Three Types of Elder Recogntion
Through New Dream

A Letter from Reverend Ariann, First Elder of the Water Ways

Dear Elders,

Are you being called into greater service to your community and the planet? Is your soul hungering for its highest purpose and fulfillment of your destiny on Earth?

Are you over 50 and searching for new meaning in your life? Have your children left home, are you getting ready to retire or are retired and do you need a new reason to get up in the morning? Are you looking for fulfillment and satisfaction in your work, family and life?

As I approached the next season in my life, having left my professional life
and no longer a caretaker at home, I searched for new meaning and a new direction to my life. I found the Path of the Sacred Feminine and the Water Ceremonies to connect me to my feminine aspect.

Several years ago an ancient Water Bowl and its spiritual guardians on the other side of the veil, four Native American Grandmothers, began transmitting Native American Ceremonies to Reverend Misa, who is gifted in receiving visions and memories of forgotten ceremonies of the Old Ones. The four Grandmothers urged her to revive the ancient Water Ceremonies to preserve and protect the planet, and more importantly, to empower today's men and women to reach their "limitless selves" through the Path to the Sacred Feminine.

The monthly Full Moon Women's Water Ceremonies were not enough to fulfill my needs as an older person. I wanted to contribute more. I felt that after all my years and experience there must be a way for me to contribute more to my community and to the planet.

Reverend Misa and I discussed this and she took this matter into meditation with the four Guardian Grandmothers. They were delighted to know there were people interested in contributing in greater ways to the sacred pathways. The next ceremony Misa received from the four Grandmothers was the Elderhood Initiation Ceremony. This sacred ceremony marked the passage from adulthood into elderhood. Respect for elders occurred naturally when as an elder, you truly respected yourself and others. The preparation process today, as it did then, assists you in discovering a deeper respect for yourself and the life you chose.

As you approach your Elder years, this is the time for contemplating what you want to accomplish in the final seasons of your life. As someone that appreciates the significance of our elder years, I appreciated New Dream Foundation's commitment to support our elders.

In addition to the Elderhood Initiation that I experienced,
we offer two more forms of Elder recognition and participation:

1. The Elder Recognition Ceremony allows a person to look back at his/her undertakings and acknowledge the value of a life lived with all the challenges and achievements. By celebrating the person's life, the community honors the person's contributions. We encourage Elders to let go of the past sorrows and joys to move unencumbered into the future, thereby creating a positive change in the world and becoming an agent of change in the world. An Elder can be acknowledged in ceremony at our Native SpiritQuest Ceremonies or can create his/her own personal ceremony at home.

2. The Questing Elder also acknowledge their past challenges and accomplishments and release them. The Questing Elder learn the creation meditation technique that aids in transformation and learn to create positive changes in their lives. The Questing Elder then take the next step by searching for their life purpose and their missions and completing their preparations with a traditional 3 day silent Native quest.

3. The Elder of the Water Circle allows a woman to go deeply into the mystery of the Divine Mother and feminine energy as she explores the elderhood path. In addition to the Questing Elderhood preparation, a woman is invited to adopt the Path of the Sacred Feminine into her regular spiritual path, meditate with the creation meditation 2-3 times a week, learn to hold sacred space, discover the three final missions of her life and fully engage with other women in exchanging support on this Native path.

The four Guardian Grandmothers and Reverend Misa honored me and changed my life when I was initiated as an Elder of the Water Circle several years ago. I look differently at my life now. I have a new and broader perspective on the world and my role. As an elder I take my responsibilities and my actions seriously. My life is full of joy. I am happier than at any other time in my life. Being an Elder deeply changed my life and I encourage you to see if you are called at this time to explore Elderhood.

The Grandmothers have given us insights into what people must learn to be initiated as Elders. If you are interested in becoming an Elder the first question to ask is, am I called? Here are some essential elements of for men and women who are called to become Elders at this time in their life.

Three Ways to Honor and Deepen Your Journey as an Elder with New Dream Foundation

I. Elderhood Recognition Ceremony for Men and Women

Are you being called to acknowledge your gifts and service to your community? We support men and women who are:

• 50 years of age and older who
• Ready to use your gifts and talents to create greater positive change in the world
• Submit Elder Recognition Application Part I by April 1
• Review preparation document
• Create your staff
• Prepare your elderhood vow
• Attend SpiritQuest or invite friends to your own elder recognition ceremony

II. Questing Elder for Men and Women

Are you being called for dedicated service? We support men and women who are:

• Men over 50 and women over 50 who have ceased menses for 1 year
• Ready to use your gifts and talents to create greater positive change in the world
• Prepared to shed your limits to achieve your limitless self
• Desire to become clear about your life mission and your life commitments
• Ready to shed the shackles of the past to be fully present

What is the Questing Ceremony About?

• Releasing the past and stepping into your future
• Identifying your life work and creating your reality in the present
• Committing to completion of your destiny before your death
• Becoming models and mentors for the younger generations

III. Elders of the Water Circle for Women

Are you being called to a more in-depth relationship with the Sacred Feminine and the sacred nature of water within a Native practice? We support women who are:

• Over 50 who have ceased menses for 1 year
• Ready to use your gifts and talents to create greater positive change
  in the world
• Prepared to shed your limits to achieve your limitless self
• Desire to become clear about your 3 final missions and your life commitments
• Comfortable being a part of a pathway established in a Native tradition
• Willing to receive support to achieve your limitless self
• Prepared to shed the shackles of the past to be fully present
• Be dedicated to a community in service
• Willing to do the Creation Meditation 2-3 days a week
• Adopting the Path of the Sacred Feminine as part of your regular spiritual path
• Be capable of holding space for yourself and others in transition

What is the Elders of the Water Circle Ceremony About?

• Releasing the past and stepping into your future
• Identifying your life work and creating your reality in the present
• Committing to completion of your destiny before your death
• Becoming models and mentors for the younger generations
• Accepting responsibility for your life and decisions
• Connecting to the four Guardian Grandmothers of the Water Ceremonies
• Developing a deeper sense of the Divine Mother and feminine energy

For any of these paths, I highly recommend you read the more detailed and specific information provided here: Elder Recognition Programs

Our Elderhood Program Facilitators

Reverend Ariann Thomas is the President and Administrative Director of the New Dream Foundation.

Ariann carries the profound subtle energy of an elder, advisor and wisdom carrier. She is an Elder of the Sacred Path of the Feminine, an Elder of the Water Ways and a Keeper of the Water Ceremonies. She has been the facilitator of the Elder program for the past 4 years and is dedicated to assisting people in discovering their present destiny.

Ariann is devoted to following the Path of the Sacred Feminine and has a regular meditation practice. For the past 20 years she has studied and taught energy healing. She is part Cherokee by heritage and is a ceremonialist, an intuitive reader and healer, and practices Ancestral Lineage Clearing, crystal and energy healing. Ariann is presently writing a book on Ancestral Lineage Clearing and one on the 7 Universal Laws. She lives in the Sedona, AZ area.

Reverend Misa, Guardian of the Sacred Path of the Feminine, given to her by Native ancestors, has been a professional teacher and facilitator for nearly 30 years. As a psychic, mystic, as well as a teacher of dream and vision analysis, Reverend Misa has a profound sensitivity to mystical reality, having her own regular visionary meditation practice. She has taken numerous people on quests and sacred journeys, and then helps them process their mystical experiences for application in their daily lives.

As a woman who has healed herself from the trauma of childhood sexual abuse, and multiple life-threatening illnesses, she has deep compassion for the process of transforming sacred awareness into peaceful, sacred living. After studying ceremonies and healing with a Cherokee elder, she went on to develop an appreciation for the power of the Sacred Feminine and the gifts of embracing this aspect of the Divine in our daily lives. As a teacher and facilitator of ceremony, she stirs the heart and mind to new levels of spiritual and social awareness.

Overseas Participants

Overseas Elders that wish to be honored in a Recognition Ceremony can follow the guidelines provided in the preparation document and create a Recognition Ceremony at home. Elders wishing to quest, must attend SpiritQuest in the US in person. Individuals overseas will be accommodated as best we can for the monthly calls. Skype is recommended so that elders can participate in the calls live whenever possible. When this is not possible, calls will be recorded and questions will be received by e-mail.

Program Dates and Times

Elder recognition without a quest, please submit your request for support by April 1, 2012.

Questing Elders for men and women, please submit your request for support by Aug. 25, 2011.

• Plan to attend monthly tele-calls at 5:30 PDT; 6:30 MDT; 7:30 CDT and 8:30 EDT on the first Wednesday of each month, September-June
• Plus two extra calls with Reverend Misa, the first of those scheduled for Wednesday, September 29.
• Plan to attend SpiritQuest during the week of June 12-18, 2011 in the US.

Elders of the Water Circle for women, please submit your request for support by Aug. 25, 2011.

• Plan to attend 2 monthly tele-calls at 5:30 PDT; 6:30 MDT; 7:30 CDT and 8:30 EDT on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, September-June
• Plus two extra calls with Reverend Misa, the first of those scheduled for Wednesday, September 29.
• Plan to attend SpiritQuest during the week of June 12-18, 2011 in the US.

Contribution For Your Next Step Into Elderhood

Elder Recognition without a quest
You may do this entirely on your own. If you attend SpiritQuest and wish to be recognized in ceremony at the Sacred Fire, a donation of about $50 to Reverend Misa is appropriate.

Questing Elder preparation
Including 10 monthly sessions preparing you as an Elder. (Sept-June). – Only $350

Apprenticeship to become an Elder of the Water Circle
Including 19 sessions preparing you as an Elder. (two monthly calls between Sept-June). Only $600.

If you are questing...

—An additional monthly donation of $80 (or more; or combination of financial donation and services) to Reverend Misa, as your Questing Intercessor, begins after your first session with Reverend Ariann and continues throughout the year. Reverend Misa will schedule special times with you to meet with her in preparation for your quest.

—Gifts of your talents are given to camp participants and supporters at SpiritQuest, as is done in the Native tradition. This custom will be explained on our first call together.

—Questers are required to bring two attendants to specifically support you during your quest. Questers often contribute to the attendants' SpiritQuest fee and/or travel expenses.

Your total contribution to Reverend Ariann, Reverend Misa, camp fees, gifts and travel, if your attendants do not need financial assistance, will be around $1,800-1,900. If they do need financial assistance, your total contribtution could be around $2,200-$2,400.

Guarantee

If at the end of the first circle (meeting), you decide that this approach to Elderhood does not work for you, you may receive a full refund, provided you request it before the second circle begins.

You have nothing to loose, so if you are feeling called to either become a Questing Elder or an Elder of the Water, register right now.

Information: Contact Ariann at 928-284-5738, Ariann@NewDreamFoundation.com

If you are ready to fulfill your destiny as an Elder,
sign up now!

If you are called to any one of these ceremonies, you will be blessed with a whole new opening in your life and spirit. I look forward to meeting you at one of the upcoming circles on the phone.

Many blessings,

Reverend Ariann
First Elder of the Sacred Path of the Feminine and Elder of the Water Ways

"This ceremony changed my life. I fully stepped into my power knowing what I had to accomplish in this lifetime. It is a must for any woman who is ready for true growth." ~ Ariann, Sedona, AZ