Session 1: Forgiving Our Histories
Tuesday, October 4th
Featuring: Grandmothers Agnes Baker Pilgrim, Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance, Tsering Dolma Gyaltong

In this session, the Grandmothers will share how we must start with forgiveness, which is the heart of healing. If we can forgive our histories, we can move forward with a clear heart and mind and be of service to others who are suffering.

“Our mind is what we have to be really happy within. If everyone really did a true spiritual practice, which develops into a positive mind, the world would not be in the dire situation we find it in today.”
Grandmother Tsering Dolma Gyaltong

“We are here to let the beauty, love and joy continue so when you walk through this journey, the earth is the better for it. We can give back love, generosity and forgiveness when we ’see’ rightly. Yesterday was history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is our gift! What part will you play today?!”
Grandmother Agnes Baker Pilgrim

“Our spiritual ways, our Sun Dance ways are encouraging prayer and bringing a lot of people back. A lot of young boys and girls are coming into the Sun Dance and are learning to reconnect with the source of their being.”
Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance

Session 2: Finding Balance in the Chaos
Wednesday, October 5th
Featuring: Grandmothers Mona Polacca, Beatrice Long Visitor Holy Dance, Margaret Behan

In this session, the Grandmothers will offer guidance on how we can find balance and harmony in the midst of the chaos. During these times of upheaval, we can rely on ancient practices and ways to maintain balance. We can rest in harmony with our surroundings. When we are in harmony, we create a refuge of balance for others.

“…Reconciliation – we have that already, our Lakota people. We try our best, like I said, we use the pipe to pray and we have to have peace in our hearts as well as with others. So what has happened in the past, we can’t redo it, we can’t bring it back; we have to move forward to carry that peace and carry it on so that what you do with that land, make it plentiful, maybe feed the homeless, help the people and have that peace in your heart.”
Beatrice Long Visitor Holy Dance

Leadership is the highest spiritual calling, and as leaders, the starting point begins with you – managing your whole self – by utilizing the spirit that lies within your identity and the strength of your culture.”
Grandmother Mona Polacca

My father would tell me how the Creator loved us so much that he gave us a star and the star was the fire, so we are the Star People. He also told me that the Eagle is really an angel, and I should always pray to him. These gifts from the Creator have helped me to be here now.”
Grandmother Margaret Behan

Session 3: Embodying Our Visions
Thursday, October 6th
Featuring: Grandmothers Flordemayo, Julieta Casimiro , Rita Pitka Blumenstein, Maria Alice Campos Freire and Ambassador Jyoti

In the final session with the Grandmothers, they will share their insights on how we can embody and make manifest our visions for a harmonious, sustainable and peaceful planet. Once we catch the vision, it is our task to complete it, to carry through with the gift of inspiration from Creator. It is our task to walk it, to bring it down to earth, and together with our friends and relations, we can manifest goodness in the world.

We need to keep hope alive. It is like a never-ending story. In my village there is violence. What is happening in my village is happening in the world. At this moment, we need our faith. We need to make that faith stronger so we can continue doing our spiritual work and continue helping others.”
Grandmother Julieta Casimiro

“Oh, Great Spirit! Blow your winds over planet Earth, drive away these clouds of forgetfulness that darken the minds and hearts of mankind. With my knees on Earth, I ask, Oh! Great Spirit, cure the sickness of mankind, the forgetfulness of Your truth. Oh! Sacred Fire, Divine Essence, shine brightly Your flame of clarity, awaken mankind’s memory.”
Grandmother Maria Alice Campos Freire

“I had a vision the ancestors told us to heal the world. When we heal ourselves, we also heal our ancestors, our grandmothers, our grandfathers, and our children. When we heal ourselves, we also heal mother earth.”
Rita Pitka Blumenstein