The Global Women's Village is more than a place, it's a container for authentic, collaborative, unobstructed, and loving energy. This environment fosters a condition where women's wisdom, passions, and skills can thrive. When women thrive, humanity thrives. This *Evolutionary Impulse is our catalyst into the unknown place that is calling us. It is our responsibility, our birthright, and our priviledge to *InPower ourselves and *RePower one another to remember and honor this with reverence.
*Evolutionary Impulse- Sheila Cash
*Repower- Lis Williams
*In-Power- Sande Hart
The Women's Water Ceremony in the Women's Village at the Parliament of The World's Religions in Chicago 2023
The Staff Has Been Passed To The Feminine
More Than A Prophecy
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Indigenous wisdom tells us the staff has been passed to the feminine.
Staffs, or spears are signs of authority, a declaration of our power. While it appears as a sharp-pointed instrument used to pierce, thrust, and cut, its presence will be a figurative symbol of our power to cut through that which no longer serves us, piercing the corrupt wound, and bringing healing rays that pass within. We stand tall in our agency and responsibility as the embodiment of the divine.
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The Spear directs itself to restore the healing light. When we replace the sharp razor's edge tip with a feather will we truly remember and experience our divinity.
Erin Beatty, creator of staffs
The Inspiration
In 2022, SARAH"s Sande Hart proposed that a small subcommittee of the Parliament of The World's Religions, the world's largest convening of the world's religious leaders, seekers, organizations, and institutions who come together with a plan. Upwards to 10,000 people come together at this conference every few years for a week-long conference somewhere in the world.
We knew we had a captured audience, so we set out with a vision that would address the power of women who convene in a space and spirit of divine feminine leadership., particularly in the middle of the world's religions, where patriarchy thrives.
Make Sure Your Volume is on! Don't miss Faith Rivera!
We met weekly for one year to alchemize an empty 1300 square foot space in the voluminous convention center in Chicago into a nutrient-rich container, reliant on each of those who stepped inside to create the whole.
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The weekly calls and our process were held in the most sacred manner, with circle principles of collaboration, cooperation, hospitality, and sacred listening. We adjusted course accordingly to what "wanted to happen" and knew we were in service to Her, the divine feminine.
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Our plan was put to the test when the week came and men and women gravitated into the Women's Village. Some referred to it as an oasis. Some said it made them feel safe. Some stayed for hours. Most contributed to our interactive projects. Our Sacred Space room (Red Tent) was packed in most every workshop or open-space where there was no programming. Many took solace in that space to sit in candlelight and reflect, meditate, dance, cry, laugh, hold one another's hand. During the Maiden Ceremony, and since the 35 High School girls whom we planned on attending had transportation issues, we discovered that none of the 30+ women there had ever been given such a ceremony, and so we were able to honor that right of passage to our young selves and were sprinkled in rose petals.
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The "experiment" of creating a space in a sacred manner resulted in something far more impactful than a physical space, but proof of what happens when people organize in a Global Women's Village condition.
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The Women’s Village is a unique space, a result of the natural progression of the trajectory of women’s presence at the Parliament. Growing notably since the first Women’s Assembly in 2015, this space has been carefully designed to support the way women create and converge. Enter the Global Women's Village to be activated and inspired to protect and to deepen our commitment to preserve human rights and dignity for all.
When it became clear that this manner of organizing is exactly how S.A.R.A.H. has been sustained for more than 2 decades, it became clear that She should be renamed The Global Women's Village of S.A.R.A.H.
Here's More
The Women’s Village
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The first of its kind at the Parliament of The World’s Religions
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The Parliament of The World's Religions is the world's largest convening, gathering upwards of 10,000 people from around 80 countries as interfaith leaders, educators, clergy, scientists, thought leaders, grassroots leadership, seekers, students, indigenous peoples, and community builders. Since 1893, the PoWR is recognized as a critical meeting of minds and hearts to the end of reconciliation, solutions to our world's problems, and interfaith healing and understanding. Each few years the PoWR is hosted in a different country. In August 14-18th, 2023, Chicago, Ill USA is our host.
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S.A.R.A.H. was a proud producer of this unprecedented event. It's only been in recent years that women's voices have the space and dignity we require. We are changing that dynamic and you can help us.
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Just as women hold our community, the Women’s Village was held by Women’s Woven Voices Tapestries and elements that invoke the spirit of the divine.
In the Village, you will be activated, supported, nurtured, and invited to contribute to activities and other spontaneous experiences.
All people contributed Sacred Items of Nature- Place the gifts of nature you have brought from your homeland and create the Earth Altar. Fallen feathers, stones, leaves, flowers, and other items that you consider sacred have a place on this altar.
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