activism
July 2008 
Diving In
Posted on Jan 16th, 2008
by 
Kate Mariposa
Kate Mariposa
It was over 2 1/2 years ago when my life first opened into a mythical reality, a dance bigger than my own small self and limitations. It has taken me much prayer, release, trust and surrender in Spirit to return to that point.
In 2005 I was part of a ceremony called the Youth Prayer Run for World Peace. This run was the culmination of a series of events that began in 1994 with the birth of a white buffalo calf. Chief Arvol Looking Horse of the Lakota people offered five annual World Peace and Prayer Day ceremonies in honor of this fortuitous event, one for each direction in the Americas, and a fifth, Wopila (Thanksgiving) ceremony in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
In completion of these five ceremonies, he then offered four World Peace and Prayer Day ceremonies in the four directions of the world: Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and Japan. Before the fifth Wopila ceremony in the Black Hills, Chief Looking Horse's children envisioned youth of all of the tribes of the United States and even North America coming together in South Dakota in a traditional four directions run.
While their vision unfolded on a smaller scale, youth and adults ran relay-style from Los Angeles, Boston, Saskatchewan, and El Paso to join in South Dakota for the World Peace and Prayer Day ceremonies on the summer solstice. I had the great fortune to help with the logistis of the run from the South, and run from Taos, NM to South Dakota.
It was on that run, in the magical alchemy of collective prayer, communion with the earth and the sun and the buffalo, and the unfathomable love and support of individuals and communities, that I found a new way of being in relationship to the world.
I found it possible to live without knowing what the next day might bring, to trust that the universe would provide what was needed. I learned how to feel deep humility and gratitude for that which the universe provided. I learned new ways to pray, as my feet touched the ground in many long miles of prayer for peace in the world and myself, and I was introduced to many different traditions of ceremony and prayer.
It was on this run, while carrying a sacred prayer staff from Peru, that I heard the words "You must come to Peru." It is this call of spirit that has carried me through many the struggles that ensued when I lost my trust in the Universe's ability to provide for me, and has led me to offer my gifts to my community as I prepared to answer this call.
With deep gratitude to the support of my family, friends, and community, I am able to follow this call where it next leads. In the next four months and beyond I intend to write about the teachings and experiences that this calling brings me.
I give thanks to my teacher Lorraine Fox Davis who first taught me about Arvol Looking Horse and this run, and recommend all who are interested learn more at: www.wolakota.org
A Ho
Mitakuye Oyasin
In 2005 I was part of a ceremony called the Youth Prayer Run for World Peace. This run was the culmination of a series of events that began in 1994 with the birth of a white buffalo calf. Chief Arvol Looking Horse of the Lakota people offered five annual World Peace and Prayer Day ceremonies in honor of this fortuitous event, one for each direction in the Americas, and a fifth, Wopila (Thanksgiving) ceremony in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
In completion of these five ceremonies, he then offered four World Peace and Prayer Day ceremonies in the four directions of the world: Ireland, South Africa, Australia, and Japan. Before the fifth Wopila ceremony in the Black Hills, Chief Looking Horse's children envisioned youth of all of the tribes of the United States and even North America coming together in South Dakota in a traditional four directions run.
While their vision unfolded on a smaller scale, youth and adults ran relay-style from Los Angeles, Boston, Saskatchewan, and El Paso to join in South Dakota for the World Peace and Prayer Day ceremonies on the summer solstice. I had the great fortune to help with the logistis of the run from the South, and run from Taos, NM to South Dakota.
It was on that run, in the magical alchemy of collective prayer, communion with the earth and the sun and the buffalo, and the unfathomable love and support of individuals and communities, that I found a new way of being in relationship to the world.
I found it possible to live without knowing what the next day might bring, to trust that the universe would provide what was needed. I learned how to feel deep humility and gratitude for that which the universe provided. I learned new ways to pray, as my feet touched the ground in many long miles of prayer for peace in the world and myself, and I was introduced to many different traditions of ceremony and prayer.
It was on this run, while carrying a sacred prayer staff from Peru, that I heard the words "You must come to Peru." It is this call of spirit that has carried me through many the struggles that ensued when I lost my trust in the Universe's ability to provide for me, and has led me to offer my gifts to my community as I prepared to answer this call.
With deep gratitude to the support of my family, friends, and community, I am able to follow this call where it next leads. In the next four months and beyond I intend to write about the teachings and experiences that this calling brings me.
I give thanks to my teacher Lorraine Fox Davis who first taught me about Arvol Looking Horse and this run, and recommend all who are interested learn more at: www.wolakota.org
A Ho
Mitakuye Oyasin
Access: Public
kate, blessings on your journey! thank you for your reflections here… looking forward to reading along! love, deb=)