We're on our way! Momo butoh dances to SingPeace! at the gypsy wagon

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on March 21, 2010 at 5:30am

3/19/10

Sing Peace!

I believe that each and every one of us has a special calling and a unique role to play in this great emerging world. We will know it by our great desire and joy with embodying it. Some are brave and strong enough to answer this call with great passion and dedication. Dear Pushkara Sally Ashford is one of those people; a singing grandmother who wants nothing more than to make Peace on Earth a reality for her progeny and many generations to come. She is called to spread peace is through a pilgrimage of song, dance, communal gatherings and celebration in and around a beautiful hand made gypsy wagon that she designed to become a center-peace for SingPEACE gatherings and events in the Northwest and beyond.

This afternoon Pushkara; her son Dave visiting from Woodstock, NY; Mick Dodge the Barefoot Sense Say; Charlie the dog and I gathered to make song, dance and film at her new gypsy wagon. It is an exquisite work of art and so inspiring in the late afternoon sunlight at her home overlooking Puget Sound and Mt. Tahoma to the south. The wagon is parked next to a great grandmother Big Leaf Maple with a Buddha face peering out of its side. Below the tree is the grave of Pushkara's beloved dog, Miwa. It is truly a place of peace and
grace that I felt honored to dance upon. We began with the song "I'm On My Way" from the back of the wagon. This seemed so appropriate because
we all are pilgrims on our respective paths moving on our way toward Peace and Global Harmony. When asked what she would like to happen with
this pilgrimage she said she would like to encourage those she meets to find their own sources and stories of peace. Mick had brought out a number of his hand crafted staffs and training items and I danced with them while Pushkara sang, Uncle Dave drummed and Mick filmed and interviewed us. Such a joyous & peaceful way to celebrate this last day of winter together!

I will add another daily dance film we made with the grandmother maple tree to this post soon. For now I just want to get this first one out into the world asap because Pushkara & Co. are heading to a big peace rally in Seattle and an event with Congressman Jim Mcdermott at Town Hall in honor of her mother's lifetime of activism on Sunday 3/21...This is the maiden voyage for the SingPeace wagon to the big city. I wish them all the best and hope I can join them the next time round. For me, Sunday will be an Equinox celebration of pole dancing--to hopefully finish stripping thelast 11 poles for the new tipi.

What is your calling? What are inspiring sources and stories of Peace and Harmony in your life? Are dance, song, craft, beauty, travel and creative collaboration sources for peace in your life?

Thanks for watching. Enjoy!

Peace Planet Project Proclamation

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on March 16, 2010 at 7:00am

http://peaceplanetproject.com/blog/
The purpose of Peace Planet Project is to make a conscious shift in our direction as a planet toward PEACE NOW. Join the countless number of Earth's people who know that peace is not only possible, it is happening.

Today, more individuals and organizations than ever before are committed to the practice of peace and the healing of our planet. The need to be consciously united in our purpose is profound and urgent.

Peace Planet Project is a nonprofit organization through the Charitable Partnership Fund. We are committed to supporting those who work toward a new era of peace and the wellbeing of our planet.

~ Excerpt from the Peace Planet Proclamation ~
© 2006 Laura Merrell

Pause and give thanks!

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on December 24, 2009 at 8:42pm

'Tis the season. Let's pause to give thanks for the many blessings of 2009 and prepare for the coming year. I spent a few hours, today, with Mick Dodge [Dee-oh-gee], the Barefoot Sensei, an "Exuberant Animal" who has now blessed SingPeace! A Pilgrimage for Peace & Global Harmony with his deep footing and grin. I'm greatly refreshed and honored to be in the company of one who wends his way in the elemental wisdom of the "gated wild." Over the years, Mick has sought out the "no-me" and the "no-mad" within himself. His mastery of the "land-uage" is unmistakable; his story brings me to my senses, and tears to my eyes. There are no labels or words - other than the ones Mick "foot-notes" in his spirited adventures - that adequately encompass his understanding of what it will take for us to let go of dominion and domination, thereby lightening the load of our sentient Earth Mother and sewing the quilt of peace and global harmony among us. I will save the telling for Mick, as he is the barefoot bard, an eloquent mythsinger. "What's the first thing that happens when you take your shoes off? You start paying attention!" "Sensei, my feet are just too sensitive to go barefoot outdoors." "On the contrary, my young exuberant, they are not sensitive enough!" Mick's vision is expressed in these images, an integrative union of three habitats: city ("sitty"), the wild mountain, and the hut. In this vision, each element has a place and a role to play. The city has its share of riches, but many dangers to mind, body and spirit. The wild mountain offers physical challenge, spiritual exhilaration and profound teachings. In between lies the hut, a pivotal transition point of community, sharing and whole-body education. The figure 8 form symbolizes a continuous educational journey that integrates all three elements.

In line with Mick's vision to establish a series of huts and training practices that bring this integrative experience to more and more people, we've agreed that the SingPeace! gypsy wagon is a natural hut or hearth on wheels, where those of the sedentary "sitty," can safely, and in spirited yet sensible ways, come to touch the gated wild. The "young bucks," Mick trains with can act as "scouts" for the gypsy wagon singing pilgrimage. Our appearances along our route will serve to remind communities of ways to keep life simple, spirited, sustainable and smiling. The SingPeace! gypsy wagon pretty much speaks for itself in its charm and fine craftsmanship. For my part, I've included in the design a solar electric panel, 12-volt LED lighting, a composting toilet and on-demand propane-fired hot water tank. Outdoor shower, folks. I'll be taking "spit baths" in the basin. Traditionally, the Romany didn't actually live in their caravans; they saved them for social gatherings. But seasoned by nearly 7 decades, a grandmother living in the Pacific Northwest and traveling during the winter months inclines me toward greater "indoor livability." I'm still looking for a "green towing machine" for the dual axle trailer and a competent driver. I'm seeing the possibility of using Mick's figure eight as a rough map and route for the first lap of our journey, tracing a wide loop from home on Whidbey Island up into B.C. to meet the international community at the Winter Olympics, and around the Olympic Peninsula, down through Portland and Eugene, OR, then making a second loop in figure eight fashion around the Cascade range to arrive home again on "middle island." Not to forget events already in the works, by the way: Rainy Camp in Carnation and the NW Regional Folklife Festival in Seattle. (see the Events page) Today, Mick and I began to imagine what it would be like to pull into a town, the buckskinned guys heralding the arrival of the gypsy wagon. Who would be there to meet us? Would we be welcomed by community members and city authorities? Where would we gather and bed down? What could we offer? Mick has an amazing Earth Gym training program he brings in. The SingPeace! songweavers with their "songs for a culture of peace" enliven with Singing 'n Mingling style gatherings. Sharing resources and skills seems key. There's certainly a range of topics we could engage: clean air and water, permaculture and green technologies, a fresh look at ways to get along. Stories, poems, play and games for kids. Portland's City Repair project has been doing some very creative work toward sustainable communities. http://cityrepair.org/ Mick went off to run and train on it. I've been barefooting it in the grass - a vigorous reawakening of the senses and renewal of the secret bond we all share with Mother Nature. These natural gifts of sense and song Are ours to share and take along, 'Round rock and rill, 'mid stick and stone, We'll foot and grin our way back home. You can read Mick's blog at: barefootsensei.exuberantanimal.com/ P,B and J (Peace, Blessings and Joy!) Pushkara

Northwest Permaculture Convergence 2012

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on August 26, 2012 at 11:57am

"Permeating the Mainstream"

OCTOBER 5-7, 2012

FORT FLAGLER STATE PARK

MARROWSTONE ISLAND, WA

An empowering three day sustainability event that will change your relationship with the planet, and each other.

In 2012, Permaculture will be "Permeating the Mainstream!"

http://www.northwestpermaculture.org/

ABOUT THE NWPCC

The NW Permaculture Convergence is an inclusive annual event which unites communities for a weekend of intensive focus on a common goal: to design sustainable habitats, in accordance with nature, for all humans, plants and animals.

Practitioners across a wide-spectrum of skill-sets exchange ideas through concurrent workshops ranging from organic agriculture and wildcrafting to natural building and appropriate technologies; from environmental remediation and disaster preparedness to community dynamics and global justice.

In addition to the workshop space, there are also dedicated areas for skill sharing, children's activities, educational displays, and vendors.

Participants have opportunities to socialize over meals, and during the evening's entertainment. People bring dishes to share. Chefs prepare the food and everyone takes turns with the kitchen chores.

This year's event is being held at Fort Flagler State Park, a 784-acre marine camping park surrounded on three sides by 19,100 feet of saltwater shoreline on Marrowstone Island. The park rests on a high bluff overlooking Puget Sound, with views of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains. Many historic buildings remain at this 19th-century-established military fort.

Available onsite accommodations include Family Campgrounds at an additional $10.00 per person, or open partitioned Adult Dorm Rooms at additional $30.00 per person -for the duration of the event. RV sites with hookups must be purchased directly from the park by calling (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.

The NW Permaculture Convergence, applying for non-profit 501(c)3 status, oversees event management and is fiscally responsible for each year's planning committees. This group teams-up with local communities for 'shoulder events,' supporting our allies with tours, panel discussions, workshops, and classes. Every year, the organization offers a number of volunteer and work trade positions. Ride shares, home stays and food donations can be bartered on the website FORUM page.

Participation steadily increases with each Convergence. In 2012, attendance is expected to reach five hundred as long time enthusiasts and beginners alike will pilgrimage from every corner of the Cascadian Bioregion which extends from coastal Alaskan Panhandle to the north, into Northern California in the south, and inland to include parts of the Yukon, Idaho, Wyoming and Western Montana to Fort Flagler State Park near Port Townsend, Washington. Ocean views are spectacular from the event site, and the rare temprate rainforest of the Olympic Peninsula is less than one hour away.

One Earth One Voice: sing around the world 12:21:12

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on December 10, 2012 at 10:00am

Join the largest global choir and musical action day of healing for the Earth by joining One Earth. One Voice. on December 21. Our synchronized moment of song will take place:

Friday, December 21: 10pm GMT | 5pm EST | 4pm CST | 3pm MST | 2pm PST

Learn the song, download the music and spread the word: http://www.oneearth-onevoice.org/learn-the-song/

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JQK-ixb8jxQ

Ise Oluwa is one of the most beloved songs of West Africa. We believe that’s true for a few reasons: one is the message of the translation, which we agree with deeply. The other is its beautiful, simple (that word again) melody, with so many possibilities for harmony.

Words: Ise oluwa, koley bajey o.
A (simple) phonetic pronunciation: eee-shea oh-lu-wah, koh-leh bah-jey-o.

Translation: That which Creator has made (or that which has been created) can never be destroyed.

When we teach this song to groups around the world, most are not experienced singers. We’re amazed at how quickly people learn the song – even the harmonies, which are beautiful. Whether you are a novice or a professional, we like to emphasize three basic principles:

Tune into our website: www.oneearth-onevoice.org and our Facebook page (One Earth. One Voice.) to register to participate, and for updates.

Special thanks:
The Three Altos (music)
Chris Shaeffer (video production)

Laurence Cole, Songweavers on tour

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on September 20, 2010 at 6:09pm

Nanila The Grandmother Song [HQ]

South African Song Soshalosa (trimmed-2) [HQ]

SHOSHOLOZA

Shosholoza was originally a sad song sung by people during hard labour, sometimes far away from home. It has become one of South Africa's most popular songs, especially as an anthem at sporting events. Rough English translation: Move faster, You are meandering on those mountains, The train is from South Africa. You accelerate, on those mountains, The train is from South Africa. "Shosholoza" means "Go forward" or "Make way for the next man". The word also sounds like the noise of a steam train. ("Stimela" is the Zulu word for a steam train).

Shosholoza, shosholoza
Kulezontaba
Stimela Sphuma South Africa
Wenu Yabaleka
Wenu Yabaleka,
Kulezontaba
Stimela Sphuma South Africa

Peacemaker, Rita Marie Johnson and Humanity’s Peace Story [or Human Be-ing 101]

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on February 5, 2016 at 7:10pm

How often do we hear or say, “Be the change you/we want to see in the world?” We now have the tools to do it.
The BePeace or Connection Practice developed by international peacemaker, Rita Marie Johnson, provides precise know-how to gain insight into our inner life in an efficient and powerful manner. Application and regular practice in the use of these tools directly impacts our day to day interactions in a real, authentic and sustainable way.

Rita Marie Johnson has been living “Humanity’s Peace Story” since childhood. The first inkling of her mission came at age 10, when she heard the words, “You will be a peacemaker.” She remained in the dark about how to go about this daunting task until some years later, when she learned that Costa Rica had dismantled their army in 1948. In fact, just two years prior, in 1946, the Costa Rican educator and diplomat, Roberto Brenes Mesén, had published a breathtaking and prophetic epic poem, “Rasur, or the Week of Splendor.” The poem, originally written in Spanish, tells of a master teacher, Rasur, who mysteriously appears one day in a mountain village where he woos the children deep into a mountain where he teaches them the way of peace. During that week, the children impart to their parents what they have learned from the master, Rasur, transforming relations of the entire community.

RASUR.pdf

I first spoke with Rita Marie Johnson on a 2010 Peace Alliance conference call. She had just returned to the U.S. from Costa Rica where she’d spent the years since 1993 discovering and developing peace-making methods and a training program to “feel peace, speak peace and teach peace.” Rita Marie even wrote and produced an opera during that time: “Rasur, the Week of Splendor,” once the poem was translated into English. The BePeace movement eventually gained the support of the President of Costa Rica, a former Minister of Education, and was installed in the country’s classrooms. To date, over 40,000 students have learned the BePeace method in public school settings. Rasur International, http://rasurinternational.org/

Rita Marie Johnson has combined the work of the Heart Math Institute (Heart-Mind Coherence) and that of Marshall Rosenberg who initiated NVC, (Non-Violent, Compassionate Communication), adding a special dimension in her synthesis of the two. Walking the “BePeace Path,” I’ve sensed a deepening clarity and coherence, as though stepping into someone else’s shoes to gain insight into their world almost from inside their skin. “Ubuntu,” where “me” becomes “we,” cultivating true understanding and compassion by which to craft a universal culture of peace.

People of all ages have been learning these methods. BePeace, now known as the Connection Practice, is the only peace skill-building course offered at the United Nations-mandated University of Peace. Because seasoned mediators - graduates from every culture, ethnicity, and language group across the globe - routinely experienced an “a-ha” during the course, (“Ah, so, this really works!”), they suggested that the course be the first requirement of all training at the university.

Rita Marie has recently published a book, Completely Connected: Uniting our Empathy and Insight for Extraordinary Results, available in bookstores and through the Rasur International website. http://rasurinternational.org/rita-marie-johnson/

The BePeace Foundations Course appeared to me to be the perfect complement to my mission, the gypsy wagon journey of SingPeace! Pilgrimage for Peace & Global Harmony. SingPeace! - crafting a culture of peace in community through music, creative arts and exuberant play - was the “celebratory” component of a powerful skill-building process. As founder and director of the SingPeace! Pilgrimage, I determined to bring BePeace to the Northwest.

To begin with, I needed to learn and experience, first hand, the validity of the BePeace methods. Three of us from my project traveled to Santa Cruz, CA to attend a BePeace Foundations Course. On completion of the 4-day retreat, I invited Rita Marie Johnson to present the first training of BePeace at Whidbey Institute, near my home on Whidbey Island, north of Seattle.

In 2011, musicians from around the U.S. and Canada were in residence at the first 4-day BePeace Foundations Course, offered in the Northwest. Among them were singers, guitarists, 3 violinists, 2 stand-up bass players, drummers, etc. Leading up to the event, several of us took part in a day-long facilitator training in order to assist Rita Marie during the retreat. I must say, I have never felt more thoroughly listened to than when paired with Rita Marie in that training. Once heard, I was better prepared to hear others. A ripple effect has taken place since the BePeace Foundations Course, with several of us in attendance taking advanced training to become facilitators, group leaders coaches and trainers of BePeace or the Connection Practice. [i.e. “BePeace” is often used in faith-based communities, “The Connection Practice,” is the terminology generally used in secular settings.]

The following interviews with Rita Marie Johnson shed light on the methods she has imbibed and synthesized:

"Humanity’s Peace Story,” an illuminating audio interview with Emily Hine during the 2011 Shift Network Peace Week, along with the BePeace Anthem, composed by Sam Guarnaccia can be found at this link: http://samguarnaccia.com/bepeace-anthem-childrens-peace-songs/

During the Shift Network’s “Summer of Peace,” Rita Marie spoke again in more detail, taking interviewer, Philip Helmich, through the steps of the Connection Practice: http://summerofpeace.net/program/130
(Also available at rasurinternational.org)

Videos:

“Introduction to the Connection Practice, “ Rita Marie Johnson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=i3UYjEejVgA&feature=youtu.be

“The Connection Practice, Scientifically Based Social-Emotional Learning for At-Risk Kids," a talk by Rita Marie Johnson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXf2LdpeFY4

“BePeace Camp 2014:" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhbNzptZoHQ

“Completely Connected - The Magic of Combining Empathy and Insight:" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-MwWna5aAo

Media:
BePeace Course Retreat https://singpeacepilgrimage.ning.com/profiles/blogs/international-peacemaker
Peacemaker, Singers will meet at Whidbey Institute http://www.southwhidbeyrecord.com/lifestyle/124319498.html

The Path of the SingPeace! Pilgrimage

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on February 12, 2011 at 9:30am

SingPeace! Earth Pilgrimage for Peace & Global Harmony was inspired by a singing dream that focused two essential elements in my life: music, specifically, singing, and the quest for inner and outer peace. The image of a pilgrimage came up, but one that would take place in a gypsy wagon, a "peace train."

I went online to find a course in my region: "How to Build a Gypsy Wagon." Calling up one of the Founders of Port Townsend School of Woodworking, Jim Tolpin, I told him of my intention. He offered to come to Whidbey Island to present his talk and slide show about his 30-year love affair with building gypsy wagons. I planned to introduce the concept of crafting a culture of peace through sharing song to my community. I invited singer/songweaver Laurence Cole, a master of what I was calling singing 'n mingling participatory singing, to lead songs at the event.

The introductory program for SingPeace! took place in March 2009. In May, I took the course where I had the opportunity to design the wagon. I drew the plans and details of the interior, after which we lofted it and laid it out on cardboard so I could get a sense of the space. On the first day of the class, Jim had offered: "Steve can build it." Steve Habersetzer was co-teaching the course with Jim. So, I hung out with Steve that week, and subsequently commissioned him to manage the project and build the wagon.

The intensive collaborative process of construction and decor followed, beginning in July 2009. Our singing troupe inaugurated SingPeace! when the wagon was displayed in November at the Port Townsend Woodworker's Show. Our Whidbey Island "homecoming" took place in March 2010, with a 2-day event at Yoga Lodge, where our singer-song leaders, Laurence Cole, Rob Tobias and Sara Tone, were also joined by EarthGym's Barefoot Bard, Mick Dodge.

SingPeace! support for protection and conservation of land and species, stewardship of and learning from the Earth has become a central theme of the gypsy wagon journey."The Garden" as a function of the pilgrimage has generated plans for a "Peace Garden," "Forgiveness Forest Garden," "Garden of Tranquility," and a "Secret Garden." So, as we travel from community to community we will support efforts already underway and encourage new garden planting aimed at healing communities.

Most recently, SingPeace! has become sponsor for Rasur Foundation International's BePeace Course, the first in the Northwest region. Feel Peace, Speak Peace, Teach Peace, via combined methods of HeartMath, for "coherence," and Compassionate Communication for "connection" have significantly improved students' academic scores while maturing their social skills. With the gypsy wagon as a staging area, SingPeace! is the celebratory component of this collaborative journey, with its singing 'n mingling, storytelling, puppetry, EarthGym and exuberant play activities.

SingPeace! is launching a North American tour. We have invitations from every corner of the U.S. and locations in Canada. The physical realities of gathering a troupe and caravan, attracting a truck and driver to haul the wagon, enlisting community participation in all aspects of crafting their "piece of the peace," all are among our present challenges. We are establishing an online presence, finding our place within the movement already under way and encouraging greater cohesion at the grassroots and policy levels to realize our goal: "Peace in our lifetime."

Conservation victory: 7,000 acres along Hoh River permanently protected

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on April 10, 2010 at 8:00pm

Thursday, April 8, 2010

More on Hoh River Trust:

www.hohrivertrust.org

The Hoh River Trust was formed to own and manage river lands along the Hoh River on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula with an objective to conserve, restore, and enhance these lands for the benefit of fish, wildlife, and people.

The Trust’s work is focused in three areas; restoration, stewardship, and outreach. We are working to restore the industrial timberland to a more naturally evolving condition that will enhance
habitat for the dependent species. We oversee the condition of the
property and ensure that its uses are compatible with our conservation objectives. And we engage the community in a meaningful way to ensure that this land retains its recreational and cultural vitality, and that ultimately the community has a true sense of ownership and stewardship over these lands.

Explore our website to learn more about the Hoh River and our work to help preserve this ecological treasure.

Hoh River Trust featured in recent Seattle Times article.

Recently the Seattle Times ran a feature article on the work being done by the Hoh River Trust. It described the work being done by the Trust as "one of the largest single conservation efforts in Washington".

We would like to thank the Seattle Times for taking the time to recognize the work of the Hoh River Trust.

Conservation victory: 7,000 acres along Hoh River permanently protected By Lynda V. Mapes

Seattle Times staff reporter

To view the article click here.

Preserving Habitat for Endangered & Threatened Species

As you stand along the Hoh River as we did last week and the bright sun filtered through the lush green canopy it is easy to stand in awe of the beauty of the river and the surrounding landscape.

However, we are constantly reminded that our forest stewardship extends far beyond preserving the visual beauty of this ecosystem. Home to Northern Spotted Owl, Marbled Murrelet, Pacific Chinook Salmon and
wild steelhead the Hoh River and Valley represents one of the last great
places to insure these species don't become extinct.

'Preserving a Last Great American River' means a lot more when you think of it in these terms.

Singing Alive Summer Harvest, Th.-Sun.

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on August 28, 2010 at 10:30am

SINGING ALIVE SUMMER HARVEST
Sept. 3-6, 2010

http://singingalive.org/?cat=1

1778 N. River Rd., Cosmopolis, WA

A teaching gathering for ceremonial/devotional singing circles, dancing, and music
We change the world as we transform ourselves with songs of light, love, peace on earth, and goodwill to all beings.

What is Singing Alive?
Now in its 4rd year, Singing Alive is about bringing people together who feel called to awaken, and nuture their spiritual life thru communion with songs (and prayers, chants, blessings, and so om) of celebration of life in this benevolent universe. Such songs clarify our lives, strengthen our communities, and foster personal and planetary renewal. At Singing Alive we gather to share them, and ourselves, in a safe, welcoming environment. Our goal is to open hearts, and the songs are the keys. These songs are multi-cultural, coming to us from many eras and lands far and near.
Together they tell a perennial story, a Gaian dharma, so often forgotten, yet so joyfully remembered, of the Great work of spiritual evolution, of earth-conscious living and peaceful co-existence. By
singing this story we come home to Ourselves and perform the Dream of re-Creation we have so longed to live. Singing Alive is intended to hold space for this Dream to emerge and manifest, to give people the resources, and support for this initiatory transition we are ALL, consciously or not, with grace or in denial, going thru.

The old paradigms of domination, exploitation, and war are fitfully, yet inexorably, crumbling, and a new genre of songs have (re)emerged that reflect and celebrate the new paradigm of love, light, and the pursuit of blissful service to the world. By engaging our hearts in song, we help actualize this paradigm in ourselves and the collective. This is subtle activism, nourishment for a spiritually hungry world.

Our intent is to invite singers and musicians who can share songs of this genre, which work in the format of communal singing. This is not an entertainer / audience gathering; ‘rather it is a participatory event, a co-prayformance, where we all sing together, and work together to make this happen. Those who don’t think they can sing are encouraged to come and claim the birthright of a singing species!!

Teaching and Sharing Circles at Singing Alive
Voice & Breathwork
Dances of Universal Peace
Playing Musical Instruments
Bardic Legacies and Storytelling
Creating & Sharing Songbooks & Songbook
Art Whole-Group
Singing Circles & Small Song-Circles
Midwiving New Languages & Reclaiming the Ancient Ones

Song Traditions (Song Tribes) Rainbow, African, Shamanic, Daime, Orisha, Osho, Native American, Amma, Sufi, Gospel, Kirtan, and omward . . .
Song Themes and Invocations
World Peace, God/Goddess Exaltations, the Elements, Fairies & Devas,
Blessings, Gratitude, Grief & Praise, Planetary Acupuncture, Human Flowering, Children Circles,
Harmonic Toning, & Song On

This gathering was conceived on July 16, 2005 by Michael Pilarski (Skeeter) & Morgan Brent (M.T. Xen). Skeeter is a wildcrafter and gardener, permaculturalist, educator, and the founder of many
gatherings, such as the Okanagon Barter Faire, the Northwest Herbal Faire, and the Human & Fairy Relations Congress. M.T. is an educator, organizer and song enthusiast who specializes in
prescriptive teachings of medicinal plants (Nature’s plan to save humans). He shares these teachings through Creation-story style sacred song circles.

What is the key to untie the knot of the mind’s suffering?
Benevolent thought, sound, and movement.
The Gft, 14th-century Sufi poet Hafiz

Port Townsend Songlines' June 16 concert benefits Building Futures

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on June 13, 2012 at 1:18pm

6/6/2012 6:00:00 AM
Songlines' June 16 concert benefits Building Futures

Gretchen Sleicher and Laurence Cole, pictured here at their shared property at the Port Townsend EcoVillage, are codirectors of the Songlines community choir. Photo by Maggie Hastings Clifford

Maggie Hastings Clifford
contributor

Songlines is calling forth the Port Townsend community once again to not just join in song, but to raise funds and awareness for a most worthy local organization.

The “Spring Sing” at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 16 in the downtown Cotton Building benefits YMCA’s Building Futures mentoring program. There is a suggested donation of $12.

Songlines directors Laurence Cole and Gretchen Sleicher chose Building Futures as the beneficiary organization because mentoring programs help to strengthen community and encourage meaningful relationships, they said.

“The Songlines philosophy is about generating connection through song and an enlivened sense of community,” said Cole.

After reading an article about Building Futures in the April 11 edition of the Leader, Sleicher contacted Kim Hammers, director of the program, and knew that she had found the right organization. She hopes the partnership raises more than just funds.

“We were inspired to partner with Building Futures by the desire to support mentoring by making further connections between those that are already involved in the program and the Songlines network. Perhaps people in our network will be inspired to become mentors,” Sleicher said.

In fact, Hammers said, since the publishing of the April 11 article, 10 mentors have stepped up to meet with a mentee, or “buddy,” once a week.

Mentors are interviewed and then placed with a buddy, age 6-11, who they meet with on school property. They can play games, work on homework, create art and more. Current mentors range in age from high school students to retirees. Some matches last until the mentee has finished high school and all of them result in meaningful experiences, Hammers said.

“The magic of the friendship between the two people in a match is a win/win situation,” said Hammers. “The mentee and the mentor benefit gloriously from the partnership. I invite anyone who has the time or talent, and has it in their hearts to be a mentor to step forward. It really is quite transforming for both.”

Kim Hammers and YMCA director Erica Delma plan to attend the June 16 Songlines “Spring Sing” to answer any questions about Building Futures. To hear Sleicher and Cole talk more about the choir and upcoming concert, tune in to KPTZ-FM 91.9 Port Townsend at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, June 8.

All are welcome to join Songlines’ new season in September, and Building Futures is ready for more mentors. Step up to be a mentor or stand in as a member of the choir – both are ways to strengthen the Port Townsend community.

Grandmother Moon: Gathering the Women

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on April 1, 2010 at 10:30am

Central to the SingPeace! Earth Pilgrimage are the ElderWild and ElderWise women, the Grandmothers who are finding their voices and singing out on behalf of their children's children and future generations. I will be sharing more of their role in coming posts.

Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the March full moon sweat lodge for women which took place this weekend, I noted a significant change within myself. This experience prompts me to share the following:

The misty moon was radiant and full before our small band of women walked out to the sweat lodge. An altar stood beside the door of the lodge, long streamers of black, red, yellow and white cloth draped on boughs. We stood around the fire blazing nearby where the stones for our sweat were warming. We then offered our prayer ties, laying them together like a garland around the base of the altar.

Earlier, each of us had made and infused our prayers into 28 tiny tobacco pouches - 7 each in the colors on the altar: black (west), red (north), yellow (east), white (south) tied on a string. My heart and soul were poured into these prayers, though at the time, I hardly knew what I was praying for. The tears and the deep feeling that came with them informed me that something out of the ordinary was taking place, something outside the reach of words and thought.

I felt lifted and cleansed as sage was lit and passed around our bodies in preparation for entering the lodge. Two of the women stayed near the fire to assist with bringing the stones into the lodge. The others of us found our places, crawling in clockwise direction around the circle inside the lodge that had been crafted just that day. I smelled and touched the fresh cedar boughs, the damp earth beneath me, and felt the womb-like comfort of the sweat lodge.

Our guide entered the lodge and began chanting. He spoke prayers aloud in his native language, calling on the ancestors to honor us with their presence. He explained that his prayers were to the Grandfathers. He had asked them to invite and escort the Grandmothers to this sweat lodge ceremony. "Some are already here. Many more are coming," he told us. In an earlier meeting, he said, "The Grandmothers have the last word." Today he is turning his attention and working with a Grandmother Spirit that nudges him to support, honor and celebrate women stepping more fully into our power as creative healers and carriers of sacred ways."

In alignment with the intention of 13 Moons and as a grandmother who has been called along with other "elderwise" women to the SingPeace! Earth Pilgrimage, I was invited to attend the first of the eighteen sweat lodges.

We waited as the blazing fire began to reveal the stones piled in its center. With shovels, the two women waiting outside took turns bringing the stones which glowed like hot embers, placing them, one by one, in the center hole circled by rocks inside the lodge. When all of the stones had been retrieved from the fire, they entered the sweat lodge and the door came down. We were in darkness. A sprinkling of rain could be heard on the tarp overhead. Great Spirit was pleased.

After several more chants and spoken entreaties to the ancestors, we were asked to call in the family of Great Grandmothers and Grandmothers of our maternal ancestral lineage. We invited them to sit and converse with us. I was surprised by how little I knew of these women who were the cause of my being alive in the first place. It seemed as I sat in the lodge that I still relate as a child to my Grandmothers, Dada and Grandma Hull and step-Grandmother Vivian. I could recall only one Great Grandmother who was known in her time as "The Little General." I wanted to learn more of each of their lives.

As water was ladled onto the hot stones, the temperature inside the lodge rose higher. Waters were also pouring forth from every orifice of my body. A sweat is like being inside a giant neti pot, the cleansing is inevitable. From time to time the flap over the entrance to the lodge was raised, to relieve some of the heat and smoke.

I was lying with my head close to the ground, where the heat is less intense, when we were asked us to sing a song, "any song." I sat up. We went around the circle. When it came my turn, half a dozen songs flooded my mind, but the one that won out was a Sanskrit hymn to Saraswati, Vedic goddess of knowledge, music and the arts. "Grandmother" of another ilk, I'd done puja, honoring to her for years in India, considering her my "patron deity." In the sweat lodge, I sang for the women in the circle as the creative force that the Goddess Saraswati embodies. With each one's song offering, I felt a tender closeness with the ancestors and among the women gathered in the lodge.

At the end of the sweat, we were invited to return to the house. I was aware of the lodge door opening, but had to be nudged to leave. I had not seen nor heard the women exiting to my left. Grandmother Moon had slipped behind the clouds. It was after midnight. The air was still.

Most of us were wearing light dresses that covered our shoulders and knees. One of the women, a sun dancer and grandmother, guided me beforehand in the ways of the sweat lodge. She'd loaned me one of her dresses. By now, it was soaked. We changed out of our wet clothing and made ready for a meal.

When all were gathered in the house, around a candle, we lit and passed around a very long, beautifully carved pipe.

After the pipe ceremony, we ate the ample food we'd brought to share. All of us had worked up quite an appetite by then. We said our thanks and goodbyes; I drove home and crawled into my bed just before 3 a.m.

On Tuesday, I woke in a lighthearted mood. Reflecting on the day before, I realized that a major shift had taken place within me. I wept with the newfound sense of communion and support from my maternal ancestral lineage. What's more, it was clear to me that a major obstacle to writing had dissipated like smoke in the heat of the sweat lodge. I'd spent hours on Monday easily writing and posting a blog to the SingPeace! Earth Pilgrimage website. The creative river, Saraswati, was flowing, unimpeded by former mysterious and seemingly impenetrable blocks. What's more, I've walked about in a state of stillness and Grace, a kind of open-eyed and eye-opening meditation, since then.

A flooding of feminine, goddess energy, is forthcoming, now, to balance out the masculine energy of domination and dominion that has held sway on earth and perpetuated war as a solution to conflict for millennia. One delightful and unexpected consequence of designing and building a gypsy wagon for SingPeace! Earth Pilgrimage for Peace and Global Harmony has been the men it attracts. Men of mastery and skill, who recognize that the time for this rebalancing is now, have come forward with offers of help and support to the women in making their voices heard and heeded. Our Grandmothers sweat lodge guide is one of these. Mick Dodge, the Barefoot Sensei, who shares his practice on this website is another. We find brothers among singer-songweavers, Laurence Cole and Rob Tobias. While all of humankind are in this boat together, these enlightened men are proving the mast for the women's sails. Together, we are crossing the great water, making our way home.

A "Thank You" note from Wendy Dion, Yoga Lodge

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on March 8, 2010 at 6:30pm

Dear Friends,

Namaste. Thank you so much for taking time during your busy weekend to support The Yoga Lodge through your actual or energetic presence. Hosting Pushkara’s home-coming, having her exquisite gypsy wagon and talented singers from SingPeace! on site was a true privilege. The songs for peace and global harmony, as well as the activities with the barefoot sensei not only inspired joy, and respect but strengthened our connection to the earth and to community. Most importantly we were able to follow through on promises made to our neighbors and invite them to participate in a more peaceful dialogue. I hope this is the beginning of a shift in our neighborhood toward greater harmony which reverberates well beyond the ‘middle island’ of Whidbey. Ten thousand thank yous to each of you………………….

With Love,

Wendy

Wendy Dion

The Yoga Lodge on Whidbey Island

360-678-2120

info@yogalodge.com

www.yogalodge.com

Nelson Mandela: "It is music & dancing that makes me at peace with the world"

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on December 6, 2013 at 10:00am

Nelson Mandela

By David Haglund, Slate.com – December 6, 2013

See article: http://tinyurl.com/kmvnsow

In the 1980s, a number of musicians raised their voices to call for the freedom of Nelson Mandela. (The fight against apartheid, as the documentary Amandla! highlighted, was waged partly with music.)

The most famous of these protest songs, in the U.S. at least, is probably 1984’s “(Free) Nelson Mandela” by the Specials, which reached No. 9 on the U.K. charts and helped to make Mandela’s cause more widely known.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz0mF17YpWY

Three years later, the South African musician Hugh Masekela had one of his biggest hits with “Bring Him Back Home (Nelson Mandela),” which became an anthem among Mandela supporters—and which Mandela himself would later dance to, a free man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opUEIVlG1BQ

The same year that Masekela’s song came out, the South African band Savuka, fronted by Johnny Clegg, released “Asimbonanga,” which roughly translates as “We have not seen him.”

Mandela would dance to that one, too—and in the highlight of this video, you can watch him do so below when he joins Clegg on stage.

“It is music and dancing,” he says, “that makes me at peace with the world.”

And then, after the song ends, Mandela shows us his inimitable humour…”But I don’t see much movement at the back there, you know.”

So he asks the band to play it again so people can dance more than they did the first time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opUEIVlG1BQ

Ambassadors of Change

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on December 17, 2009 at 7:54am

Namaste, SingPeace! Songweavers! I include all of you who have joined the SingPeace! website and "movement" in its infancy. We're small, but we're mighty! I see the four corners of the country are (roughly) represented, today: Florida, NJ, Texas and the Pacific Northwest. Let's cradle and croon this infant through its various ages and stages of growth with goodwill, peace and harmony. I want you to know that I'm writing and publishing the SingPeace! gypsy wagon story as one of 100 Ambassadors of Change, a program sponsored by 10 Million Clicks for Peace, http://www.tenmillionclicksforpeace.org/index.php Our goal in 2010 is to send out 10 Million messages for peace. I've posted a video message from Robert Evans about the program on this website. When I applied, I was asked to answer a series of questions. I invite you to read the questions and answer them in your own way. We would love to hear from you! In thinking about the future of the world, which major world problem(s) do you hope to help resolve through your writings? Up to the present day, humankind has initiated armed conflict to settle the score and resolve differences. A pervasive war mentality and certainly a war economy dominates cultures, east and west, north and south. What would a "culture of peace" look like? What would be required of each of us to make this shift from a war mentality to a culture of peace? As this is an unprecedented time, replete with challenges and opportunities, I hope to remind readers of the essence of who they are and of the resources they bring to every day life that support getting along, finding peace within themselves and with each other. Do you know either the general or specific topic you'd like to write about? If so, what is it? I wish to chronicle "SingPeace! A Pilgrimage for Peace and Global Harmony," from the initial conception of a singing pilgrimage taken in a gypsy wagon built expressly for the journey through various phases and stages of its realization and vignettes of encounters with individuals and communities along the way, including consideration of its impact on people's everyday lives. In your own words, please express why this program is so important to you. What do you hope to accomplish by touching the world this way? Approaching my 7th decade, I had to ask myself: "Why am I still on the planet and what's left undone?" A song forthcoming over and over in a dream informed me: "You will live in other people's houses, and the work you do will be known long after your name is forgotten." 'What could it possibly mean?' I wondered. Contemplation of the dream brought to mind the notion of writing a book - as one's ideas in book form literally live in other people's houses. But out beyond ideas is a field where we meet, heart to heart and soul to soul. Music, particularly singing together in harmony, has provided the medium for peace-making in my family and community. I was moved by the film documentary, "The Singing Revolution," which demonstrated to me the power of a singing culture. Following WWII and without raising a fist, without pointing a weapon, the Estonians took back their national heritage from the exceedingly repressive occupation by German and Soviet armed forces. They reclaimed their voices and the culture of peace which they share through song. This has enormous significance for me as I lost my singing and speaking voice for over 2 decades to an intractable condition, spasmodic dysphonia. Now, 30 years later, I am reclaiming my voice, offering in words and in song my heart's deepest yearning for inner and outer peace. In thinking about the future, what is the one great legacy you want to leave behind on earth? My hope is for "peace in my lifetime," and the legacy of peace for my grandchildren's children. It's not a dream. Nonetheless, true peace requires a profound shift in the basic assumptions and tenets that humankind has lived by. I'm keen to experiment with music and participatory singing employing "a repertoire for a culture of peace" as the basis for change. Through which of the following places do you feel most strongly about creating positive change using the life-wisdom in your mini-books: Schools, youth centers, women's shelters, drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs, prisons? And, please suggest other places you'd like to do the most good. Actually, I'd like to address all populations. The starting place for SingPeace! A Pilgrimage for Peace & Global Harmony has been among established choirs, choruses, song circles and music camps and festivals. We've been invited to introduce "songs for a culture of peace" into an innovative school curriculum. We want to establish a web presence that will make the concept of a culture of peace and the songs (with audio, video and music notation) broadly available so that it could reach institutionalized populations, young and old. Creating "villages" through gatherings on streets, in parks, within neighborhoods and towns is a great way to reach people with a direct experience of the power of song to bring us together. Seeing the "gypsy wagon" and joining in the merriment of the singing and dancing brings smiles to people's faces and reminds them of how simple life can be if we let it. If we call upon you after reading your published book, and seeing your reader's responses, would you be open to making a career change to dedicate yourself to the betterment of humanity and the world at large? I'm on the path and making progress; it would help greatly to have a leg up in doing so. There are many aspects of moving the SingPeace! gypsy wagon pilgrimage forward that would, no doubt, be supported by the 10 Million Books and Ambassadors of Change projects. What is the movie, book, video, or story you have found most inspiring in your life? The most lasting impression has been of the "peace pilgrims" across the cultures and ages - in my own time: Mahatma Gandhi, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Peace Pilgrim, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama, to name only a few. Their numbers are growing. Most heartening for the future are the messengers of peace among the children. The 100 (65, actually) Ambassadors of Change have been given 30 days - and lots of coaching - to complete the writing of their 32-page minibook message. The deadline for me is December 31, 2009, after which my book goes to the editor. It will be published in early 2010. Publicity and distribution is also guided and supported by the program's sponsors. We're in capable hands. One of the features I like about this program is that provides an online environment that will extend the potential of reaching and interacting with a worldwide audience. My minibook message can be enhanced and enlivened, therefore, with video, audio clips, songs, poems, links to relevant websites, etc. I can do some of that from the SingPeace! website, but we're fortunate that 10 Million Clicks for Peace will extend the message exponentially to a wider audience. I'm engaged in the writing process, now. Each day of my commitment to the SingPeace! Pilgrimage and my minibook message has awakened me to the joy and magnitude of this undertaking, bringing with it greater clarity of vision and a deepening sense of purpose. I'm excited to be making this journey. Thank you for making this pilgrimage with me. "In la kesh," I am another yourself. Peace and blessings, Pushkara

Peacemaker, singers will meet for BePeace Course Retreat at Whidbey Institute

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on June 26, 2011 at 6:30am

Peacemaker, singers will meet for week at Whidbey Institute

Singer/Songwriters, Sharon Abreu & Mike Hurwicz, will be "in residence" at the BePeace Course Retreat, Whidbey Institute, August 1-4.

Songweavers Aimee Kelley-Spencer, Laurence Cole and Aimee Ringle walk the road toward peace with the SingPeace! Earth

By PATRICIA DUFF
South Whidbey Record Arts & Entertainment, Island Life
Jun 21 2011, 4:02 PM · UPDATED

She looked around to see where in the world an army didn’t exist.

It was Costa Rica. So that’s where American peacemaker Rita Marie Johnson settled down 15 years ago to begin her quest to change the world.

Johnson is the director of the Rasur Foundation International and the founder of the Academy for Peace for which she developed the “BePeace Foundations Course.” She brings her teachings to Whidbey Island for a retreat at the Whidbey Institute at Chinook from July 31 through Aug. 4.

One of the program hosts, SingPeace! Earth Pilgrimage for Peace & Global Harmony founder and island resident Pushkara Sally Ashford said the program seeks sponsorships in order to send local teachers and community members to the BePeace Foundations Course at the institute’s Clinton campus.

The program has been taught widely in schools in Costa Rica since 2004 and is now moving into the United States. Rasur Foundation International aims to train educators in the BePeace method who, in turn, can train other teachers, students and parents in their local communities. The BePeace Course strives to equip people to use skills to resolve conflicts in a non-violent manner, while also providing life skills for making positive choices in general.

In Costa Rica, Johnson was able to influence lawmakers to establish the Ministry for Justice and Peace.

Also, since returning to the United States in 2009, she has taught at the National Academy for Peace in Shelburne, Vt. and in other locations around the country, including a model school program in Denton, Texas. The course in August will be the first in the Northwest region.

Ashford is excited by the prospect of creating a “BePeace” community on Whidbey Island.

“SingPeace! co-coordinator Julie Vosoba and I took the course with Rita Marie Johnson in Santa Cruz in April,” Ashford said.

The two singers have been spreading the word about the Whidbey Institute course ever since and stressed the celebratory component of SingPeace! that includes their fellow singer-songweavers who will share the experience at the institute. To that end, they have planned a pre-retreat meeting at Unity Church in Langley so folks can acquaint themselves with the practices of the BePeace program.

The meeting is from 7:30 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, June 28 at the church at 5671 Crawford Road. The goal is to eventually hold an ongoing series of classes designed for adults, families and children.

“Long-term, we plan to form a BePeace hub here on Whidbey that will ripple the methods for feeling, speaking, teaching and singing peace out into the community,” Ashford said.

It is not an unlikely vision as Johnson’s methods are meant to resonate with people from all walks of life and all ages.

The practice combines a scientifically proven method for “feeling peace” with a clear path for “speaking peace” that creates a compassionate connection to other people. The idea is a sort of “pay-it-forward” model, creating a continuum of non-violent behavior from one person to the next. Johnson says there are two skills that are essential for achieving a nonviolent way of life. One is an emotional skill, “feeling peace,” defined as the ability to remain peaceful under stress.

The other is a social skill, “speaking peace,” which is the ability to communicate empathically and honestly to others.

“Peace infrastructure is a new concept,” Johnson said.

“We have infrastructure for war — why wouldn’t we have infrastructure for peace? It’s so important to the well-being of our children.”

Her program has been extremely successful in Costa Rica. The Academy of Peace, where the program was first implemented, won the Changemakers Innovation Award: Building a More Ethical Society, and the Costa Rican Ministry of Education decided to implement BePeace in the national school system.

As an international peacemaker, Johnson has presented BePeace workshops in eight states and in Canada, Europe and Central America and at the United Nations University for Peace. In 2006, she completed a speaking tour in Japan on Costa Rica as a model of peace and in 2007, she served on the plenary panel “Women of Power” at the International Women’s Peace Conference in Dallas. That same year she was the keynote speaker for the World Day of Prayer at Unity Village, Mo.

Johnson was also instrumental in creating the National Peace Academy of the USA at Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Ashford, who built a SingPeace! caravan in which she lives when traveling to spread her musical message of peace, is excited by the prospect of leading the community on such a journey.

“It’s the nature of pilgrimage that you never know exactly where it will lead,” Ashford said.

“This one is a collaborative effort that has brought many elements; many ‘pieces of the peace’ together. BePeace is the latest addition to the journey and one that presents a clear path and steps toward peace,” she said.

The course is hosted by SingPeace! Earth Pilgrimage for Peace & Global Harmony, the Whidbey Institute and Aldermarsh/Marsh House Retreat Center.

The Whidbey Institute BePeace Foundations Course is from 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 31 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4. An early registration discount of $100 is available before July 1. To register visit www.regonline.com/wi_bepeace or call 341-1884. The Whidbey Institute at Chinook is located at 6449 Old Pietila Road in Clinton.

Sing in the New Earth and Golden Age! Join the SingPeace! Troupe

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on December 11, 2010 at 9:30am

Beloveds, and you are That for me,

Do you want to sing in the New Earth and Golden Age? SingPeace! is seeking Tribe and Troupe for its North American Tour.

SingPeace! Earth Pilgrimage for Peace & Global Harmony began in 2008 as a singing dream, with a period of a little over a year to design and craft the wagon, a number of Singer/Songweavers signed on. They have shared their songs, in community, in an on-the-ground "sing 'n mingle" style.

The SingPeace! mission is and has been to craft a "Culture of Peace" through participatory song, story, poetry, art, dance, theater/improv, and exuberant play. Activities 'round about the SingPeace! Roma-style gypsy wagon tweaks and invigorates our collective memory of life at its essence and most heartwarming best.

ReEnchant the World, Engage and share your soul song and story and encourage others to do the same. This is the core of the SingPeace! mission.

Please enjoy the links below, join in and inspire your families and communities with these simple, yet layered harmonies and uplifting, loving lyrics.

*SingPeace! video: https://singpeacepilgrimage.ning.com/video/sing-peace-first-event-in... (with Laurence Cole, Rob Tobias & SaraTone)

*Songs for the Great Turning, website by Gretchen Sleicher: https://singpeacepilgrimage.ning.com/profiles/blogs/songs-for-the-gr...

*This Fire, Laurence Cole & Songweavers, new CD release with sample songs & lyrics:https://singpeacepilgrimage.ning.com/profiles/blogs/this-fire-new-cd...

*SaraTone: online song offerings, CD, etc. (SingPeace! video: "Livin' in the Garden") https://singpeacepilgrimage.ning.com/profile/SaraTone?xg_source=prof...

*Rob Tobias & Friends Song Blog & discography: http://www.robtobias.com/pages/songblog.htm

*Rob Tobias, "World in the World," and other CD samplers. Oregon, see his calendar dates! http://www.robtobias.com/pages/2discography.htm

*"If There Ever was One," video, Laurence Cole, Fairy & Human Congress, http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=62603589558&oid=62076...

*Cascadia Earth," new song offering by SaraTone https://singpeacepilgrimage.ning.com/profiles/blogs/cascadia-earth-n...

"Nanila, the Grandmother Song," video: https://singpeacepilgrimage.ning.com/profiles/blog/list?q=nanila

You may friend Laurence Cole, Songweavers, RobTobias, and SaraTone on Facebook. Let them know that you resonate with their music!

♥«•.*♥ Love ♫♪♫♪♫ Light ♥*.•»♥

Pushkara Sally Ashford

SingPeace! celebrates International Peace Week @ DjangoFest NW, Sept. 19-21, 2018

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on September 13, 2018 at 11:18am

At Langley Fairgrounds

DjangoFest NW & International Peace Week
*Song Swapping & Djammin’
Free admission. Everyone welcome!
Wednesday-Friday, Sept.19-21, noon-2 p.m.

Local Folks, greet our International Guests
Bring your instruments, voices & picnic baskets

Hosted by SingPeace! Pilgrimage for Peace & Global Harmony
SingPeace! Caravan, Langley Fairgrounds

Sharon Abreu, Michael Hurwicz & Pushkara Sally Ashford

Song Swapping & Djammin' at the SingPeace! gypsy wagon

ALSO!

*Saturday, Sept. 22, noon-2 p.m.
”Cafe Impromtu" hosted by Kristi O’Donnell, Django Djammin’
Fairgrounds, Caravan Stage

https://www.facebook.com/events/743682489296530/

Food available at Friday Farmer’s Market near WICA or in town
Hot Shotz Espresso at the Fairgrounds, Friday and Saturday

And More!

*Day ’n Night *DjangoFest Djammin’
*Acoustic Djammin' hours: 9 a.m. -5 a.m.(!)
Django Camping at the Fairgrounds

*Quiet camping or Django Camping and Djammin' available
$20 (tent) and $25 (hook ups) per night
Visit: http://portofsouthwhidbey.com/facilities/island-county-fairgrounds-campg...

Map: Fairgrounds Campground
819 Camano Ave.

Imagine Soldiers Happy in Their Homes by a Crystal Child

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on May 23, 2010 at 3:42pm

Thoughts of a Crystal

Written by Jessica Mystic

13 May 2010

Thoughts of a Crystal

Here is how a seven-year-old crystal child sees the issue of war and soldiers. He speaks in the first paragraph, and then his parents interpret his words in the
remaining paragraphs.

“To prevent war, we must imagine the soldiers happy in their homes and doing what they love. If no soldier wants to attack, then there is nothing to defend, and the
soldiers are happy to avoid the risk of killing or dying. And everyone
loves them because they do not want to hurt, and they refuse if they are
sent out to hurt. People do not want war, and the soldiers do not want
to die or attack, but on TV it is being said it is necessary, but that
is not true.”

In its apparent simplicity, the power to imagine all the world’s soldiers at home being happy and doing what they like is in the best tradition of Anastasia´s
imagery. Although we have been bombarded with images of war for eons,
this archetype is now being removed from the conscious mind. This
archetype has been around for millenia on the material plane and has
been manifested consistently, reaching its apotheosis in the recent
world wars. Then it was implanted in the minds of humanity so that
almost all the population justified the war and its dire consequences as
necessary and even glorious and heroic.

Since then, the consciousness of the planet has evolved. Gradually over the following decades, voices began to be heard protesting the wars. Thanks to this
elevation of consciousness, large numbers of people around the world
began to forget the war experiences of their ancestors, and subsequent
generations began to heal. They began to reject the idea that violence
is inherent in human nature, and so therefore it was not possible to
have any more large-scale wars. To keep the archetype of the war in the
consciousness of these populations, the leaders have used a variety of
media including film, television, and more recently, videogames.

The purpose is clear: to manifest a war, it is necessary to get a momentum of hatred and fear in the collective unconscious. They have to project and sustain these
images and feelings in enough people over a period of time sufficient to
permit its manifestation on the physical plane. These images must be
sufficiently focused and aligned so that the demonstration does not
dissolve in contradictions. That is why certain images, emotions, and
sounds of war are repeated in all the audiovisual media. An entire
generation grew up reading Life magazine and having black and white
images of war implanted in their minds. Young people today live trapped
in the archetypal world of video games and movies, and their minds are
also being implanted with images of violence.

The archetype of the good soldier waging war to defend against "evil" is one of the most revered figures in countries with long military traditions. We are taught that
the soldiers play a primary role, always ready to defend their homeland
and all those good citizens who are fortunate enough to live where
freedom, justice, and equality reign.

This archetype of the soldier waging war is a corruption of the archetype of the champion of justice. The noble feeling from pursuing justice and defending the weak
finds its fullest expression within a community where some injustice or
abuse of power has occurred. Soldiers should have the right to stay
where they would be really useful, living a peaceful and harmonious
existence within their communities.

If we imagine our soldiers happy within their communities and doing what they love, that is, what they want by calling, we would then have brave people in every
community. We would have very capable and just men and women who would
be responsible for peacefully mediating conflicts within the community.
They would also keep an eye on local authorities to prevent any abuse or
corruption. In many cases, they could provide an effective recourse to
slowly grinding justice. These highly organized teams of men and women
would also be very useful for dealing with natural disasters or
extraordinary contingencies. These soldiers could use their natural
talents in their communities, feeling integrated and useful all the
time. The figure of the used and discarded war veteran is no longer
relevant to a society that has learned to positively channel the needs
these people have for delivering justice and necessary defense.

To imagine soldiers all over the world returning to their communities and refusing to continue offering their bodies and souls to the service of vested interests is
certainly within our grasp. It is an act that can have a huge impact if
enough people decide to eradicate all the previously implanted mind
images of war. (Thankfully, most people today have not actually
experienced war and do not have these images in their present memories.)
It does not cost the civilian population that much to get rid of these
images, but for those who belong to the vast military machine it can
cost a bit more. To achieve this end, soldiers would have to feel the
civilian population’s permission and mandate to refuse to obey war
instructions. They would also have to feel loved within their
communities and feel appreciated for their talents as society offers
them tasks and responsibilities according to their capabilities.

Can we imagine this?

http://www.jessicamystic.com/

"For Pete's Sake!" a tribute and hootenanny for the life and legacy of Pete Seeger

Posted by Pushkara Sally Ashford on March 30, 2014 at 11:00am

Marking the passing of Pete Seeger with his songs and stories as well as many of our own, singers and musicians gathered together at the Deer Lagoon Grange on South Whidbey Island, March 30, for many hours of song-swapping, sharing food and warm community feeling.

3/19/10

SHOSHOLOZA

Nelson Mandela

By David Haglund, Slate.com – December 6, 2013

Peacemaker, singers will meet for week at Whidbey Institute

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.