July, 2004

Table of Contents

I. ISS Community SUMMER SOLSTICE CEREMONY Reports

II. Your Letters – “FRIENDS of the ISS Are Saying”

III. COMING UP -

- CEREMONIES and EVENTS

– Full Moon Fire Ceremony – South Pasadena, CA, USA

– Mt. Shasta Weekend

– Prayers for the Earth, Europe and New England

- BEING THE 5TH SUN – a virtual round table discussion

IV. New email addresses for Allen and Barry

I. ISS Community SUMMER SOLSTICE CEREMONY Reports

LOS ANGELES, Dockweiller Beach

If the 5th Sun is about every inhabitant of planet earth, Stone People, Plant People, Animal People and humans of all colors, ages, and inclinations living together in harmony and peace (and we believe it is: see ISS Mission at http:/www.inkasunstaff.org/mission.htm, our recent ISS Summer Soltice Ceremony and its environs embodies the promise. Passenger jets roaring overhead, hip hop music in multiple languages blaring all evening, and a co-ed Frisbee football game at our edge mixed with a wonderful sunset, serene Despacho Ceremony and a beautiful Fire Ceremony. Just as two dozen 21st Century Americans of all colors, ages, and sizes rise to open Sacred Space, Father Sun shows his face for the first time all day. Later, a spouting whale offers a huge, warm greeting as she swims South for the summer.

Tonight is our first dual ceremony, the quiet serenity of the Despacho Ceremony (see photo at http://www.inkasunstaff.org/Ceremony.html ) inspired by ancient Andean rites followed by the beauty and vitality of a Fire Ceremony (see photo at http://inkasunstaff.org/Sitemap.html) in the North American Indian tradition. We intentionally and lovingly connect with Staff ceremonies around the USA, across Canada, Peru, England, Ireland, Europe, and our entire planetary home.

The group blessed, energized and initiated 50 new Inka Sun Staffs (see http://inkasunstaff.org/obtain2.htm ) that will be used by Friends of the Staff for personal and group ceremony (see http://inkasunstaff.org/Uses.html ). Many will also be planted at significant locations around the planet as in the Peru treks described below (see http://inkasunstaff.org/CommunityProj.html ).

In case you missed them, wonderful photos of this magical evening are available on line thanks to Oscar and Helen. Email me and I will send the link to Ofoto again that I sent out in June. Cynthia reports: “I enjoyed the online photo album. It was easy to register with Ophoto and view the album.”

PERU SOLSTICE CEREMONIES

Three 10” Staffs became the first of their kind to travel to Peru in June with The Four Winds Society, following in the “footsteps” of the Great Staff last year. They participated in ceremony at several ancient sites in the Sacred Valley of the Inkas and became the embodiment of and transmitter for the prayers, intentions, and blessings of over 50 shamans and students. Then the three went their separate ways to be planted in the beloved Pacha Mama, Mother Earth, to do their sacred attractive and radiatory work.

Machu Pichuu: North American shaman Linda Fitch hiked miles alone to the top of Machu Pichuu Peak, overlooking the famed ruins far below (for those of you on our ISS photo distribution list, I will send the spectacular view from this spot and two photos from top of Waynu Pichuu, the sister peak on the other side of the ruins [if you are not on this list and want to be, email us with your OK and you will be added]). Duplicating the rituals conducted with the Great Staff in 2003 at this very spot (see photo at http://www.inkasunstaff.org/mission.htm ), she ceremoniously blessed and planted one descendent 10” Staff on this sacred Apu of the Andean people. (as reported by Linda)
Apu Ausangate: “We had three days of snow and rainbows in Ausangate… The Inka elders took the ISS and disappeared into a white curtain of heavy snowfall at approximately 15,000 feet above sea level… They planted the ISS deep in the belly of the mountain where it is surrounded with offerings left there by shamans for a thousand generations.” (as reported by Alberto, Cynthia, and Linda)
Apu Salkantay: “I was on Salkantay with Linda Fitch and the elders. We climbed through avalanches and a blizzard to 15,400 feet. We built a temple of stones and filled them with our k’intu (prayers). The temple was built of stones from the top as well as smaller ones we'd been carrying and using to blow our shadow (work) into. Q'ero shaman Don Pascal and Don Francisco did ceremony to call in all the sacred Apus, to thank Salkantay for her good grace, and to bless the new altar. They then planted the small ISS into the ground next to the stone altar.” (as reported by Amanda)

2. FRIENDS of the ISS Are Saying

Re: the ISS Mission and our Newsletter. Friend of the Staff Cynthia L. wrote: “Thank you very much for all your emails about the Inka Sun Staff and all your ceremonies and activities…I most of all appreciate…how much you are communicating and the frequency of communication. I feel in the loop. I feel very committed and connected with the project and ceremony of placing Inka Sun Staffs around the country and the globe. We planted one in the juaca or womb of Ausangate 2 weeks ago.”

“Thank you for sending the 10” ISS… It is already being used in our community, at gatherings and right now in the ‘navel’ of the rock turtle on the land. Next week it will be going to the caves of the ancient people of this land as well as the mounds built thousands of year ago. Love and Blessings, Jaes S.”

Please send us your ISS experiences and any feedback about the ISS Newsletter you wish. We will share what we can give space considerations.

3. COMING UP

CEREMONIES and EVENTS

The Great Staff, other ISSs, and a number of Friends will join Diane’s Full Moon Fire Ceremony July 31st in South Pasadena, CA, USA. For “mesa carriers” only, email her for info at luckydi@earthlink.net .
A men’s gathering focused by Wake Wheeler and Allen will spend a weekend of Despacho and other ISS Ceremony and fellowship on Mt. Shasta August 20th-23rd.
The Great Staff will join and be a featured participant in the Prayers for the Earth tour sponsored by The Four Winds Society at seven capitals in Europe and on the East Coast of the USA in September, 2004 (follow link at http://www.inkasunstaff.org/events.htm ).

BECOMING the 5TH SUN – An ISS Dialogue

In our next ISS Newsletter we will initiate a virtual round table discussion of the energetic foundation and the mission of the Inka Sun Staff and the ISS Community. You, as Friends of ISS, will be able to participate in a shared exploration of the personal and planetary signs, qualities and energies of the arrival of the 5th Sun, called by some, the Time to Come, the Time Is Now (see http://www.inkasunstaff.org/5thSun.html and http://www.inkasunstaff.org/TwoProphecies.html ) and the unfolding of a new consciousness for humanity and all our relations here on Mother Earth (see http://www.inkasunstaff.org/purpose.htm ).

4. Please note OUR NEW EMAIL ADDRESSES below.

With the powerful and serene love of the 5th Sun,

Allen Holmquist Allen@inkasunstaff.org
Barry Schweiger Barry@inkasunstaff.org