August 2-6 Ngondro Retreat at Vajra Dakini Nunnery with Khenmo Drolma

Ngondro means "preliminary practice". It begins with contemplating our precious human life. It includes Refuge, Vajrasattva, Mandala and Guru Yoga practices, the foundation for accomplishing any other practice. It is the basis for all vajrayana Buddhist practice. All Ngondro students are welcome. For students who wish to begin Ngondro, Khenmo will give the Drikung transmission of Ngondro.

This is being offered at the Vajra Dakini Nunnery, near the Peace Village in Lincoln Vermont.

There is room for "day students" in the Ngondro Retreat. We will begin with a talk at 2PM and continue into evening practice on Sunday Aug 2. You may attend morning and/or evening practice sessions if you come for an orientation and the Sunday talk. Please register if you wish to attend. You can email me for the application form. The orientation will follow Sunday public meditation 9:30-11:00. The retreat concludes following the morning meditation Aug 6.

Khenmo Drolma

Abbess

Vajra Dakini Nunnery

HH Phacock Rinpoche to speak this Friday at Vajra Dakini Nunnery

Hh Phachock Rinpoche will speak on Compassion 2-3 pm on Friday, July 31 at Vajra Dakini Nunnery. He is the head of the Taglung Kagyu Lineage (cousin to Drikung). A brilliant and warm teacher, he is the light of the new generation! It is a great honor that he will give us teachings, please join us.

Khenmo Drolma

Abbess

Vajra Dakini Nunnery

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

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)
*Friday night concert

* 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

An Open Invitation to Participate in the Sunray Blogs

An Open Invitation to Participate

in the Sunray Blogs

I hope you have visited our two main Sunray blogs. There is one for the Sunray Peace Village – http://www.sunraypeacevillage.blogspot.com/ – on which everything related to the Peace Village is posted. There is also one for Sunray Meditation Society – http://www.sunraycentral.blogspot.com/ – which includes the activities of Sunray Meditation Society.

There are also two local community blogs. One for DC/VA/MD and Georgia – http://www.sunraydc.blogspot.com/ – and one for the Northern California community -- http://www.circlecenter-gfd.blogspot.com/.

The Peace Village and Sunray Central blogs are intended as community blogs. By that I mean that they are open to contributions from any member of the Sunray community, or anyone else who has something germane to offer to the community. I would like to extend an invitation to you, if you feel inspired, to offer one or more things that could be posted on the blogs.

So far, most of the postings on both blogs have been announcements of upcoming events. There have also been some after-event reports. And the Peace Village blog has posted some stories from people who have been there. This is an excellent beginning.

However, the potential is there for the blogs to be more of a community dialogue if people would offer their thoughts up for general reading. We are a series of far-flung communities. These blogs provide an opportunity to share more substantive material. By doing so, those of like mind may hear of our community and seek to join us, and we can learn from each other. At least, that is my hope.

I would also note that these blogs offer the opportunity to comment on any of the posts. This is another way to engage in dialogue as community members.

Please join the dialogue. For now, items for posting (other than comments, which can be done by anyone) should be sent by e-mail to Brian Siebel at bjsiebel@msn.com Indicate which blog(s) you would like to post to. And please send photos or graphics if you have them.

Thank you.

Green Corn ceremony, Sunday, July 19th, 6:30 AM at the Sunray Peace Village

You and your family are warmly invited to the Green Corn Ceremony on Sunday, July 19 at 6:30 AM at Odali Utugi, Peace Village in Lincoln, VT.

This ceremony is one within the cycle of the Cherokee and Ani Yun Wiwa planting ceremonies and celebrates the ripening of the seeds planted, both in our gardens and in our lives!

Stick Dancers, Singers and Drummers to gather at 6:30, followed by the lighting of the Sacred Fire. Dances, practices, corn meal offerings with prayers will be offered in Gratitude!

Everyone is Welcome!

Peacekeeper Mission training from Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo -- July 29th at the Peace Village in Lincoln, Vermont

Peacekeeper Training with Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo

Wednesday July 29th, at the Peace Village in Lincoln, Vermont

Time:
Registration 9:30 -9:45am
Get Settled 9:45 -10:00am
Morning Session 10:00am - 1:00pm
Afternoon Session 3:00pm - 5:00pm


Reciprocity: General Public $85.00. Volunteer who works 10-30hrs $50.00. Volunteer who works 30+ hours or 2 meal shifts/day including dishes! FREE

The Peacekeeper Mission Purpose:
The purpose of The Peacekeeper Mission is to bring forth a mostgreat peace in the hearts of the people and the Earth. The Peacekeeper knows each being to be empowered by; Will to Choose Wisdom to See Intelligence to Act. Thus each one is responsible for Manifesting the Whole.

The Peacekeeper Mission fulfils its purpose through individual and group study, training and practice to develop four fundamental qualities of mind:

1. Mindfulness: The ability to see things as they are, to be fully presentin the moment, and to manifest right thought, right action.
2. Peacekeeper Consciousness: Recognition of one’s responsibility andpower to manifest peace through right relationship with all the family of life.
3. Caretaker Mind: Awareness of one’s privilege and duty to serve as acaretaker of this planet, honoring the Earth as a living being and sowing seeds of abundance and harmony unto seven generations.
4. Continuity of Mind: Understanding of cause and effect in determining thequality of one’s life, death and future lives, and in shaping the karma of groups, nations and the planet.

The Peacekeeper Training offers the opportunity to align with one’s lifepurpose, that one may manifest one’s gifts in harmony with the building elements of life in oneself and the planetary biosphere. Peacekeepers learn to perceive the patterns of mind-emotion and to clarify the stream,that our actions may bring abundance and harmony for all beings.

Medicine Mandala Mirrors Clear Mind As The Sacred Hoop Is Renewed In This Time Fly As A Eagle On Wings Of Thought Perceiving Rainbow Lights Of Good Relations As Mountain Streams Come To Rest In A Limpid Pool Of Understanding

Teacher: Sunray Ministers
Phone: (802) 453-4610
Email: info@sunray.org

Click here for additional information and to register.
(Please note that the registration form says July 30th. The event is July 29th.)

Deep Peace and the Healing of the World -- 8 month self-study program is available

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 Ven. 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.