18 Apr Honoring our Elders in the Crone’s Nest
In a time where we have forgotten so much, the value of true elders cannot be underestimated as they serve as the storytellers, the lineage holders, the initiators of the young, and the holders of vision. These are the ones who have gathered a rich array of life experience through laying the foundations of the paths that we now walk upon, and have the gift to distill that experience into wisdom with a willingness to share with their community. We are thrilled and honored to welcome many wonderful elders to this year’s Spirit Weavers Gathering!
Some notes of conduct:
- There will be a designated housing space for the use of our elders this year, the Crone’s Nest. Please respect this space as a private residence, and do not enter or disrupt the women when they are inside. Let us honor this home as a place of rest and recovery.
- When you see an elder out and about, ask permission before you engage them in conversation or ask a question. As a sisterhood, we have the opportunity to weave a culture of honor and respect in the village we will co-create.
- Be discerning about what is important to speak with an elder about, and what you can find support for within your peer group. Attend the classes they offer to get to learn more about them, and honor their space and energy level.
Sweet Medicine Nation
Sweet Medicine Nation (Chickasaw/Choctaw/French/Irish) is a gifted artist, educator, lecturer, and healer who guides and initiates personal growth in others with her eloquence, wisdom, and gift for serving others. She awakens us to the personal and social value of earth stewardship, honoring the wisdom of natural ways to benefit ourselves and Mother Earth.
Sweet Medicine is involved in numerous local and International groups, federal agencies, endangered species research, and riparian studies and education. She is also a master of edible and medicinal plants of the local region in Central Oregon. Her background in Alternative Medicine, Midwifery, and Herbology, along with her written articles and books based on medicinal and edible native plants, compliments her heritage and love of sharing natural knowledge.
Sweet Medicine will be at both the Sun and Moon sessions.
Sarah and Martina
Sarah and her 93 year old Mother Martina are Guatemalan Mayans, traditionalists in lifestyle. They have been weaving since they were little girls. Sarah and Martina love to teach weaving, because in their world, people are woven from corn, its what they say, to bring life and weaving together is very important in their culture. Sarah and Martina love to share and exchange cultural and artistic ways of seeing thing through many forms of textiles.
Kaariina Natalie Saarinen M Ed Coun
Grandma Kaariina Natalie Saarinen M Ed Coun is bloodline shamanka with epigenetics from Mongolia, Tuva, Siberia and northern Finland. Traveling for 15 years, Kaariina is an energetic adept, a strong and fierce light for truth and a discipline healer for humanity. Her passion is for nonviolence and purpose: to end the lies of separation from source. She longs for family reunions and lives the Way of Council, knowing that partnerships can be alchemized and traumas no longer serve as a basis for conversations.
Kaariina comes to us in June 2016, after months of initiating reiki masters, coaching permaculture initiatives, offering sweatlodges with many traditional lodge holders, listening often in the wild to the heart of pachamama, and aligning to the prophecies: eagle Quetzal Condor, the Whirling Rainbow, the 8th Sacred Fire, and that of the Grandmothers and Grandfathers. Bowing down to this fourth annual gathering of spirit weavers.
Grandma Kaariina will be at both the Sun and the Moon Sessions.
Donna D’terra
Donna D’Terra is a lifelong student of the plants and the land. She is the Founder and Director of Motherland Botanical Sanctuary and Herb School in the inland hills of Mendocino County where she has taught and sponsored herb classes for the past 30 years.
Her focus is on Earth-based, local, sustainable, restorative herbalism. For the past 20 years, she has offered a 9-month Herbal Apprentice Class for women. Her current passion is helping to train the next generation of herb teachers to spread the love of the plants out into the world. Donna is also a gifted storyteller in the Baubo tradition. She comes to us greatly loved and highly respected, and she has positively influenced many lives for the better. Her ripple continues to spread out into the world, and we are blessed to have her join us for this year’s gathering!
Donna will be joining us for the Moon session.
Trish Gallagher
Trish has been a life long student of the natural world and our relationship to the plants and animals that share that world with us. Teaching from direct experence for many years at Northern California Womans Herbal symposium, Terra Vita, Seeds Laguna, Motherland School of herbology. Portland Plant Medicine and many other events on the west coast. She is a member of Spirit Song Community founder of WilddevOcean Seaweed Collective and works as a massage therapist and herbal consultant at Middletown massage & Acupuncture collective.It is her greatest pleasure to share teachings with others while enjoying the outdoors.
Trish Gallagher will be sharing Seaweed as Food & Health and Seaweed Gathering & Baskets.
Sarah Bicknell
Sarah MacLean Bicknell is a healer, teacher, and mentor. She has studied healing and ceremonial work in North American indigenous traditions for 25 years. She has incorporated her Celtic roots into her present North American practice and is sought out for her intuitive readings, workshops, ceremony, and her soul doctoring practice. She stands in her deep gratitude to her elders and teachers that have gone before her, and stands firmly in her own vision – a vision that is related and crafted for these times of the 21st century. Her work is about connection, community, ceremony and respect.
Also raised in the Western world, she has lived the loss of disconnection and is profoundly thankful to her indigenous elders that have taught her how to re-arrive more fully into her life. Sarah was adopted by ceremony, into the Ghosthorse family 1991, Sungleska Nation, She stands in deep honor to her elder council/mentors which over the years has been Aricelli Dominguez, Adalberto Rivera,(Maya) Wallace Black Elk, Buck Ghosthorse (Lakota) Paul Ghosthorse. Rod Mcafee (Sungleska) Donna Carlita, Hernando Salazar (Inca, Peru), Youseff Bashir (Berber, N. Africa) Betty Bergstrom, (NW coastal, Norse, Scottish) ), Francesca Boring (Shoshone, N Native European) Harold Blood, Carolyn Hillier, K.Trevelyan (N Native European) and to the many around the world that she has sat and stood in ceremony with.
Sarah will be sharing Dream Tracking and Ceremony Basics.
Wohpe Two Feathers
A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister and auntie to many, wohpe two feathers has been blessed to continue the Native American traditions as family spiritual teacher, family historian (genealogist), family educator, foster mother and adopted mother. She has dedicated her life to Kinship and supporting women of all ages in the Circle of Sister Hood. She shares her knowledge and experiences of traditional women’s wisdom in many places around the world with encouraging examples of the importance of discovery and the continuation of the female observances/ceremonies which have always guided women on their special journey as Life Givers and Nurturers. She has many years as both professional and intuitive massage healer, artist in different mediums- especially beadwork, and has a special interest and talent for healing through natural foods and herbs.
Deni Woodruff
Deni Woodruff is the mother of Spirit Weavers Founder Mea. Deni was raised in Southern California and has created two beautiful homesteads with her partner of 45 years also named Denny. They have 3 children together and 3 grandchildren. For Deni, Family is everything. Though life trials and tribulations, Deni has developed a strong and open heart. Deni has raised all kinds of animals and has spent much of her time with horses and her loving canines. She loves spending time outdoors in her gardens and on her land. She also spend a good amount of time at the Colorado River with her family. Deni has recently discovered meditation and is looking forward to learning about her deeper callings through the simplicity of silence. Deni has been a huge support in the process of the gathering since the very first one which was held on her land. She is honored to be a part of the Crones Nest!
Hannah Jermstead
We are grateful to have Hannah create a warm and loving space for our Crones! A fierce devotee of soul, Hannah has dedicated her life to the exploration of truth and authenticity rooted in a deep love of existence. Her path is guided by spirit and informed by darkness as she walks with vertical alignment in a culture numbed by horizontal connection, utilizing every moment to deepen her practices.
