Gathering of Circles 2000

Planning Meeting Recap

 

March 18, 2000 - Odessa, Texas

 

Boy do we have a great year planned for you! We had one of the best Planning Meetings yet! Twenty-one attended and took care of business in exactly three hours from three till six o'clock, had a wonderful pot luck meal and then had ceremony with Pamela opening with the Pipe, Carol Dawn speaking about Prophecy and performing a naming ceremony for J.J. Hamilton (Winter Cedar Woman), Brett Messer leading us in a soothing meditation and many prayers for the upcoming GOC event.

 

We began the meeting with Carol Dawn leading us in a talking circle where we introduced ourselves and stated our expectations and desires for the meeting. Next Cliff reported that we have $783 cash and some stamps. Not quite reaching our goal of being able to pay for the cost of the t-shirts this year ahead of time and paying for postage. Then we re-arranged the agenda to discuss the event date for the GOC. After extensive discussion of pro's and con's the event date was unchanged from the first weekend in August. However, it was decided to keep the idea for the suggestion box and even to provide an evaluation sheet for next years events. Cliff read all the suggestions that were turned in last year and all e-mails that he has received.

 

Next, Cliff read the coordinator requirements (job descriptions) for the various positions that need to be filled. All positions were filled! They are:

 

 

T-shirt designs were presented and discussed. Designs were submitted from Lou Dale and Kristie Hunger. KeithLee Camp presented some designs from Victoria Kelly's chap books (with her permission). Kristie's design was chosen to be the design for this year. We are fortunate to have had  a choice and wish to solicit designs for next year from anyone. Please bring your design for 2001 to the GOC in August. It was decided that the screen print method of producing the t-shirts was much preferred over any other method.

 

Wood for the sweat lodges was discussed. Chet Wright has stated he will not be able to bring wood this year. Thanks Chet for the use of your trailer and bringing wood for the past two years. It was suggested that all attendees bring wood for the sweat lodges and Sacred Circle fire. Connie Williams has volunteered wood from her yard in Lamesa TX if someone can pick it up and deliver to Cloudcroft. If anyone has a trailer and can bring wood (maybe Chet would loan his trailer), please let me know. We generally need a half cord.

At this point we will only have one sweat lodge. It was suggested that we can stagger the male/female lodges at different times. Also, a fireside talking ceremony was offered as an option for those who are unable to participate for health/other reasons.

 

Suggestions for guest speakers were offered. Mike Andrew suggested Barbara Free, a lady from England who he met in Taos. She leads Shamanic journeys from an Egyptian perspective for 100+ people in England and at the pyramids. Pamela suggested Virgie Ravenhawk Villerillo, a lady she knows from the Temple area. Cliff suggested Luis Tijerina from Odessa. He is a powerful Native American who holds sweat lodges regularly in Odessa and sun dances each summer. Mike has been instructed to try to engage Barbara Free or Virgie Villerillo or Luis Tijerina in that order. An honorarium of $200 which includes expenses for the speaker was approved.

 

There were numerous complaints from the suggestion box about smoking in the Sacred Circles. Lengthy discussions has resulted the following "Rules" modifications:

 

Radios will not be allowed except with earphones.

Do not bring alcohol or drugs.

Dogs must be kept on a leash, please be as respectful in keeping your animals from disturbing others during ceremony and meditations as you would like them to do for you.

Smoking. We appreciate the need for a cigarette; however, please remember to keep cigarette smoke out of the Sacred circle and away from those involved in ceremony, ritual, workshop or meditation. If you need to smoke during a ceremony or meditation please step away from the circle and be sure that your smoke does not blow onto others, it could be very distracting. (And remember that cigarette butts are trash too, please take them out with your garbage when you leave.)

Selling. We all enjoy sharing things we make with each other. If you have items to sell please share them with others discretely from your campsite rather than bringing them to the circle. We do not want to make the GOC a flea market.

 

These rules are for the benefit of all of us to gain the most fulfillment from each workshop and ceremony, during our sacred time together. Thank you for your respect.

 

Some words from Kristie Hunger on this years design:

 

The design symbolizes this coming together of difference and common bond through spirit and ceremony. In Native American tradition there are five directions; North, South, East, West, and Spirit/Void/Unknown. There are many different meanings for each direction from each different tribe, except the fifth, that is Spirit. Within the four earthly directions there is Air, Earth, Water, and Fire. Also represented with the directions are Wisdom/Logic/Balance, Introspection/Death/Intuition, Trust/Innocence/Emotions, and Illumination/Enlightenment/Beauty.

 

 

 

Continued…

In the design the words themselves make a circle to symbolize there is a circle surrounding all of us, together or separate and as the Universe it has no boundaries. The three dancers represent all of us on a physical level, coming together in the circle to present our different beliefs and common love. We dance together in the circle the Sweet Medicine Dance in prayer for our Mother Earth as well as those who inhabit Her. The three souls represent the Mind/Body/Spirit as well as the great trinity; Physical Being, The Holy Ghost (or soul), and the Great Spirit/God/Universe. They are outlined in black because they are simply vessels for the soul. It is what is in the vessel and offered to others that makes the face of a person. They each hold a circle of symbolism. The Lotus, to represent Eastern thought, the Yin Yang to represent the Balance that we each seek, and the White Buffalo Medicine Shield to represent our heritage. The Spiral represents the boundless Void or the Universe. Emanating from it are bright pure Hearts. It consists of the seven colors of the rainbow representing the people of earth, the seven chakras, and the path to enlightenment. This symbol rises from all.

 

There are four shields or circles to represent the four directions. Can you find the fifth shield or circle? It is the purple ring that connects the different symbols. Purple for the honored color of the power of the spirit in that it is the part of the Great Spirit, subtly holding us all together. The fire represents the fires we have burning throughout the Gathering of Circles. There are the bonfires, the fire for the Sweet Medicine dance, the sweat lodge fires and the little campfires that we sit around  during meals and at night getting to know one another as children of the Great Spirit. As with all symbolism, this has physical and spiritual natures. The Great Fire in the middle of the people is the love and passion for the Gathering and one another's spiritual walk. It is the fire in the Heart Chakra we carry in ourselves which embraces our compassion.

 

Dan Leonard has promised an eagle feather fan (imitation) to raffle off this year. A photo will be available on the web soon.

 

Attendees: Adam Warford, Jorden Warford, Amber Metcalf, Pamela Scheler, Brett Messer, Carol WhiteWater Dawn, Tina Colson, Wilma McCoul, Kristie Hunger, Courtney Hale, Carolyn Milton, J.J. Hamilton, Love SwimmingBear, Connie Williams, Bill Nix, Chellafrench Gonzales, Tracy Gonzales, Cliff Buchanan, Shelly Billings, Kevin & Penny Crosson.

 

Men's Weekend: June 9, 10,11, 2000 at Cloudcroft. GOC: August 3, 4, 5, 6, 2000 at Cloudcroft.

Healing Hearts: September 22, 23, 24, 2000.