By Jeannie Breeze
St. Louis is a heart center where all the arteries come together (the Mississippi, the Missouri, the Meramec). Each year at World Peace Day, we acknowledge the truth that peace begins with us, and we understand that what we imagine and create here in the heart circulates into the body of our Mother Earth. Never has this truth been more evident than in these months since the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO.
This event has reached across this nation and around the world. It could not be more obvious that what we do here matters. It seems that our whole community is tasked with the heart-wrenching and heart-opening job of healing the divisions among us.
Each of us, a single heart cell in the heart of our nation, like a heart cell, has a beat. Join us at the 29th World Peace Day Celebration, “Heart of Joy”, December 31, 2014, to tune into the beat within your own heart, to remember the love that pulses there. Realize that when we connect, like heart cells do, we come into synch! We become ONE HEART. Together we can be a part of healing the whole. You may think that what you do cannot possibly make a difference, but remember, as Gandhi said, “What you do may seem insignificant, but it is most important that you do it!”
Please join us at 6 a.m. at Central Reform Congregation, 5020 Waterman (at Kingshighway), where we will gather in the darkness of the early morn to do our part to heal the world. Doors open at 5 a.m., so that you may inscribe your prayers on a peace flag at artist/photographer Jeane Vogel’s project “Dare to Touch the Face of God”, while you listen to the musical musings of RAVEN WOLF (C. Felton Jennings) on flute. Or you may wish to enter the sanctuary to greet your friends, or sit in silent meditation in the Shabbot Shalom (Shelter of Peace) as you listen to the sounds of morning songbirds.
The musical line-up features the mystical sounds of Robert Fishbone on shofar, gong, and drum, the musical artistry of John MacEnulty on Native American flute, the magical energy of Maggid Georgy Rock, accompanied by Mr. Dill, the musical wizardry of vocalist/guitarist Tim Mead, accompanied by Charlie on drums, and the bells and drums of JOIA World Percussion Ensemble. The warm & wonderful Rabbi Randy Fleisher will welcome congregants to the celebration.
Green Jean Ponzi, of KDHX fame, who oversees the creation and placement of the luminarias, will regale us with her exuberant wisdom regarding caring for the Earth, and event organizer Jeannie Breeze will once again lead the meditation, accompanied by the heavenly vibrations created by Sound Healing artist, Patti Pellerito, on Tibetan singing bowls and gongs. As always, a pot-luck breakfast follows (please no pork or shellfish). This universal faith gathering is always FREE and OPEN to ALL! Your love donations are invited to support the continuation of this fabulous event.
We need volunteers to come to CRC on Tuesday, December 30, from 1-4 pm to help with the creation and placement of luminarias, breakfast setup, and interior decorations. Call Jeannie Breeze at 314-601-3789 to sign up or contact her by e-mail at jjbreeze46@gmail.com. To find out more about the 29th World Peace Day, and how you can support it, please visit www.wpdaystl.com. Peace, love and healing to all beings! See back page of this magazine for more information.