Good medicine

Good MedicineThis past weekend I had the privilege and the pleasure of attending a “family reunion” gathering that has been going on for the past 26 years in southern Oregon. In a way it’s kind of like a festival, however there is no stage, no commercial stuff at all, and it’s all a community effort to make it happen. The money that you pay to attend basically goes towards getting all the food and maintaining the land upon which it is on. You have to be invited in order to attend this gathering, which is on private family land, and for many of these people that attend, this is the onlY time they see each other during the year because they live in various places. It was around 350 people this year, many people for the first time. There are families with babies and young children. There are elders. There are people of all ages. We camp together on this forested land which has a creek running through. We eat together three healthy organic meals a day, which are lovingly prepared. The best part of all, we sing together. The singing happened throughout the day but the juiciest moments were around the fire in large tipis. Many of the songs sung were well known songs with refrains that everyone knew and sang along too, and the songs that were new, people would catch on and start singing along at some point. I was overjoyed and grateful to be able to share my own songs as well, for most of these people had never heard my music yet. I received much positive feedback, love and gratitude in return. Our host and owner of this land is one of the most well known songwriters of our rainbow culture, whose songs of unity, peace and right relationship with the earth are sung all around the world in ceremonies and gatherings. The most potent moments for me was when she shared her songs around the fire. I’m sure I wasn’t alone in the feeling of powerful heart expansion, as I was brought to tears many times, overflowing with pure and real gratitude for life and community as we sand together:
“You gotta be a strong soul…to live in this world. You gotta be brave,my our gotta be wise…if you want to survive…”
We can’t make it through life and truly thrive with out the support of some kind of family and community. We beings need this connection, and reflection that we receive through the contact with other kindred spirits and like-minded souls. One of the biggest lessons/reminders at this gathering was being of service and fulfilling your personal responsibility.
The only way an event like this is even possible is because people work together, help each other and take it upon themselves to just do what needs to be done. I helped out in the kids camp as “snack fairy,” something that I used to do when working as an After school program leader. I made sure there was yummy healthy snacks available, lots of fruit which I got from the refrigerated room which held all the donated fruit from all the people who attended. You should have seen so much fruit was in there! I also helped serve meals a couple times. There were different “workshops” offered everyday, on different topics such as beekeeping, knowing the medicinal plants around you, ceremonies using plant medicines, tantric practices, songwriting, tea ceremonies, Celtic song singing, African drumming, yoga, ecstatic dance, and much more! There were spontaneous musical jams throughout the entire time in various places. Every night the “chai bar” was open from like 8-12 pm, which began with kirtan. On Sunday there was a kids parade, which was absolutely precious. They were being supported by a wonderful musical collaboration, many of them being the parents. The parade ended in the middle of the meadow and turned into a land blessing by the same person that’s been doing it for like 25 years. We all walked together across the land singing, through the garden and to the clearing near the creek where we had a huge watermelon feast and wild drumming jam out, led by a young man who has been studying with the Senegalese people. It magically sprinkled with rain while we were all there dancing. That night I stayed up singing songs til the light started to return to the sky. There was a marvelous bartering fair in the meadow the last day before we all packed out. I was able to do many musical trades with the other musicians there, I am so stoked to have so much new musical inspiration and know that my music has made it to these people as well. After that was over, the main tipi was taken down and we gathered around the fire, which was still burning and the closing mahalo and prayers were given by Ohana and Windsong, our gracious hosts. Beautiful Words were shared about the sacred fire, which we had gathered together around all weekend, about it’s healing and life giving qualities. Cedar prayers were made for the protection of all that were there, and for our elders, and that we take the good medicine that we gained from this gathering out into the world where it is needed. Mahalo nui loa for Good Medicine, for all the visionaries out there that selflessly work to create the space for this good medicine of music to be shared together. When we sing together there is peace and love in the heart. Music is what will unite the world. Bless the people. Mahalo for reading. Now listen to this song :http://youtu.be/u3JKkcUmsdM