March musings from newsletter

Posted by admin on Apr 1, 2014 in News | 0 comments

March News

Greetings…back from the incredible Envision festival in Costa Rica where I was honored to be able to teach, sing and create ritual in the midst of the jungle with some inspiring beings making ART, MUSIC and CULTURE that is meaningful, sustainable and connected.  Humans are mind blowingly talented and creative if given the slightest opportunity and encouragement and I am grateful to have witnessed an evolution toward more inclusivity and conscious use of resources in the festival culture as a whole.  Who says we can’t have a blast while teaching ourselves and others what real change looks like on the ground?

Now, having just launched our 2014 Priestessing Apprenticeship in Sacred Leadership this last weekend, I am preparing to lead our Seva Amazon Bare Witness Tour to Ecuador.  This trip is divinely timed (as they all have been) particularly because just last week there was a ruling in favor of Chevron who is accusing the civil lawyers in the case of fraud.   This is a deep travesty of justice as the suit has been won against Chevron many times  (for the oil drilling coverup that is now making innocent people very sick) and Chevron has vowed that they will never pay for the damage done.      Lawyers for the citizens in Ecuador have denied any fraudulent activity. Meanwhile the one “witness” to the “fraud”, judge Guerra, was paid by chevron with computers, cell phones and living stipends in his relocation to the us. I am speechless but know that it is more important than ever for us to tell this story to the world.

In fact one of my favorite things about the Seva Trips is the opportunity to tell real stories that might not otherwise be heard.  We have told stories about birthing practices in Uganda, survivors of torture in Cambodia, the earthquake aftermath in Haiti, helping sex trafficking victims find the strength to move forward and thrive in India and more.  I hope that we can capture the magic, majesty and heartbreak of the situation in Ecuador and let the world see how precious the rainforest, its inhabitants and the shamanic culture is to us in these times.

Meanwhile here is an article by Trudie Styler about the situation there now.

Also coming this next month…the first of our three annual OTM Yoga, Purpose and Action Intensives.  This time Seane Corn, Hala Khouri and I travel to Seattle to Shakti Vinyasa Yoga studio for a week of intense self inquiry, collaboration and activation.  These are transformational intensives that help to set yoga practitioners onto a deeper path of service and action from awareness of social justice issues.  Please join us there or at our two other intensives (Minneapolis and Omega Institute).  I will also be in Minneapolis for the Minneapolis Yoga Conference in April…but more on that in the next newsletter. 

Lifting the veils

Posted by admin on Feb 12, 2014 in News | 0 comments

Today I am flying low and I am not saying a word.
I am letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep.

The world goes on as it must, the bees in the garden rumbling a little, the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten.
And so forth.

But I’m taking the day off
Quiet as a feather.
I hardly move though really I’m traveling a terrific distance.

Stillness. One of the doors into the temple.

~Mary Oliver