Newsletter

2008
Autumn
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It’s a jungle out there . . . but not for long
90% of the Earth’s remaining rainforest
is predicted to disappear by the year 2020
This environment is a naturalist’s
dream, with over 600 species of
birds, 1200 species of butterflies,
90 species of mammals and 120
species of reptiles and amphibians.
Photo ©Ra’id Kahlil
With your help we can immediately
reduce that number by over 15,000 acres
Through our relationship
with Robin Van Loon in Puerto
Maldonado, serendipitous
events have converged in
the opportunity to purchase
15,224 acres of endangered
rainforest on the Rio Las
Piedras in the Peruvian
Amazon. This offer is available to THOTH until the end
of October. After that, the
owners will potentially have to
sell to buyers uncommitted to
maintaining an ecologically
mindful approach to conservation, eco-tourism and the
These beautiful Macaws can
preservation
of indigenous cultures.
crack a Brazil nut with their
Add
in
the
trans-oceanic
highway
powerful beaks. These and
hundreds of other species
cutting through this area and you
of birds are threatened by
can count on its destined demise. The
rapidly diminishing habitat.
cost to transform the situation from
Photo ©Finn Brandt
destruction to preservation: $105,000.
A very reasonable price to pay considering the Amazon
rainforest generates over 20% of the oxygen we breathe.
After a visit to the land Robin reports, “I saw a greater diversity
and density of animals here than I’ve ever seen along the Tambopata River. Going out into the jungle, spider monkey sightings
are almost a given, even within 100 meters of the lodge. Howler
monkeys wake you up out of bed in the morning with their eerie
alien chant. We saw tocón monkeys feeding on fruits at the edge
of the lodge’s clearing. We saw jaguar tracks, wild pigs clicked
their jaws nearby, and macaws and parrots were a common sight
flying overhead in pairs at sunset.” You can feel yourself there
looking through Robin’s eyes. Yet, do you realize 137 species
of rainforest plants and animals go extinct every day?
All is not lost. You, our members and donors, continually
demonstrate your commitment to the restoration of our
planet through your support
of our earth stewardship
programs. We thank you
from the depths of our heart
for your generosity. So it is imperative,
in humble service, that we make this urgent appeal for your
assistance to purchase and protect the rare biodiversity of the
Rio Las Piedras environment. Your much needed contribution
to Pachamama’s protection is greatly appreciated. We can
co-create a destiny of hope with your support.
It is highly unlikely that another opportunity of this scope and
at a cost that is within our grasp will be found. As founder Oscar
Miro-Quesada frequently says, “Now is the time and the time is
now.” Let us join together in this great undertaking and bring
into being our vision and our destiny:
Preserving Indigenous Cultures;
Restoring our Earth!
For additional information
call Cindy at 877-314-3778.
Rainforest Sanctuary Initiative
donations can be made online at
www.heartofthehealer.org
or mailed to P.O. Box 1458
Old Chelsea Station
New York, NY 10113.
A 20 bed eco-lodge is located on the 15,224 acres
along Rio Las Peidras. To see additional photos visit
http://tambopataexpeditions.com Photo ©Robin Van Loon
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THANK YOU-IN-ACTION
Our heartfelt Gratitude
goes out to you
Nancy Allen
Patricia de Varennes
Carol Allin
Allison Dodgen
Seamus & Julia
O’Ceallaigh
Doris & Eric Anderson
Deborah H.
Dombronsh
Kathleen C. Parry
Dorothy Putnam
Karen Eckert
Georgia Putnam
Reina C. Enloe
Heidi Rausch
Elizabeth Fisher
Lois Remeikis
Debbie & Mark
Gavulic
Radavie Riom
Linda Gilreath
Helen Roop
Marz & Tom Attar
Samuel W. Austin
Daniele Baxley
Karrie O’Reilly Baxley
Therese Becker
Nancy Beha
Katherine Bell
The Pickle Jar Tennis Invitational
THOTH member serves
up a creative approach
to fundraising
Let the games begin in YOuR community!
Joyce Bernstein
Bryan & Denise
Bigelow
Jason Blaesing
Karen J. Blaesing
Scott & Kathleen
Blanc
Claire M. Blanchard
Mary Glesige
Linda Grady
David Hansen
Robin Blaire Harman
Kendle & Mike
Hassinger
Toby Herzlich
Dorothy L. Hilfiker
It all started one night around the campfire - a few
friends unwinding after a busy day. The topic of tennis
came up though none of us currently played much.
The next thing we knew the boasting began...this
person got an A in his high school tennis class, that
person was on the tennis team for years, the other was
laying claim to her all around athleticism. Suddenly,
the poster board and marker were out and matches
being determined for the next day.
Somebody looked over to the
remains of our BBQ and there it
stood - an empty pickle jar - the
The Heart of the Healer
Foundation (THOTH) is
perfect trophy for this ima non-profit 501(c)(3)
promptu tennis tournament.
charitable and educational
And so the Pickle Jar Tennis
organization established to
Invitational was born.
Christopher D. Blount
Judith Hoaglund
Barbara
Bohls-Graham
Ronald A. Holton
Yvonne Howard
Cheryl Boiko
Pamela Hunter
Susan Bookman
Brenda Jacks
Lynn Bosworth
Pat Kay
Beverly Byrum
Beth Kepple
Donald Cantasano
Grace Kim Knuth
Nicholas Carne
Stanley Krippner
Garry Caudill
Gary Langston
Pat Christensen
Amy Lannoccari
Gloria & Henry Chu
Lisa H. Lerner
Ronald Cirami
Sarah Lopez
Jeff Cobb
Gabrielle Lucci
Barbara Cole
Nancy L. Madar
Deborah Ann Cornell
Lisa McLeod
Susan Craw
Kathleen Michel
This past spring was the third
year of our tournament. Around
that time, I had been looking for
ways I could do more for organizations that are important to me. I thought, why not
make our tournament a charity event? I let the
participants know that this year there was going to be
a suggested entry fee to join the tournament and the
proceeds would go to THOTH. I sent along a link to the
THOTH website and needless to say, everyone was
happy to contribute. A good time was had by all!
– Cheryl Boiko
Sharon Criss
Anita A. Miller
Dorothy Cunha
Oscar & Cindy
Miro-Quesada
preserve indigenous cultures
and restore our Earth.
Above: Friendly competitors net donations for ThOTh.
Photo ©Cheryl Boiko
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Audrey L. Bennett
Paula Givan
Anne Cushwa
Sonya B. Cutson
Diane Davis Reed
Michele Davison
Nan Day
Thomas Mock
Joana Morris
Kaylie Muriello
Rebecca Myers
Sallie Robinson Ward
Peter Rose
Johanna Rucker
Yana E. Salomon
Sandra Salsburg
Nicholas Schatzki
Jennifer Schofield
Jo Anne Sellers
Steffi Shapiro
Janice Shea
Trent Snyder
Lowell Sodeman
Dale Stacy
Jeanne Stacy
Christine Staub
Jay Sternberg
Michelle Stone
Patricia Stripling
Nancy Suter
Janis Swann
Joyce E. Thiede
Kristina D. Thompson
Gail Tola
John Torcellini
Laurie & Eric
Van Loon
Susan Wiener
Patricia Worth
Sally A. Yates
Michael Young
Just Give
Kawasaki Motors
Corporation
Christopher Delovage
Harmon Nelson
Noesis Capital
Management
Nicholette
Demeulemeester
Shawn Nelson
Oak Foundation
Liz Newman
Peter Detweiler
Raymond Nobriga
We would like to send a resounding
ThAnk YOU to the above individuals.*
Your financial contributions make everything
possible. You are remarkable people
whom we are proud to serve.
* Donations & annual memberships received from Jan 1, 2008 - June 31, 2008.
THOTH PROGRAMS
Shipibo mothers seek self-sufficiency
New 12-month plan will ultimately eliminate
the need for THOTH support
In the final year of this program, THOTH’s role will expand beyond providing nutritional
support to strengthening cultural identity and promoting self-sufficiency. Working with
a self-selected group of 17 mothers, the new program guidelines include the following:
1. Mothers will be accountable for meal planning, cooking one meal on school days
for 44 children, cleaning the kitchen and dining room and purchasing cooking fuel.
2. The childrens’ meals will begin to include more food products from
the jungle, such as fish and plantains.
3. Mothers will prepare authentic Shipibo meals
for the community to generate income.
4. The children will be provided with traditional arts
and crafts programs to revitalize their cultural identity.
5. Partnerships will be formed with local teachers who
volunteer their time to tutor the children.
6. The children will eat and study together as a family
in a common room.
Top: participating Shipibo
mother Ambar. Above:
Group President Soraida
with Treasurer Brigida to the
right. Shipibo photos by Julio
Nieves, program liaison to
THOTH in Lima, Peru. Julio
works closely with the
mothers and THOTH board
member Georgia Putnam in
assessing both the success
and needs of the program.
“In all honesty, the
humbly prepared
lunch of lentils, rice
and chicken looked
and smelled to be
some of the best,
well-balanced,
lovingly prepared
food I encountered
in Lima.”
–THOTH member Paula
Given after a recent visit to
the Shipibo community.
THOTH began supporting the Shipibo community in
December 2005. Since then, through your generous support,
we have provided more than 40,500 meals to over 100 Shipibo
children living in the Lima shantytown of Cantagallo.
With just one more year to go, the Shipibo mothers need your help now
more than ever. $60 will feed a child for a year and an extra $15 will provide
traditional arts and crafts materials. On behalf of The Heart of the Healer
Foundation and the Shipibo families – thank you for your contribution!
Donations can be made online at www.heartofthehealer.org
or mailed to PO Box 1458, Old Chelsea Station, NY, NY 10113
Hiinon’eininoo, Nuhu’ Nenee” Neteenetiit
I am Arapaho, this is my Language
One day at a time . . .
Rainforest Sanctuary Initiative
Inventory existing La Torre land for fruits, nuts
and medicinal plants that can be sustainably
harvested and provide right livelihood to local
community members.
Community Relationships
La Torre Health Post is dismal and in critical
need of repair. Funds are needed urgently for
the construction of a new medical post.
SIPAPu
Schematic design for a residential center
of convergence has been developed and will
be included in a Request for Proposal for
architectural services.
As the older generation died off,
so did the language!
Your contributions helped
prevent this tragedy
In alignment with THOTH’s commitment to preserving
indigenous cultures, funding was provided to the University
of Wyoming for the completion of a six DVD set that
revitalizes the living language of the Arapaho Nation.
“The language DVDs will be usable in every learning
institution that serves Northern Arapaho students, both on
and off of the Wind River Reservation,” says Wayne C’Hair,
a tribal elder and instructor of Northern Arapaho language
at UW. “I feel that this project is very important to our tribal
members, and we plan to distribute the DVDs to households
to assist us with our home revitalization efforts.”
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Live by the
Original
Instructions
given to our
First Nations
people
The Pachakuti Mesa Tradition:
Shamanic Arts for Personal and
Planetary Transformation
A two year, five part weekend intensive apprenticeship program
beginning spring 2009 in the United States and Europe. A unique
mentorship opportunity with stellar teachers endorsed by The Heart
of the Healer Foundation and personally trained by don Oscar.
“We are all endangered and it
is the power of the (Pachakuti)
mesa that will restore the strength
to Pachamama and will provide
blessings for those who participate in this great tradition.”
This program has been carefully crafted to offer people from all
walks of life a heartfelt initiation into the healing power and Earth
honoring ceremonial artistry of the Pachakuti Mesa lineage
as originated by don Oscar Miro-Quesada.
Stanley Krippner, PhD
Psychology Chair,
Saybrook Graduate School
Since its first unveiling the summer of 1986 in North
America, the practice of Pachakuti Mesa cross-cultural
shamanism has continued to organically refine itself
the world over as a deeply meaningful path
of healing service. Inspired by the living soul
sustaining the various traditions of Peruvian
curanderismo since time immemorial, the
Pachakuti Mesa lineage maintains its contemporary
relevance as an ethnospiritual tradition dedicated to
compassionate personal and planetary transformation.
“. . . (Oscar) has taken what
he has learned in his 12 year
apprenticeship to a curandero
(in northern Peru) and has
created a system that utilizes
the mesa at its core, but that
emphasizes the flexibility, the
cultural context, and the
creative potential of each
apprentice. . . and for many
years has been teaching
followers how to come into
intimate contact with the
sacred through the use of this
mesa in a way that transforms
not only their lives, but also
the planet.”
Focused on empowering visionary cultural evolution,
it is embracing of life’s diversity, adaptive to historical
circumstance, and integrative of world wisdom. In essence, this newly
designed apprenticeship program in Pachakuti Mesa shamanism
provides all participants with a re-Membering through their common
destiny as luminous strands within the great web of life.
APPRENTICESHIP SEquENCE
Bonnie Glass-Coffin, PhD
Anthropology Chair,
Utah State University
Preserving Indigenous Cultures
Restoring Our Earth
WEEkENd I
The Call to Heal (Releasing the Past)
WEEkENd II
A Balance of Power (Transforming the Present)
WEEkENd III
The Condor’s quest (Creating the Future)
WEEkENd IV
The Hummingbird’s Rise (Living the Mystery)
WEEkENd V
Our Shamanic Self (Serving the Earth)
For additional information please contact
[email protected]
www.heartofthehealer.org
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PO Box 1458 Old Chelsea Station New York NY USA 10113-1458 Ph (877)314-3778 Fax (248)715-6716
INTERNATIONAl NEwS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OSCAR MIRO-QUESADA
It’s official...
Announcing the formation of
Asociación El Corazón del Curandero, Perú
A Mirror of THOTH uS will reflect our service work in Peru
As a majority of our programs focus in the Amazon at this time, it became clear that
we needed a vehicle to carry out our work successfully in Peru. Actions such as leasing
land concessions cannot be carried out by a foreign organization. Yet this is one of the
best ways to put large tracts of endangered rainforest into conservation! Asociación
El Corazón del Curandero, Perú, a mirror image of THOTH US, will allow us to
manifest the strategic goals of the Rainforest Sanctuary Initiative and implement
programs within the Amazon based on partnerships with the local communities and
Peruvian government. Asociación El Corazón del Curandero, Perú will be especially
helpful when we begin to develop, build and staff SIPAPU, as we will be able to enter into
contracts with local companies, organizations and individuals. Many thanks to all who
worked diligently from the beginning through signing the papers on August 8, 2008.
FOUNDER
CINDY MIRO-QUESADA
CHAIRWOMAN
GARRY CAUDIll
VICE-CHAIR
BRYAN BIGElOw
TREASURER
PAMElA HUNTER
SECRETARY
KATHY BAll
DIRECTOR
CYNTHIA GREER
DIRECTOR
NINA MURPHY
DIRECTOR
GEORGIA PUTNAM
DIRECTOR
JANIS SwANN
DIRECTOR
An Olympic Line-up
Years of experience provides training for new
board members Kathy Ball and Cynthia Greer
kathy Ball &
The Heart of the Healer Foundation would like to welcome two new
members to the board of directors’ line-up. We are very pleased to
announce that Kathy Ball and Cynthia Greer have joined our team
to serve on your behalf.
friend
Cynthia G
reer
T
he single most important
thing an individual can
do to lessen human suffering in
the world is to become conscious
and still all thoughts in the
mind. When the mind becomes
clear, a heavenly door is opened
to our truth and gifts that
we can share with the world.
When the mind becomes quiet
we can listen to our children
dream the future. And when
the mind becomes still, we
can hear what the single most
important thing is that will
lessen human suffering.
– Lizzi Day, Chinchaysuyu
We extend our deepest gratitude for their dedication to the THOTH
mission and willingness to contribute their heart, mind and spirit
to the leadership of this vitally important global organization.
We encourage you to read their biographies found in About Us
at www.heartofthehealer.org.
Revolution from the Heart of Nature
Bioneers Conference October 17-19, 2008 San Raphael, CA
The Bioneers Conference is an acclaimed leading-edge forum where you can see
tomorrow today: a future environment of hope. Social and scientific innovators focus
on breakthrough solutions inspired by nature and human ingenuity. These visionaries are
already creating a healthy, equitable, diverse and beautiful world; our legacy for future
generations and the web of life on which our lives depend. Here you can connect with
hundreds or thousands of engaged folks making a real difference.
THOTH founder Oscar Miro-Quesada has been asked to facilitate the Closing of the
Conference Plenaries on Sunday morning, which is intended to inspire presenters and
participants alike to apply their collective wisdom toward the betterment of life on Earth.
Additionally, Oscar will be giving a one and a half hour teaching session entitled Mirror
of Heaven, Embodiment of Earth which focuses on the ceremonial application of Pachakuti
Mesa shamanism in restoring sacred trust between humankind and our mother Earth.
To register for this important conference visit www.bioneers.org
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NON-PROFIT
STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
OAKLAND, CA
PERMIT NO. 259
Preserving Indigenous Cultures
Restoring Our Earth
www.heartofthehealer.org
PO Box 1458 Old Chelsea Station
New York NY uSA 10113-1458
(877) 314-3778
nEW! Visit youtube.com/heartofthehealer
the benefits
of membership
Membership connects you with the rich traditions
of indigenous people and their wisdom teachings.
Members enjoy access to bi-annual newsletters, educational emails,
workshops, live teleconferences with founder Oscar Miro-Quesada,
conferences, and a vast network of indigenous elders and traditional
musicians. Member benefits are expanding right along with THOTH.
We will notify you of updates.
Membership is the foundation to building
meaningful relationships. As you make connections with other
members, your global community network broadens, opening a
myriad of new possibilities in your life. If you need an introduction
or resource, please let us know how we can help.
ThOTh members visit
the Peruvian Amazon to
learn about rainforest
biodiversity.
PRINTED WITH
SOY INK ON
RECYCLED PAPER
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THOTH is globally inclusive
of all peoples and cultures.
Our vision of preserving
indigenous cultures and shamanic traditions resonates
deeply within the hearts of a diverse group of people who
share a passion for peaceful societal change. We are
a global family striving to make a difference for
future generations.
Join us! www.heartofthehealer.org
Your annual tax-deductible
membership contributions are
crucial to effectively operate our
not-for-profit educational and
charitable organization. We are
deeply grateful to all members
and inividual donors who support
our Earth Stewardship service
upon Pachamama.