In the book Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert she talks about how inspiration finds us. It floats around in the air and then calls to you and you can pick it up or it will move on to the next person.
I think the Fire Keepers Gathering was like this for me. I don’t want to speak for Betsy Pourvakil (my soul sister in this) but I think she would say it was like this for her too.
She has held this vision of a Wisdom Keepers Gathering at Hope Springs for years. It just started calling me a little under a year ago. There were three things for me that called me into this at this particular time.
1st, I am always, as I call it, giant hunting. Doing deep, soulful, healing work in a world that is so full of grieve and pain can often feel quite lonely to me. Giant hunting, finding others that are holding deep, soulful, and healing medicine allows me to be deeply witnessed and held. These people in my life are able to feed me in ways that I can’t get any other way. I a blessed to know giants in the world.
2nd, I facilitate four retreats a year at Hope Springs Institute. This year I had a retreat space open because I don’t have a Fire & Water group ending in June. I was trying to decide if I wanted to do a retreat for youth or for Wisdom Keepers.
3rd, I have been concerned about the way things have been at Hope Springs, a place that I have loved and cared for and a place that has loved and cared for me for 23 years.
For these three reasons hosting a Wisdom Keepers Gathering and infusing the energy of these powerful humans on this powerful land was an invitation that I couldn’t pass up. We as wisdom keepers from three different continents gathered from Wednesday until Sunday. On Saturday we inviting the extended community to join us in a day of learning and a re-dedication of the Peace Pole that had been place at Hope Springs in 2010. This re-dedication to me felt like a reclaiming of the pledge that was taken in 2010.
In 2010 Al, one of the founders and representatives of Hope Springs shared:
“As a diverse community we want to give witness to the possibility of peace in the midst of differences. As a diverse community we feel called to implore, meditate and contemplate peace, and as a center, we desire Hope Springs to “be” peace….offering a place where all can come and find a moment of peace in troubled times. As Hope Springs, we promise to be the holders of this Peace Pole, charged with the responsibility of the care of this promise of Peace…we accept the stewardship of the Peace Pole.”
In 2010 when they did the dedication they installed plaques in Arabic, Cherokee, Chinese, English, Hebrew, Spanish, Swahili, Tibetan, and Braille that closely translated in each language, May Peace Prevail on Earth.
Saturday, June 23, 2024 those who gathered and those who stood at our backs recommitted to this pledge. We energetically reinforce the stake in the ground for Hope Springs as a home for all of us and not just a select few.
We, the wisdom keepers who have gathered at this time would like to donate three new plaques to the pole that include the places that represent us, Lakota, Kenyan, and Māori.
This gatherings was important to me. It was the first time in a long time that I felt the energy of the essence of what Hope Springs has always been.
I thank the staff at Hope Springs that held us. I am in deep gratitude for the community that showed up on Saturday. I am so grateful for Amy's witnessing of us. And I bow to the Wisdom Keepers who answered the call, Suzanne, Betsy, Cecil, Tui, Janet, Joyce, Eileen, Kinde, and myself.
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