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Page: Profile: Group
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Group Stats
Formed?: 1996
New Members OK?: Yes
Incorporated?: Yes
501* Cert.?: Yes
Wvox Stats
Group Id: 22776
Poster Id: 185237
Posted: Jul.3.2004
Total Views: 2255
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The Earth Gatherings
Age Range/Type: Adult
Located in: Portland, Oregon
Key Contact: Bob LaDu
Spiritual Path: Eclectic
Status: Established Group
Community Support: Open Circles... Legal Clergy... Teaching Available
Group Overview: All are welcomed!
This is what we are doing and we'd love to have you join us in our efforts. This is your invitation! We are asking for your help by joining us at The Earth Gatherings (Diverse Gatherings Inc) 501 (c) 3 !
Each year we hold two large Gatherings; the first. during the beginning of the summer (June) and; the second during the end of the summer (September) . Currently, we rent Silver Falls State Park, near Silverton, Oregon for a three (3) day weekend and have people come from all over the world and camp in a tent or stay in the ranch-style lodge where they can sleep in a bunk. Silver Falls State Park is a jewel in the foothills of the Cascade Moutains filled with forests and meadows and amazing waterfalls.
During this long weekend, we provide organic food in wonderful meals, offer workshops, teach skills, explore diversity, and take nature hikes. We listen to performing artist play music or sing, hear stories around the camp-fire, learn about each other and make friends. People are encouraged, nutured and befriended. It is a safe-feeling environment surrounded by the beauty of nature. There are drum circles, bardic circles and impromtu jam session as musicians, storytellers and observers gather in circles to share and enjoy being together.
It is the kind of event where you can work on arts & crafts with the kids, participate in a workshop or read a book. Each person can participate as much as they would like , but can just as easily decide to take time for themselves (They might go on a hike or read a book or run into town) .
These Earth Gatherings are the first step in creating a strong and safe community that can be self-sufficient, accept and honor diversity and restore and maintain balance between our civilization and wilderness.
Our plan is to purchase private land on which to hold The Earth Gatherings and have a community of people live, work and teach ourselves (and the world) a way to live in harmony with nature and each other! By creating an experiential learning center, I believe we can begin to restore the balance we are losing in our society and culture by showing people how it can be done!
We can do this! Each of us has something to offer in this effort. We, as a people, are empowered to work toward this shared vision of a safe, truly strong community where our children can grown and learn skills that will help them lead lives of abundance in peace and harmony.
A wise person once said, "I am only one, but I am one! I cannot do everything, but I can do something! What I can do, I ought to do! And what I ought to do, by the grace of God, I will!"
Please, consider what you have read. If you can support this concept then come to The Earth Gatherings and experience it! See if our efforts are congruent with your own desire to effect awareness, change and healthy growth in our world. If so, then consider working with us. Help us lead people to live in harmony with each other and Mother Nature!
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"Awareness is the beginning of change."- Bob LaDu, Jr.
When the Europeans first came to this continent, they were explorers and soldiers. Soon afterward settlements began to be established and more Europeans began to arrive to begin new lives. Today we call these early immigrants, pilgrims, settlers or pioneers. We imagine them coming to a wild uninhabited continent and carving a home out of the wilderness.
In fact, this continent was already settled and many people already lived here. Today we call the first inhabitant of this continent "indians". Many of our ancestors took land from these people. Our European explorers, soldiers and settlers often forcibly moved the indians (or killed them) in order to create forts, villages, towns and cities which then became colonies, territories and states. Today the indians live on reservations (settlements) and the Immigrants live and inhabit the land that was once the home of the indian.
When the Immigrants first settled on this continent, their very survival depended upon their ability to maintain the precarious balance between Wilderness and Civilization. Most of the immigrants became farmers/ hunters and developed an Agrarian Society. At that time 99% of the population of the United States farmed and took care of the land. But as time (and generations) passed the ability and skill to farm were lost or forgotten.
Our cities have grown and developed into what we call "URBAN SPRAWL". Today, our forest and farmland has become subdivisions, shopping malls and parking lots; and parking space is what we hunt for today! Today, 99% of our population does NOT farm- most of us don't know how. We have lost or forgotten most of those skills!
As a culture, we have dumbed down our people! Our skills do not include the basic skills that might help us live together in peace, i.e., communicate peacefully, accept diversity, work together and live in harmony with each other in strong safe communities. We have forgotten or never learned how to farm, hunt, or even camp! We have grown further apart from the neighbors who live next door than the immigrants were with the neighbors living miles away! We have become afraid of our neighbors and avoid making new friends even though they may live only steps from our front door. Our culture and our society are dangerously close to catastrophy!
Is it too late? Have we tipped the balance against ourselves through our own ignorance and lack of forethought. Do we expect future generations to undo the damage we have done to the earth? Will someone else teach them how to live together and work together in peace?
And what about us, our children and grandchildren?; do we abdicate our responsibility to teach ourselves and our children to become well-rounded and capable people to the government?
Perhaps some people will rely on others to do something about this dangerous situation. We (our society & culture) have created a time bomb for ourselves and those that come after us. But, there are some, like me, who are determined to do something to make this world a better, safer place by helping us learn the skills and abilities that will allow us to dismantle the time-bomb and restore the balance between wilderness and civilization. We will teach ourselves and our children how to accept and appreciate diversity, to become well-rounded and learn to communicate and work with each other in harmony. We will develope skills and techniques to live sustainably that will help make our communties, society and culture strong again!
It is not too late!
Join me in gathering people around the earth to make our Global community safe and strong. Let us join in this earth gathering and celebrate our relationship with nature and each other! Help us learn the skills to communicate, and work, with each other in harmony. Support our efforts to teach ourselves to be better stewards of our planet by becoming better stewards of our community.
Website: http://www.earthgatherings.org
Telephone: (503) 502-1415
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