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Thousand Years of Peace According to EarthKeepers' Tom Goodman, peace is a force of nature that has been the sword of all great spiritual leaders. Peace, very much like water, throws itself with abandon against rough surfaces and obstacles, and through its f-l-o-w-i-n-g, smooths everything over which it passes. With a rhythm and a song, it continuously transforms and creates beauty wherever it roams. Peace, just as the water, reminds us of our connection to something gloriously larger. Peace ripples outward in waving circular patterns to touch everything around it. No one knows where this movement stops; it is infinite in its reach. EarthKeepers, an environmental nonprofit organization of global impact founded by Tom Goodman (aka Blue Wolf), is dedicated to promoting peace and preserving the natural resources that sustain us. Tom is a respected spiritual leader, peace ambassador, and Faith Keeper for the Lower Creek of the Eastern Muskogee. On October 26, 2000, more than 400 people attended an EarthKeepers' production entitled “1,000 Years of Peace,” an interactive theatrical ceremony. Indigenous cultures from around the world were represented in a rich display of movement, chanting, music, and magic. The performers told the story of our ancestors' dream that once again we would live in harmony and walk the beauty of Earth as beloved, and loving, children of the Great Spirit.
“1,000 Years of Peace” is an ongoing production
and will be featured in the coming months on Georgia Public Television
and at Kennesaw State University, among other local and national venues.
The goal of these performances is to spread an appreciation of the earth
and of our global community, which together form a foundation for the
peace movement. In a recent conversation, Tom shared that his inspiration for the play unfolded in a dream. He explained that through connecting with water, we connect to everything. What has not been touched and shaped by water? It is the Universal Mother. This reverence for water/life is the key to heaven, and is where the dance with the Divine begins. We celebrate that life is eternally unfolding. We celebrate the continual giving of the Mother, and by walking lightly and with integrity upon the Earth, we return the care she nurtures us with. Finally, as the magic of this divine relationship unfolds, we hear the voices of our ancestors calling us home, calling us to peace. The play was intended to reawaken our memories of a more peaceful way of life, as well as to bring awareness to our relationship to the water. As Tom often says, “no water, no peace.” The waters of Earth are endangered. They have been damned (pun intended), constricted, filled with poisons, and allowed to stagnate or run dry. Water sustains life and growth not only for human beings, but for every life form on the planet. We are unable to survive without it. Our bodies are 75% water, just as the oceans draping Earth's surface, and our veins and arteries can be likened to the rivers traversing the land. They both distribute nourishment and refreshment to the life that comes there to drink. Most of our drinking water is so polluted it has to be treated with chemicals. Like Chief Joseph said, “What we do to earth, we do to ourselves.” One-hundred-and-fifty years ago a water table in this country ran from California to Kansas, and from Canada to Mexico. Today it is the size of Rhode Island, due to the misappropriation of water for irrigation purposes. How much water is used to wash our fancy cars, sprinkle our lawns, and flush the toilet six times a day? If we continue at the current rate of destruction, 75% of the world's population will have a major water crisis within the next 25 years. What peace will there be in the future if we are at war over our most precious natural resource? What kind of world will our children inherit? Although great strides have been made with environmental education and preservation efforts, the destruction is still happening faster than we can prevent it. EarthKeepers maintains that the best way to make a difference is to “stick your finger in the pond.” Let your choice for a peaceful and sustainable lifestyle ripple outward. Start by looking at your own life and identify areas where you can make changes. Everyone can do something. Power lies in numbers. Put your money and action where your beliefs are, and gently encourage others to do the same. Peace comes through an appreciation of the good you have already. In doing this, you make yourself immune to the “buy more” mentality that feeds destructive forces. In times of change, turn first to that which sustains you and gives you comfort, be it the love of your dear ones or the love of Mother Nature. Share that feeling with others, and it will grow, it will ripple out to people you have never even met. Peace is a force of nature and it is here now to purify and heal. Welcome it into your heart. For
information about EarthKeepers, “1,000 Years of Peace,” |
