Thanks, Beth!  My first impression of this was 'Wow!' and I wanted to check out the 'support' system for the technical ends of this because bringing these things to people with innovative technology sometimes is overwhelming because many of the users don't know how to use the technology. (Addition/revision on 2/11 -- the event started last evening and I could not have been more impressed by The Shift Network, which was doing all the IT 'hosting' and moderating.  The sincerity of the course showed at the very end the most when the wonderful elder Grandmother from Alaska heard him come back in at the end and she said 'hi, who are you?', as she knew the others on the call as the group of women/elders has been getting together around the world and will continue to, so they travel to every one of their 13 countries.  And by country, it means 'land where I live' in my estimation.  So no worries after the start about how this is handled! )

I'm finding that with 'podcasts' being NEW on Lumigrate in the last few months, many of our user/participants don't know they don't need a special gadget to hear them, they can just go to the Forum on podcasts and listen from their computers. We eliminated the $20 charge on videos last week and some people are not sure they know how to download a video. Or they do the checkout and order process (which is just like ordering anything else online in process), then the website emails the files to them and the less technically experiences don't know to click on the links and THAT is what gives them the video and PowerPoint slides.  So I can only imagine what the company doing the technology end of this amazing sounding course is struggling with, as I imagine many older women who are not typically as IT savvy, like me, are wanting to take it.  At least I hope that is the case!  

Within the past few months I've been in the process of, for the first time, evaluating a content provider's present treatment practices which have changed the public's perception of them since we were 'in line on Lumigrate' and removed the posts they contributed in the past before this big change in philosophy and practice.  The first time I chose to remove something was a small piece, also by an MD from California.

So right now I'm aware that perhaps I'm being very vigilant and treating the Grandmothers with the scrutiny deserving of the medical doctors of the United States who have long been a frustration and disappointment to me.  I cannot express in words how disappointed I am in the MDs who have been part of Lumigrate and then don't abide by what they 'put out there' as their treatment philosphy, goals and intentions. I remember three years ago when I had the idea for Lumigrate going into action and it's the exact 'void' that I intend to fill with Lumigrate continuing to be there, is all.  I search for wisdom and insight about that and what to do related to Lumigrate and hope the answers for me and many others come in this course! 

My apologies to Beth and the other wiser women of the world, including the Grandmothers, for the scrutiny.  They, like I or anyone trying to 'get the word out in 2011' have to find and hire competent providers of the technology services to do this.  THAT is what I am trying to ascertain for people as I work to promote this class' existance for the followers of Lumigrate to opt to take part in or not.  

I want to let people know of the homework I did on this after Beth asked me about posting it, as I do feel a responsibility to screen.  Naturally, Beth's validity and level of professional awareness is a BIG filter to start with, so I wanted to just check the # for  'support' in the technology end of this and it's a very professional sounding system.  I didn't get a call back to my voicemail though, so then submitted through the email option and immediately got an autoreply which was satisfactory from my standpoint and included what I suspected; they are busy with high volume and are using the technology to answer the frequently asked questions.

I also asked one of my 'wise guides' behind the scenes at Lumigrate, and she said she's seen information about this posted in other places she's been a part of for a long time. So for ME, it checks out as something I'm satisfied enough with to sign up and hope I don't have my usual difficulties (I have several visual / brain learning difficulties/'disabilities' which present challenges/entertainment).   

You'll see that there's a discount for if a handful of people sign up, so think about pooling with others who are part of Lumigrate.  I  know of two or three of us already.  You may Comment here publicly to show interest in that or go to the Contact Us, above and that will come to me.)

I look forward to getting some insight to my questions I referred to above related to the changes that are rapidly occurring, particularly related to this instability I'm seeing the 'higher up the food chain' in medical a person is (typically), among many other things.  And then what to do about it! 

~~ Mardy

 Lately i come across of the 13 wise women,,amazing..I wish I would have the time to do this:)...kohav

Something quite beautiful is happening with the Wisdom of the Grandmothers course that is beginning tomorrow: In just 8 days, already 400 people from around the world have said "yes" to entering into this unprecedented virtual ceremonial circle with the International Council of the 13 Indigenous Grandmothers. 

I have been reflecting on this extraordinary response. To me, it means that large numbers of us are recognizing that a profound healing is now required and that we are called to be part of it.  Even in "new paradigm" circles, the voice of indigenous peoples is often not represented and especially the voice of our feminine elders. This Council represents three groups that have largely been silenced or sidelined in the last era of history: indigenous people, women, and elders.

And the truth is that each of these groups hold essential keys to the Shift in consciousness for all of us to birth a new era (and more sacred lives). That's why there is something so special about this Council as a catalyst for healing. Participating in a ritual circle with them, hearing their wisdom, and receiving the blessing from their prayer lineages helps us to heal the rift between modern and traditional cultures, masculine and feminine energies, as well as elders and youth. The Grandmothers offer areweaving of the human family and a coming back into wholeness- something that happens on a more profound level than studying new ideas or learning new practices. 

In Hopi prophecy, it is said that in this time of planetary healing, the four major peoples will come back into balance: the indigenous peoples are seen as the stewards of the earth element, the black peoples of water, the yellow peoples of air, and the white of fire.  If you reflect on it, you can see how each cultural grouping has demonstrated mastery with one element, but we need all of them to be truly balanced and whole.  

The Indigenous Grandmothers have become emissaries for Mother Earth, helping us all to reconnect with the sacredness of our world and the life upon it.  They have spent more than 1,000 years collectively learning the wisdom of their peoples and are offering their service now for healing.

Are you called to join with the Grandmothers?  If so, I invite you to join us for this journey.  

We don't know exactly what they will teach as they stay open to the guidance of Spirit moment to moment. It may not be as linear as other courses you've taken in the past. It may not even all register in your conscious mind.  But what I know is that something profound can open and heal by entering into this most ancient of traditions only now in a virtual form - a circle of heartful listening to our elders.

I'm fortunate to have met Kohava 'in the real world' -- she lead us in 'her thing' of YogaDance as the guest CHI member presenter at a Collective Health Initiatives meeting before the 'business' part of the meeting, which I went out of my way to attend because it was about how an organization becomes non-profit, something I've looked at having as an adjunct to Lumigrate or future component for my professional life.  CHI is a growing and changing group of progressive providers related to health care which started meeting formally in Grand Junction through the support of the Business Incubator and the director, Chris Reddin.  I was like 'Wow, this is SOME group!' 

I thought what Kohava 'does' is beneficial to health and tackled her after the 'business' part of the meeting was over.  You'll see there is something in the Movement Therapies forum by her.  That took a little team of people helping her to verbalize in English what she wanted to say, write it down, type it up, revise it.  Her persistence and tenacity with something so difficult for her was inspiring to me and earned my highest respect.  I'm pleased to say we've become friendly colleagues in the past year, and while she isn't my elder in age, she is in wisdom.  I believe this is partly due to her religious and spiritual foundation and worldliness of being from Israel, through France to Canada to the US most recently. 

I believe she said English was the fifth language she learned.  I've watched her take notes at the table when talking about health business ideas we collaborate on, and she starts out in her native script and going from right to left, then will switch to writing in English.  She has so much to contribute, and language/ keyboarding in English is difficult for her.  She's totally fluent with speaking.  I know how tight her schedule is now, so it is a true blessing that she stopped by and blocked and copied in something she'd read about this to contribute to Lumigrate. Wise women are among us here, you see! 

Thank you, Kohava.  Namaste. Aloha.  ....  (I'll have to ask you a word in your native language too, or I bet Yenta's going to say she's taught one here already and I can't remember what those all are.  Ah, the word for a good deed -- I'll have to go look that one up in Yenta's Forum) ~~ Mardy

I'm very pleased with the course, after having spent two full hours last night engaged in listening, thinking, feeling and speaking to others in the breakouts that their technology allows for at The Shift Network.  The Stephen Dinan is the husband lead and his wife joined in on the task of facilitating the humans and calls and webcasting and integrating it to make it congruent with their goals and intentions with this course, to have a virtual circle. 

They lead with a prayer, similar to the way the Tucson memorial service began in January 2011, which a commentator on Fox News said was 'the only thing kinda strange about it'. They had us spend three minutes and broke the hundreds of callers into groups of three and we introduced ourselves and where we are from -- this made the 'reality connection' I believe, to that there really ARE people on this call.  They said almost 650 had signed up from 25 countries (I need to check on that, it might have been 225 but that doesn't seem like I heard it right); three from Lumigrate, so I'm very proud of that to have a % that high having come from Lumigrate and with only a few day's notice to us.  They only released the information about the course 10 days beforehand.  I would imagine people can sign up still -- you'll be able to listen to the one you missed last night when they have it edited and posted today, the transcript will be done in about a week.  And all the sessions will remain up at The Shift Network 'for months'. 

I enjoyed my breakout group at the end, there was a 57 year old woman from Colorado Springs, where I moved from 7 years ago.  Another 50 year old medical-realm worker from South Dakota with a chronic health condition recently having come about in her life who likely can be helped by Lumigrate's information, and our elder in the group was in her her early 60s and in British Columbia, Canada.  It felt to me in that group that there was a market difference that came when you went in the years above 50, so that made me hopeful.  We were to say what we felt was going on in this timeframe of 2011/12, something which I ask everyone I know these days.  So it was interesting to get people's perspectives.  

I look forward to participating on their private website as well and am going to go get that going right now, so I'll let you know how that goes.  I did want to post something in relatively short order today so IF you were considering doing this courese and had some apprehensions, you might reconsider joining and learning in this most interesting format and from this outstanding group.  They covered the history of how this group came to be and it's really an amazing story and if it HADN'T unfolded as it did in the past decade, I'd be more surprised than that it did!  Essentially, elder wise women from tribes around the world were having the same visions when in meditation/prayer and very similar letters were being written and they simply came forward to the group.  Just as the book you'll need to read, the website you'll need to know about, the provider who is timely to help you will present itself if you are receptive to the information, I'd say.  

I'm glad I learned as today I am living better!  The word the Grandmother Rita Blumenstein taught us at the close last night was Ah-kita, which means 'Thank You'.  She was a joy and in the end when the moderator came back in she said in her accent of mixed indigenous Alaskan and Russian 'hi, and who are you?' and got a nice chuckle and explanation from Stephen.  His company did a wonderful job with this production.  So to all who worked so hard on this, Ah-kita (I'll find out the spelling on that possibly, but I know akita is polar bear as we had a drilling company from Canada here for a while by that name/logo)  ~~ Mardy

I hope that people who are taking this course will want to contribute about the course and it's going to be best to have a new Topic here for each week.  You can click on the 'spirituality' link above this Topic with the other links OR if you want to start with the one I posted after the FIRST session (Prophecies Revealed, Mission of the Council from February 10's session), here's the link to follow!  Hope you join us at least in reading and thinking/feeling, learning and growing ~~ Mardy

www.lumigrate.com/forum/13-indigenous-grandmothers-week-1-prophecies-revealed-mission-council-feb-10th