Wednesday, 19th Thursday, 20th April 2023Wednesday, 19th Thursday, 20th April 2023
The grandmothers met for two days on their own, focusing on the theme of Death and its various facets; Connections to the traditions of the various European countries; Approaches and the personal views of each Grandmother on the subject. Together they approached and examined Death – where everything stands still. There was a diversity of understandings based on each Grandmother’s personal experience and the traditions of her country.
The programme of their days together also covered items for dialogue about our common present situation, and the steps into the future of the Council in a time of upheaval for the world and Europe. There were also practical items regarding the organization of the Council. The grandmothers each reflected and shared their positions.
A decision was taken to invite Sophia Clemenceau from France to come next year as a guest to visit and participate in the group. This follows the agreed method of expanding the membership of the Council of European Grandmothers.
MaryAnne and Erika
Christalera de Miraflores – Madrid
Public Events
Friday, 21st April 2023
A small gathering opening Ceremony took place. Grandmother Wenche from Denmark gave a Talk on Astrology, with particular emphasis on the role that the Planet Pluto, with his transformative power, is playing in all our lives at the present time. Her paper on “The Approach to the Stars” can be accessed in downloadable pdf as the end of this report.
Zuzka Cortes expressed her deeply touching encounter with death in Flamenco Dancing.
Alexandria Oleinika and Alexia Wulfer-Buldenka read some of their poems. We got the emphasis but not the wordly content, for the reading was done in Spanish.
The official Opening Ceremony took place in the Miraflores Theatre in the evening. Grandmother Swami Nitya began on the stage by calling in the five elemental energies.
Grandmother Sabina performed the Dance of Death.
The Grandmothers individually introduced themselves to the audience.
Grandmother Tina gave a talk on the Spirituality of the Palaeolithic Woman and its repercussion in our days.
Fiona Issler elaborated on this using ancient and modern Art Sculptures.
Saturday, 22nd April 2023
Following Meditation with Exercises, after breakfast the Grandmothers and guests went in procession to a field by the river, where Grandmother Monika led a Water Ceremony where the council members contributed waters brought from their countries – a water gathering ritual. Which was then presented to the River for circulation for the good of the Earth.
Grandmothers Swami Nitya, Tina, and Isabel offered their Reflections on this year’s topic: Death. (More details available in a downloadable pdf at the end of this report).
One of the visitors from America, shared her personal experience of what is called a Near-Death Experience.
After lunch and time for conviviality, We listened to a Viola de Gamba Concert Recital by Pere Ros.
This was followed by three round Table dialogs where questions were put into the dialog from
Swami Nitya, concerning the transformation by death
Tina, concerning Transhumanism
Isabel, concerning practical issues of death
After dinner; there was singing, dancing, and sharing around an Outdoor Fire.
Sunday, 23rd April 2023
After breakfast following Meditation with Exercises, there was a Silent Walk through the mountains, honouring Mother Earth.
Afterwards, Grandmother MaryAnne spoke about the Importance of Food for Life – Body, Mind and Soul. More details available in a downloadable pdf at the end of this report).
Grandmother Pascal led a Butterfly Meditation. More details available in a downloadable pdf at the end of this report.
Lola Roma presented information on the Sweet Revolution. More details available in a downloadable pdf at the end of this report.
This was followed by a Closing Ceremony
Lunch
MaryAnne/Erika
ATTACHED FILE pdf: 5 Speech and Meditations from the Council Meeting in Spain.
The Council of European Grandmothers comes to Switzerland in February 2024. We Extend a Welcome to you to come and join us!
TIME: Thursday 1st until Monday 5th February 2024. PUBLIC OPEN TIME: Saturday 3 rd of February 8 pm – 9.30 pm (outdoor) Sunday 4 th of February 9.15 am – 5,20 pm (indoor)
We invite people from many traditions and cultures in Europe and around the world to meditate peace together.
DATE : 27th November 2023 TIME : 8 pm GMT PLACE : From your home or in your nature and in your natural way.
This is a distance meditation in the presence of your own stillness, in focus, silence and/or in meditation together with the rest of the world (no personal or zoom guidance).
Dear friends, let us use this wonderful tool of meditation, together creating a field to support peace and trust to take place in the world in the year of 2023
MEDITATION (If you want guidance you can follow this text))
Invite the light of peace and trust in yourself
Then
Invite the light of peace in your village/country.
Invite the light of peace and trust between Russia and Ukraine and other countries and groups all over the world.
And then invite the light for peace and the deep caring for all life on the planet.
We know – and science knows – that the electromagnetic waves that our heart and mind emit have an effect on the world.
We know – and science knows – that when millions of people direct this energy by meditating on a common goal, it has an effect.
A lecture for the 6th Meeting of the European Council of Grandmothers in Island
INNER PEACE I am Grandmother Helga from Germany. I am happy to be here in Iceland together with my European Grandmother Sisters, and I am happy to meet all of you. Our topic for this council is PEACE, and I am sure that this is one of the most important issues for all of us in these days and it is no coincidence that our council takes place in Iceland just in the time of the UN-WORLD PEACE DAY.
It is my part today to talk about our inner peace, our peace of mind. Why shall we think about inner peace? Many years ago, I thought about what I can contribute to the goal PEACE in the world! I felt overwhelmed by this immense challenge! I was about to give up, but I read about Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and other great peace campaigners and I understood that peace is not a state but a process. “There are no roads to peace, peace is the way”. (Mahatma Gandhi) Then I understood that PEACE in the world starts with us. That means I have to find peace inside of me. I remembered the cosmic principles of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece. One of them is “As the outer world, so the inner world – as the inner world, so the outer world.” The Dalai Lama: “If you do not know inner peace, you will not find it in your encounter with others.” These examples may be enough for the moment to explain, why I decided to think about inner peace, work on it and share my experiences with you. Now – a little break! Although I know, that there is only little time! Please -Take your time! Now! Close your eyes! Take a deep breath and exhale! Four times! Find your own rhythm now, be quiet and relax! Imagine you are at your favourite place in the nature! Realize that you are connected to everything! Stay there and enjoy this moment until I will call you back! – two minutes – Come back and open your eyes! Sometimes it needs not more to find our inner peace: Take some time! Be aware of your breath! Be just in this moment! Be in the nature! Feel connected! Sometimes it is much more difficult to find our inner peace. There are many reasons for this. One reason is that we are angry with ourselves. We are very often angry with ourselves, one aspect of us fights against the other as if we have war within us. We have to understand, perceive and accept that we do not really value ourselves.Most of us have a deep fear of rejection. That is why we try to live up to expectations of others and our own. For many of us this means a tremendous effort and causes great stress. Mostly the cause for this is in the past. That means, that we have to look into our childhood, sometimes even deeper – into the childhood of our parents or grandparents- to understand all the suppressed feelings, deep mental injuries we all have suffered. Children are very vulnerable, and dependent to their parents, they need their love. When parents have had to suppress their feelings, they are unconsciously afraid, that these feelings, especially deep pain, come into their consciousness. Where fear is there cannot be love, because fear makes our body tight and love needs space. So almost all of us have a lack of love. We have many ways to deal with it. Most ways do not lead to inner peace, because most of us do not understand that many of our activities and efforts have something to do with our need for love. That means that we have to look into our childhood and to our ancestors to see, understand, feel and accept the hidden wounds, pain and anger to heel them. Then we can learn to forgive our ancestors and ourselves. When we forgive, we are connected. This forgiveness, our connection leads to INNER PEACE!
My local, weekly commitment with a woman seeking asylum in Switzerland – a win-win-situation The village of 2000 inhabitants where I live, was assigned to care – among others – for a family of six people from Afghanistan by the federal authorities. I have known the family now for over two years. The eldest ofthe four children is twelve, the youngest 3 years old. The father has recently been allowed to do manual work for the community and to earn a little money.
Every week I study with the mother, who is taking two different German language courses, offered free of charge by volunteer organisations. We do her homework together. She was illiterate, and I am astonished how quickly she gets along with everything.
Again and again I also try to sum up for her the letters the children bring home from school and kindergarten. I practise with her to read the calendar, dates and appointments and the time. Great trust and love has grown between the two of us. She calls me her Swiss mom, and grandmother towards the children. Every time, I leave their flat gratified. From the start it was clear to me that I wanted to work with the mother, for, if a mother is psychically stable, the children profit most directly. After the death of her mother, this woman had to work in a factory sewing clothes, when she was only ten years old.
In our village we have a small group of mostly young people looking afterthe asylum seekers. We advise each other and provide the necessary materials. Somebody was able to find a sewing machine for my “Afghan daughter”.Now she is sewing for her children and girl-friends and is very happy about it.
My motivation for this engagement is my belief that an open, warm new home should be offered to these people, who were forced to leave their homeland and become refugees. In this way I can personally “better” theofficial Swiss position, which is a compromise with those Swiss people who fear the loss of jobs and the Islamic religion. They believe that in oursmall, closely populated country there is no room for more people, meaning first of all refugees and the costs they cause for the state. (I am sure you all know this!)
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