Program for the Annual Prayer Vigil
Sunrise, Saturday, September 16 thru
1 PM, Sunday, September 17, 2006
The Washington Monument Grounds - NW Quadrant - Washington, DC at the corner of 17th St and Constitution Avenue
Site Set Up will be Friday, September 15 beginning at 9:30am - volunteers are needed and all are welcome.
This entire event is free and open to the public.
Note: Due to the spontaneous nature of this event, the number of participants and the amount of silent prayer and meditation, the following serves only as a guide and general outline.
Invitation:
Hello! We invite you to enjoy the 2006 Prayer Vigil for the Earth where are theme is "Returning to the Center". And this is exactly what we are doing by returning to the Washington Monument grounds.
Please join our community which is comprised of people from diverse spiritual and religious traditions who are sharing their ancient ceremonies with each other. Our gathering is a 100% volunteer event. Please co-create with us a weekend dedicated to mutual respect, learning, healing, and love.
The Peace Village is designed in a circle to mirror the shape of our Earth.
A fire burns in the center of the circle like a fire burns in the center of the Earth. The circle and the fire symbolize life. They are sacred. You enter the sacred Peace Village through the East Gate, place of the rising sun. There are many activities going on in the Peace Village. There is an area for Silent Prayer for the Earth, a Children's Tipi, an Elder's Tipi, a chanting/singing tipi, a labyrinth, receive healing in Jyorei tipi, do prayers around the Hindu Yantra, a Tibetan stupa, an African altar, and a Jewish Sukkah. All of these can be visited. There is also a enriching program going on at the microphone. Everyone you see has volunteered their time and talents.
Often there are children playing and adults talking quietly. The entire community dances, chants, or participates in story telling at periodic intervals. There are wonderful evening programs under the stars and an opportunity to pray around the fire all night.
At the 2006 Prayer Vigil we are asking everyone to do the following:
To raise the level of tolerance to pioneer in a new consciousness.
To leave the dogma and proselytizing behind.
To allow yourself the opportunity to stretch to see other points of view.
To do more than share your faiths, traditions and customs – take it to the next level of honoring diversity.
To stretch beyond our own comfort zones to participate in the grand experiment to practice tolerance and peace.
To listen.
To be respectful and honor others without judgment.
To focus on our commonalities.
To focus on our relationship with the earth.
To let go of differences and separateness.
To BE in the place we are CHOSING to co-create.
To invite and encourage youth dialogues.
To participate in interfaith, multi-cultural dialogue.
The Prayer Vigil for the Earth has met each year arising from a vision on how to bring how to bring harmony to the peoples of the earth. Each year we meet to:
* Seek Unity where there has been division
* Understanding instead of Conquering
* Honoring where the need to Covet has prevailed
We come together to do this to seek out that commonality which links us to each other, the earth and to that expression of highest principle which each tradition recognizes and yearns to share with each other.
* From the Native Peoples – “we are all related”
* From the Christian tradition – “where two or more are gathered in God’s name”
* From the Jewish and Islamic traditions – “there is only one God”
* And from all other traditions not mentioned – “unity and understanding:
Come join the search for that which unites us and does not divide us.
Everyone is invited to bring their musical instruments, songs, prayers, and chants on Sunday from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM as we create the sound of people in Celebration and Prayer for Peace on Earth. Thank you all for coming and for your support over the last 14 years!
2006 Program Highlights
Sunrise Saturday begins with a Native American Pipe Ceremony dedicated to the well-being of our Earth. The sacred fire will be lit and the heartbeat drum begins the Vigil. This year is truly going to be a multicultural year with active participation from many faith groups and cultural groups including:
Native American representatives (drumming, 6 tipis, Sacred Pipe and other ceremonies)
Yoruba Tradition from DC (African drumming, water ceremonies, African Ancestors Altar)
Shumei International Institute (a Shinto-based tradition from Japan...Taiko drums, jyorei healing, and chanting)
Sufi Community from New York (evening chanting, prayer, and healing)
Amkolel Community (Sukkah--Jewish harvest structure, dancing together before midnight)
Christian Altar--(a variety of people who express Christian devotion, Christian Altar)
Buddhist, Kungzang Playul Choling--bring small Stupa and offer prayers
Sikh, -Guru Gopbind Singh Foundation--bring music of Sikh tradition
United Religions Initiative and Interfaith Conference of Washington, DC
Tibetan tent and youth participation
Other important offerings are:
Prayer Grove--beautiful place for people to pray during the Vigil
Labyrinth--African/Christian designed walking meditation
Children's Program--Bill Jenkins runs this with music and devotion
Other things that we are working on this year are:
Hindu participation
Indigenous Elders from South America who are on tour with Smithsonian
Baha'I community in DC
World Peace Prayer Society, bringing of flags of the world
And we are inviting people from all over the world to join us in prayer and send us prayers which will be continually read throughout the Vigil.
Over the weekend, we will join in expressions of prayers and ceremonies with Mayan, Buddhist, Hindu and many other faiths. Ceremonies of drumming and dancing will be led by the Native American, African, Asian and Celtic drums.
Saturday night, be prepared to get very little sleep as there will be opportunities to dance and sing and meditate and pray around the sacred fire. Storytellers from many cultures will enthrall us with their wisdom.
At dawn on Sunday, a call to prayer from the Sufi tradition will be followed by: prayers and a sharing of the bread ceremony from the Jewish tradition. Also Cherokee family blessing ceremony & Christian song. Join Us Next Year!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST!!!
2006 Program Schedule Highlights
Friday:
9:30 AM – 4:00pm Erect Peace Village on the Mall next to Washington Monument
10:00 - 12:00 Blessings of the Ground & Youth light the Fire
Saturday: (Interspersed with Ceremonial songs, Silence, Reading of Prayers, & Round dances)
Welcome to the Peace Village. It will be wonderful to see old friends and meet new ones.
- This year we have a table dedicated to our animal friends! We invite you and your children to bring any pictures, plastic figures, or other symbols of your favorite animals for the table.
- If you would like, please bring blankets & picnic items for lunch and/or dinner. There will be no formal kitchen this year with food only being provided for out-of-town guests.
- Bring your babies & children Saturday at 9 AM for a special blessing.
- For planning purposes, please note that Saturday morning from 6am – 12 noon there is a Triathlon in the area of the Prayer Vigil that may close some of the roads in the area. Click on the following link to see details http://www.thenationstriathlon.com/course-overview.cfm
14th Annual Prayer Vigil for the Earth, All Invited, 100% Volunteer
September 16 & 17, 2006, Washington Monument, DC
Corner of 17th & Constitution Ave
Saturday: Interspersed with Ceremonial Songs & Music, Silence, Prayers, & Round Dances
Begins at Sunrise:
Welcome, Prayer Vigil Organizing Community
Sunrise Peace Pipe Ceremony, Honoring fire, Clyde Bellecourt, Ojibway, & Others
Honoring the Great Mother/WaterCeremony, Sacred Space, Drums & Women of Spirit from 4 Directions Shumei Taiko, In Shinto Tradition, Taiko drumming, chanting, from Japan, Honoring air
Celtic Tradition, Celtic Wheel & Harvest
All Traditions Honoring the Earth....Kathy Sandoval, California First Nations & Roberto Borrero, Taiano
Blessing for Infants, All Traditions
Parent/Child Blessing & Healing Ceremony, Mary Sunbeam
Talking Circles on Peace, Community & Youth
Christian Prayers, Rev. Sidney Byrd
Harry Byrd Celebration Game, All
World Peace Prayer Flag Ceremony, Deborah Moldow, All the Flags of the World, May Peace Prevail on Earth
Children's Music and Peace Parade, Bill Jenkins & Team
Tibetan Meditation & Prayers, KPC and others
Honoring: Cecelia Looking Horse, Craig Lavender, and other Vigil mentors
Hare Krishna, Music, Songs & Chanting
Prayer of St. Francis & Bluebird Dance Trudy Moorse &, Liz Lea
Universal Dances of Peace, Northern Virginia Women’s Hoop
One Song Choir, New Thought Churches in DC Area (Unity & Religious Sciences)
Sufi Zikir Ceremony, Sheykh Abdul Kerim el-Kibrisi, Osamanli Naks-I’bendi Hakkani Dergahi
Sunset Ceremony, Ivy Hilton, Calling in the Stars on Crystal Bowls
Sikh, Music and Chanting Worship Service, Rajwant Singh, Guru Gobind Singh Foundation
Shumei Chanting & Taiko Drums (in coordination with many in Japan)
International Drumming for Mother Earth, First Nation’s Drum, African Drum, & All Drums & Musicians Invited
Prayer Vigil Song & Music & Dance Offerings, Larry Long, Rabiah Rayford, Yumi, Lona & All
Selichot Stories, Song, & Dance from the Jewish tradition, Rabbi David Shneyer
Midnight Peace Pipe Ceremony, Rev. La’Kota-Haise Frazier, Abenaki-Lakota
Sunday: Interspersed with Ceremonial Songs & Music, Silence, Prayers, & Round Dances
Begins before Sunrise:
Call to Prayer, Muslim
Honoring the All Night Fire Keepers & Community
Sunrise Peace Pipe Ceremony, Lillian Pitawanakwat & First Nations & Community
Standing Together: Community Middle East Healing & All Healing—Wiping Each Other’s Wounds
Sharing Bread Together, All Traditions
Sufi Zikr, Shaykh Abdi; Kerim al-Kibrisi, Osamanli Naks-I’bendi Dergahi
Tibetan Buddhist Prayers & Chanting, The Venerable Khendo Tsultrim Rinpoche & Sangh, TMC, Maryland
Christian Prayers, Hymns, & Readings, Rev Sidney Byrd & Others
Shumei Chanting & Taiko Drum, Shumei Members
Making Peace Cranes, Shumei & others musical offerings
Release of the Butterflies, Suzanne Clarke & Children
Children’s Peace Parade, Bill Jenkins & Children
Commitment Ceremony, Sarah Berry & Eleanor Kibrick & All
All Nations Celebration of Life, Everyone
Continuously offered also:
Children’s Activities Tent
Jyorei Healing, Japanese Shumei healing with Spiritual Light technique
KPC Buddhist Stupa
Prayer Grove, Offering Prayers & Silence
Sacred Fire, Offering Prayers at All Times
Labyrinth, Walking into the Sacred Center, Sandra Wasko-Flood, Pam Ramadei, Amshatar Monroe
Buffalo Healing & Silence Robe: Pray for the Animals, Plants, & All
With deep gratitude to our MC's:
Megan Doherty
Holly Taya Shere
Sarah Berry
Sharon Franquemont
David Berry
Among the Program Participants:
Rev. Howard Anderson – Cathedral College of Washington National Cathedral
Jim & Laurie Anderson
Clyde & Peggy, Little Wolf & Tyler Bellecourt – Ojibway
Wala Bernard
Sidney Byrd
Treva Clark - Iroquois
William Commanda - Annishinabe
Lillie Cummings – Pawnee
Jean-Ann Day – Ho-Chunk
Peter and Yvette de Contie – Annishinabe
Jackie Erskin – Insight Meditation of Washington, DC
Patty & Wayne Evans
Evelyne Evaeagle – Pagan Wiccan Priestess
Nina Gibson – Northern Virginia Women’s Hoop
Laurie Haglund
Rev. La’Kota-HaiseFrazier – Abenaki-Lakota
Sufi Sheykh Abdul Kerim al-Kibrisi
Rev. Clark Lobenstine – InterFaith Conf. of Metropolitan Washington DC
Larry Long
Lucille Mesteth
Rev Billy Jo Middleton
Amshatar Monroe
Richard “Dickie” Moves Camp
African drums of Baba Ngoma
Christine Prairie Chicken
Grandmother Lillian Pitawanekwat
Rabbi David Shneyer – Tribe of Judah, AmKolel
Suzan Shown Harjo - Cheyenne & Hodulgee Muscogee
Shinji Shumeikai and the Taiko Drums – Japan, New York, California
Kathryn Ashera Sprowls – Dances of Universal Peace
Mama Mary Sunbeam – Cherokee
Chief Billy Tayek
Mother Taylor – Chief Iya N’lfa Efunyale
Maya White Sparks
Grandfather Henry Niese - Eastern Band Cherokee
Rev. Sherry Sherry
Dr. Rajwant Singh – Guru Gobinda Singh Foundation
Soka Gakki Youth
Noreen Teoh – Kunzang Palyul Choling
Little Wolf Vasquez
Wat Thai Buddhist Monks
Sandra Wasko Flood – Labyrinth
Maya White Sparks
Dave Wilson
Alice Yeager – Annapolis Healing Arts Alliance
Grace Smith & Richard Yellowhammer - Dineh
Baba Yumi & Kharabia
Updated: 9/11/06