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Thirteen cycles of the moon. Each calendar year, as our small planet revolves around the sun, the moon has waxed and waned thirteen times since its creation. Now Mother Earth is in grave danger and thirteen indigenous grandmothers have come together to help heal our planet. Powerful healers in forces across the globe, spanning geographic and cultural boundaries, the grandmothers celebrate ancient traditions that are ties to the health of the planet and all its inhabitants. With the knowledge that has been passed down to them, an awareness of acute need to act and the kindness, patience, humor and perseverance that accrue with age, these powerful and remarkable thirteen grandmothers will pull you into their orbit as they work to renew the Earth. Now, for yourself, your children and the generations to follow, share in their life-changing journey. Because it’s that important. And because when grandmothers talk, you should listen.
In October 2004, thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers from around the world –the Amazon, Asia, Africa,
Mexico, the Artic Circle, and U.S., gathered at Tibet House’s Menla Mountain Retreat in upstate New
York. They did not know one another, but each of them had heard a prophecy that called them forth.
The prophecy told them that they must come together at this critical time in history and speak out to
the world in one united voice to share their sacred wisdom. The Grandmothers all agreed that without
finding a new way of seeing and being that echoes the ancient and time-proven earth-based traditions
and practices of our indigenous peoples, we will not be able to break away from our destructive habits
and create the changes necessary for our survival.
From this common vision, these thirteen Grandmothers decided to form an alliance to share their
indigenous ways of peacemaking and healing with the world. As the International Council of 13
Indigenous Grandmothers, they reunite twice a year at each other’s home lands. In the film, For the
Next 7 Generations, we accompany the Grandmothers’ early travels to the Pojoaque Pueblo in New
Mexico, to the Brazilian Amazon, and to the mountain-top village of Huautla de Jimenez in Mexico. In
October 2006, they went to Dharamsala, India, the second home of our Tibetan Grandmother Tsering
Dolma Gyaltong, for a private meeting with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. During their time there, they
also interacted with speakers and attendees at the annual Bioneers Conference in California via
satellite. Spanning the planet, this spacebridge united the powerful prayers of the Grandmothers with
the visionary activism of the Bioneers.
Produced and Directed by Peabody and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Carole Hart, For the Next 7
Generations shows the journey around the world of 13 original and irresistible characters. As they visit
each of their indigenous homelands, we see grandmothers being canoed down the Amazon, or being
driven in a super-sized tourist bus up narrow mountain roads. When the Grandmothers arrive at their
destination, they take us inside their villages or pueblos or reservations, so we can witness and
experience the living earth-based traditions and ceremonies that animate the Grandmother’s sacred
wisdom.
As they’ve come together, the Grandmothers’ prayers and their message have become more powerful,
opening up more hearts. The Grandmothers are living examples and strong transmitters of their
message of peace, unity and harmony. Their spirit is contagious. Their deep love and understanding of
their Mother Earth is inspiring.
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It is my honor to present a screening of For the Next 7 Generations. After meeting Grandmother Flordemayo, I have been looking for ways to be more involved in Grandmothers' cause. I know I was deeply touched after watching this movie and I wanted to share this experience. I hope you like it and please invite your friends too!
When: Friday night, May 14, 2010. Doors open at 7:00pm with the screening starting promptly at 7:30pm. The movie (85 minutes) will be followed by a discussion to finish out the evening.
Cost: $10. All proceeds are going to the Grandmothers. Donations for the Grandmothers will also be accepted at the screening.
Where: 100 Cummings Center, Conference Room 221-E, Beverly, MA
Please RSVP to reserve your spot!
Please visit Grandmothers' website for more information about their cause and ways to support them.
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