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Dances of Universal Peace, EarthSpirit Rising, and the Council of Elders
I recently had the opportunity to attend the Soul Matters: Spirituality for the 21st Century conference sponsored by the Association for Humanistic Psychology (AHP) in Indianapolis. One of the highlights of the conference was the dances of universal peace that we did each evening following the workshops and dinner. As involved as I am with spiritual and personal growth matters, I had never participated in dances like these before. The experience was a revelation!
I wanted to find out more about the dances and was directed to the web site www.dancesofuniversalpeace.org . The URL belongs to the International Network for the Dances of Universal Peace. The organization's mission is to act as the coordinating hub that links the many dance circles worldwide. The site maintains a registry of dance leaders and networkers, publishes newsletters, sponsors dance events and workshops, and offers memberships.
It's a simple site to use. Major links on the home page include sections for finding dances in your country or around the world. On these pages you'll find sub links to your area of the world. The North America Network section, for example, contains a concise definition of the dances:
"The Dances of Universal Peace are simple, meditative, joyous, multi-cultural circle dances that use sacred phrases, chants, music, and movements from the many traditions of the earth to touch the spiritual essence within ourselves and others. Based on the work begun in the late '60s by Samuel L. Lewis, they promote peace and integration within individuals and groups worldwide. There are no performers nor audience -- new arrivals and old hands form the circle together. And, no prior experience is necessary."
That about sums it up, except for my personal observation that the dances are a very inclusive and nurturing experience. I don't do a lot of dancing and the folks at the AHP conference were not my friends, and yet I felt absolutely comfortable and cared for.
A search for Dances in the Illinois/Indiana area revealed a host of choices. Monthly Dance locations in Illinois included Hyde Park and River North in Chicago, Berwyn, Oak Park, Park Forest, Evanston, Joliet, Rockford, DuPage County and Bloomington/Normal. Indiana dancers usually go over to the Park Forest dances led by Munster, Indiana resident Edward Dixon. Check out the web site for a dance location near you. Perhaps I'll see you there.
EarthSpirit Rising and the Council of Elders
While at the AHP conference, I picked up a wonderful brochure about EarthSpirit Rising, a conference on ecology, spirituality, and the great work that will take place on June 15-17 at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. The conference, which features presenters like Matthew Fox, Brian Swimme, Connie Barlow and Ruth Rosenhek, is sponsored by Imago and Cultivating Connections in association with the Rainforest Information Centre.
In search of more information, I decided to visit the conference web site at www.imagoearth.com. The host site for the conference belongs to Imago for the Earth, an organization committed to living in harmony with the Earth and its people.
There is something special about the Imago home page. The design is beautiful and calming. It's a little like stepping away from the cacophony of city life and into a forest glen. I actually felt myself start to relax.
The Imago home page explains that the organization's members embody lifestyles premised on the sacredness of all Creation. Imago's mission is to create a new vision of human presence within the Earth community, drawing on Earth-centered traditions and a bioregional consciousness.
The home page goes on to explain that EarthSpirit Rising is both a conference and a great historic moment. It signifies a time when kindred spirits from all over join together in celebration of the Universe Story and affirmation of the Great Work we have before us. The section on the conference includes links to a wealth of detailed information including "Purpose,""Keynote Speakers,""Break-Out Sessions," "Schedule," and a "Youth Conference."
There are also a number of pre- and post-conference offerings. As someone who is over 50, I am particularly interested in the post-conference offering entitled "Council of Elders" that will be held on June 18, 19, and 20. The council is oriented toward, but not restricted to, people 50 years plus. The idea is that at this time in history, Earth needs elders to reclaim their place and to share their leadership and wisdom in the Great Work of saving our planet. The workshop will be a working session in which elders map out a strategy for infusing our culture with new visions of interacting and connecting with Earth. The elders will also develop a system for carrying out these strategies.
I'm pretty excited about both EarthSpirit Rising and the Council of Elders. I hope to attend. Check out the Imago web site and see if you, too, resonate with this opportunity. Who knows, perhaps, I'll see you at both the Dances of Universal Peace and in Louisville.
P.S.: As I mentioned above, the inspiration for this column came from the conference sponsored by AHP. The AHP describes itself as a diverse international community of welcoming members from all professions. AHP champions whole person healing and somatic psychology and supports the capacity and freedom of people everywhere to choose, to grow, and to realize life's potential. It's a great group that sponsors a number of conferences and events. Check out their web site at www.ahpweb.org.
Do you have a favorite spiritual or personal growth Web site that you'd like me to review? Please drop me an e-mail at Monty764@aol.com. And remember, I also want to hear your story about how the Internet and the World Wide Web have impacted your journey toward self-realization. Your contribution will help me complete my research project on Spirituality and the Internet.
Mary Montgomery-Clifford is a certified web author and developer. Her company, Montgomery Media Enterprises ("Freelancing with Finesse!"), specializes in public relations, events, promotions, writing project and web authoring, development and publicity. Ms. Montgomery-Clifford is currently studying for a Master's Degree with an emphasis on inter-religious studies at the Chicago Theological Seminary and is in the process of completing the Morris Pratt Institute Course on Modern Spiritualism. Contact her via e-mail at Monty764@aol.com, by phone at 773-235-8821 or at her web site at www.montymedia.com
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