January 31, 2017    
 
Resending after realizing my grammatical edits did not get saved, trying to clean up typos herein, sorry for added mail...
 
 
Dear Drumsong Community,
 
It is hard to believe that January is coming to a close.  Life is happening at a fast and furious pace during this winter time when we feel the need to hibernate and rest.  Instead we are rapidly adapting to the new world that we find ourselves in. A world that many of us did not consciously choose and that we thought we would never circle back around to.   As I sat with my mother on her 90th birthday watching the Women's March on Washington I was filled with such a mix of emotions.  So sad and disappointed that we are having to even have these conversations and that everything my parents fought to change after barely surviving the Holocaust in Europe is rising its ugly head here in America.  So proud of people across the globe taking to the streets to defend our democracy.  It was such a surreal moment to hold all of this at once.  I would not be here had my parents not survived the horrors of then and emigrated to this country, met, and started a life here.  My parents believed in the American Dream and made it happen. My father started a company that he loved and took good care of his many employees and customers. My brother still runs that company and my mother, at 90, still works there.  This country, this "Turtle Island" was home to so many indgenous people before it was invaded and stolen by people on ships. It was built and enriched by slaves and immigrants and all of us make a beautiful rainbow across this continent.  Like the regional flora and fauna we bring color, shape, texture, language to this vast land.  This land, its first nations people, our ancestors and those to follow in our footsteps deserve to have a chance to dream big and tall and to thrive here in this land.  We must keep the dream alive and make it accessible to our global friends and neighbors seeking a spot to live safely and to contribute to a community, a place to plant a few seeds and to nurture them as they grow.  
 
The Dalai Lama once said that Western women would save the world.  I wonder if his vision included a sea of pink capped women and their male supporters, husbands, brothers, sons and colleagues  marching in the streets peacefully claiming stake to the laws and rights so hard won, yet so in peril.  I saw so many beautiful signs as we watched the day unfold on Democracy Now and in other coverage.  I loved seeing a man's sign, "Men of quality don't fear equality".  I loved the ones that said "I am tired of accepting the things I cannot change, I am changing the things I cannot accept." And so many more.... And so our work is before us....singing the old songs and the new songs, bringing ancient wisdom to modern times and modern problems to this ancient forgiving land.  One thing is for sure, it is time to be awake and alert. It is time to look into our own hearts and souls, to find the goodness therein and to shine it as brightly as we can into the darkness.  We are charged with saving our planet, with saving or transforming democracy (whatever that really means), with finding ways to live with and respect each other on this green globe.  As my beloved teacher Rockingbear always said, "What do you want and what are you willing to do about it?  Let us be kind, compasionate, dedicated, tireless (while also taking good care of ourselves and others), committed, enlivened, loving, respectful, determined and joyous as we join arms and take this country, the earth, humanity,  back from the brink.  There is so much creativity happening every which way  I turn, so many good ideas and talented people making it easy for us to participate.  I am with you for the long haul.
 
Let us also come together to rest, rejuvenate, be in sacred ceremony, hold each other up, feed the holies, honor our well healed ancestors, revel in the mysteries that surround us, make new friends, heal old wounds, learn something new, grow food and flowers, teach our children well, laugh alot and loudly, make art, eat delicious food, look into each other's eyes, touch an elder gently, be grateful for what we have, be kind to a stranger, be kind to ourselves. Let peace begin within each of us. I will never give up. And I hope when I look to my left and to my right that I will see you there by my side.  We are worth it. Love will always win in the end and if we are not there yet then it is not the end.
 
 
Drum Making Ceremony scheduled for Saturday March 4, 2017 9:00-4:30 with Miriam Lieberman and Ashley St. Martin.  We will use time honored  methods of making our own medicine drum for use in ceremony. 
Registration deadline, Feb. 10th, is fast approaching .  there is a minimum number of people to hold this so if you are interested please do not procrastinate with so much calling our attention. 
See below for more information .
 
 
Have heart and be kind to one another, we need it more than ever. Let us to be strong together,
 Miriam/ Firebird
 
 
Fire Ceremonies 2016
 
Sunday March 19, 2017          5:30 pm
Sunday June 25, 2017             5:30 pm
 
 
Come bring your inspiration or find some here for yourself.  The fire is where we lay down our fears and excuses and take responsibility for what we are willing and able to do to make this world a better place right now!   Take strength, courage, love, light, growth, resilience, clarity, innocence, playfulness, and joy away with you.  You will have the opportunity to release beliefs, grief, feelings, thoughts, relationships or anything else that is hampering your ability to be fully and completely who you are by offering them to the fire. We will witness each other as we make new agreements with spirit and dream our lives into being. We will feed the holies and ask their assistance in co-creating ourselves, our thoughts and our lives as we wish them to be.  If your health and circumstance permit you to stay for the entire ceremony we appreciate that greatly and it is always ok to take care of yourself or your children so please plan accordingly. This is not about rules or permission, it is about respecting ourselves and others,witnessing and being witnessed in sacred community.  The choice is always yours!
 
Bring a chair, flashlight, drum, rattle, closed water bottle and dress for outdoors (if super cold or heavy rain we'll be indoors by the woodstove). Feel free to bring some healthy food to share if you are so moved. If you are drawn to be here please call or email Miriam at (919) 304-5754 or melieber@mebtel.net so I’ll know how many people to expect and give you directions if needed. Come prepared for both indoor and outdoor conditions weather depending.   I invite all women to wear a skirt or sarong over pants to honor our sacred grandmothers and the circle of life.  There is never a fee for ceremony but Gifting is appropriate and appreciated to support the life and work of the elders who dedicate their lives to keeping the old ways available and for wood and supplies needed for ceremony and the upkeep of the land.
 
Drum Making Ceremony  
with Miriam Lieberman and Ashley St. Martin
Saturday March 4, 2017 
9:00-4:30
$135 for a 12" drum
$60 deposit due by Friday February 10th, 2017
 
Make payable to Miriam Lieberman
1920 Western Trail  Chapel Hill, NC 27516
 
Feel free to call with any questions   919 304-5754
 
More information to follow soon........
 
 
NEW SHAMANIC HEALING CIRCLE
 
 
This circle is currently full but there is a wait list for anyone interested should shifting occur.
Do let me know of your interest. If enough people are interested perhaps a second group could form.
Spirit has been whispering in my ear for a bit now to start another circle that meets on a regular basis (bi-weekly for starters) to deepen our relationship with our guides and helpers, to heal ourselves , to dream to the sacred beat of the drum, to share wisdom teachings and step out of the frenetic pace of life, to be authentic clear channels for spirit. I am proposing some dates (alternate Monday evenings beginning on All Souls Day). Once a group is formed we can decide together if these dates and times will work or need to be changed. I will be sharing teachings from the elders I have had the privilege to sit with, from my fifteen years of annual pilgrimage to vision quest in sacred community (as quester and supporter) and as one whose life purpose it is to serve and feed the people on this path with heart.  I invite you to bring your wisdom teachings, healing gifts and spirit of love. The drums are calling to be played and for their medicine to be shared in the service of humanity.
 
If you too feel this call, please  let me know your intentions, needs, desires and willingness to commit to holding sacred space together. I can be reached at 919 304-5754 or 919 618-4919. 
 
A suggested donation for the holding of the space and facilitation of the circle: $20.00-25.00.
As always the amount of your gift is between you and spirit. 
 
 
Little Boys and Girls Sweat Lodge
  ( Available by request unless specific dates are listed herein and/or in addtion to dates listed.)
 
Workday to rebuild the lodge for the New Year: Friday December 30th
 
Lodge to Ring in the New year: Saturday December 31st
 
  The lodge is poured by Miriam / Firebird  in the tradition passed down to me by my beloved Elder Sharon Mitchell.  This is a beautiful teaching lodge that has the strength and heat for those with experience and the gentleness and ease for those who will join us for the first time (which is how it came to be known as the Little Boys and Girls Lodge).  It is not a lodge specifically for children as some have asked, but supervised children are welcome to attend ceremonies here unless otherwise specified.  Please notify me if spirit is calling you to join us, so I can let you know how to prepare and know how many people are coming.  Please know that we need at least 8 people to pour a lodge due to all the preparations involved so let us know if you would like to join us in ceremony.  
 
People always ask me "how long does a sweat lodge take?" My first thought is how much we need these ceremonies to take us back to soul time where it is the experience, the prayers, the being together in community, the work as worship that really matter and not the construct of time that we are forced to run our lives by.  I have learned for myself to not schedule anything else on lodge days as I step outside of "time" to be present to what is, the stones, the fire, the people and their prayers, the feast and then basking in the richness afterwards.  Please take care of yourselves however you need to with "time". You are welcome to join us for the time you can be with us and if you need to leave due to other commitments that is yours to keep track of.  My wish for you is that you can be timeless with us and sink into the ceremony as it unfolds organically.  If for some reason you need to leave during the lodge please be sure to let me and/or the firekeeper know ahead of time so we can assist you.  
 
We usually light the fire around 9 am and close the ceremony with a feast in the afternoon after cleaning up the ceremonial grounds.  It is tradition to leave a place better than you found it.   Please bring a dish to share for the feast following the lodge.  
 
Workdays : I'm looking forward to hearing from those of you who want to build this community, be you newcomers, or those who have been here often to share in the love of lodge from beginning to end.  
 We can always use help with gathering or purchasing, and splitting and moving wood, raking, moving blankets, etc.  We are in need of  stone people if you can bring some stones that have not been in an active creek bed (cantalope size) If you have a truck and/or chain saw and want to help gather some wood between lodges please let me know so we can find times to work together, it is an ongoing need.  The preparations are part of the ceremony and are a labor of love and communion with the land, the tall standing ones, the stone people, mother earth, the water and help deepen one’s experience of the ceremony as we joyfully prepare the grounds together. 
 
 
Contact Miriam/Firebird at 919 304-5754 or melieber@mebtel.net  if you are called to attend.  Please RSVP  with contact info if you would like to join us.  I will let you know what to bring, how to find us and how to best prepare once I know you are coming.  Feel free to call with any questions as well.    Checking in the day before lodge to verify last minute information or changes due to weather, illness or attendance is strongly encouraged as we have to have a certain number of people to hold this particular ceremony.
 
         
  
Peace be with you, Miriam
 
Thanks for reading!  Remember who you are, what you came here to do and have fun sharing your gifts with us all ! Shine your light brightly with love and gratitude.
  
Drumsong Sanctuary for the Soul
Miriam Lieberman
(919) 304-5754 or melieber@mebtel.net
1920 Western Trail
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
www.drumsongsanctuary.com 
 
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