Celtic Christianity Today #1 Rev. Dr. George Cairns: Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, Silent Prayer, Father Thomas Keating

Celtic Christianity Today #1 Rev. Dr. George Cairns discusses Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, Silent Prayer and Father Thomas Keating

(Photos by Greg Peterson)

(Munising, Michigan) Rev. Dr. George Cairns of Chesterton, Indiana discusses Centering Prayer and the environmental crisis facing the human race in this series of videos recorded on November 9, 2007 in Munising Michigan.

Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer and Silent Prayer are basically the same thing with very subtle differences, Cairns explained.

A licensed centering prayer instructor, Rev. Cairns learned his techniques from the world’s foremost expert on centering prayer, Dr. Thomas Keating.

A professor with the Chicago Theological Seminary, Rev. Cairns encourages everyone to experience the benefits of Centering Prayer, and for those who are afraid they won’t do it right, he says it’s impossible not to do this (Centering Prayer) right.

There is no such thing as a bad period of Centering Prayer said Cairns adding one of the difficulties of achieving Centering Prayer is allowing oneself to be distracted by other thoughts.

Centering Prayer is very gentle,very quiet, very simple and very difficult, Cairns said.

The Scotland-based Iona community is a good example of a group of people “who are unified by a covenant, worship together and who engage in very effective political action to change structural evil.”

Rev. Cairns said “centering prayer” and “participative consciousness” are techniques of deep meditation he learned from Father Thomas Keating, a Trappist monk and teacher. (Trappist refers to a branch of the Cistercian order of monks known for an austere rule including a vow of silence.)

“Silent meditation is a powerful tool to open ourselves to one another and to all creation which is what this participative consciousness is all about,” said Cairns, TIP co-founder and board president.

Cairns said the intense form of meditation helps eliminate the “internal dialogue” or “chatter that’s going on all the time” in people’s minds.

“I found out how much of my life was consumed by internal dialogue,” said Cairns, research professor of theology at the Chicago Theological Seminary.

Centering prayer allows “us to open our hearts to a deeper relationship with God and an increased openness to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives,” said Rev. Cairns, admitting it’s an easier technique to teach than for people to learn and practice.

“The technique to doing it – is simply to rest with God. It’s not easy to do, it’s easy to teach, but very difficult to do,” Cairns said.

In fighting the world’s evil, Cairns said “we can’t get their with just our hearts – we need our heads and something more.”

email Rev. Dr. George Cairns, Founder of Celtic Christianity Today

Related websites and information:

Celtic Christianity Today website

Spirit Cafe Blog with Rev. George Cairns (United Church of Christ website)

Iona Community, Scotland

Iona Community New World Foundation: Iona Community associates, friends in U.S.

Union Community Church, Valparaiso, IN

Web page of Rev. Gregory Jones, Theology Department at Valparaiso University

Celtic Christianity Today (Below):

Turtle Island Project Logo (Above)

Turtle Island TV on bliptv

Turtle Island TV on youtube

email Turtle Island Project to get messages to Dr. Cairns

—

Centering prayer/contemplative prayer & Father Thomas Keating:

Photos of Father Thomas Keating in Texas by Marion E. Melchiorre aka marimelch on flickr

Photo by Marion E. Melchiorre

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marionmelchiorre/1540058606

Marion E. Melchiorre is an artist, living in Los Angeles, who gave Celtic Christianity Today permission to use her photos.

Contemplative Prayer or Centering Prayer:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contemplative_prayer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centering_prayer

http://www.contemplativeprayer.net

http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_practices_centering

Father Thomas Keating:

http://www.tower.com/foundations-for-centering-prayer-christian-contemplative-life-thomas-keating-hardcover/wapi/101392659

http://www.pendlehill.org/bookstore/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_41&products_id=75&osCsid=682097dc7eaa43f4887360dafaab4e4e

—

United Nations definition of genocide:

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_Sixth_Great_Extinction

http://www.preventgenocide.org/genocide/officialtext.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocides_in_history

http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/p_genoci.htm

http://www.hawaii-nation.org/genocide.html

http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/GENOCIDE.ENCY.HTM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocide

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_the_Prevention_and_Punishment_of_the_Crime_of_Genocide

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Genocide#Definitions_of_genocide

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Genocide#Genocide_as_a_crime_under_international_la w

http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/treaties/genocide.asp

Native American Genocide then and now:

http://www.unitednativeamerica.com/aiholocaust.html

http://www.nemasys.com/ghostwolf/Native/genocide.shtml

http://www.exiledmothers.com/babies_taken_for_adoption/native_american_babies.htm

http://www.lcsc.edu/elmartin/historybehindthenews/Spring%202005/Delema.htm

http://www.iwchildren.org/silentgenocide.htm

Language-cide:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_death

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2009/01/a-native-american-language-goe.html

Ecocide:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecocide

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0722-30.htm

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1574160052/bookrags

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/192-1064041-6761846?asin=0615138020&afid=yahoosspplp_bmvd&CPNG=bookmarked&lnm=0615138020ECOCIDE_FILES_:_Books&ref=tgt_adv_XSNG1060

http://www.peace4turtleisland.org/pages/ecocide.htm

American Museum of Natural History survey on Ecocide:

National Survey Reveals Biodiversity Crisis Scientific Experts Believe we are in the Midst of Fasted Mass Extinction in Earth’s History: Crisis Poses Major Threat to Human Survival; Public Unaware of Danger

http://www.well.com/~davidu/amnh.html

http://www.well.com/~davidu/extinction.html

http://www.well.com

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/02/is-mass-species.html

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/1999-04/AMoN-CCAB-200499.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction_event

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Museum_of_Natural_History

ABC News Special Earth 2100

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Earth2100

The Sixth Great Extinction:

http://rewilding.org/thesixthgreatextinction.htm

http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/issues/biodiversity/sixth.asp

http://www.well.com/user/davidu/sixthextinction.html

http://www.actionbioscience.org/newfrontiers/eldredge2.html

http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/Update35.htm

Celtic Christianity Today #2 Rev. Dr. George Cairns: Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, Silent Prayer, Father Thomas Keating

Celtic Christianity Today #2 Rev. Dr. George Cairns discusses Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, Silent Prayer and Father Thomas Keating

(Photos by Greg Peterson)

(Munising, Michigan) Rev. Dr. George Cairns of Chesterton, Indiana discusses Centering Prayer and the environmental crisis facing the human race in this series of videos recorded on November 9, 2007 in Munising Michigan.

Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer and Silent Prayer are basically the same thing with very subtle differences, Cairns explained.

A licensed centering prayer instructor, Rev. Cairns learned his techniques from the world’s foremost expert on centering prayer, Dr. Thomas Keating.

A professor with the Chicago Theological Seminary, Rev. Cairns encourages everyone to experience the benefits of Centering Prayer, and for those who are afraid they won’t do it right, he says it’s impossible not to do this (Centering Prayer) right.

There is no such thing as a bad period of Centering Prayer said Cairns adding one of the difficulties of achieving Centering Prayer is allowing oneself to be distracted by other thoughts.

Centering Prayer is very gentle,very quiet, very simple and very difficult, Cairns said.

The Scotland-based Iona community is a good example of a group of people “who are unified by a covenant, worship together and who engage in very effective political action to change structural evil.”

Rev. Cairns said “centering prayer” and “participative consciousness” are techniques of deep meditation he learned from Father Thomas Keating, a Trappist monk and teacher. (Trappist refers to a branch of the Cistercian order of monks known for an austere rule including a vow of silence.)

“Silent meditation is a powerful tool to open ourselves to one another and to all creation which is what this participative consciousness is all about,” said Cairns, TIP co-founder and board president.

Cairns said the intense form of meditation helps eliminate the “internal dialogue” or “chatter that’s going on all the time” in people’s minds.

“I found out how much of my life was consumed by internal dialogue,” said Cairns, research professor of theology at the Chicago Theological Seminary.

Centering prayer allows “us to open our hearts to a deeper relationship with God and an increased openness to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives,” said Rev. Cairns, admitting it’s an easier technique to teach than for people to learn and practice.

“The technique to doing it – is simply to rest with God. It’s not easy to do, it’s easy to teach, but very difficult to do,” Cairns said.

In fighting the world’s evil, Cairns said “we can’t get their with just our hearts – we need our heads and something more.”

email Rev. Dr. George Cairns, Founder of Celtic Christianity Today

Related websites and information:

Celtic Christianity Today website

Spirit Cafe Blog with Rev. George Cairns (United Church of Christ website)

Iona Community, Scotland

Iona Community New World Foundation: Iona Community associates, friends in U.S.

Union Community Church, Valparaiso, IN

Web page of Rev. Gregory Jones, Theology Department at Valparaiso University

Celtic Christianity Today (Below):

Turtle Island Project Logo (Above)

Turtle Island TV on bliptv

Turtle Island TV on youtube

email Turtle Island Project to get messages to Dr. Cairns

—

Centering prayer/contemplative prayer & Father Thomas Keating:

Photos of Father Thomas Keating in Texas by Marion E. Melchiorre aka marimelch on flickr

Photo by Marion E. Melchiorre

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marionmelchiorre/1540058606

Marion E. Melchiorre is an artist, living in Los Angeles, who gave Celtic Christianity Today permission to use her photos.

Contemplative Prayer or Centering Prayer:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contemplative_prayer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centering_prayer

http://www.contemplativeprayer.net

http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_practices_centering

Father Thomas Keating:

http://www.tower.com/foundations-for-centering-prayer-christian-contemplative-life-thomas-keating-hardcover/wapi/101392659

http://www.pendlehill.org/bookstore/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_41&products_id=75&osCsid=682097dc7eaa43f4887360dafaab4e4e

—

United Nations definition of genocide:

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_Sixth_Great_Extinction

http://www.preventgenocide.org/genocide/officialtext.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocides_in_history

http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/p_genoci.htm

http://www.hawaii-nation.org/genocide.html

http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/GENOCIDE.ENCY.HTM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocide

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_the_Prevention_and_Punishment_of_the_Crime_of_Genocide

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Genocide#Definitions_of_genocide

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Genocide#Genocide_as_a_crime_under_international_la w

http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/treaties/genocide.asp

Native American Genocide then and now:

http://www.unitednativeamerica.com/aiholocaust.html

http://www.nemasys.com/ghostwolf/Native/genocide.shtml

http://www.exiledmothers.com/babies_taken_for_adoption/native_american_babies.htm

http://www.lcsc.edu/elmartin/historybehindthenews/Spring%202005/Delema.htm

http://www.iwchildren.org/silentgenocide.htm

Language-cide:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_death

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2009/01/a-native-american-language-goe.html

Ecocide:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecocide

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0722-30.htm

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1574160052/bookrags

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/192-1064041-6761846?asin=0615138020&afid=yahoosspplp_bmvd&CPNG=bookmarked&lnm=0615138020ECOCIDE_FILES_:_Books&ref=tgt_adv_XSNG1060

http://www.peace4turtleisland.org/pages/ecocide.htm

American Museum of Natural History survey on Ecocide:

National Survey Reveals Biodiversity Crisis Scientific Experts Believe we are in the Midst of Fasted Mass Extinction in Earth’s History: Crisis Poses Major Threat to Human Survival; Public Unaware of Danger

http://www.well.com/~davidu/amnh.html

http://www.well.com/~davidu/extinction.html

http://www.well.com

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/02/is-mass-species.html

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/1999-04/AMoN-CCAB-200499.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction_event

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Museum_of_Natural_History

ABC News Special Earth 2100

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Earth2100

The Sixth Great Extinction:

http://rewilding.org/thesixthgreatextinction.htm

http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/issues/biodiversity/sixth.asp

http://www.well.com/user/davidu/sixthextinction.html

http://www.actionbioscience.org/newfrontiers/eldredge2.html

http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/Update35.htm

Celtic Christianity Today #3 Rev. Dr. George Cairns: Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, Silent Prayer, Father Thomas Keating

Celtic Christianity Today #3 Rev. Dr. George Cairns discusses Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer, Silent Prayer and Father Thomas Keating

(Photos by Greg Peterson)

(Munising, Michigan) Rev. Dr. George Cairns of Chesterton, Indiana discusses Centering Prayer and the environmental crisis facing the human race in this series of videos recorded on November 9, 2007 in Munising Michigan.

Centering Prayer, Contemplative Prayer and Silent Prayer are basically the same thing with very subtle differences, Cairns explained.

A licensed centering prayer instructor, Rev. Cairns learned his techniques from the world’s foremost expert on centering prayer, Dr. Thomas Keating.

A professor with the Chicago Theological Seminary, Rev. Cairns encourages everyone to experience the benefits of Centering Prayer, and for those who are afraid they won’t do it right, he says it’s impossible not to do this (Centering Prayer) right.

There is no such thing as a bad period of Centering Prayer said Cairns adding one of the difficulties of achieving Centering Prayer is allowing oneself to be distracted by other thoughts.

Centering Prayer is very gentle,very quiet, very simple and very difficult, Cairns said.

The Scotland-based Iona community is a good example of a group of people “who are unified by a covenant, worship together and who engage in very effective political action to change structural evil.”

Rev. Cairns said “centering prayer” and “participative consciousness” are techniques of deep meditation he learned from Father Thomas Keating, a Trappist monk and teacher. (Trappist refers to a branch of the Cistercian order of monks known for an austere rule including a vow of silence.)

“Silent meditation is a powerful tool to open ourselves to one another and to all creation which is what this participative consciousness is all about,” said Cairns, TIP co-founder and board president.

Cairns said the intense form of meditation helps eliminate the “internal dialogue” or “chatter that’s going on all the time” in people’s minds.

“I found out how much of my life was consumed by internal dialogue,” said Cairns, research professor of theology at the Chicago Theological Seminary.

Centering prayer allows “us to open our hearts to a deeper relationship with God and an increased openness to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives,” said Rev. Cairns, admitting it’s an easier technique to teach than for people to learn and practice.

“The technique to doing it – is simply to rest with God. It’s not easy to do, it’s easy to teach, but very difficult to do,” Cairns said.

In fighting the world’s evil, Cairns said “we can’t get their with just our hearts – we need our heads and something more.”

email Rev. Dr. George Cairns, Founder of Celtic Christianity Today

Related websites and information:

Celtic Christianity Today website

Spirit Cafe Blog with Rev. George Cairns (United Church of Christ website)

Iona Community, Scotland

Iona Community New World Foundation: Iona Community associates, friends in U.S.

Union Community Church, Valparaiso, IN

Web page of Rev. Gregory Jones, Theology Department at Valparaiso University

Celtic Christianity Today (Below):

Turtle Island Project Logo (Above)

Turtle Island TV on bliptv

Turtle Island TV on youtube

email Turtle Island Project to get messages to Dr. Cairns

—

Centering prayer/contemplative prayer & Father Thomas Keating:

Photos of Father Thomas Keating in Texas by Marion E. Melchiorre aka marimelch on flickr

Photo by Marion E. Melchiorre

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marionmelchiorre/1540058606

Marion E. Melchiorre is an artist, living in Los Angeles, who gave Celtic Christianity Today permission to use her photos.

Contemplative Prayer or Centering Prayer:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contemplative_prayer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centering_prayer

http://www.contemplativeprayer.net

http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_practices_centering

Father Thomas Keating:

http://www.tower.com/foundations-for-centering-prayer-christian-contemplative-life-thomas-keating-hardcover/wapi/101392659

http://www.pendlehill.org/bookstore/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_41&products_id=75&osCsid=682097dc7eaa43f4887360dafaab4e4e

—

United Nations definition of genocide:

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=The_Sixth_Great_Extinction

http://www.preventgenocide.org/genocide/officialtext.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocides_in_history

http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/p_genoci.htm

http://www.hawaii-nation.org/genocide.html

http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/GENOCIDE.ENCY.HTM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocide

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_the_Prevention_and_Punishment_of_the_Crime_of_Genocide

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Genocide#Definitions_of_genocide

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Genocide#Genocide_as_a_crime_under_international_law

http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/treaties/genocide.asp

Native American Genocide then and now:

http://www.unitednativeamerica.com/aiholocaust.html

http://www.nemasys.com/ghostwolf/Native/genocide.shtml

http://www.exiledmothers.com/babies_taken_for_adoption/native_american_babies.htm

http://www.lcsc.edu/elmartin/historybehindthenews/Spring%202005/Delema.htm

http://www.iwchildren.org/silentgenocide.htm

Language-cide:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_death

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2009/01/a-native-american-language-goe.html

Ecocide:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecocide

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0722-30.htm

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1574160052/bookrags

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/192-1064041-6761846?asin=0615138020&afid=yahoosspplp_bmvd&CPNG=bookmarked&lnm=0615138020ECOCIDE_FILES_:_Books&ref=tgt_adv_XSNG1060

http://www.peace4turtleisland.org/pages/ecocide.htm

American Museum of Natural History survey on Ecocide:

National Survey Reveals Biodiversity Crisis Scientific Experts Believe we are in the Midst of Fasted Mass Extinction in Earth’s History: Crisis Poses Major Threat to Human Survival; Public Unaware of Danger

http://www.well.com/~davidu/amnh.html

http://www.well.com/~davidu/extinction.html

http://www.well.com

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/02/is-mass-species.html

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/1999-04/AMoN-CCAB-200499.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinction_event

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Museum_of_Natural_History

ABC News Special Earth 2100

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Earth2100

The Sixth Great Extinction:

http://rewilding.org/thesixthgreatextinction.htm

http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/issues/biodiversity/sixth.asp

http://www.well.com/user/davidu/sixthextinction.html

http://www.actionbioscience.org/newfrontiers/eldredge2.html

http://www.earth-policy.org/Updates/Update35.htm

Celtic Christianity Homily: “Repent or the Time is Near” Part 1 by Rev. Dr. George Cairns

Celtic Christianity Today Two-Part Homily Repent or the Time is Near by Rev. Dr. George Cairns

May 31, 2009

Bible Verses:

Mark 16:15

John 1-5

Ephesians 1: 3-4

Ephesians 1: 9-10

(Valparaiso, Indiana) – Rev. Dr. George Cairns of Chesterton, Indiana delivers a Sunday homily about the major evils of today genocide and ecocide entitled Repent or the Time is Near on May 31, 2009 at the Union Community Church in Valparaiso, Indiana.

In this two part homily video series, Rev. Cairns discusses the Cosmic Christ and a related story in The Lutheran magazine by Elaine Siemsen, the United Nations definition of genocide, the loss of language and other heritages in Indigenous peoples like the American Indian, Ecocide, the acclaimed ABC News Special Earth 2100 and how many experts believes the Earth and its inhabitants are facing the the Sixth Great Extinction of the world.

Cairns talks about the results of the American Museum of Natural History national survey on Ecocide that reveals a biodiversity crisis and is entitled Scientific Experts Believe we are in the Midst of Fasted Mass Extinction in Earth’s History: Crisis Poses Major Threat to Human Survival; Public Unaware of Danger

With the statute of limitations up, Rev. Cairns confesses his childhood antics to prevent a highway construction project from ruining the woods in which he played – now an interstate freeway has vaporized those woods that meant so much to him while growing up.

The other homilies on Celtic Christianity take a look at several topics including the European roots of the Celts (primarily Scotland and Ireland) and how Earth-based cultures can impact the future of civilization including actively protecting the environment, respecting fellow humans, different cultures and nature.

Cosmic Christ and a related story in The Lutheran magazine by Elaine Siemsen:

The United Nations definition of genocide:

The loss of language and other heritages in Indigenous peoples like the American Indian, Ecocide

The acclaimed ABC News Special Earth 2100 on planet’s future

Experts believe the Earth and its inhabitants are facing the the Sixth Great Extinction of the world

Cairns is working closely with Rev. Gregory Jones on several social fronts.

Rev. Jones is the pastor of the Union Community Church and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Theology at Valparaiso University.

Founded in 2007, The non-profit Turtle Island Project is known for its ongoing work with Native American issues – and the other wing involves other Earth-based religions like the Celts. Dr. Cairns is the co-founder of the nonprofit Turtle Island Project.

Celtic Christianity Today Homily: “Repent or the Time is Near” Part 2 by Rev. Dr. George Cairns

Celtic Christianity Today Two-Part Homily Repent or the Time is Near by Rev. Dr. George Cairns

May 31, 2009

Bible Verses:

Mark 16:15

John 1-5

Ephesians 1: 3-4

Ephesians 1: 9-10

(Valparaiso, Indiana) – Rev. Dr. George Cairns of Chesterton, Indiana delivers a Sunday homily about the major evils of today genocide and ecocide entitled Repent or the Time is Near on May 31, 2009 at the Union Community Church in Valparaiso, Indiana.

In this two part homily video series, Rev. Cairns discusses the Cosmic Christ and a related story in The Lutheran magazine by Elaine Siemsen, the United Nations definition of genocide, the loss of language and other heritages in Indigenous peoples like the American Indian, Ecocide, the acclaimed ABC News Special Earth 2100 and how many experts believes the Earth and its inhabitants are facing the the Sixth Great Extinction of the world.

Cairns talks about the results of the American Museum of Natural History national survey on Ecocide that reveals a biodiversity crisis and is entitled Scientific Experts Believe we are in the Midst of Fasted Mass Extinction in Earth’s History: Crisis Poses Major Threat to Human Survival; Public Unaware of Danger

With the statute of limitations up, Rev. Cairns confesses his childhood antics to prevent a highway construction project from ruining the woods in which he played – now an interstate freeway has vaporized those woods that meant so much to him while growing up.

The other homilies on Celtic Christianity take a look at several topics including the European roots of the Celts (primarily Scotland and Ireland) and how Earth-based cultures can impact the future of civilization including actively protecting the environment, respecting fellow humans, different cultures and nature.

Cosmic Christ and a related story in The Lutheran magazine by Elaine Siemsen:

The United Nations definition of genocide:

The loss of language and other heritages in Indigenous peoples like the American Indian, Ecocide

The acclaimed ABC News Special Earth 2100 on planet’s future

Experts believe the Earth and its inhabitants are facing the the Sixth Great Extinction of the world

Cairns is working closely with Rev. Gregory Jones on several social fronts.

Rev. Jones is the pastor of the Union Community Church and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Theology at Valparaiso University.

Founded in 2007, The non-profit Turtle Island Project is known for its ongoing work with Native American issues – and the other wing involves other Earth-based religions like the Celts. Dr. Cairns is the co-founder of the nonprofit Turtle Island Project.

Celtic Christianity Homily “The Cost and Joy of Discipleship” by Rev. Dr. George Cairns

Celtic Christianity Today Homily “The Cost and Joy of Discipleship” by Rev. Dr. George Cairns

(Valparaiso, Indiana) – Rev. Dr. George Cairns of Chesterton, Indiana delivers a Sunday homily entitled The Cost and Joy of Discipleship on May 3, 2009 at the Union Community Church in Valparaiso, Indiana.

The homilies on Celtic Christianity take a look at several topics including the European roots of the Celts (primarily Scotland and Ireland) and how Earth-based cultures can impact the future of civilization including actively protecting the environment, respecting fellow humans, different cultures and nature.

Union Community Church

Cairns is working closely with Rev. Gregory Jones on several social fronts.

Rev. Jones is the pastor of the Union Community Church and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Theology at Valparaiso University.

Turtle Island Project logo

Founded in 2007, the non-profit Turtle Island Project is known for its ongoing work with Native American issues – and the other wing involves other Earth-based religions like the Celts. Dr. Cairns is the co-founder of the nonprofit Turtle Island Project.

Rev. Dr. George Cairns

Rev. Cairns continues to work closely with the foremost Celtic group in the world, the Iona Community in Scotland that is a dispersed Christian ecumenical community working for peace and social justice, rebuilding of community and the renewal of worship.

Cairns is a research professor of Practical Theology and Spirituality at Chicago Theological Seminary, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and lives in Chesterton, Indiana.

Cairns recently completed a six-part “contemplative reading and discussion” of Philip Newell’s book “Christ of the Celts” at the Union Community Church.

Cairns and his wife, Nancy, recently hosted a conference on Celtic Spirituality, Ecology, and Participative Consciousness.

Dr. Cairns says:

Celtic Christianity is a strand of the Christian tradition which developed during the middle of the first millennium. Its full flowering in Ireland and Scotland continued for several hundred years before it was incorporated into the dominant church as many of its traditions were lost or suppressed.

There are two major reasons for this recovery and reconstruction of Celtic Christian practical theology for the church today: Church Renewal & Engaging and transforming the genocide and ecocide taking place today.

We are concerned that our current individual and systemic western consciousness is disembodied and ill. We believe that this process started several thousand years ago in the late Paleolithic. We are not trying to turn back the clock to the Stone Age. But we do know that a change in consciousness must begin if our planet and we are to survive.

What we have lost is participative consciousness, which understands that our lives are profoundly related to the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of all of creation. Another way of putting this is that we are completely relational beings. Reconnection with all of creation as sacred and responsive and alive is our great task in the early 21st century.

We have living guides to help us such as Celtic Spirituality, Native American Spirituality and post-modern science. I believe we need to integrate the profound gifts of these resources and open ourselves to deepen our relationships with all of creation.

email Rev. Dr. George Cairns, Founder of Celtic Christianity Today

Related websites and information:

Celtic Christianity Today website

Spirit Cafe Blog with Rev. George Cairns (United Church of Christ website)

Iona Community, Scotland

Iona Community New World Foundation: Iona Community associates, friends in U.S.

Union Community Church, Valparaiso, IN

Web page of Rev. Gregory Jones, Theology Department at Valparaiso University

Turtle Island TV on bliptv

Turtle Island TV on youtube

email Turtle Island Project to get messages to Dr. Cairns

Artwork of Saint Columba from Wikipedia shows: Saint Columba, Apostle to the Picts

Source: Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall, Scotland’s Story

1906 (published) Columba banging on the gate of Bridei, son of Maelchon, King of Fortriu.

Created in 1906 illustrator John R. Skelton

Copyright expired but credit given in the spirit of Celtic Christianity.

—

Iona Island (Scotland) topographical map

Courtesy Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iona

Iona Abbey photo from Wikipedia

The copyright on this image is owned by John Naisbitt and is licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/72548

—

Old Iona Map from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iona

This is an image that has come from a book or document for which the American copyright has expired and this image is in the public domain in the United States and possibly other countries.

Iona, showing the sites of the monasteries and abbey

Source: Celtic Scotland, p.100

http://books.google.com/books?id=oJoQAAAAYAAJ

Author: William Forbes Skene in 1887

—

August 1983 wide panorama shot of Iona Island from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iona

Iona Island, Scotland, view from the Fionnphort-Iona ferry:

This image has been released into the public domain by its author, Dr. Torsten Henning, who grants anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:DrTorstenHenning/photogallery

—

Coracle boats on Wikipedia: Photo shows small coracle from Wales:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coracle

This image has been (or is hereby) released into the public domain by its author, LinguisticDemographer at the Wikipedia Project. This applies worldwide.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:LinguisticDemographer

—

Author Ian Bradley biography of Saint Columba:

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/divinity/rt/staff/icb

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Bradley

http://www.alibris.com/search/books/isbn/0947988815

http://ionabooks.com/0947988815-Columba.html

http://www.amazon.com/Celtic-Christianity-Making-Chasing-Dreams/dp/0748610472

—

Photo of Stained Glass Window of Saint Columba in St Margaret’s Chapel, Edinburgh Castle from Rampant Scotland Website:

http://www.rampantscotland.com/know/blknow30.htm

Saint Columba & Celtic Spirituality websites:

http://www.columbacommunity.com/files/saint_columba.htm

http://leadershipinministry.com/an_introductory_reading_li.htm

—

Contemplative Prayer or Centering Prayer:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contemplative_prayer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centering_prayer

http://www.contemplativeprayer.net

http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_practices_centering

—

Beehive Huts:

http://prayerfoundation.org/irish_monk_beehive_shaped_stone_huts.htm

—

Centering prayer/contemplative prayer & Thomas Keating:

Photos of Father Thomas Keating in Texas by marimelch on flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/marionmelchiorre/1540058606

http://www.tower.com/foundations-for-centering-prayer-christian-contemplative-life-thomas-keating-hardcover/wapi/101392659

http://www.pendlehill.org/bookstore/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=22_41&products_id=75&osCsid=682097dc7eaa43f4887360dafaab4e4e

—

Rev. Dr. George Cairns at Sept. 2007 Conference on Centering Prayer in Munising, MI:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ3tLA_so_I

http://www.gather.com/viewVideo.action?id=11821949021854789

—

On September 20, 2007, Rev. Cairns gave a presentation on centering prayer also known as contemplative prayer in Munising, Michigan at the first non-profit Turtle Island Project regional conference.

The Scotland-based Iona community is a good example of a group of people “who are unified by a covenant, worship together and who engage in very effective political action to change structural evil.”

Rev. Cairns said “centering prayer” and “participative consciousness” that are techniques of deep meditation he learned from Father Thomas Keating, a Trappist monk and teacher. (Trappist refers to a branch of the Cistercian order of monks known for an austere rule including a vow of silence.)

“Silent meditation is a powerful tool to open ourselves to one another and to all creation which is what this participative consciousness is all about,” said Cairns, TIP co-founder and board president.

Cairns said the intense form of meditation helps eliminate the “internal dialogue” or “chatter that’s going on all the time” in people’s minds.

“I found out how much of my life was consumed by internal dialogue,” said Cairns, research professor of theology at the Chicago Theological Seminary.

Centering prayer allows “us to open our hearts to a deeper relationship with God and an increased openness to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives,” said Rev. Cairns, admitting it’s an easier technique to teach than for people to learn and practice.

“The technique to doing it – is simply to rest with God. It’s not easy to do, it’s easy to teach, but very difficult to do,” Cairns said.

In fighting the world’s evil, Cairns said “we can’t get their with just our hearts – we need our heads and something more.”

Celtic Christianity Homily: The Goodness of Creation by Rev. Dr. George Cairns

Celtic Christianity Today Homily: “The Goodness of Creation” by Rev. Dr. George Cairns at Union Community Church in Valparaiso, Indiana

(Valparaiso, Indiana) – Rev. Dr. George Cairns delivers the second of many Sunday homilies at the Union Community Church in Valparaiso, Indiana.

The homilies on Celtic Christianity take a look at several topics including the European roots of the Celts (primarily Scotland and Ireland) and how Earth-based cultures can impact the future of civilization including actively protecting the environment, respecting fellow humans, different cultures and nature.

Union Community Church

Cairns is working closely with Rev. Gregory Jones on several social fronts.

Rev. Jones is the pastor of the Union Community Church and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Theology at Valparaiso University.

Turtle Island Project logo

Founded in 2007, the non-profit Turtle Island Project is known for its ongoing work with Native American issues – and the other wing involves other Earth-based religions like the Celts. Dr. Cairns is the co-founder of the nonprofit Turtle Island Project.

Rev. Dr. George Cairns

Rev. Cairns continues to work closely with the foremost Celtic group in the world, the Iona Community in Scotland that is a dispersed Christian ecumenical community working for peace and social justice, rebuilding of community and the renewal of worship.

Cairns is a research professor of Practical Theology and Spirituality at Chicago Theological Seminary, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and lives in Chesterton, Indiana.

Cairns recently completed a six-part “contemplative reading and discussion” of Philip Newell’s book “Christ of the Celts” at the Union Community Church.

Cairns and his wife, Nancy, recently hosted a conference on Celtic Spirituality, Ecology, and Participative Consciousness.

Dr. Cairns says:

Celtic Christianity is a strand of the Christian tradition which developed during the middle of the first millennium. Its full flowering in Ireland and Scotland continued for several hundred years before it was incorporated into the dominant church as many of its traditions were lost or suppressed.

There are two major reasons for this recovery and reconstruction of Celtic Christian practical theology for the church today: Church Renewal & Engaging and transforming the genocide and ecocide taking place today.

We are concerned that our current individual and systemic western consciousness is disembodied and ill. We believe that this process started several thousand years ago in the late Paleolithic. We are not trying to turn back the clock to the Stone Age. But we do know that a change in consciousness must begin if our planet and we are to survive.

What we have lost is participative consciousness, which understands that our lives are profoundly related to the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of all of creation. Another way of putting this is that we are completely relational beings. Reconnection with all of creation as sacred and responsive and alive is our great task in the early 21st century.

We have living guides to help us such as Celtic Spirituality, Native American Spirituality and post-modern science. I believe we need to integrate the profound gifts of these resources and open ourselves to deepen our relationships with all of creation.

email Rev. Dr. George Cairns, Founder of Celtic Christianity Today

Related websites and information:

Celtic Christianity Today website

Spirit Cafe Blog with Rev. George Cairns (United Church of Christ website)

Iona Community, Scotland

Iona Community New World Foundation: Iona Community associates, friends in U.S.

Union Community Church, Valparaiso, IN

Web page of Rev. Gregory Jones, Theology Department at Valparaiso University

Nonprofit Turtle Island Project

Turtle Island TV on bliptv

Turtle Island TV on youtube

email Turtle Island Project to get messages to Dr. Cairns

Celtic Christianity Today Homily #1: Union Community Church, Valparaiso, IN

Turtle Island Project co-founder Rev. Dr. George Cairns delivers the first of several Sunday homilies at the Union Community Church in Valparaiso, Indiana. The homilies on Celtic Christianity take a look at several topics including the European roots of the Celts (primarily Scotland and Ireland) and how Earth-based cultures can impact the future of civilization including actively protecting the environment, respecting fellow humans, different cultures and nature. Cairns is working closely with Rev. Gregory Jones on several social fronts. Rev. Jones is the pastor of the Union Community Church and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Theology at Valparaiso University. Founded in 2007, The non-profit Turtle Island Project is known for its ongoing work with Native American issues – and the other wing involves other Earth-based religions like the Celts. Rev. Cairns continues to work closely with the foremost Celtic group in the world, the Iona Community in Scotland that is a dispersed Christian ecumenical community working for peace and social justice, rebuilding of community and the renewal of worship. Cairns is a research professor of Practical Theology and Spirituality at Chicago Theological Seminary, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and lives in Chesterton, Indiana. Cairns recently completed a six-part “contemplative reading and discussion” of Philip Newell’s book “Christ of the Celts” at the Union Community Church. Cairns and his wife, Nancy, recently hosted a conference on Celtic Spirituality, Ecology, and Participative Consciousness. Dr. Cairns says: Celtic Christianity is a strand of the Christian tradition which developed during the middle of the first millennium. Its full flowering in Ireland and Scotland continued for several hundred years before it was incorporated into the dominant church as many of its traditions were lost or suppressed. There are two major reasons for this recovery and reconstruction of Celtic Christian practical theology for the church today: Church Renewal & Engaging and transforming the genocide and ecocide taking place today. We are concerned that our current individual and systemic western consciousness is disembodied and ill. We believe that this process started several thousand years ago in the late Paleolithic. We are not trying to turn back the clock to the Stone Age. But we do know that a change in consciousness must begin if our planet and we are to survive. What we have lost is participative consciousness, which understands that our lives are profoundly related to the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of all of creation. Another way of putting this is that we are completely relational beings. Reconnection with all of creation as sacred and responsive and alive is our great task in the early 21st century. We have living guides to help us such as Celtic Spirituality, Native American Spirituality and post-modern science. I believe we need to integrate the profound gifts of these resources and open ourselves to deepen our relationships with all of creation. Related websites and information: Celtic Christianity Today – created by Rev. Dr. George Cairns: http://www.celticchristianitytoday.org Celtic Christianity Today (youtube): http://www.youtube.com/celticchristianity The Iona Community in Scotland: http://www.iona.org.uk The Iona Community New World Foundation: An organization of associate members & Friends of The Iona Community (Scotland) who are living in the United States: http://www.iona-nwf.org/links.htm Summary of Turtle Island Project & TV sites: Turtle Island TV (blipTV) http://turtleislandtv.blip.tv Turtle Island TV (youtube) http://www.youtube.com/MunisingWhiteHorse Turtle Island (myspace) http://www.myspace.com/TurtleIslandProject email: TurtleIslandProject@charter.net The Iona Community New World Foundation: An organization of associate members & friends of the Iona Community (Scotland) living in the United States: http://www.iona-nwf.org/links.htm http://www.Turtle Island Project.org Turtle Island TV (blipTV & youtube) http://turtleislandtv.blip.tv http://www.youtube.com/MunisingWhiteHorse email: TurtleIslandProject@charter.net

Tillie Black Bear: Tribal domestic violence once punished by death

Lakota family violence expert Tillie Black Bear says tribal domestic violence offenders paid for the crime with their life before Europeans settlers stole American Indian lands

Tillie Black Bear holds an informal talk with some members of the audience following her Sept. 2008 address to the UNITED Conference at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. (Photo by Greg Peterson)

(Marquette, Michigan) – Family violence activist Tillie Black Bear says Lakota domestic violence was once punished by death to the offender . She says the current laws don’t scare abusers.

This the fourth in a series of videos about Tillie Black Bear – the executive director and one of the founders of the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society (WBCWS) in South Dakota.

In the old days, Black Bear said Lakota women were treated with more respect and retained their family name after marriage. Before Europeans arrived, Black bear said Iroquois women could dehorn a male member of the tribe if they felt he was not fit to be a leader.

Black Bear’s quotes were used in Indian Country Today newspaper stories written by Greg Peterson, the New York-based papers Great Lakes correspondent and volunteer media advisor for the nonprofit Turtle island Project:

Tillie Bear story #1 in Indian Country Today

Tillie Bear story #2 in Indian Country Today

Nonprofit Turtle Island Project Director Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard story in Indian Country Today

For 31 years, the WBCWS that serves the Lakota Sioux Rosebud Reservation in Mission, South Dakota.

Black Bear spoke to the Northern Michigan University 2008 Uniting Neighbors in the Experience of Diversity (UNITED) Conference on September 23, 2008.

She spoke in the Great Lakes Room of the NMU University center and later held an informal discussion with the public.

Tillie Black Bear quotes and paraphrases:

The clam mothers picked who would represent their clan. They had a process of nurturing a male to get to that point. There were things that this man could not do in order for him to be in a leadership position for the Iroquois Nation.

If this man did not do these things, or his leadership was not very good, then the clan mothers would dehorn him. They would take away his leadership

Tribal women were not recognized in their rights as tribal leaders in the treaties within our tribes because the federal government only wanted male signatures.

There were only male signatures in 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty.

Monument at Wounded Knee, S.D. is Mr. And Mrs. So-and-so.

One of the rights that (American Indian) women had was that we retained our name in marriage. We did not become Mr. And Mrs. Sitting Bull or Mrs. Sitting Bull. Or Mrs. Anything.

We kept our name. We were known for our name. With the impact of colonization then we became to assume our husband’s name when we got married.

This is what I do.

I call it reclaiming the sacredness of tribal women all over Turtle Island. Because as women we are very sacred. Because we are the ones who give birth to the next generation.

There were ceremonies for young women when they reached their first menses that told the community she was a young woman now. And she had a responsibility to bear children.
Black Bears visit was coordinated by the NMU Center for Native American Studies and the non-profit Turtle Island Project in Munising, Michigan.

The Turtle Island Project (TIP) has held several concerts and other events to raises funds for the WBCWS. TIP Director Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard travels several times a year to the Rosebud Reservation.

Black Bear was greeted by Dr. Judith Puncochar, an NMU Professor and an organizer of the annual UNITED Conference

Tillie Black Bear was introduced by Grace Chaillier, an NMU Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Center for Native American Studies and a registered member of the Sicangu Lakota band of the Rosebud Sioux – the same tribe as Black Bear.

Please watch the other Turtle Island Project videos on Tillie Black Bear’s talk in northern Michigan.

Black Bear addresses the Lakota teen suicide crisis, domestic violence, people respecting people and many other important issues.

The Turtle Island Project thanks Tillie Black Bear, NMU Center for Native American Studies, Uniting Neighbors in the Experience of Diversity (UNITED) and White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, Inc.
——-
Tillie Black Bear. Executive Director
White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, Inc.

October is Domestic Violence Month

Tillie Black Bear is an enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation/Rosebud Sioux Tribe.

She is presently the Executive Director of the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, Inc., which operates the oldest shelter for women who have been battered or raped on Indian reservations; and is the first shelter for women of color in the U.S. (1978).

Tillie Black Bear is recognized throughout the state, nationally, and in Indian Country as one of the leading experts on violence against women and children.

She is a founding mother of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) and a founder of the South Dakota Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (SDCADV&SA) both in 1978.

She was the first woman of color to chair NCADV and continues to sit on the Board of Director for the SDCADV&SA.

Black Bear presently serves on the advisory board of National Sexual Assault Resource Center, Pennsylvania and is past member of the professional advisory board of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Austin, TX.

Tillie Black Bear is pictured on Sept. 23, 2008 in Marquette, MI with Dr. José Cuellar of La Raza Studies at San Francisco State University, who spoke on “The Four Enemies of Diversity.”

Black Bear and Dr. Cuellar were both featured speakers at the 2008 UNITED Conference at Northern Michigan University.

Tillie Black Bear is currently a council member for Clan Star a technical resources for tribal grantees through Department of Justice.

Tillie Black Bear was the recipient of an award from the U.S. Department of Justice for her work with victims of crime in April,1988; and in 1989 was one of President Bushs Point of Light.

In 1999 at the Millennium Conference on Domestic Violence in Chicago, IL, Black Bear was one of 10 individuals recognized as one of the founders of the domestic violence movement in the United States.

She was awarded an Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award in December, 2000 by President Clinton.

In May, 2003 Black Bear was a recipient of the first annual LifeTime Achievement Award from LifeTime Television.

Black Bear was selected as one of 21 Leaders for the 21st Century award by Womens eNews in 2004.

In 2005, she received an award from NOW.

She is retired from Sinte Gleska University as a part-time instructor in Human Services; Casey Foundation as a licensed foster parent.

Currently, Black Bear works as a teacher of 13 years teaching students taking a course on cross-cultural ministry at Catholic Theological Union through Shalom Ministries out of Chicago, IL.

Black Bear and colleague Sally Roesch Wagner, Ph.D. have completed a poster series on D/Lakota women elders on each of the nine Dakota/Lakota Nations in South Dakota entitled: D/Lakota Women Keepers of the Nation.

Another collaborative work is workshops on issues of Racism and Cultural Diversity, which has taken them to South Dakota, Vermont, New York, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa.

Black Bear has worked as a therapist, certified school counselor, administrator, college instructor and comptroller.

She holds a Master of Art (1974) from the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD; Bachelor of Science (1971), Northern State University, Aberdeen, SD.

She has served on the St. Francis Indian School Board of Directors, St. Francis, SD; and Sinte Gleska University Board of Regents, Mission, SD.

Black Bear is single mother of 3 girls, grandmother of thirteen and survivor of domestic violence.

Related Links:

Northern Michigan University (NMU)

NMU on Wikipedia

NMU Center for Native American Studies:

Center for Native American Studies

Northern Michigan University

112F Whitman Hall

Marquette, MI

49855

906-227-1397
906-227-1396 (fax)

e-mail:
nasa@nmu.edu

April Lindala, Director
Center for Native American Studies

(906) 227-1397
(906) 227-1396 (fax)
—

Adriana Greci Green, Assistant Professor
112C Whitman Hall
Phone: 906-227-2374
Fax: 906-227-1396
E-mail Prof. Green

—

Grace Chaillier

NMU Adjunct Assistant Professor

Sicangu Lakota band of the Rosebud Sioux

112G Whitman Hall

(906) 227-1390

White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, Inc. (WBCWS)

PO Box 227
Mission, S.D.
57555

605-856-2317
605-856-2494 (fax)

Official website of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe – Sicangu Lakota

Uniting Neighbors in the Experience of Diversity (UNITED):
Northern Michigan University
September 21-23, 2008

Other UNITED links:

http://webb.nmu.edu/UNITED/SiteSections/2008Schedule.shtml

http://webb.nmu.edu/Webb/PDFs/UNITED/UNITED_2008.pdf

http://webb.nmu.edu/UNITED/SiteSections/GD989.shtml

Organizers:
Dr. Judith Puncochar
NMU Professor
906-227-1366

e-mail Dr. Puncochar

Turtle Island Project
137 East Onota Street
Munising, MI.
49862

Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard, TIP Co-founder, Director

Rev. Dr. George Cairns, TIP Co-Founder, Board President

Turtle Island Project Director Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard of Munising, MI was a guest speaker at the 2007 and 2008 UNITED Conference at NMU. Rev. Hubbard is pastor of the Eden on the Bay Lutheran Church in Munising, MI.

Please see the videos on his talks on TIP TV.

For more information on the TIP call 906-202-0590 or 906-401-0109

Turtle Island TV (blipTV)

Turtle Island TV (youtube)

Turtle Island (myspace)

email:
TurtleIslandProject@charter.net

In recent years, the Turtle Island Project has held several free concerts and other events to raise money for the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society. The latest concert was held in Munising, Michigan in Dec. 2008

Anishinaabe News:
NMU Native American student-run newspaper

Check out these web addresses to read more about the Lakota (and other Native American tribes) Prayer & Song to the Four Directions:

http://www.bci.org/prophecy-fulfilled/wbcalf.htm

http://www.manataka.org/page696.html

http://1onewolf.com/lakota/spirit1.htm

http://www.lakotabooks.com/news.htm

http://www.jstor.org/pss/3317793

http://www.aktalakota.org/index.cfm?cat=54&artid=130

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5088/is_/ai_n25221365

http://music.msn.com/music/album/calvin-standing-bear/wakan-olowan-lakota-pipe-ceremonial-and-spiritual-songs

http://musicishere.com/artists/Calvin_Standing_Bear/Wakan_Olowan-Lakota_Pipe_Ceremonial_&_Spiritual_Songs

http://payplay.fm/cstandingbear

http://www.imeem.com/shantiliu/music/yADoFkws/native_americans_prayer_for_the_four_directions

http://audreysblog.yuku.com/topic/403

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJKf8ts1gps&feature=related

http://www.highonlife1.com/four_directions_prayer.htm

http://music.yahoo.com/track/1452994

——-
Lakota Sioux & Rosebud Reservation:

http://www.rosebudsiouxtribe-nsn.gov/history.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosebud_Indian_Reservation

http://www.tradecorridor.com/rosebud/spirit.htm

http://www.sicangufund.org/rosebud/index.html

http://www.travelsd.com/ourhistory/sioux/tribes/rosebud.asp

http://pie.midco.net/lmrose/sicangu.htm

http://www.tolweb.org/treehouses/?treehouse_id=4571

http://www.nps.gov/archive/jeff/LewisClark2/TheJourney/NativeAmericans/LakotaSioux.htm

Top Stories

Tillie Black Bear: Her family, boarding schools & life on the Rosebud Reservation

Lakota Domestic Violence Activist Tillie Black Bear: Her family, growing up in the boarding school era, and life (then and now) on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota

Near Lake Superior, Tillie Black Bear faces west while singing the four directions prayer in Lakota on September 2008 at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. (Turtle Island Project Photo by Greg Peterson)

This the third in a series of videos about Tillie Black Bear and her visit to Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan in the fall of 2008..

In this video, Black Bear talks about her family, the boarding school era, the Rosebud Reservation and life now – and then – on the Rosebud.

Black Bear is the executive director and one of the founders of the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society (WBCWS).

For 31 years, the WBCWS that serves the Lakota Sioux Rosebud Reservation in Mission, South Dakota.

Black Bear spoke to the Northern Michigan University 2008 Uniting Neighbors in the Experience of Diversity (UNITED) Conference on September 23, 2008.

Black Bear spoke in the Great Lakes Room of the NMU University center and later held an informal discussion with the public.

Some quotes and paraphrases from Tillie Black Bear:

I come from … a family of people who – back in the 60s and 50s – could not practice our traditional spirituality, it had gone underground with it – it had gone underground – the pipe.
And practiced those ways until the late 60s and early 70s.

I know by 1978 they did the Native American Religious Freedom Act.

We were able to do these things out in the open.
Leaned traditional ways  from her mother, stepfather, teachers in her family

My family was one of the first ones that brought the Sundance back to Rosebud in 1960 and they had to go to Washington D.C. and get special permission to be able to do it out in the open.
The Sundance is held out in the country.

I come from that rich tradition of resistance and it’s helped me become who I am as a woman.

I grew up with the boarding school background and in the years up until I graduated I was always like a visitor in my own home.
I come from a family of 11 (two older brothers, Tillie is third child, and the oldest of six girls).

The only time I ever went home was at Christmas time and during the summers for a couple months
So I was like a visitor in my own home but I hung onto speaking Lakota.
When I first went to school I spoke probably not more than four or five English words.
I remember going to first grade and even before that I could not speak English.
They came to the door at my grandmothers old log house and asked for my mother. She worked for this nurse.
I could say work nurse – work nurse

There was a small public school in our town – not more than 50 students.
After two weeks they sent home a note to my mother saying I wasn’t quite school ready.    I should start the next year because I could not speak English.

I was like 4 or 5 years old and my mother

Playing at home with cousin – people people came to visit – uncles (mom’s two younger brothers) and said I thought she started school.

Her uncle said:
Tillie was so smart she finished her first year in two weeks.
This is the kind of family I grew up with – rich in humor and keeping ourselves humble.

Tillie then went on to college.

I was probably one of the first Indian women from our tribes in 1970 to get a bachelor’s degree in sociology. One of the first to get a master’s degree in 1974. Went back and did a doctoral study but I am one of those people with the ABD behind my back – all but dissertation.

When we look at who we are as woman. We really have to look at where we come from as women.

Black Bears visit was coordinated by the NMU Center for Native American Studies and the non-profit Turtle Island Project in Munising, Michigan.

The Turtle Island Project (TIP) has held several concerts and other events to raises funds for the WBCWS. TIP Director Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard travels several times a year to the Rosebud Reservation.

Black Bear was greeted by Dr. Judith Puncochar, an NMU Professor and an organizer of the annual UNITED Conference

Tillie Black Bear was introduced by Grace Chaillier, an NMU Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Center for Native American Studies and a registered member of the Sicangu Lakota band of the Rosebud Sioux – the same tribe as Black Bear.

Please watch the other Turtle Island Project videos on Tillie Black Bear’s talk in northern Michigan.

Black Bear addresses the Lakota teen suicide crisis, domestic violence, people respecting people and many other important issues.

The Turtle Island Project thanks Tillie Black Bear, NMU Center for Native American Studies, Uniting Neighbors in the Experience of Diversity (UNITED) and White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, Inc.
——-
Tillie Black Bear. Executive Director
White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, Inc.

October is Domestic Violence Month

Tillie Black Bear is an enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation/Rosebud Sioux Tribe.

She is presently the Executive Director of the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, Inc., which operates the oldest shelter for women who have been battered or raped on Indian reservations; and is the first shelter for women of color in the U.S. (1978).

Tillie Black Bear is recognized throughout the state, nationally, and in Indian Country as one of the leading experts on violence against women and children.

She is a founding mother of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) and a founder of the South Dakota Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (SDCADV&SA) both in 1978.

She was the first woman of color to chair NCADV and continues to sit on the Board of Director for the SDCADV&SA.

Black Bear presently serves on the advisory board of National Sexual Assault Resource Center, Pennsylvania and is past member of the professional advisory board of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Austin, TX.

Tillie Black Bear is pictured on Sept. 23, 2008 in Marquette, MI with Dr. José Cuellar of La Raza Studies at San Francisco State University, who spoke on “The Four Enemies of Diversity.”

Black Bear and Dr. Cuellar were both featured speakers at the 2008 UNITED Conference at Northern Michigan University.

Tillie Black Bear is currently a council member for Clan Star a technical resources for tribal grantees through Department of Justice.

Tillie Black Bear was the recipient of an award from the U.S. Department of Justice for her work with victims of crime in April,1988; and in 1989 was one of President Bushs Point of Light.

In 1999 at the Millennium Conference on Domestic Violence in Chicago, IL, Black Bear was one of 10 individuals recognized as one of the founders of the domestic violence movement in the United States.

She was awarded an Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award in December, 2000 by President Clinton.

In May, 2003 Black Bear was a recipient of the first annual LifeTime Achievement Award from LifeTime Television.

Black Bear was selected as one of 21 Leaders for the 21st Century award by Womens eNews in 2004.

In 2005, she received an award from NOW.

She is retired from Sinte Gleska University as a part-time instructor in Human Services; Casey Foundation as a licensed foster parent.

Currently, Black Bear works as a teacher of 13 years teaching students taking a course on cross-cultural ministry at Catholic Theological Union through Shalom Ministries out of Chicago, IL.

Black Bear and colleague Sally Roesch Wagner, Ph.D. have completed a poster series on D/Lakota women elders on each of the nine Dakota/Lakota Nations in South Dakota entitled: D/Lakota Women Keepers of the Nation.

Another collaborative work is workshops on issues of Racism and Cultural Diversity, which has taken them to South Dakota, Vermont, New York, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa.

Black Bear has worked as a therapist, certified school counselor, administrator, college instructor and comptroller.

She holds a Master of Art (1974) from the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD; Bachelor of Science (1971), Northern State University, Aberdeen, SD.

She has served on the St. Francis Indian School Board of Directors, St. Francis, SD; and Sinte Gleska University Board of Regents, Mission, SD.

Black Bear is single mother of 3 girls, grandmother of thirteen and survivor of domestic violence.

Related Links:

Northern Michigan University (NMU)

NMU on Wikipedia

NMU Center for Native American Studies:

Center for Native American Studies

Northern Michigan University

112F Whitman Hall

Marquette, MI

49855

906-227-1397
906-227-1396 (fax)

e-mail:
nasa@nmu.edu

April Lindala, Director
Center for Native American Studies

(906) 227-1397
(906) 227-1396 (fax)
—

Adriana Greci Green, Assistant Professor
112C Whitman Hall
Phone: 906-227-2374
Fax: 906-227-1396
E-mail Prof. Green

—

Grace Chaillier

NMU Adjunct Assistant Professor

Sicangu Lakota band of the Rosebud Sioux

112G Whitman Hall

(906) 227-1390

White Buffalo Calf Woman Society, Inc. (WBCWS)

PO Box 227
Mission, S.D.
57555

605-856-2317
605-856-2494 (fax)

Official website of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe – Sicangu Lakota

Uniting Neighbors in the Experience of Diversity (UNITED):
Northern Michigan University
September 21-23, 2008

Other UNITED links:

http://webb.nmu.edu/UNITED/SiteSections/2008Schedule.shtml

http://webb.nmu.edu/Webb/PDFs/UNITED/UNITED_2008.pdf

http://webb.nmu.edu/UNITED/SiteSections/GD989.shtml

Organizers:
Dr. Judith Puncochar
NMU Professor
906-227-1366

e-mail Dr. Puncochar

Turtle Island Project
137 East Onota Street
Munising, MI.
49862

Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard, TIP Co-founder, Director

Rev. Dr. George Cairns, TIP Co-Founder, Board President

Turtle Island Project Director Rev. Dr. Lynn Hubbard of Munising, MI was a guest speaker at the 2007 and 2008 UNITED Conference at NMU. Rev. Hubbard is pastor of the Eden on the Bay Lutheran Church in Munising, MI.

Please see the videos on his talks on TIP TV.

For more information on the TIP call 906-202-0590 or 906-401-0109

Turtle Island TV (blipTV)

Turtle Island TV (youtube)

Turtle Island (myspace)

email:
TurtleIslandProject@charter.net

In recent years, the Turtle Island Project has held several free concerts and other events to raise money for the White Buffalo Calf Woman Society. The latest concert was held in Munising, Michigan in Dec. 2008

Anishinaabe News:
NMU Native American student-run newspaper

Check out these web addresses to read more about the Lakota (and other Native American tribes) Prayer & Song to the Four Directions:

http://www.bci.org/prophecy-fulfilled/wbcalf.htm

http://www.manataka.org/page696.html

http://1onewolf.com/lakota/spirit1.htm

http://www.lakotabooks.com/news.htm

http://www.jstor.org/pss/3317793

http://www.aktalakota.org/index.cfm?cat=54&artid=130

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5088/is_/ai_n25221365

http://music.msn.com/music/album/calvin-standing-bear/wakan-olowan-lakota-pipe-ceremonial-and-spiritual-songs

http://musicishere.com/artists/Calvin_Standing_Bear/Wakan_Olowan-Lakota_Pipe_Ceremonial_&_Spiritual_Songs

http://payplay.fm/cstandingbear

http://www.imeem.com/shantiliu/music/yADoFkws/native_americans_prayer_for_the_four_directions

http://audreysblog.yuku.com/topic/403

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJKf8ts1gps&feature=related

http://www.highonlife1.com/four_directions_prayer.htm

http://music.yahoo.com/track/1452994

——-
Lakota Sioux & Rosebud Reservation:

http://www.rosebudsiouxtribe-nsn.gov/history.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosebud_Indian_Reservation

http://www.tradecorridor.com/rosebud/spirit.htm

http://www.sicangufund.org/rosebud/index.html

http://www.travelsd.com/ourhistory/sioux/tribes/rosebud.asp

http://pie.midco.net/lmrose/sicangu.htm

http://www.tolweb.org/treehouses/?treehouse_id=4571

http://www.nps.gov/archive/jeff/LewisClark2/TheJourney/NativeAmericans/LakotaSioux.htm

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