Grandmothers Circle the Earth
By Grandmother Susan Stanton
In September of 2009, a small group of committed men and women spent three days gathered around a
fire pit in the Mimbres of New Mexico. This sacred valley is deep in the heart of Apache land; it is the
birthplace of Geronimo. The people came together to begin a process that in just a few short months
has evolved halfway around the world.
Two Grandmothers, Gail Whitlow (Mohawk) and Susan Stanton (Haudenosaunee) responding to
instructions from Canoncito Dineh Grandfather Leon Secataro, had called the small group together to
share the Teachings they had been receiving for several years at an annual Gathering in the Canoncito
Ancestral lands near Mt. Taylor, one of four sacred mountains of the Navajo. These teachings were given
to the Five Fingered Ones to help prepare them for the Earth Changes that are coming, and to help them
enter the next 500 years in a good way.
At this first Grandmothers Gathering many sacred things took place. The people were taught by Abuelo
Miguel Angelo, a Mayan Grandfather who shared with them the concept of the Long Days Count. Men
and Women came together around the fire in Peace with an apology for years of pain and domination,
and everyone present shared a profound and mutual healing experience.
Grandfather Leon Secataro
Grandfather Gil Aguilero, a member of the Spiritual Elders of Mother Earth and friend of Leon
Secataro's, initiated a new Warrior in the Circle, Otter, Cherokee and a former Navy Seal who had come
to provide support and protection to the Grandmothers. And at this Gathering, the Mimbres Circle was
called, and the work of the 13 Grandmothers of Turtle Island Core Council began.
Just a few short weeks later Grandmother Ma'ata Tukuafu (Tongan from Waimea Hawaii) and
Grandmother Susan Stanton traveled together to Indiana and sat with Grandfather Warren Ramey,
Cherokee Elder and member of the Spiritual Elders of Mother Earth (with Grandfather's Aguilero and
Secataro). At that meeting Grandfather Warren charged them with the responsibility to take this sacred
work to the Islands of the Pacific.
Grandmother Ma'ata returned to the Big Island, called for the women of Hawai'i to join her, and in
February of 2010 the second Circle was born. The work of the 13 Grandmothers Pacifica Core Council
had begun.
In October of 2010, the Maui Gathering was organized by Robin Youngblood of Kihei, and met for 3 days
at the end of which the Maui Circle was born. Just as the Mimbres and Big Island Circles, it has its own
agenda, its own protocol, its own members, and its own dynamic. As with the others, it was created to
meet and find solutions to the needs of the Community which were identified during the 3 days of
Gathering.
With the momentum building, the Grandmothers left Maui and traveled on to New Zealand where they
met in Auckland on North Island and birthed the Aotearoa Circle. From there they traveled down to
South Island and birthed the Circle at Golden Bay.
There were Circles growing everywhere now. Soon the Big Island called for their second Grandmothers
Gathering, and there were new Circles being seeded in North America ~ Canada and the United States.
Then we organized our first trip to Europe. We held Retreats and formed new Circles in Hungary,
Amsterdam, Denmark and Poland. In many cases new Circles were birthed from the Originals and the
energy was building! We were amazed at the beautiful, self-sustaining magic of Grandmothers Circling
the Earth! We realized that we were witnessing the very essence of Creation.
The Power of the Grandmothers Circles to Change the World
The Circle is the primary symbol of Life. The Circle is Eternal – it has no beginning and no end. The
natural law of the Circle is like a pebble thrown in a pond. Rippling outward, the Circle creates its own
dynamic and evolves through its relationship with other Circles. The Circle breathes with the concept of
interconnectedness and the Natural Laws to create Oneness. In the Circle all are equal; every voice is
heard, every life is filled with meaning and value, everyone is included.
When you consider the lesson of the pebble and the pond, it would seem that the further outward a
Circle expands, there will come a time when it no longer exists....but this is not so....it moves outward
and blends into an ever- widening circle of Influence. The Center holds, and in truth, returns back onto
itself again, and again, and again. This is the nature of Eternity - it is the Natural Law.
So what of the Grandmothers? Grandmothers in the past have held an important place in the
Community. In modern society however they have in most cases slipped into the background; assisting
with babysitting and holding jobs long past “retirement age” to contribute financially to their children’s
families until they move into nursing homes or assisted living centers. Why then are women around the
world responding to the call of the Grandmothers?
There is a longing in today’s world to find the Wisdom Keepers of our Time. There is a spiritual void that
is becoming increasingly evident as we witness the irresponsible disregard for the environment, the
animals, and the children and elderly. Wars are increasingly breaking out in places we would not have
imagined, between nations and factions that are destroying the innocent and creating fear and
hopelessness. The Grandmothers realize that we are on a collision course, and we have accepted
personal responsibility - one older woman at a time - to step forward now and take a stand. It is for this
that we have been born. We do it for the Grandchildren; our seventh generation and beyond. And we
have chosen the Circle as our laboratory, our schoolroom, and our venue for Change.
How it Works
Chris McBeth Called in the Otaki Circle
When we receive an invitation to create a new Circle in a new location, there are usually just one or two
women at first with a dream to become a catalyst for change. The task may seem intimidating, with
little or no money to start with. So we begin by sharing with them that we have designed a perfect plan
that can be implemented by a small group of like minded women, and as Margaret Meade said with
regard to that small group changing the world “indeed, that is the only thing that ever has!”
Grandmothers Circle the Earth Foundation has developed the perfect model for creating a Circle that
will soon be assisting new Circles to birth and evolve. We are there to help with the organization by
offering suggestions, answering questions, assisting with funds for travel and program development,
and helping to find seed money to design and implement new projects that will benefit the Community
in ways that the women of the Circles have identified together.
All development begins at the Center of the Circle with local efforts, and then moves outward. As the
Circles become self-sustaining, they in turn will help each other. We help the core group begin the
process by holding a Grandmothers Retreat, Lecture, and/or Gathering that will bring people with the
same desires together to work together as they respond to the promptings of Spirit!
Grandmothers from the Core Councils (currently there are four: Turtle Island, Europa, Rainbow and
Pacifica) provide Spiritual, Professional and Ceremonial support to the Circles from each of the
Indigenous Grandmothers who sit on them. These Indigenous Grandmothers have combined their
professional and life experiences to make them a powerful and creative resource. The protocol of the
Turtle Island and Pacifica Councils requires that the Grandmothers be Native by blood, a Ceremony
Keeper, and a Spiritual Leader in her Community. The Circles do not have this requirement and are open
to anyone who has a desire to learn and support. The Councils also send out Grandmothers to assist
with opening the way for the new Circles to be born. The Grandmothers are midwives. Each Core
Council provides support and assistance to a total of 13 Circles.
The New Otaki Circle
In addition to the Mimbres, Maui and Big Island Circles, there are now four Circles in New Zealand
(North and South Island) with more on the way. Other Turtle Island Circles include New Mexico, Illinois,
and Missouri, Ontario, Manitoba Province and Maine. Development of new Circles is underway this
summer (2012) in Iowa, Massachusetts, Austria, Lithuania, Poland, South Africa, Scotland, London and
Denmark. Invitations have come in from Australia, and we're considering possible Gatherings in
Romania and Italy.
In 2011 we added Sacred Wanderings, which are Spiritual Journeys to sacred sites, including Hawaii,
New Zealand and Mexico. We also have created a Workshop Data Base and our website will soon
feature the Instructors and their topics so that we can help you design and implement powerful
workshops to meet the needs and interests of the women (and men, and children!) in your area.
If you would like to get involved just let us know! We’re ready to go! [email protected]