Call for Support...
As a leader and a teacher, I willingly and honestly present myself in service to my community, to help, to support, to love, to guide, and to teach. It is not in my nature to ask for support. Humbly, I step before you now with a request, for your support, both spiritually and economically, to take the next step in my commitment of service to my community.
Many of you know that I have been deeply involved in spiritual study with West African Shaman and Spiritual Teacher, Malidoma Some, for over two years. After completion of Malidoma's two year Indigenous African Spirit Technologies Intensive, my world has expanded and thus my ability to serve and support you has multiplied. After consultation with the elders of Malidoma's tribe, the Dagara, in Burkina Faso Africa, Ted and I have been invited to participate in the Elder Initiation into the Dagara tradition. This rite of passage process is a great honor, and a great responsibility. Until now, we have been serving you to find balance and happiness in your own individual lives. Whether through yoga instruction in a class setting, or through private readings and consultations, we have been spiritual teachers to hundreds of individuals across America. Once initiated, our roles as spiritual teachers will expand to the responsibility of guiding the community as a whole toward harmony, balance, rhythm, and a more peaceful and productive existence.
We live in troubled times, and our world is shifting and changing at a rapid pace. As the world is torn apart by war and discord, we are in turn brought together through tragedy such as 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and other natural disasters like tsunamis and earthquakes of recent years. More recently, the troubles are hitting closer to home as we struggle with scarcity in the form of economic recession, a housing crisis, and unemployment. At the same time, in the last ten years, many of our spiritual and philanthropic leaders (Mother Theresa, Pope John Paul II, Princess Diana, to name a few) of various cultures have died. Most recently, Sri Pattabhi Jois, the father of Ashtanga Yoga in America passed, touching in the hearts and souls of yogis across the planet. Now, more than ever, as our world evolves through turmoil, formal initiation of elders is necessary to provide leaders with the skills, tools, and proper recognition to guide and support the community as a whole to a place of balance and harmony.
This rite of passage into eldership is a monumental and challenging process. It is not something we chose, but for which we were chosen, to serve our community on a grander scale. The elders of the Dagara tribe chose us for this process because they see that we have the potential to carry the responsibilities of a community -- responsibly, to walk with dignity even when we are under fire, to have compassion since we have gone through the heat of the fire ourselves.
The support we ask of you now is two-fold.
First and foremost, we ask that you support us spiritually through this rigorous initiatory process. July 10-26 we will be undergoing the challenging tasks that will test our strength, build our integrity, and prepare us to hold the responsibilities set to us as elders. It is the support of our community and those who have benefitted from our service that we will be bouyed to triumph through the challenges we will face. Please, hold us in your prayers, dedicate your spiritual practices to us, light a candle and offer an intention for our safety and success throughout the three weeks of our initiation. Furthermore, we invite you to come to the East Coast Village Land to meet with us during community time each afternoon. (Please contact Robert Walker 518-312-0473 of the East Coast Village for details). And, on July 25th as we complete our initiatory process, we ask that as many of you as possible attend our Homecoming to celebrate us and our new role as elders.
Secondly, we ask for economic support. The financial commitment to this process is large. Each potential elder must raise $5000 to cover costs, including consultations and ceremonies that have been and will be performed in Africa. We ask you to look into your heart and ask yourself on what level you can sustain us. The money you donate will not only sustain our participation in the initiation, but will support the communities in Africa that have provided the spiritual wisdom and guidance throughout our journey. We ask that you take some time to contemplate how Ted and/or TeriLeigh has supported you on your spiritual path, and consider this as your opportunity to give back to TeriLeigh and Ted, as well as our teachers, and to pay forward to those who will benefit from our teaching and guidance in the future.
We recognize that scarcity is at the forefront of the consciousness on our planet today. In Africa, there is a saying "give small" because every little bit counts, so please know that "giving small" will be appreciated for the abundance it represents on the spiritual level. Whether your donation is $1.00 or $1000, you energy and support is appreciated and will be well served to further and expand the wisdom and healing we have provided thus far on our paths.
Barka (Thank You),
TeriLeigh & Ted Schmidt