Hello dear ones!
It's lovely to write to you again 😊 Even though it might seem a bit unbelievable how quickly time passes!
And yet, not a day goes by without having its own unique magic, gifts, and revelations in store for us 🙂
On August 1st, there was that Full Moon, the one our pagan ancestors celebrated as the first Summer Harvest Thanksgiving. It's always nice to remind myself of how many festivals of gratitude we can celebrate. To direct our gaze towards what is there, what is given to us. To pause and celebrate the good in life together with other people ❤️
During the week of the Full Moon, the week-long street festival "La Strada" took place in Graz. A festival that has been bringing people out onto the streets in the height of summer for years, uniting them in shared amazement, dancing, laughing, singing, and more.
On Sunday, when I stumbled upon a French brass band in one of the streets with a friend, I saw the many colorful people gathered around us. With radiant faces, we smiled at each other and danced together in the street. More and more people joined in and spontaneously celebrated with us.
At some point, I paused and felt deep gratitude for this joyful togetherness. Despite all the differences. Thank you for the existence of such events! Thank you for the fantastic opportunities to express oneself as a human and bring joy to others with it! Thank you for all the open hearts and the focus on the good!
And because it's so beautiful to say THANK YOU, I would like to pass on the words of gratitude from María and Mónica from Venezuela to you during this Harvest Thanksgiving Moon 😊
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The midwife and doula María Nava has dedicated herself to providing women from financially disadvantaged backgrounds with a loving space for giving birth to their children. Through several actions, we were able to provide her with all the means to realize the birthing house according to her vision ❤️ There is now a pool for water births as well as accommodations for family members of the birthing mothers.
María created a lovely photo series of the construction and sent a video. You can find everything here on our website 🙂
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We also received a thank-you video from Mónica Rivas. We were recently able to support her in her wish to have her breast implants removed. She is now an inspiration for many women in Venezuela on this journey back to naturalness and for embracing their own bodies lovingly as they are.
https://www.earth-prayers.com/venezuela-entfernung-brustimplantate
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Thank you for our shared efforts! ❤️ And now, let's move on to our August projects!
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🌞 7.8.-13.8. * Empowered Woman * Moondance ~ Venezuela ❤️
Three women wish to fulfill a dream and participate in an ancient Mexican tradition.
During the Moondance ("Danza de la luna"), women come together for four days and nights of communal prayer through fasting, sweat lodge, dance, and song. It is a prayer for Mother Earth and the well-being of humanity. It is a ritual of deep purification and healing of femininity and sisterhood.
"It is very significant for us to heed this call, connect with our feminine power, honor the ancestral prayers, and preserve the knowledge of our foremothers."
Adriana, María, and Mariana wish to participate in the Moondance in their home country of Venezuela in September. A few months ago, we sent them the first wave of support. With this second wave, the women's spiritual journey can be fully funded.
Every woman embarking on this journey prays for all of us. Such powerful ceremonies are a gift to the Earth, a gift to the collective, a gift to life. A Moondance has also been taking place in the Waldviertel region since 2018. Just a few days ago, on the full moon, the dance of around 300 women entered its fourth night!
"Thank you for reading about us, thank you for the light, thank you to the Earth Prayers organization. Infinite blessings!"
We also say thank you! ❤️
Venezuela - Participation Moon Dance | Earth Prayers
www.earth-prayers.com
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🌞 14.8.-20.8. * Empowered Children * Alternative School "Sumak Kawsay" ~ Peru ❤️
"My name is Mariana Barrenechea and I live in Huychu, Cusco, where my friend Mónica Rivas met Philipp. We are working on a project to build a school in the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Peru. It is called "Sumak Kawsay" (which means "Good Living" in Quechua). I am seeking support to secure the future of the school. We want to provide children from all backgrounds, regardless of their socio-economic status, access to high-quality education.
Please allow me a few minutes to tell you about the dream of many families in my community. It's about having a different school where our children can learn much more than traditional education. A school where parents and children together learn about Good Living and remember it.
Currently, Peru has one of the worst education systems in the Americas. That's why more than 60 families are trying to establish a school where our children can receive academic, emotional, artistic, and ecological education, and attend workshops that contribute to their future as members of a community. We incorporate life skills, vocational training, and personal development. Our teachers are trained to provide each student with the personal attention and support they need for success. Currently, we serve children aged 3-10 years old, and each year, a new class is added."
"At the moment, the school is housed in a house that is not the right place. However, last year we acquired a piece of land where we started building the school with the ideal facilities. Due to economic reasons, the construction has only progressed by 15%.
We have now launched a crowdfunding campaign and would be very grateful if you could support us with a small or large donation to get back on track!"
We're happy to be a part of this!
Here you can find more information and photos 🙂
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🌞 21.8.-27.8. * Holistic Health * Construction of a Wooden House ~ Colombia ❤️
"We want to wholeheartedly thank the Earth Prayers Team and all those who have supported us, allowing us to continue building. Thank you for contributing to making dreams come true! We will always remember your kindness and send you the best wishes from afar ~ moêichi (thank you). Keep weaving and helping many groups.
We have taken another step in the construction of the wooden house. From the vast Colombian Amazon jungle in the community of Puerto Nariño (natural cradle of Colombia), we send you greetings and the best energies, so that everything turns out well ❤️☀️☘️"
This is what Carolina writes to us. She and her mother Silveria are building a wooden house that they want to turn into a focal point for the culinary and artisanal tradition of their culture. Already, the two women operate a stand where they prepare typical Amazonian dishes. The new location is intended to become a healthy gathering place.
"The foods and products we use are part of our culture. We want to show people locally, from inland and abroad, the richness we have in our area, as long as we cultivate and preserve it. All knowledge reflects in the knowledge of our ancestors, and so we will continue to preserve the safety of customs and cultural habits in the future. Because our identity is determined by everything around us ~ the environment, nature, light, earth, water, air, and fire.
Everything we gather from the earth will always be nourishment. We want people to know that we have a sense of belonging. That our culture is alive and we must continue to forge bonds of brotherhood to preserve a dignified society with culture and respect."
We want to send them another wave of support! In total, around 600 euros are still needed to complete the construction of the house.
Here you can find photos, including the current state of the wooden house 🙂
Colombia - Construction of a Wooden House | Earth Prayers
www.earth-prayers.com
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🌞 28.8.-3.9. * Heart's Desires * Community Center Rua 2 ~ Brazil ❤️
A project that we are always more than happy to support from the heart. The "Community Center of Rua 2" has been providing children and teenagers from the Rocinha slum with a place since 1981 where they are provided with food and a wide range of education and activities. This gives the children stability, moments of lightness, and a chance for a better future. Moreover, it strengthens the awareness of the community and actively contributes to changing the local circumstances.
Unfortunately, the main financial supporter of the center has passed away and now there are greater challenges.
We have been specifically asked to help with renting a bus so that outings can be organized with the children during the holiday weeks. Approximately 1000 euros are needed for this.
Let's continue to work together for this amazing project!
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A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF US!!!
I wish you a wonderful month of summer, harvesting, and gratitude!
Much love ❤️
Sandra
