Mandlovu is a not-for-profit organization created to support visionary artists,
writers, and healers who are committed to the exploration, revitalization, and
preservation of indigenous wisdom and medicine traditions as paths to planetary
healing and peace-making on behalf of all beings. Mandlovu is also committed
to the creation of grassroots and community models of healing and peacemaking.
Because of the global challenge of these most difficult times, our goal is to
sustain those teachers and practitioners whose work is devoted to the generation
and manifestation of new forms of consciousness. Mandlovu is an African Ndbele
word for elephant, and also is the name for the Great Mother. In addition, Mandlovu
describes elephant consciousness, the spiritual group mind that arises spontaneously
from the individual intelligences of all of its members. This is one of the
models of consciousness that we are investigating as a conceptual blueprint
for the development of modes of perception and communication that are not steeped
in duality and violence. We are concerned with the threat of extinction to all
life and are looking toward our ancestors and visionaries for non-violent and
creative ways to meet this crisis. Mandlovu will:
--Make alliances with indigenous healers and medicine people to deepen our understanding
of their rituals and traditions in order to integrate such ways and knowledge
into our contemporary healing practices;
--Create opportunities for indigenous and Western healers to study, exchange
ideas, and work alongside each other;--Investigate the creative, spiritual,
ethical, political, and environmental principles of healing;
--Study and develop the way of Story as a profound healing mode for both individuals
and communities;
--Examine the relationship between personal and community healing;
--Combine new and ancient ways of understanding sickness and health to develop
unique contemporary approaches for the restoration of spiritual, physical, mental,
and emotional well-being;
--Work with the premise that all beings are one Being, so that the health of
the whole is dependent on the well-being of all its parts, including all beings
in the natural world;
--Explore the relationship between spiritual practices, healing, and creativity;
--Foster creative spiritual communities that promote an environment that is
inhospitable to violence, and that supports health, generosity, compassion,
and respect for all our relations.
All contributions
to support Mandlovu can be made via check and mailed to Mandlovu/Deena
Metzger, P.O. Box 186, Topanga, CA 90290. Please write Mandlovu in the memo
portion of the the check. Thank you.