[an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] To All Relations: The Art of Weaving Faiths [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] About The Art of Weaving Faiths: Upcoming Events/Workshops: Sat. March 17, 2007 - Women's Gathering at the Islamic Center of So Cal Sun. April 15, 2007 - Mixed Gathering at Senshin Buddhist Temple Photos: 4/15/07 @ Senshin Buddhist Temple Articles: -Mayumi Izumi -Grace Lee Boggs TO ALL RELATIONS:  “The Art of Weaving Faiths” offers a sacred space in which people of diverse religions and cultures can come together for a day/weekend of creative mindfulness to experience our interconnections.  Beyond dialogue, it employs “moving energy” through breath, movement, song, poetry and art to access our intuitive/emotional selves.  From this place spiritual rituals are shared, individual stories flow, a group story emerges and a new kind of community is born.  The day becomes in effect a “theatre piece” in which each participant is both actor and audience, risk-taker and supporter of others.  In a world inundated with images that provoke fear, division and violence, this “sacred space” also uses the artistic process to help people re-imagine and enact new ways of being, embracing the richness of our diversity.  It is our hope, through their new relationships, participants will be empowered to bring their dreams and new practices into their lives and our larger society. --In STAGE 1 Nobuko and company will do a series a “demonstration projects,” one day retreats (6am to 6pm) with 25 people of various religions and cultural backgrounds.  This retreat will take place in spiritual centers – churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, retreat centers. Time together will include morning prayers and practices, creative exercises and story exchange, eating and walking meditations. Meals are natural and organic, with no meat.  Participants will share ethnic food traditions and prepare some food together.  Workshop leaders will include Nobuko Miyamoto, Artistic Director, as well as guest leaders such as poets, visual and musical artists of various faiths.  --In STAGE 2 Great Leap will start its “traveling institute” to train others to do these interfaith retreats.  Working with selected local artists, community organizers, spiritual teachers and educators across the country, it will build capacity for the project, to spread this movement based approach that weaves spirituality with social change.  It is our intention to multiply this personal immersion experience by creating a “community of healers” to permeate spiritual centers, grass roots and civic organizations to breathe new life into our democracy. Building Community In A Fragmented World For the past 10 years, the To All Relations Project has been using the arts to deepen a sense of connection and between diverse communities and our mother earth.   In Detroit a healing song/dance was created for the burgeoning urban gardening movement; it brought together Mexican, Jewish and Japanese community members to perform their own stories in “Memories of Boyle Heights;” it created “Ceremony of Remembrance” with Hmong students in Wasau, Wisconsin. After 9/11 it produced a poetic musical “Sacred Moon Songs” with Muslim, Mexican and Japanese communities in Los Angeles.  Today, the urgent need for inter-religious understanding has inspired “The Art of Weaving Faiths” to give even greater opportunity for public participation. Planning Committee:  Ruben Guevara, Gail Kennard, Rev. Masanori Ishihara, Mike Yanagita, Kamau Ayubbi Community Partners: Omar Ibn Al Khattab Foundation, Senshin Buddhist Temple S a l a am     H e i w a      P a z      S h a l o m Updated: 5/23/07

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