Sunray Meditation Society circles (VA, MD, DC, GA)

Our circle is growing -- you are welcome to join us September 11th, at 10 am

2011-08-09T18:42:00.000-07:00

Our Sunray circle, which comprises Virginia, Maryland, and DC, is growing significantly. After a trip to the Sunray Peace Village for the 27th Annual Elders Gathering, I met four women from Maryland who are interested in the Sunray practice. We also have a couple of other community members who live in Maryland and N. Va.

On Sunday, September 11th, (the 10th anniversary), we are going to meet for practice in Falls Church, VA. We will practice the Dance of the Directions, the Sunray Basic Meditation, and the Heart Sutra, followed by a sharing circle.

If you are interested in joining us, please email bjsiebel@msn.com.

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

2011-03-13T22:01:00.000-07:00

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.

Baltimore student of Venerable would like to find others in the area.

2011-02-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

Greetings,

If there are others who follow Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo's teachings in the Baltimore (MD) area who would like to meet regularly to listen to her talks and create community, I'd be interested in assisting in such a group. My house could also be a site for meeting also (in Baltimore on the west side). I've known of Dhyani's teachings for years and have read her book. And this appears to be the time in my life to go deeper with her studies. If you are interested, please contact Mare at marecrom@gmail.com.

Brian at bjsiebel@msn.com coordinates the blog and our larger area activities.

Thanks.

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

2010-11-13T17:12:00.000-08:00

Hello friend,

We need your help. As soon as we are able to -- by or before 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.

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

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 $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

We are still here

2010-11-07T09:15:00.000-08:00

We still have a local presence of Sunray members in the VA, DC, and MD region who practice according to the teachings of Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo. But we have not been meeting regularly like we were last year and early this year. We hope to get together again soon.

If you would like to be in touch, you can e-mail bjsiebel@msn.com.

For ongoing Sunray activities, I would encourage you to visit http://www.sunray.org/ and/or http://www.sunraypeacevillage.blogspot.com/.

Monthly meditation in Falls Church, this Sunday, May 23rd, at 11 am

2010-05-20T16:28:00.000-07:00

Once a month we host meditation practice in Falls Church. This month it will be Sunday, May 23rd. Going forward, we will try to host these the third Sunday of each month. Notice will be posted on the blog in any event. If you would like to attend, and need directions or to be picked up from East Falls Church metro, please e-mail bjsiebel@msn.com. If you know where we are already, please RSVP.

Wadogh!

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

2010-05-10T22:44:00.000-07:00

Click here for more information.

You may register here for the 2010 Elders Gathering.

The new Sunray Meditation Society website is now live.

2010-05-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

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.

May Day 2010. A Day of Wow.

2010-05-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

Rev. Louise and I stepped out of the car into a climax forest. Large virgin trees, never-been-harvested forest-land and un-mined blue granite held a special tone of life in this large public park. The trees here are Ent-like: talkative in the Tolkien-sense with a profound resonant field of wisdom.

Today, we all followed the song of our hearts. We gathered together to nurture a collective vision. Before this May Day, Antonio, a caller of the people, followed his vision and his heart song. Others followed their hearts, too. They came together in community to create a labyrinth in this park to begin something wonderful.

And today, they continued. This May Day, this special day in a climax forest, Sacred Dance teachings were given.

About 50 people sang and danced together in the collective unity of one heart. In the span of 9 hours, we learned and practiced four (yes 4!) sacred Sunray dances. Dance Mistress Madeleine shared these teachings. Fire keeper Red Bear was present. It was deepening. We all learned.

It was a glorious weekend where I personally felt good prayers coming to fruition. The imprints of many open-hearted prayers from long-ago called forth this gathering. The imprints from the kind hearts of other Sunray people in the S.E. were also very evident.

It was a good weekend. Much joy and good medicine was generated for the benefit of all. And it appears, a new cycle of community and Ywahoo teachings begins again.

Good Medicine circles around.

Wado.

Lucrezia

(If anyone has photos of the weekend events, please send them to bjsiebel@msn.com. Thank you.)

The event just below is THIS Saturday, May 1st.

2010-04-29T06:14:00.001-07:00

We hope to see you there. No need to pre-register. All are welcome!

Awakening the Seeds of Peace -- Sacred Dance and Sound Medicine teachings, Saturday, May 1st, at the Ancient Wisdom Teachings Spiritual Lodge in Leakin Park, Baltimore

2010-03-26T15:31:00.000-07:00

AWAKENING THE SEEDS OF PEACE

Sacred Dance and Sound Medicine*

Saturday, May 1st, 2010, Madeleine Piat-Landolt**

Ancient Wisdom Teachings Spiritual Lodge
Leakin Park, Baltimore

The pulse of life calls each of us to awaken our true nature in these times of great change. Awareness of the natural state of luminosity opens the gateway of our vast potential to generate an ever expanding field of harmonic resolution in the ongoing circle of life.

We have a choice, in each moment, to energize the heart of creation, rekindling the light of clear mind while cultivating right relationship through our every thought, word, and deed. Through these practices, we may rediscover those original instructions encoded within our DNA, revealing our very purpose in being present here on Earth.

All are invited to learn as well as deepen the understanding and practice of these precious teachings as passed by Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, which will include: Establishing the Sacred Dance Ground; The Dance That Sweeps Away Illusions (Stick Dance); and The Dance of Directions. We will explore these forms along with applications of sacred geometry and directions in consciousness, supported by movement and breath exercises as well as accompanying rhythms and chants.

Please bring: cushion or blanket for sitting, lap cloth/shawl, drum and/or rattle, dance stick (length 4X elbow to tip of finger and about 1-1.5 inch in diameter), journal for notes. Please come even if you do not have these items.

Time: 9:30-5:30 pm. Vegetarian lunch will be served.

Donations: All are invited to attend and receive these teachings. Donations are welcome for the food, and as an offering for the direct experience of the teachings and the lineage. We will have a blanket dance at the conclusion, but offerings will be accepted at any time.

Contact: Antonio.Carpenter@gmail.com. Phone: 757-619-2793.

Directions: Click here for a satellite image. From here, you can calculate directions. It is very close to the end of I-70, just off I-695. Eagle Drive leads into the park. At the end of the drive there is a circular drive. The shortest way is to come around the circular drive in a clockwise direction, until you reach the house with the big red roof that you can see in the satellite image.

* These teachings arise primarily through direct transmission by Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, 27th generation Chief of the Green Mountain Band Aniyunwiwa of the Tsalagi/Cherokee tradition.

**Madeleine Piat-Landolt is a dancer/movement artist, teacher, and healer whose teachings reflect the integration of ancient traditions with contemporary views which cultivate the medicine of awakened life force dedicated to building skillful action, right relationship, and planetary peace. She draws from a lifetime practice of complementary movement disciplines as well as meditation and healing practices from Native American, Tibetan Buddhist, and Taoist teachings, with over 25 years experience as a certified educator. Madeleine has served with honor as Ceremonial Dance Mistress since 1995, caretaking the cycle of sacred dances of the Ywahoo lineage, and a Teacher-Practitioner of Tung Family Yang Style Tijiquan since 2003. Currently, she also serves as Founder of the White Cloud Living Arts Foundation, based in Vermont (http://www.whitecloudarts.org/), which sponsors ongoing healing arts educational programs for all ages.

Meditation this Sunday, March 28th, in Falls Church, VA

2010-03-25T07:52:00.000-07:00

We will be having our regular monthly meditation practice this Sunday morning, starting at 11 am, in Falls Church, VA. Anyone interested in attending can e-mail Brian at bjsiebel@msn.com. No experience necessary. All are welcome.

A Prayer for the Spirit

2010-02-22T19:53:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-21T20:57:00.000-08:00

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.

Monthly meditation practice,Sunday, February 21st in Falls Church, VA -- newcomers welcome

2010-02-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, February 21st, we will be meeting for meditation in Falls Church, Virginia, at 11 am. Those interested but totally new to the Sunray practice are welcome to join us. Please e-mail bjsiebel@msn.com for directions.

Weekly meditation practice in the District of Columbia -- newcomers welcome

2010-01-20T14:36:00.000-08:00

There is a small Sunray group that meets in Logan Circle, DC, generally on Mondays at 7 pm. If you are in the neighborhood and would like to participate, feel free to contact Paul at pguthri2@jhu.edu for details and directions.

Labryinth Sacred Space Workday @ Leakin Park in Baltimore -- Martin Luther King day, Jan. 18th, 10-2

2010-01-17T20:35:00.000-08:00

Host: Antonio Carpenter

Location: Leakin Park
1920 Eagle Drive
Baltimore, MD 21207 US

View Map

When: Monday, January 18, 10:00AM to 2:00PM Add to my Outlook Calendar
Phone: 757-619-2793

The Sacred Hopi Labyrinth, "Tapu'at", meaning... Mother and Child Is located in a beautiful Grove adjacent to the Orianda Mansion in the Crimea Estate in Leakin Park. A symbol for Mother Earth & Emergence... a reminder of our relationship, as children, to the Sacred Earth, the Mother.

Along with the Labyrinth, The Magnolia Grove, the Adjacent Open Space, & Wooded Area are elements of the Native American Sacred Space in Leakin Park.

We invite you to support us in beautifying the space by clearing out invasive & overgrown plants, and cleaning up the area.

Please dress warmly in layers, wear hats, bring garden gloves, & loppers, hand clippers, or saws if you have them.

The Ancient Wisdom Teachings Spiritual Lodge seeks to create a Native American Sacred Space in Leakin Park for people to Experience Nature, Walk the Labyrinth, Contemplate, Meditate & Experience Peace & Healing.

We align with the Contemporary Wisdom of Environmental Education, Conservation, Preservation, & Ecology to Caretake & Heal the Sacred Earth for our Children unto 7 Generations...

O sa li e li ga...We are Grateful

Please offer aide and prayers for Haiti

2010-01-14T11:37:00.000-08:00

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

Help Haiti with meditation, your prayers, and donations

2010-01-14T09:21:00.000-08:00

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

January 17th Meditation practice

2010-01-08T20:42:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, January 17th, we will be meeting for meditation in Falls Church, Virginia, at 11 am. Those interested but totally new to the Sunray practice are welcome to join us. Please e-mail bjsiebel@msn.com for directions.

2010 Calendar for Cherokee Ceremonial Cycle and Buddhist Celebrations

2010-01-08T20:40:00.001-08:00

Sunray Sunday School in Germany

2010-01-05T17:50:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-01T09:56:00.000-08:00

“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 Feb 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

Wisdom of the Peace Village Elders -- Documentary Series

2009-12-16T19:55:00.000-08:00

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 have 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.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T11:39:00.001-08:00

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

2009-11-15T09:48:00.000-08:00

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

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

2009-11-10T20:29:00.000-08:00

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/

Grandfather Silver Fox has passed. We honor all that he gave to the World.

2009-10-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

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 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

Sunray Meditation Society is connected with 3 wisdom streams

2009-09-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

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, please visit the Sunray Meditation Society website.

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

2009-08-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

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

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

2009-07-21T15:03:00.000-07:00

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)

* 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

Deep Peace and the Healing of the World -- an 8 month self-study course is available here

2009-07-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

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 Venerable 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.

The Council of All Beings -- July 11th, 9 am to 6 pm

2009-06-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I am writing to invite you to a very special event on July 11 – The Council of All Beings. As you know, the relationship of humanity to the natural world – the planet and all the species with whom we share it in a complex and interdependent web – is a troubled one. Indeed, many believe it is at an existential moment, with implications for our very survival. To address issues of climate change, resource depletion, peak oil, food and water scarcity, pollution, and more, we need to transform the fundamental story about that relationship.

The Council of All Beings is a profound workshop where we explore that story experientially – a little bit different, I know, from what we usually do in the Washington milieu. Different, and deep. Please see the flier attached to this email, and pasted below, to learn more, and also please pass this along to people you know who might be interested. Feel free to call with any questions, or to register.

In peace,

Louise Diamond

802-233-3750

*********************
You are Invited to Participate in

A Council of All Beings

To Heal our Relationship with the Natural World

Saturday, July 11, 2009
9am to 6pm; Fox Haven Farm, Jefferson MD

Facilitated by Louise Diamond and Milagros Phillips

Ever wonder what the fox, the spider, the oak tree, the west wind, and the osprey would say if they sat in a Council Circle and spoke from their hearts of their experience in our world today?

The Council of All Beings is a day-long gathering in which we ‘become’ our allies in the natural world. We see through their eyes and speak with their voices, exploring the joys and challenges of our interdependent lives in the one great ecosystem we all call home.

We will experience: ritual, drumming, mask making, laughter and tears. The Council of All Beings puts us in direct touch with deep ecology, the profound interconnectedness of all life. It also makes visible to us two-leggeds how our actions affect the whole and what is needed for the great shift called for in humanity’s relationship to the natural world.

Our planet needs us to tell a new story now. Be part of creating that story. Join us!

Cost is $80, which includes mask making materials, snacks, and a donation to an environmental organization we choose together. Bring food to share for a pot-luck lunch. Space is limited, so call soon to register and for directions: Louise Diamond, 802-233-3750 or diamond@louisediamond.com.

Louise Diamond is a whole systems consultant, author, and group facilitator.
Milagros Phillips is a racial reconciliation facilitator, a sound therapist and an artist.

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

2009-06-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

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

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

2009-06-17T09:42:00.001-07:00

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.

25th Annual Elder's Gathering -- Sunray Peace Village, Lincoln, Vermont

2009-06-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

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

Also, please circulate the poster and this link.

Thank you.

(Clicking on the poster will enlarge it.)

Heart Sutra teachings by Khenmo Drolma, Abess of Vajra Dakini Nunnery -- May 24th

2009-05-14T12:28:00.000-07:00

At 4:30 pm, we will have a new moon/crystal dedication ceremony for our new /community crystal. This will be followed by a potluck dinner at 6:15 pm. At 7:30 pm, Khenmo Drolma will give teachings on the Heart Sutra.

ALL ARE WELCOME

The Heart Sutra unites all Mahayana Buddhists. It is the condensed essence of the second turning of the wheel of Dharma, recited in all traditions and lineages. As we gain understanding of its context within Buddhist philosophy and its many levels of meaning, it becomes deeply meaningful for contemplation. Khenmo Drolma gives simple explanations of the topics in each line as well as practical applications in daily life. The Heart Sutra can be a practice that profoundly affects our lives as a path to our own Buddha Nature. This is appropriate for new and long time practitioners.

Khenmo Drolma is the Abbess of Vajra Dakini Nunnery. She has trained with the foremost spiritual teachers of our time including H.H. Dalai Lama, Pema Sangzin Khandro ( Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo), H.H. Chetsang Rinpoche (the head of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage), and Ven Pema Chödrön. Khenmo supports Vajra Dakini Nunnery and her own Dharma activities with dana, the contributions from her teachings and by those who believe in the vision of a home for western nuns.

In 2002 Khenmo Drolma was invited to come to India to fulfill the vision of HH Chetsang Rinpoche. He requested that she make a statue of King Songtsen Gonpo. She stayed in India to direct the creation of all the art for Songtsen Library. Khenmo Drolma led an international team of 16 artists in creating 40’ ceiling Thangkas, an elaborate entry door and numerous statues using traditional Tibetan techniques and materials dating back to the 1500’s.

At the request of Pema Sangzin Khandro (Ven. Dhyani Ywahoo), Khenmo returned to the US to begin working on establishing Vajra Dakini Nunnery. In 2004 in Nepal, during the Great Powa, an international gathering a gathering of the Drikung lineage every 12 years, she was installed as a Khenmo in the Drikung lineage, becoming the first westerner to hold the responsibility of abbot. Since then she has worked continuously to establish Vajra Dakini Nunnery and teach the Dharma internationally.

A former college professor, she has a wide scope of experience ranging from Tibetan arts to Buddhist philosophy and traveling throughout Asia. Khenmo spent many years in the Hospice field serving as an Art Fellow at the Connecticut Hospice and on the board of Hospice of Maine. A cancer survivor herself, she has unique insights in the area of arts and healing. Because she is a modern woman committed to living within ancient wisdom systems, she carries words of inspiration that reflect the integrity of their lineage while being easily understandable to people of all ages, from any walk of life.

********************
If you have questions about the event, please call Louise Diamond at 802-233-3750.

The event is where we regularly meet, at 602 Oak Haven Drive, Falls Church, VA 22046. If you need directions, call Brian at 703-531-1967.

New community crystal practice -- Wednesday evening April 27th

2009-04-28T13:00:00.000-07:00

We have a new community crystal! She’s truly beautiful. She came from the trip led by Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo to Arkansas last week.

Tomorrow night at 7 pm, during our weekly meditation practice in Falls Church, we’ll introduce the community to it with a special practice, led by our resident Minister, Louise Diamond. Afterward she will be prepared for a rest time until the next New Moon, when we’ll unwrap her and do another special practice.

All are welcome. E-mail bjsiebel@msn.com if you need directions.

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

2009-04-14T06:57:00.000-07:00

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.

www.beautywayproductions.com/seminar.html#teleclasses

Opening Prayer at Vermont State House, April 3, 2009

2009-04-02T21:08:00.001-07:00

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.

Peacekeeper Training -- Charlottesville, VA -- May 1-3

2009-03-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

Sacred teachings emerge for every era to remind us how to manifest harmony and right relationship. The PeaceKeeper Mission is a training in personal and planetary transformation to bring forth peace in the hearts of the people and the Earth. PeaceKeeper teachings are rooted in timeless Native American spiritual wisdom of Caretaker Mind and right relationship in the circle of life.

The PeaceKeeper Mission teachings have been passed through twenty‐seven generation of the Ywahoo Lineage of the Cherokee. They include sitting and moving meditations, chanting, dance, work with sacred sound and shape, and community practices.

Public sharing of thee specific perspectives and practices has been requested by Native American elders to ease the suffering of Earth and her peoples through these times of purification, and to empower transformation and renewal for all.

PeaceKeeper Training
May 1-3 ~ 2009

Friday Evening 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Registration Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. ($225)

Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. – 5: 00 p.m.

Program presented at 1445 Rio Road East, Suite 201, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
For more information, please call Simona Aronow: 434‐996‐3837 or e‐mail: saronow@verizon.net

Sacred Medicine, Ceremonies and seasonal observations are gifts offered to all, and are neither bought nor sold. The PeaceKeeper Mission itself is an educational program and a fee is asked to cover local costs for rental, meals, supplies, advertising, etc.

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

2009-03-23T08:02:00.001-07:00

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

2009-03-17T05:55:00.001-07:00

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

Cherokee beginning of the New Year ceremony

2009-02-22T11:54:00.001-08:00

Celebrated at the Sunray Peace Village today.

Women's Wisdom Online Series

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

Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo tele-teachings -- starting this Thursday

2009-02-14T11:36:00.002-08:00

~ 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

2009-02-14T09:59:00.003-08:00

Peace Villages around the World

2009-02-03T20:42:00.002-08:00

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

Wednesday night meditation -- Feb. 4th -- Falls Church VA

2009-02-01T21:00:00.002-08:00

We are holding a meditation practice this coming Wednesday night, February 4th, at 7 pm, in Falls Church, VA. This meditation practice is open to all. No experience necessary. If you would like directions, or have questions, please e-mail or call us at the contact info on this site.

Calendar -- view from Sunray Peace Village of Hope Mountain

2009-01-27T08:58:00.003-08:00

Sunray meditation has made a huge difference in my life. Will -- the first sacred fire.

2009-01-24T19:46:00.002-08:00

My first Peacekeeper training in Sunray was outside Baltimore, at a small retreat space in the woods. I was in law school at the time, and these retreats were always marvelous opportunities to break away, learn something completely different, and refresh myself.

Meditation practice was very new to me. It was also challenging. The first step is always to calm the mind, which is easier said than done! Indeed, it is not something you can do once and thereafter remain in that state indefinitely. It is something one must do over and over again. A calm mind may be our pristine, natural state, but it's not so easy to bring yourself there.

I will not recount here the effort necessary to calm the mind. In its simplest form, one sits and observes the breath, breathing in and out naturally, sensing the flow and pulse of life.

Of course, it is more than that. But what I recall from this time, and want to recount here, is that the key element to all of this was to find a way to set the intention to engage in a mind-calming meditation practice on a regular basis. In addition to the joy of being in community, this is what my earliest days within Sunray were largely about.

It has a little chicken-and-egg or Catch-22 quality to it. With a clear and calm mind, it is far easier to maintain a steadiness of intention to practice. But you need enough intention to take the time to sit and calm the mind. In other words, in the beginning for me, it was all about a struggle of Will -- setting the intention to practice, and through meditation practice, to calm my mind, clarify my life purpose, and set upon a path where my actions would benefit myself and all those around me. Sitting here right now and talking about it, it may seem easy. But if you are new to meditation, or even an old hand at it, it can be very challenging.

I happen to be rereading Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo's magnificent book, "Voices of our Ancestors" at the moment. She talks a lot about Will. It is the "first sacred fire."

"Will is the underlying current, the fire that brings forth that which we perceive as our reality. Many may think of will as a force or energy used to control others, oneself, the environment; yet will is the first building fire, pure intention to do. We may affirm the will to do good, to live in harmony, or we may be unaware of the creative power of will in our lives. To bring our will into harmony with the sacred Law is to understand our life purpose. Why am I here, what are my gifts? Human life is a great opportunity."

As I first began to sit and meditate and try to calm my mind, I believe I thought of will as a force used to control myself. I recall struggling to practice regularly. It was all an internal fight. I just needed the "will power" to do it. Moreover, as long as it remained a struggle, my practice remained intermittent.

But then, somewhere after a year or two of sitting intermittently, I believe the effects of the practice began to take hold. Setting the intention to practice, and through practice, improve myself and those around me, no longer became an internal struggle of "will" but instead a natural flame of will that moved me and made it easy to maintain a regular meditation practice. Once it did, it began to make a huge difference in my life. But that story must await future entries.

Please comment, or share your own experiences.

May all beings benefit.

Wednesday night meditation - Jan. 28th -- Falls Church VA

2009-01-22T18:54:00.002-08:00

We are holding a meditation practice next Wednesday night, Jan. 28st, at 7 pm, in Falls Church, VA. This meditation practice is open to all. No experience necessary.

If you would like directions, or have questions, please e-mail or call us at the contact info on this site. Please share this with anyone you think might be interested.

Dawning of a new era? What an inauguration day!

2009-01-20T15:06:00.002-08:00

This weblog is not a political one. But what happened today in Washington, D.C. with the swearing in of our 44th President, Barack H. Obama, was not just a political event. It may signal a new era for our nation and our world.

Yes, we can!

This simple phrase of inclusion and hope symbolizes all that is possible. It is possible because the "we" includes all of us as we work together, walk together, and pray together for the betterment of our world. So many barriers have been replaced by embraces, as we recognize our common bonds. Let us fulfill the hope and the promise of this moment.

Please share any thoughts you may have about this historic day.

Wednesday night meditation -- Falls Church VA

2009-01-17T13:54:00.002-08:00

We are holding a meditation practice this coming Wednesday night, Jan. 21st, at 7 pm, in Falls Church, VA. This meditation practice is open to all. No experience necessary.

If you would like directions, or have questions, please e-mail or call us at the contact info on this site.

Sunray meditation has made a huge difference in the quality of my life. How I arrived at Sunray's doorstep.

2009-01-15T19:44:00.002-08:00

This is a topic that could fill many blog posts, and I hope and expect that it will over time. For now, because the thought of writing came to me today as I was riding to work on the metro, I decided to start.

How to start?

The way I often tell the story is by explaining how I came to Sunray Meditation Society in the first place. In college, I felt a very strong itch to go out into the world and fight for things I believed in. Two things always motivated me the most -- peace/non-violence, and the environment. So I moved from my midwestern roots out to the Pacific Northwest, where I got involved in both causes. I was part of several organizations, and one group that was based on the idea of community. Many of the groups were collectives that operated by consensus. Most were volunteer. Several times we succeeded in protecting the environment by blocking an industrial development that would have put the environment at risk. Our work to resist the buildup of nuclear weapons may not have been directly successful, but it felt critical and helped change the life paths of some people. I also think the larger resistance to these weapons of mass destruction helped in some way to end the Cold War.

The details of this work, however, is not what is important here. The key point is that all my focus was out in the world. Little of it was internal. I began to feel a real need for a spiritual path, to connect on a deeper level with people, find a life partner, and raise a family. "Change yourself to change the world." This phrase, which I had once argued against, began to feel right. But how to get there?

It was at this point that I decided to leave the Northwest for the Nation's Capitol, and to return to school to become a lawyer. This would enable me to continue fighting for what was right, but to do so with more stable employment, and the prospect of getting married and raising a family.

Thus it was here, in Washington, D.C., that I met people who had already made the connection with Sunray Meditation Society and the teachings of Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo.

I believe several things drew me to Sunray and Venerable Dhyani, although it is difficult to remember the specifics now. One was community. That word -- community -- is another whole topic in itself. For now I would just contrast it with the word organization. I think most people sense the difference. Of all the political groups I had been a part of in the Northwest, only one was a community. Another was close. In both I developed the most lasting friendships. I really liked that Sunray was a community.

Another thing that drew me in was Sunray's connection with Tibetan Buddhist practices. I knew little about Buddhism, except one thing. The commitment to non-violence. This was very important to me. It was the core of why I had earlier become a peace activist.

A third thing that attracted me about Sunray was that Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo was Native American. Even without knowing much about the teachings, I sensed they would be strongly connected with the Earth and the natural elements about us. In other words, completely in tune with what had drawn me to fight to protect the environment.

The clincher for me came the night I went to a public talk about Sunray, given by the woman who would become my Sunray minister, Louise Sunfeather Diamond. These talks were given as an introduction to the Peacekeeper mission, which has been the path for learning the practices of Sunray. Again, I do not remember the details. What I remember is that Louise in her talk emphasized the importance of integrating inner work -- pacifying and purifying the mind -- with outer work in the world, especially here in Washington, D.C. Aha. A synthesis of the work I had done out in the world with the inner work I was now drawn to. I was hooked. I have never even looked for a different spiritual practice since that evening.

I will end this first entry there. It doesn't answer how Sunray has made a huge difference in the quality of my life. But it provides at least a story of how I arrived at Sunray's doorstep and what drew me to these practices. Please share your own stories if you feel drawn to.

May all beings benefit.

Charlottesville community contact

2009-01-11T20:49:00.002-08:00

We also have community members in the Charlottesville, VA area. The contact there is Simona Aranow. You can e-mail her at saranow@verizon.net or call her at 434-996-3837.

The weekend from May 1-3rd we will be hosting a Peacekeeper Training in Charlottesville. The Peacekeeper Training offers the opportunity to align with one’s life purpose and learn the meditation practices and teachings of the Ywahoo lineage.

Please come learn and participate in community

2009-01-09T20:36:00.002-08:00

Sunray Meditation Society is an international spiritual society dedicated to planetary peace. Its purpose is to manifest the Native American ideal of Circle Mind (the thought of all beings as relatives in the field of life), that we may create a world of harmony upon the Earth and throughout the Family of Life.

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

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Sunray teachings and meditations are the continuation of ancient teachings based upon traditional Tsalagi (Cherokee) teachings. The Tibetan Buddhist teachings offered through Sunray are from the Nyingma and Drikung Kagyu Lineages. These teachings are of a foundation level, suitable for all people of any religion or nationality committed to peace and good relationship.

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There are many circles of Sunray practicioners throughout the United States and Europe. People of like mind coming together to form community and learn the meditation practices and teachings of Sunray's three wisdom streams.

If you feel an interest in learning these practices, or being with a community of people on the beauty path, please e-mail or give us a call. Sunray practices and community have greatly enriched our lives. We would like to meet others who may be called to learn from these profound teachings.

Contact info

2009-01-08T21:16:00.002-08:00

If you are interested in Sunray Meditation Society in the Northern Virginia, Maryland, or Washington, D.C. area, please e-mail bjsiebel@msn.com or call 703-531-1967. To learn more about Sunray's practices and organization, please visit Sunray's main website at http://www.sunray.org/.