On Nov 26 – Over 228,000 Joined Us from 30 Countries to “Pray with Standing Rock”!

Thank you for participating in this global synchronized prayer! Your commitment to this movement is what creates movement and momentum.

In this newsletter we are sharing a story of what happened on the front lines including some surprises from the police.

On Saturday November 26th, 3pm CST thousands unified in prayer for what is sacred, both on the front lines at Standing Rock, and around the world. 

Join us Dec 4th for our next Global Synchronized Prayer at 10:00am CST (4pm GMT). 

Interfaith leaders are flying in to gather beside Chief Arvol Looking Horse in support of the Indigenous Youth, together we will unify once more.

Our vibration will lift the spirits of those Protecting the Water while inviting the people looking down from the other side of the razor wire to pray with the world.  

From Patrick, Unify Co-Founder:

Those of us at Standing Rock gathered on the outside banks of Turtle Island, where the day prior was covered with razor wire fence by police enforcements.

Turtle Island has been one of the main battlegrounds, a sacred island in the Missouri shaped like a Turtle with a tall shell that has been taken by police enforcements. They stand on top of the sacred burial grounds where Chief Sitting Bull and other native ancestors have been buried for centuries.

And yet, they seemed alarmed when they saw a thousand people walking towards Turtle Island in a peaceful state of deep prayer singing sacred songs to honor their people past.

We formed a large circle around an altar and chairs for the elders as the songs and sage rippled to the police officers on top of Turtle Island.

The Police stood with 5 vehicles and arms watching, commenting, and laughing to themselves as the prayerful people gathered in meditation beneath their gaze. It’s hard to imagine what goes on in the minds of the Police atop such a sacred place acting like conquerors as the people whose land was stolen gather to pray.

An hour passed and an officer’s voice finally projected down the hill from a hand held megaphone. “We see that you’re doing a peaceful prayer and ceremony, we’re going to back off the ledge and let you do the prayer in peace.”

Water protectors cheered in shock, appreciation, and hope that centered us to begin our prayer, instead of bracing for the Violence witnessed in the last few days.

Medicine Man and Guardian of the Havasupai Lands Grand Canyon, named Uqualla, began the prayer by reminding us to, “Walk in the best way that embodies Mother Earth. Absolutely no profanity, absolutely no hate, and absolutely no violence coming in from you as her children.”

After these words I felt my awareness drop to my feet, grounding the even deeper knowing that we are all her children and all humans are sacred, including those standing at the top of Turtle Island’s Shell.

Chief Dan continued the ceremony with a beautiful prayer song that carried us into our 15 minutes of silence.

A perspective I recently learned is that prayer is speaking to god, and meditation is listening to god. We pray because we have listened to creator and it is time for us to do the talking.

In fact, it’s time for us to hold space for the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota Nations voices to be heard as prayer has been their culture and way of life for thousands of years.

I looked around to see many weeping, smiling, steady, and strong in deep prayer as we felt the weight and weightlessness of the action sink in.

To be heavy on the earth, rooted in ancient prayer, humble on my knees, and weightless as I felt the fear and separation dissipate.

Together in prayer we are one, we are strong, and we can protect the sacred.

We were fortunate to receive permission from the elders to document the experience because ceremonies and ritual settings are prohibited. There is a bridge being formed where the Indigenous Tribes understand that this message is ready to be viewed by the whole world.

Please help us spread it.

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