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Tonight I exchanged Facebook messages with my friend Julia Bystrova, a long-time Sebastopol area resident and local activist leader, who is, as of this moment, just four hours away from Standing Rock where she is returning after having spent over a month at the main Oceti Sakoqin Camp during November and December as part of the Medic and Healers team.
I will be posting here Julia's messages from Standing Rock that she may post on her Facebook page, if any. Below is Julia's last post on her way to Standing Rock.
From Julia:
I gave my word to myself, to the Spirits that listen, that I would be back to Standing Rock. The time is now for the need is great. The truth is I never really left or stopped or unplugged and I am tired, apprehensive, sad and feeling a lot of uncertainty. But I gain strength thinking of the amazing and courageous souls holding so strong. Or my beautiful native brothers and sisters who have been fighting all their lives. And deeper still, I feel a peace and a great love that is yearning to be fully embodied and knows it is this that we are here to offer.
This great love tells me that, in spite of everything I feel, it is the full force of our hearts that will change things. In fact it is the only way we can meet this seemingly unstoppable and brutal force of fear and greed. Love in the face of the darkness.
Please, your prayers are called upon now more than ever as things have indeed been pushed through and drilling either has begun or will do so soon. Potent prayers, a force of hearts en masse. It will, it has to make a difference. Take a moment now, take a moment later, moments throughout your day to hold your heart with us. There are few things happening now that are more important than joining in this way for all front lines everywhere. We are the love we want to see in the world.
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