Friday December 21st 7pm-?
79 Clinton# 17 NY, NY
F, JMZ to Essex/Delancey
corner of Clinton and Rivington

Hoooray!
More Gardens!
Invites you to>>>>

A nightbeforethesolstice CELEbRATION!!!!!

GIVE-AWAY****,

Deygān (Zorastrian), Iranian longest day of the year,

and

Mary Nancy Clary's Birthday!

In
the winter in all the chill and stillness there is the chance to sow
our seeds for Spring growth and visions. The winter also offers us a
time for reflection and to call upon the spirits of the earth and offer
them the moments we wish to release, and call in peace.

Many thanks to the Native American tradition of the Give A Way
because
letting go of old things and sharing them with others is an awesome way
to share the abundance each of our spirits contains.
(please read the article down below to learn more about the Give A Way)

So bring something to share and put it in a recyclable package so we can exchange gifts and share Abundance!

Bring food and/or ideas, dances, and music, and something to burn.(non-toxic please!)

Give Bridget or Aresh a call with questions and to rsvp
212-533-8019
917-518-9987

The Give-Away Ceremony Guest Author - Julie Spotted Eagle Horse Cooper

A few days ago a non-native friend asked me about the meaning of the Give-Away ceremony.
I was at a loss to explain something that I have known all of my life,
but then I realized that what I take for granted is a complete mystery
to others.
"It's just the Give-Away.... you call them up to the
Eyapaha (Emcee) stand and give them something during a powwow or
whatever.... it's kind of a way of honoring that person." was my
answer, and she seemed satisfied with my explanation
The conversation turned to other things, but her question stayed with me.
The more I thought about it, the more I myself wondered about the meaning of something that I had known all my life.
In the old days the people who were putting the ceremony on would often
give things away in someone else's name, and that was a way of honoring
that person, but there was more to it than that.....
For example,
I would give a horse away in the name of one of my relatives, and I
would give it to someone who did not have a horse of their own.
This would bring great honor to not only myself, but to my relative,
and the person who received the horse, and the recipient would have the
added bonus of having a horse to make their life easier.
But the Give-Away is much more than that....
It is a way of showing one's personal wealth by giving it away, and of keeping one's possessions to a minimum.
Horses and dogs can only carry so much at a time, and it was not good
to own more than you could carry, especially if you were a nomadic
people like mine were.
The idea was to never keep more than you needed, the rest was to be shared with those who needed it more than you.
The more you gave away to others, the wealthier you were perceived to be.
This is still a common thing in Native culture today. We believe in
something like Karma, in that it will come back to you eventually.
If I have something, I am expected to share it without thinking twice
about it. For example, if a cousin comes to me and asks about borrowing
$50, and if I have it, I will willingly give it to them without
worrying about if I will ever see it again.
I know that it while I may not see the money from that cousin, I will be compensated somehow in the end.
If you put out good like that, it comes back.
It is hard for non-natives and people who are not raised in that
culture to comprehend, because it flies in the face of the "mine"
mentality of today's modern "white " culture.
But to me, it's a thing of beauty.

[edit] Deygān (Zorastrian)

The last day of the Persian month Azar is the longest night of the year, when the forces of Ahriman are assumed to be at the peak of their strength. While the next day, the first day of the month Dey known as khoram ruz or khore ruz (the day of sun) belongs to Ahura Mazda,
the Lord of Wisdom. Since the days are getting longer and the nights
shorter, this day marks the victory of Sun over the darkness. The
occasion was celebrated in the ancient Persian Deygan Festivaldedicated to Ahura Mazda, and Mithra on the first day of the month Dey.[9]