Dear ones! đ
I would like to open the May letter with gratitude. I believe that gratitude is one of the strongest forces we have within us. Consciously feeling gratitude creates resonance and increases what nourishes us deeply in our hearts.
A few days ago, I received a letter from our local elder and wisdom teacher, Siegfried Essen, inviting us to feel as much gratitude as possible.
He shares an exercise from Rhonda Byrne, in which you express gratitude for 10 experiences of the past 24 hours daily for 28 days. In writing and with justification.
For example: "Thank you for the beautiful forest walk today, it gave me peace and opened up an inner space of tranquility." Or: "Thank you for the delicious lunch, it nourished me greatly and delighted my senses." Or: "Thank you for the question from my roommate, it gave me clarity."
The subclauses seem to contain the actual desired goals. For me, these are: Peace, Inner Peace, Nourishment, Joy, Clarity.
And now I would like to invite YOU â€ïž
To open yourself to this awareness daily. It has the power to change something deep within you. It cannot change your past or painful experiences, but your perspective on them, and especially your view of today. If you feel a lot of pain or a certain numbness, the exercise may seem difficult in the first few days because the positive feelings are lacking in the words. But it is a process worth going through. Gradually, new fields will open up within you, there will be a reprogramming of your body-soul-spirit-being. Soon, more and more things for which you can be grateful will appear, and also the awareness of what you focus on and that you are shaping your own life will become stronger and stronger. From scarcity, abundance is created, a new perspective and the power for it lies within YOU, in your HEART.
Again and again, deeply touching words, images, and stories of gratitude come to Earth Prayers. It is a great gift every time to see what we can achieve through our community. At a meeting with Peninah from the Samburu tribe last week, it became even clearer to me how important our work is and how great the waves it creates are.
And then I think of Philipp, who has just returned from a trip to Africa and visited some of our project partners there. He was able to see many shining eyes, fresh green from vegetable fields, and also met Cow Bea. Bea was a wish from an orphanage in Kenya to us. We were able to fulfill it recently â€ïž
Philipp says:
"The joy over Bea was great here. The cow dung is used for agriculture. With the surplus milk, tutoring sessions for three elementary school children will be financed. Team leader Joseph has told me how therapeutic it is to feed a cow, watch her eat, or just be near her. Yes, he says, in India, they are even considered gods ;-)
I was delighted with heartfelt conversations, great gratitude, and, in the end, chai and chapati.
It was very touching to see how connections are formed and how the Earth Prayers community can once again be helpful in realizing ideas, seed by seed.
A heartfelt thanks to all 136 people who made this moment possible at the Maisha orphanage đ"
Here's a beautiful video of Joseph & Bea đ
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Also, Saituku Lesorogol and his family warmly welcomed Philipp. Thanks to Earth Prayers, 16-year-old Saituku can attend a specific school.
Philipp: "The first trimester of this school year is over. It's hard work for Saituku, but he's motivated. Of course, he misses the life of a herder in Naiborkeju from time to time. He'll catch up on that during the holidays.
Saituku and his family send heartfelt greetings to all of us. They are deeply grateful for the support from Earth Prayers."
You can find more photos of Saituku and his family here:
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Another big thank you came from Argentina. The workshop on traditional midwifery art in April with Ruro could be held and was a beautiful experience for all involved! We are very happy â€ïž
"All that we have experienced and shared here in our Patagonia with Ruro was and is a tremendous enrichment. It was also a great effort, but it happened, and the gratitude we still feel in our minds is indescribable."
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Filled with these beautiful feedbacks, I am now embarking with you on the journey to our May projects đ
đ 6.5.-12.5. * Free Seeds ~ Bari Wesna Association, School of Wisdom for Children ~ Peru â€ïž
Many indigenous children are increasingly moving away from their roots. To counteract this, Shipibo indigenous people founded the non-profit Bari Wesna Association. Their goal is to work for the preservation of indigenous cosmovision.
Their main focus is on indigenous children living near the urban area of Pucallpa.
"The integration of children into an urban environment, where they often experience humiliation and racism, leads to westernization and rejection of their own origins."
Bari Wesna aims to introduce the children to the treasures of their ancestors. Through pedagogy and art, the children are supported, and the value of their heritage, ancient traditions, preservation of their culture, and thus inner security, strength, and confidence are imparted.
Nine years ago, a library was built with a lot of work. Among other things, the children learn the Shipibo language through singing and valuable knowledge about medicinal plants and the cultivation of important foodstuffs.
Now Bari Wesna wants to invite an elder from the jungle again for a month. Support is needed for his employment and meals, for high-quality food for the children, as well as for garden tools, seeds, and plants.
We are excited to contribute to this project again!
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đ 13.5.-19.5. * Sustainable Agriculture ~ Lochuch Ngoo ~ Kenya â€ïž
Philipp also visited Lochuch and his family in Baragoi, Samburu North, in April.
Philipp shares: "The journey from Maralal to Baragoi was not entirely without concern. There are often armed conflicts along this route. The Pokot tribe frequently attacks the Samburu there and steals their animals.
I was advised to take the only public bus in the morning if at all, as the bandits leave it alone, I was told.
Baragoi is a place shared by two tribes: the Samburu and the Turkana. Two peoples who share much in common. They primarily live as nomads and herders with their cows, goats, and sheep. At the same time, they each have their own culture, songs, rituals, etc. There is also a long history of armed conflicts. Currently, the situation between the Samburu and Turkana in the Baragoi area is relatively peaceful. As a musician, I even had the chance to collaborate with the Samburu singer Dickson Lesorogol on a peace song, and parts of the music video were even filmed with the Turkana tribe.
Lochuch advocates for children and the elderly. During times of famine and even now, although the rainfall has eased the emergency situation, he often cooks for hundreds of children and serves them porridge. A healthy meal can often make a difference for poor people. Since I came, he decided to distribute porridge to around 100 children in his village.
A group of Turkana women, including Lochuch's wife Ari, sang and danced traditional songs. I was also invited to share music with the people. It was beautiful to play a few songs in front of these curious, open-hearted children. They sang along loudly and wholeheartedly at a few points. It was very moving and touching."
Singing with the children:
Powerful, traditional dance & singing by the Turkana women:
"Lochuch showed me some of his gardening projects. He cultivates around his house and at the school compound. There, he also trained the parents of the children to grow sweet potatoes. The teacher there spoke highly of Lochuch and his great compassion for people. A kilometer away is a community garden that Lochuch initiated. There, 230 families each have a small plot of land where they grow vegetables. With the help of an aid organization, a fence was built around the land, and a well was drilled to provide constant water supply.
Currently, it's the rainy season, and the desired rain is coming from the sky. Many people are taking advantage of this opportunity to cultivate. From 2020 to 2022, rainfall had completely stopped in northern Kenya. Fortunately, this situation has temporarily normalized for about a year now, easing agriculture.
However, in northern Kenya, the dependence on livestock is very high. Lochuch is one of those who consider agriculture to be very important for food sovereignty.
A third concern of Lochuch is that children can go to school. Many parents cannot afford school due to the costs of school uniforms and supplies. We supported him in buying uniforms, pencils, etc. for children who could then actually go to school.
It was a very special honor and joy to have been a guest at Lochuch's project "Vuka daraja na jirani." This is Swahili and means "Crossing the bridge with neighbors." So, it's about going through difficulties together and crossing them.
Lochuch often emphasizes that he himself did not study but is a simple person with a big heart. It is all the more important to him that children have these opportunities that he did not have back then. He says that if he can contribute to just one child going to school instead of waiting to get married, then his work has already paid off. And this has already happened many times... â€ïž
Until recently, it was not very easy in the area around Baragoi between Turkana and Samburu. Currently, Lochuch can extend his work and inspiration to neighboring villages as well. So, he also lectured in a Samburu village about the possibility and importance of growing sweet potatoes and showed people how they can grow them easily and efficiently."
Since my Swahili has become quite good by now, I finally mustered up the courage to conduct an interview with Lochuch and his wife Ari for the first time. Once again, I became aware of the great doors that a language can open. This deep and meaningful connection would simply not have been possible without Swahili. Lochuch and Ari send heartfelt greetings to all the people of Earth Prayers and express their sincere gratitude. They are motivated and love to work for the community. However, they also live in modest circumstances and naturally have to take care of themselves, their family, and their children.
We are always welcome in Baragoi as part of the Earth Prayers family. It is a beautiful experience to immerse oneself in the culture there, to exchange ideas, and to learn from the humility and simplicity of being."
The Interview:
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đ 20.5.-26.5. * Nature & Culture ~ Brother Festival ~ Austria â€ïž
We are pleased to support a project in Austria this month as well. The Brother Festival, which is taking place for the second time this year! Men come together to connect and nourish each other, allowing their inherent essence, radiance, and impact to shine even brighter in the world after the festival.
The initiator is Daniel Zeilinger, who has strongly supported Earth Prayers via social media for some time and continues to connect us with wonderful people.
The Brother Festival is a vision, a prayer received in June 2022, and has matured over 12 months with many hours of volunteer work.
It took place for the first time last July in the Waldviertel, where 15 men gathered to experience, embody, and bring to life the frequencies of brotherhood, community, and connection.
Daniel shares:
"We also had the pleasure of welcoming identical twins (7 years old), who demonstrated to us what true brotherly connection means and how it is lived.
As part of our collective efforts, we left the place (Oasis of Peace) in a better condition. Among other things, we were able to install a water mill wheel for Mother Earth. The people from the local association were very present, and in conclusion, we invited them to dinner and integrated them into the festival.
We look forward to the next step, which will be the establishment of a joint Brother/Sister FEST as soon as the time is right.
Supporting Mother Earth and femininity in a lived and conscious way is a big concern for us as brothers on this journey.
We would like to request support for the solidarity brotherhood fund and are grateful for contributions toward covering the costs (transportation, accommodation, meals) for an elder.
Furthermore, it is important for us to support brothers who would like to participate but cannot fully cover the costs themselves.
With love, humility, gratitude, and solidarity,
the Brother Festival Collective"
We are delighted to support this wonderful initiative! It is healing for all of us when men and women come together in circles to experience and nurture themselves in community and mutual support in their masculinity and femininity đ Thank you for this!
And to the dear men who feel the call ~ there are still spots available at the Brother Festival!
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đ May 27th - June 2nd * The Empowered Woman ~ Medicine Woman Selva Carolina, Continuing Journey ~ Colombia â€ïž
"Good morning, Earth Prayers family. I am Selva Carolina, born in Colombia and 42 years old. For years, I have been traveling through South America, step by step discovering more of our original cultures. I am a sower of water, an ambassador in connection with the earth, accompanied by the prayers of the ancestors."
These lines came to us last year. Selva Carolina embarked on a journey to perform rituals with prayers and songs for water, the power of the Sacred Feminine, at various locations. She does all this for free donations, following her inner calling.
We provided her with financial support for her journey back then. Currently, she is in Patagonia, Argentina. In July, she plans to return to her native Colombia. For her return journey, she has again requested support from Earth Prayers.
Earth Prayers itself is an initiative supported by people who want to nourish others, the planet Earth, and visions through heartfelt wishes (prayers) and concrete financial support. Selva Carolina does exactly that on a spiritual, heartfelt level. She nurtures the field of connection, appreciation of nature, and human interconnectedness.
We are pleased with her work! đż
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Lastly:
Dear ones, THANK YOU for our shared journey, which brings so much beauty into the world â€ïž
A big hug!
Sandra Schalamun đ
for Earth Prayers
... and enjoy the following music video by Philipp and Dickson! đ
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