World Peace & Prayer Days will take place in Southern Oregon, June 18-21 2015 in conjunction with a globally synchronized meditation (World Yoga Day is also June 21) in communities around the planet.
All nations around the world honor sacred sites as places holding unique geographical, spiritual, historical and often mythological significance. These places of worship—intended to unite people in peace, can all too easily become a source of power struggle, greed, and environmental abuse. It is by no coincidence that places where the Earth vibrates with magnified energy, are also places commonly sought for exploitation of natural resources. The importance of protecting sacred sites and educating people about the value of restoring them to balance reaches beyond the realm of spiritual ideals and directly into the ways that their destruction or restoration impacts local human, plant and animal communities.
World Peace and Prayer Day is a 20-year tradition that promotes co-existence among all peoples and nations. Ancient prophecies predicted the time that we find ourselves in today where population growth, over consumption, depletion of our natural resources and pollution have severely damaged our Earth’s life-sustaining capabilities.
As envisioned by Chief Arvol Looking Horse in 1996. The honoring ceremonies, invocations and prayers are observed in collaboration with local indigenous representatives. Special guest speakers, wisdom keepers and activists of all denominations will share spiritual insight and discuss important environmental concerns and cures on both a local and global level. Cultural creatives have been building connections between The United Religions Initiative, Unify (who hosts globally synchronized meditations), The United Nations, and Indigenous Communities globally. Bill McKibben has been building alliances between indigenous communities and environmental groups. The commonalities between all people are much more important than our differences, especially at a time when Mother Earth needs us to come together in unity.
United Religions Initiative is an international, grassroots, interfaith bridge-building organization modeled after the United Nations. It aims to create social change by promoting “enduring, daily interfaith cooperation,” ending “religiously motivated violence“, and promoting “cultures of peace, justice, and healing for the Earth and all living beings.
The result is a beautiful unfolding collaboration on the local and international level between organizations and individuals with a common purpose. Unify is hosting another globally synchronized meditation in support of the local events happening in Southern Oregon so that you can participate wherever you are on June 21. You can see pictures of last years events from all over the world here.
The Sacred Fire is honored over four days, with a special ceremonial emphasis – following traditional Lakota Sioux ways, on Summer Solstice, Sunday June 21. As the sacred fire burns there will be a time when everyone is invited to offer tobacco and prayers to the fire. This prayerful Summer Solstice Day will be followed by the sharing of wisdom keepers and speakers, joining us from far and wide. Please visit World Peace and Prayer Day online to learn more!
