgiveness meditation for the benefit ofourselves, family, clans, nation, planet and galaxies beyond.

7:30 AM
Gather at the Sacred Arbor to Stick Dance
Lighting of the Fire with the first rays of sun over the mountain
Bringing out the crystal

8:00 AM
Prayer of Gratitude
Ungula Dance
Basic form 1&2 dances
Offerings of prayers and cornmeal to the Fire

9:00 AM
Procede to the stream for Waters of Forgiveness
Note: please wear good sturdy boots for walking through woods

10:00 AM
Gather at Sacred Arbor and Fire
Breakfast break

11:00 AM-Noon
Breathing, stretching, dances in Temple

12:00-2:00 PM
Meditation

3:00-5:00 PM
Meditation

6:00 PM
Gather in Temple for dances, hymns

7:00-9:00 PM
Make offerings of dances, hymns
Viewing of crystal to see possible futures
Closing with prayers.

Everyone is Welcome
If you wish to participate in part of the day's practices, that is all right.

"Practice of Sacred Relationship is practice of good relations with all inthe family of life."
Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo from Voices of Our Ancestors.

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo tele-teachings -- March 19th

2009-03-17T05:53:00.000-07:00

Thursday, March 19, 2009
9:00 PM - EST, 6:00 PM PST

~ The Archtype of Quan Yin and Our Consciousness in the Moment,
and How Quan Yin Relates to the Natural Wisdom within Every Being ~

"The opportunity to speak via the tele-class through the Masterful Living Course reveals the wisdom within and the way it applies in one's life today. Individuals together establish through thought the ideals and outcomes which are life force and wisdom enhancing. Each one is inseparable from the master Wisdom Being within. Through our explorations we observe the pathways of actualizing vision as joyous accomplishment."

~~~~~~~~~

Please join Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo for teachings offered through the Masterful Living Course. Venerable will offer these tele-classes approximately once a month for 10 months. This is a wonderful opportunity to stay connected with the BeautyWay Wisdom teachings in an ongoing way. For more information or to sign up for one or more tele-classes, please visit the link below.
www.beautywayproductions.com/seminar.html#teleclasses

Chotrul Duchen at VDN

2009-03-09T08:17:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends

At VDN we will celebrate Chotrul Duchen the first 10 million merit day of the new year- on March 11th.

In this tradition we particularly celebrate Marpa and Milarepa on these days.

We begin March 10th when we will read selections of the enlightened poetry from the Kagyu masters in The Rain of Wisdom.

Tues 7 PM Readings from the enlightenment songs of Marpa and Milarepa.

Wed March 11 will begin with a dawn smoke offering and tsok, readings continue 7 PM. The evening will include Amitabha and tonglen for healing.

Khenmo Drolma
Abbess
Vajra Dakini Nunnery
PO 382 Bristol, VT 05443
802 453 6867
http://www.vajradakininunnery.org/

50th Anniversary of Tibetan uprising March 10th

2009-03-09T08:16:00.001-07:00

Tashi Deleck-

March 10th, 2009 marks the 50 anniversary of the Tibetan uprising against the Chinese government. To mark this special day, the Tibetan Association of Vermont will be holding special events throughout the day on Tuesday, March 10th, 2009. To begin the day, we will be gathering at City Hall in Burlington at 11:00 am to perform speeches. We will begin our peace march from the steps of City Hall at 11:40am. We will be marching down Church Street, up Pearl Street, through the University of Vermont, & down College Street to the Lake. We Will be completing prayers in front of City Hall at the end of the peace march. We will end the day with a candle light vigil at City Hall from 5:30pm to 6:00pm. Lunch will be provided to all participants. I hope you all can make it.

Thank you..

Tsering Yangkyi Cummings
Secretary
Tibetan Association of Vermont

Cherokee beginning of the New Year ceremony

2009-02-22T11:51:00.000-08:00

Celebrated at the Sunray Peace Village today.

SUNRAY NGO/UN UPDATE

2009-02-19T15:56:00.000-08:00

Sunray continues to support the indigenous world internationally through its presence at the United Nations and the NGO Community. Many wonderful events have unfolded this past year including The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

The Declaration was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on September 13, 2007. Treaty rights, land rights and self-determination of Indigenous peoples are recognized internationally with this declaration. It has political and moral force and delineates states' obligations to uphold these rights of Indigenous Peoples around the world. Indigenous peoples will be able to use the Declaration to redefine their relationship with states, address their grassroots human rights issues and struggles and call upon states to put the rights it recognizes into practise. We have see the Declaration at work in several countries already. In Belize the Supreme Court quoted the Declaration to justify its decision upholding 2 Mayan villagers' rights to their traditional lands. This victory is expected to result in more protection and land rights for indigenous people of Belize. In Bolivia in November 2007 National Law 3760 or the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was passed (This legistration is an exact copy of the Declaration). Bolivia is the first country to adopt the Declaration as national law.
The Declaration has been translated into various languages besides the official UN languages. The other languages include Cha'palaa (spoken in Ecuador), Crimean Tatar (Indigen. of Crimea), Danish, Greenlandic, Italian, Japanese, Kitchua(spoken in Andes), Guarani (Paraguay), Maori, Miskito (Nicaragua & Honduras) and Portugues.

Sandra Sheridan
Sunray NGO/UN Representative

End of the year Achi practice, Losar and Million Merit Days

2009-02-16T08:36:00.000-08:00

Today begins the end of the year Achi practice at Vajra Dakininunnery. You are welcome to join us at 7 pm at Vajra Dakini this week for Achi recitation. (The closing of the year is viewed as a time of karmic debts ripening and therefore a special time for protector practice)
Tibetan Buddhist Lineages often have a grandmother protector figure. In our lineage it is Achi. She is a historic enlightened woman who, due to her foresight, became the great grandmother of Lord Jigten Sumgon , founder of the Drikung Kagyu. She promised to assist all practitioners throughout time. We do an offering to her every evening, remembering her courage. She walked her truth in a time when is was considered outrageous for a woman to determine anything about her life, much less become a spiritual teacher. One of the reasons we are interested in preserving the woman's lineage within Buddhism is because there is a long line of such courageous women.

This year the Tibetan Government has asked for Losar festivities to be canceled on this 50th anneversary of the dispora due to the tremendous suffering in Tibet this year. Prayers are always good but the festivities world wide will not be offered. At VDN we will celebrate Chotrul Duchen the first 10 million merit day of the new year- on March 11th. In this tradition we particularly celebrate Marpa and Milarepa on these days. We begin March 10th when we will read selections of their enlightened poetry from The Rain of Wisdom. March 11 will begin with a dawn smoke offering and tsok. Readings and prayers continue through the day,

Beginning of Lunar New Year Ceremony

2009-02-16T08:33:00.002-08:00

ALL ARE WELCOME AND WARMLY INVITED TO

THE BEGINNING OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR CEREMONY

SUNDAY, FEB. 22, 2009 at the PEACE VILLAGE, LINCOLN, VT

8:00 AM

We will begin the day of Ceremony with the Lighting of the Sacred
Fire, making prayers and offerings. Through the quiet time of
this Feb. New Moon, we rededicate ourselves to a year of good
relationship. This midwinter ceremony sets the pace for the entire
lunar cycle, embodies our clear intention with the planting of seeds
of good cause.

8:00 AM Lighting of the Fire
8-10 AM Offerings, prayers and practices of dance and meditation
10-4PM Practices continue in the Temple of Adawees-The Wise
Protectors and at the Fire in the Sacred Arbor
4 PM All gather in the Temple for Sacred Dances.

Followed by Potluck Feast. Location to be determined--local community
home.

Women's Wisdom Online Series

2009-02-15T14:53:00.001-08:00

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo tele-teachings -- starting this Thursday

2009-02-14T11:36:00.000-08:00

~ VISUALIZE
~ CONSIDER THE BENEFIT TO YOURSELF AND ASSOCIATES
~ ENERGIZE WITH PRAYERFUL AFFIRMATION AND
~ DO WHAT NEEDS DOING

"The opportunity to speak via the tele-class through the Masterful
Living Course reveals the wisdom within and the way it applies in
one's life today. Individuals together establish through thought the
ideals and outcomes which are life force and wisdom enhancing. Each
one is inseparable from the master Wisdom Being within. Through our
explorations we observe the pathways of actualizing vision as joyous
accomplishment."

Please join Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo for teachings offered through the
Masterful Living Course. Venerable will offer these tele-classes
approximately once a month for 10 months. This is a wonderful
opportunity to stay connected with the BeautyWay Wisdom teachings in
an ongoing way. For more information or to sign up for one or more
tele-classes, please visit this link. COURSE LINK.

The first tele-class is this coming Thursday evening, February 19, 2009, at 9:00 pm, EST, 6:00 pm, PST, 7 pm, MT, and 8 pm, CST.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T09:59:00.000-08:00

Peace Villages around the World

2009-02-03T20:42:00.000-08:00

There is a place where you and I can go for refuge. In this place, there is a sacred fire, it burns brightly and it shows us the way. We can see who we are, we can see who we are in right relationship with all that is. It is a physical place, and it is also a place within the heart.

There is a place where children can go to learn. There is no school, no classroom, and yet they learn because they already know who they are, what their purpose is. Their school is the natural state of mind, and that place of learning is also in the heart.

There is a place where the young ones come of age, at that tender time, exploring. They fall asleep by the fire, sleeping upright, cornmeal in hand, resting while learning to tend the bright and dancing flames, dreaming their future and what is good for all generations. Their dreams arise from within the source of all that is, their prayers are expressed through the heart, with few words.

There is a place where the Elders speak their wisdom, the precious Elders carrying their ways and their teachings, painstakingly, for many generations. They share generously, and are supported in return by the breath and by the kind actions of the people. They show community how to stand in a circle, a circle around the heart.

There is a place where those who feel the need to come to balance once again, to be in right relationship with self, with family, with community, may return again to the waters of forgiveness. Cleansing, wiping away the tears, and making joy again in their beings, their actions benefit all.

Actually, the Peace Village is in many places around our planet at this time. In the Green Mountains of Vermont, in Indiana, in the forests of Poland, on the volcanic mountains of Hawai’i.

In the tradition of the Cherokee people, the Peace Village was a mother village, energizing the sacred ceremonial cycle, a powerful magnet to bring benefit to community. To send gentle waves of compassion to those who cry, even to those who are unseen. Thus, it also was a place for those who had broken clan law to seek refuge, to go through ceremony, to make right. Living in these Peace Villages would be precious ministers, guiding the people again to right relationship. At the conclusion of a person’s time at the Peace Village, he or she might be given a new name, and returned to their home community as a new person. All grievances were forgiven, and that person would be accepted once again as whole and new. In the 1800’s, even white men who were outside of white man’s law were welcome at the Peace Village.

About 40 years ago, it was seen by the Elders of the Ywahoo lineage of the Cherokee people that it was time to bring the sacred practices of making right relationship out into the world. Many were called, a few were tested, and the Elders found this to be good medicine. About 30 years ago, the Sunray Peace Village was founded by Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, her family, and a few dedicated students, in the sacred mother valley of Lincoln, Vermont. The valley is shaped a bit like a bowl, and so prayers resonate out from that place in a specific way, as prescribed by the ancestors. Each year, many return to this sacred fire to give and receive blessing, to practice together, and to hear the words of the indigenous Elders who gather there.

Also, other Peace Villages have since been founded by other Cherokee Elders: by Grandfather Warren Ramey, in Indiana, and by Grandfather Silver Fox Mette and his wife Danuta in Poland. Founded on the same ancient principles of right relationship, these small villages now grow and flourish. The special medicine of the Kohana Peace Village in Poland seems to be the medicine of the wise family. Together they live, pray, eat, and share, and many beings benefit from their time together. They create around them a powerful family force that can be felt strongly upon first meeting them. They shape and fashion within themselves and within others, that powerful human being who understands his or her family medicine, knows a strength beyond what we perceive to be our small-circle limitations. So even though the members of the Peace Village families have perhaps not been born from the same bloodlines, the sacred bonds of that strong medicine are cultivated, in order to benefit all. In order to bring Peace to our planet.

In Hawai’i, there is a very strong tradition of the Place of Refuge, or the pu’uhonua. Again, the law was very similar. When a member of the community had broken a societal precept, or kapu, they could escape death by running, swimming, or sometimes crawling to the pu’uhonua. Within the walls of this Place of Refuge were also priests, or kahuna, who would assist individuals in the process of ho’oponopono, or making right. An individual might spend a short time at the pu’uhonua, or in some cases the rest of their lives, depending upon the transgression. So while the culture is different, and each culture shares its special gift, the precepts of the Peace Village seem to be generally the same.

Part of a modern entrance chant for one of the Hawaiian pu’uhonua has the following description:

He leo malie, He leo heahea,

E ha’alele na ha’awi kaumaha…

…He wahi pu’uhonu, o keia wahi la’a

He wahi a’o, o keia wahi la’a

He wahi ho’ola, o keia wahi la’a

A calm voice, a voice calling,

“Release the pain and sorrow that you carry!”

…A Place of Refuge, a sacred place,

A place of learning, a sacred place,

A place to increase life, a sacred place.

And so it is that the Peace Villages around the globe at this time, united by a common thread, call us again to softness of the heart, where much can be understood. And for all this talking today, actually, not much can be spoken!

All are welcome, all may come to sip from the sweet nectars, all may share in the Direct Experience of that sacred place.

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Hi! My name is Eliza, I’ve been active with the Sunray Peace Village in Lincoln, Vermont, for about ten years now. I’ve had so much fun and experienced so much joy with my Sunray family in this short amount of time we call life! Now I live across the globe, in Hawai’i, where I dance hula and practice lomilomi. I am also an interpreter for the Deaf. If you come to the Sunray Peace Village for our Elders’ Gathering at the end of July (it happens every year), I may see you there! I’m looking forward to it.

Peace,
Eliza ☺

http://sunraypeacevillage.blogspot.com/2009/02/blog-post.html#links

Calendar -- view from Sunray Peace Village of Hope Mountain

2009-01-27T08:58:00.000-08:00

Contact info

2009-01-08T21:16:00.000-08:00

To learn more about Sunray's practices and organization, please visit Sunray's main website at http://www.sunray.org/.