Our gathering this month will focus, in both personal and collective ways, on the attack on our US Capital and the ongoing challenges to the Constitution and our democracy. As spiritual warriors, we will explore our personal responses, values and commitments as well as possible actions we might take.

“The Christmas Truce Then and Now: Transcending War, Making Peace”. We will revisit the famous World War I Christmas truce in the trenches and consider how those combatants transcended their conflicts to celebrate a common humanity. We will apply those lessons to our own times and conflicts and use this holiday season to inspire our continued efforts toward peace and healing. We will also share the wisdom we have gained from our year of Warrior Gatherings.

Veteran’s Day is the traditional Armistice Day, a time set aside after World War I to contemplate the costs of war and work together for its end. We experience the ravages of war and violence everywhere today and that dream of war’s end has not come true. We invite you to join us for a mini-retreat on this sacred day. Through song, story, teachings, ceremonies and rituals, and small and large group work, we will together honor all who have served and sacrificed, witness and heal each other’s wounds, and transform the legacy of war and warriorhood toward the practice of peace and healing for all.

This week’s special guest: Vietnam veteran Floyd Striegel. Floyd will be just back from working with indigenous shamans in Africa on trauma healing. Our theme will be the use of indigenous practices for war and trauma healing.

This week’s focus: “Healing and Reconciliation Between Former Foes” Guest: Dr. John Fisher, chiropractor, Vietnam veteran, author. John will present his new book Dak To Rx, a memoir of his return journeys to Vietnam for healing, peacemaking and service to all war wounded.

Warriors are sworn to preserve and protect. They run into danger, while others flee. They are best suited to respond in times of crisis because they have already served in the zones of hell, and their purpose is to serve and sacrifice for the good of others. At the same time, having been exposed to violent threats, they are vulnerable to increased trauma and breakdown. This two hour gathering will be co-facilitated by Dr. Ed Tick, specialist in military, violent and global trauma healing, author of six books, director emeritus of Soldier’s Heart, Inc.; Kate Dahlstedt, co-founder of Soldier’s Heart and veteran and family specialist; and Charlie Pacello, veteran, healer, advocate, coach and teacher.

Agent Orange Roundup is an expose and eulogy by two Marine combat veterans. Dynamic illustrations, short stories and poetry vividly capture the journey of wartime survival, the return to community, and as they will discover after decades – the long reach of the God of War. Their Golden Years fall under the Shadow of stage four cancers with enough time to write and reflect. Join them at the end of life as they share experiences, memories and feelings with the America and chemical conglomerate who sent them into harm’s way. This work is mature, sometimes angry and brutal and thoroughly American. This is not only about Agent Orange and the Vietnam War. Rather, the hundred-year old company produces chemicals that continue to poison bodies and planet. Not only through spirit but through our challenges we learn again that we are all connected more than any of us realize. Available Aug. 10 on Amazon, Kindle, and at Bookstand Publishing

Warriors are sworn to preserve and protect. They run into danger, while others flee. They are best suited to respond in times of crisis because they have already served in the zones of hell, and their purpose is to serve and sacrifice for the good of others. At the same time, having been exposed to violent threats, they are vulnerable to increased trauma and breakdown. This two hour gathering will be co-facilitated by Dr. Ed Tick, specialist in military, violent and global trauma healing, author of six books, director emeritus of Soldier’s Heart, Inc.; Kate Dahlstedt, co-founder of Soldier’s Heart and veteran and family specialist; and Charlie Pacello, veteran, healer, advocate, coach and teacher.

This week’s focus: What is patriotism today? What should it mean? What are warriors’ responsibilities for defining, developing, representing it?

Warriors are sworn to preserve and protect. They run into danger, while others flee. They are best suited to respond in times of crisis because they have already served in the zones of hell, and their purpose is to serve and sacrifice for the good of others. At the same time, having been exposed to violent threats, they are vulnerable to increased trauma and breakdown. This two hour gathering will be co-facilitated by Dr. Ed Tick, specialist in military, violent and global trauma healing, author of six books, director emeritus of Soldier’s Heart, Inc.; Kate Dahlstedt, co-founder of Soldier’s Heart and veteran and family specialist; and Charlie Pacello, veteran, healer, advocate, coach and teacher.

This week’s focus: As warriors, what have we learned and sacrificed about maintaining and protecting our democracy? What are our duties and responsibilities today under these pressing health, environmental and political crises?