On Holy Ground:Commitment and Devotion to Sacred Lands

The decision to write this book is born out of 20-30 years of experience. The authors, Leilani Birely and Luisah Teish, are blessed to be two women of color who have grown up in a spiritual culture that has survived centuries of oppression and kept its regard for the sacredness of Land in tact and in the forefront of their behavior and rituals. However, they also recognize that ritual protocol is not taught in school and is not available even in schools with Spirituality Departments and in only a few of the books presently on the shelf. We long for the reconstruction of a culture that respects the Earth and Her people. Our present ecological crisis: global warming, water and air pollution, starvation and war are all manifestations of our disregard for the Earth, Her gifts and Her children. The world needs leadership that emphasizes Reverence, Community, and Peacekeeping. And this can only happen in an atmosphere of mutual respect and sharing. We must do this without arrogance and we must overcome our ignorance. This book as an offering of guidelines and protocols to heal our relationship to sacred lands and to each other. It is encouraged to use the book as a means to insure the re-creation of our Earth-centered traditions and the evolution of a global and authentic spiritual practice." It contains the authors personal stories, cultural myths and folktales, prayers, chants, rituals and exercises to help define a relationship to Mother Earth and Her Children. It also contains photographs from their travels to several sacred sites and their original artwork. This book will be useful to those wishing to travel as kindred spirits, to address ecological and environmental issues, and to experience the joys of rituals in nature.

Luisah Teish is a writer, performer, priestess of Oshun, and ritual designer. She is the author of "Jump Up" and "Jambalaya: The Natural Woman's Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals". She teaches Women's Rites of Passage, Femmyth, and Ritual at the University of Creation Spirituality, John F. Kennedy University, and New College of California. She lives in Oakland, California.