*The Spirit of the Gathering:

The Indigenous Internarional Gathering is a space organized by the Native Peoples: The Guardians of the Mother Earth, as a visionary practice for the healing of Mother Earth, for Life and Peace. The Elders, Healers and Wisdom Keepers organize this event as a practice of our self-determination as Indigenous Peoples on our cultural and spiritual life.

Since the ancient times our people have contributed with their ceremonies, medicine and ancient wisdom for healing the disorders that take place in the body, in all our relations on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level. The Mother Earth is sending us many messages about the wrong way of life of the human being. Our grand fathers and grand mothers have kept the secrets and codes for the solution of the unbalance of nature and guidelines for facing contemporary problems like disasters, pollutions, wars, diseases, stress, depressions, fears, angers and sadness, and others.

We are decided to continue our efforts for the survival of our tradition and preserving the harmony on the planet. It’s time to listen the call to the return to walk and work together for the wellness, happiness and peace of the planet and humankind. So, We are calling to our Brothers and Sisters for the Four Directions in order to join together recovering the ancient wisdom for a New Humanity and returning to the cosmic order.

*Purposes and Intentions:

-To open a space for the Elders, Healers and Wisdom Keepers of the Indigenous Traditions for sharing the messages and visions of the on the Earth’s Changes.

-To promote the re-union of the Eagle and Condor Peoples from the North and South America for exchanging the ancestral teachings on cosmic healing, native therapy and traditional medicine.

-To continue working for developing a culture of health and peace with justice and dignity of our families, relatives, peoples and humanity.

-To transmit to our generations (women, men, children, youth, adults and elders) the spirit of love, honor and respect to the Mother Earth, our Ancestral Lands and Traditions.

-To contribute with our prayers, ceremonies, therapies, healing work, sacred arts and ancient wisdom for the solution of global problems and bringing wellness, happiness and more peace on the planet. like disasters, pollution, wars, diseases, stress, depressions, fears, angers and sadness, others.

-To preserve the use of the ceremonial centers, pyramids and nature as sacred sites and source of indigenous wisdom, harmonization and healing.

*Who are invited?

-    The Elders, Healers, Wisdom Keepers of the Indigenous Peoples.

-    The Guardians of Mother Earth, Peace Makers, Spiritual Circles, Therapists, Healers, Holistic Groups, Alternative Networks and Families with honor and respect of the Native Traditions and Ancient Teachings.

-    All People interested on the awakening of the Indigenous Wisdom and Medicine, for the Healthy Humanity and the Harmony of the Planet.

It means…You and your Community are Welcome.

WORLD GATHERING  OF THE 8,000 SACRED DRUMS FOR THE EARTH AND FOR PEACE

PILGRIMAGE IN THE OTOMI OLMEC TOLTEC TEOTIHUACAN LAND

OTOMI  LAND, 15-23 MARCH 2008

PROGRAMME

0n March 15-23, 2008

Every day, the teachings will be accompanied by ceremonies and rituals, enabling you to reconnect to ancestral energy and equilibrate your vibratory frequency, with Healing art’s methods and techniques as

–         The wheel of medicine

–         Meditations and breathing

–         Otomi Olmec yoga

–         Vision quest

–         Medicine lodge

–         Otomi massage

–         Energy, crystals and colours

–         Symbols and sacred codes

–         Voice and healing sounds

–         Otomi language and prayers

March 14, 2008 Arrival in Mexico City

INDIGENOUS INTERNATIONAL GATHERING

FOR THE HEALING OF MOTHER EARTH

OTOMÍ CEREMONIAL CENTER – TEMOAYA, MEXICO

PILGRIMAGE TO THE OLMEC TOLTEC TEOTIHUACAN  LAND.

March 15-31, 2008

I.   ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE

A.  Native Nations or Indigenous Peoples. The following may take part on March 21th:

1.         Elders (men and women), Chiefs and Spiritual Guides, Keepers of Tradition of Native Nations or Indigenous Peoples.

2.            Guardians and Indigenous Keepers of the Sacred Drum.

3.            Traditional Indigenous Authorities, Representatives and Leaders.

4.            Women, men, families, communities and regions of Native Nations or Indigenous Peoples.

B.  Different World Traditions:

1.     Men and women from the different traditions of the world may participate.

2.  Families, communities, groups, associations or collectives from other traditions anywhere in the world may participate.

II.        REGISTRATION OF PARTICIPANTS

1.         All Indigenous Participants in In-Congress must request registration in advance, fill out the General Participant Registration Form, pay their registration donation/offering, and pick up credentials and obtain confirmation from the Organizing Commission.

2.        Participants In-Gathering from Different Traditions around the World must request registration in advance, fill out the General Participant Registration Form, pay their registration donation/offering, pick up credentials and obtain confirmation from the Organizing Commission.

3. All indigenous participants and participants from different traditions wishing to participate with their sacred drum must register with the Organizing Commission in advance.

III.         LODGING

 1.        All those from different traditions and indigenous participants are requested to register and have their participation confirmed as soon as possible (no later than February 1, 2008) in order to receive lodging information.

2.         All those from different traditions and indigenous participants, In-Gathering have the following lodging options:

(a)       Staying in hotels in Toluca and Temoaya near the Otomí Ceremonial Center. If you elect to do so, please let us know so that we can give you further information.

(b)   Camping near the Otomí Ceremonial Center. Campers must request permission in advance by filling out a registration form, paying their donation/contribution, and obtaining confirmation. Bring sleeping bags, warm clothes, blankets, and everything necessary to camp. We would also appreciate it if camping participants would tell us whether they have a tent and could bring it.

IV.       MEALS

1.        Meals will be available, for persons from different traditions and indigenous participants in the Meeting of Elders, Indigenous Spiritual Leaders and Guardians of the Sacred Drum if they register in advance, fill out the registration form, pay their donation/contribution, and obtain confirmation of their participation.

2.            Everyone attending and all groups participating in the event, Meeting are requested to make meal reservations no later than February 1 to ensure that we can serve you.

 V.       TRANSPORTATION

1.        All families and groups participating in the Meeting of Elders, Spiritual Leaders and Guardians of the Sacred Drum that need further information on transportation or who need group transportation are requested to let us know as soon as possible and no later than february 1, 2008. Each participating person and group pays for their own air and surface transportation.

2.      To reach the Otomí Ceremonial Center, you can use public or private surface transportation as follows:

(a)        From the Mexico City Airport:

*If you are arriving by air from abroad or other parts of Mexico, take one of the buses at the Mexico City Airport that leave hourly for Toluca in the State of México, and then take a taxi from Toluca to the Otomí Ceremonial Center in Temoaya, Sate of México (32 km). Or if you prefer, take a taxi to the bus station in Toluca, where buses leave Bay 5 for Temoaya, and then transfer to another bus or take a taxi to the Otomí Ceremonial Center.

*If you are a large group arriving at the airport, you can charter a special bus to the Otomí Ceremonial Center in Temoaya, State of México, and if you do so, please let us know as soon as possible.

(b)        From Mexico City:

*From the Toreo de Cuatro Caminos Subway Station on Line 2 (Blue Line) in Mexico City, you can catch a bus for Temoaya at Bay D at the bus stop at the subway station. Get off at the Circle in Temoaya and take a bus or taxi to the Otomí Ceremonial Center.

*From the Observatorio Subway Station in Mexico City (the last station on Line 1 – the Pink Line), go to the Central de Autobuses Poniente Bus Station. Take a bus to the Bus Terminal in Toluca. Take a bus there at Bay 5 to Temoaya, and get off at Temoaya Circle. Then take a bus or taxi from there to the Otomí Ceremonial Center.

*You can also get here by bus from Morelos: Guerrero, Michoacán, Querétaro, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, Tijuana, Reynosa, Ciudad Juárez, Nogales, Matamoros, Monterrey. Go to the Toluca Bus Terminal, and from there to Temoaya and the Otomí Ceremonial Center.

*If you are driving or taking a private bus, you can take the following routes to the Otomí Ceremonial Center:

From Mexico City: Naucalpan, Chimalpa, Xonacatlan, Villa Cuauhtémoc, Temoaya, Otomí Ceremonial Center.

From Mexico City: Observatorio, Marquesa, Toluca, San Cristóbal, Huichochitlan, San Andrés Cuexcontitlan, Temoaya, Otomí Ceremonial Center.

From Cuernavaca: Lagunas de Zempoala, Santiago Tianguistento, Toluca, San Cristóbal Huichochitlan, San Andrés Cuexcontitlan, Temoaya, Otomí Ceremonial Center.

From Zitacuaro: Toluca, San Cristóbal Huichochitlan, San Andrés Cuexcontitlan, Temoaya, Otomí Ceremonial Center.

From Morelia: Atlacomulco, Toluca, San Cristóbal Huichochitlan, San Andrés Cuexcontitlan, Temoaya, Otomí Ceremonial Center.

From Guadalajara: Querétaro, San Juan del Río, Aculco, Atlacomulco, Toluca,  San Cristóbal Huichochitlan, San Andrés Cuexcontitlan, Temoaya, Otomí Ceremonial Center.

From Ixmiquilpan: Tula, Jilotepec, Timilpan, Ixtlahuaca, Jiquipilco, Temoaya, Otomí Ceremonial Center.

VI. WARNING: For your protection, convenience and safety as participants, please note that access to the Otomí Ceremonial Center will be denied to anyone who is undesirable or disrespectful. Visitors are also asked to respect natural areas and facilities at the sacred site. You are hereby warned that the use and consumption of drugs and alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited. All brothers and sisters are asked to conduct themselves with respect, peace, harmony and brotherhood at all times.

VII. MISCELLANEOUS: Any matters not addressed in this invitation will be decided by the Organizing Commission.