by Lotus Linton
It is said in ancient prophecy that when the Grandmothers
speak, Peace will return to the Earth. We speak now. Let
our voice be heard as the final word, as it is meant to be.
We are the Grandmothers, the Keepers of the Creation's
Highest Law, which is the Law of Good Relationship. We
are the elder women of all cultures.
Some of us have borne children, some have served the world
in other ways. Having already brought forth and nurtured the
younger ones and the dreams of our youth, we now hold our
blood and, in so doing, carry the Wisdom of the Ages
within our wombs.
We know that it is only in good relationship to ourselves,
to each other, to the Mother Earth, and to the Divine
which resides within all of creation that life has any value,
meaning or true purpose. For too many long eras of human
history the voices of the women have been silenced.
The wisdom of the Grandmothers is expressed in our Love
for the innocents, our respect for the healing gifts of
Nature, and our patience with the unfolding natural
rhythms of life. Sadly, this wisdom, honed by years of
experience and our womanly perspective, has long been ignored,
discounted or forgotten. But we are the graduated citizens,
representing the ultimate leadership and benefit to society,
for our holistic intelligence has the welfare of the human
community at heart. We do not believe that humanity is destined
to forever play out the old patterns and themes of discord and
strife. We see our human family poised on the threshold of a
new consciousness. Old paradigms based on struggle, greed,
power and fear must end.
Educational, social, political and religious institutions
will make the leaps that reflect humanity's awakening, or
they will dissolve to make way for new systems. Seeds of
humanity's new beginnings lie hidden in the old ways of
many of the older traditions. Holding these gems of the
ancient Grandmothers within us, we stand for loving
alternatives to present hierarchical power structures and
oppressive economic systems.
Bringing the full force of our wisdom into this present
time, we, the Grandmothers of the Earth, herein exercise
our calling as Wisdom Keepers and declare the following:
1) LIFE IS SACRED. As all the great teachers who have
come before us understood, there is an intelligence that
arises from the heart that surpasses the intellect alone.
It is the reverence for the Divine within all aspects of
creation that renders our thoughts and actions to be
harmless and life serving. Let the sanctity of life be
the central theme and motivation of every teacher and
leader of both secular and religious domains, that
humanity's days may finally be filled with the peace,
good will and freedom that we are created to enjoy.
2) THE PURPOSE OF LIFE IS GROWTH. Growth implies the
evolution of greater understanding and wisdom. We, the
Grandmothers, know that wisdom requires the capacity
and the will for honesty and self-reflection. Humility
arises when the fearful, conditioned personality surrenders
to the Higher Power within. Then the tendency to blame others,
or to project upon them the "evils" we cannot face in
ourselves, melts away. Let our leaders be humble and dedicate
themselves to personal growth as the authentic road to
lasting world peace.
3) WE ARE ALL RELATED. All human beings of every race,
creed, gender, or level of development, are our brothers
and sisters. All the world's children are our own, to be
treated with wisdom, kindness, love and respect. Each adult
is responsible for the welfare of the children. We, the
Grandmothers, understand that once people are capable of
viewing each other as family, human dynamics will expand
into entirely new dimensions. Let all governments and social
institutions serve this expansion.
4) WE ARE THE CARETAKERS OF EARTH. Caretaking implies
stewardship, not domination. We willingly co-exist with
the other species with whom we share our planet. They, too,
are sacred expressions of Creation Divine and members of the
interdependent Web of Life. We know that technologies
have been and will be created that can enhance the lives
of all without destroying or depleting the Earth. As holders
of this sacred trust we Grandmothers receive all the gifts
of Nature with gratitude, and we endorse only the technologies
that are Earth-sustaining and life enhancing for all beings.
Let all methods of fuel, food and material production, all
expansions and developments, honor Nature's preservation
and enhancement.
5) SELF-LOVE IS THE ROOT OF HEALTH & HAPPINESS. The capacity
to truly love oneself is an essential ingredient of personal
fulfillment and must become an educational goal. As Grandmothers,
we insist upon only the ethics and policies of all social
institutions which can inspire the children to love themselves
as treasured creations of the Divine - in all their strengths
and unique gifts, as well as their areas of weakness and need
for growth. We understand that only full cups can overflow to
lead rewarding lives and to be of good service to society. Let
all local and global programs be dedicated to wisely educating
and supporting the teachers and parents of these precious beings.
6) COMPASSION IS A BASIC SKILL. In a world where technologies
of mass destruction permeate our societies, the ability to
"feel with" another is crucial now to our planetary survival.
Compassion frees us from the bondage of fear that keeps us
locked within conflict, struggle and warfare. Once the
intelligence of the heart is awakened, harming another is
unthinkable, for the sense of self surpasses the ego and
includes others in its circumference. Let there be education
that addresses the development of compassion, for we know that
only through acquiring this basic skill can our children enjoy
their existence in peace, dignity and grace.
7) PROBLEMS ARE CREATIVE CHALLENGES. We, the Grandmothers,
now stand against war and outmoded and destructive reactions
to the issues that arise between peoples. We insist upon leaders
trained in the skills of diplomacy, multicultural competence,
conflict resolution and creative thinking. Those who resort to
manipulation, force and unethical means to achieve ego-centric
ends must grow or be replaced by those who embody the capacities
for true leadership. There is enough brilliance in the minds of
the entire human populace to find solutions to all dilemmas.
Let it be tapped now.
AND WITH THIS DECLARATION we, the Grandmothers now circle the
planet with our Love and our Wisdom. We, the elder women, hold
a large percentage of the world's wealth and represent tremendous
voting power as well as savvy grass-roots leadership skills.
We now pledge to support only those leaders, institutions and
projects that respect and reflect our Manifesto. For the sake
of the children and the generations of them to come, we oppose
all tyranny, greed, hatred, division and violence.
I read this this morning and being a grandmother of 7, thought this was worth posting for our 'new generation'. Somehow, viewing the world in the beginning of my 7th decade, rings true of what I was feeling, as a young mother at 20. The wisdom of age, brings into view the total picture of humanity!
Blessings to all. . . Linda
