In a magical valley, protected by the ancient spirits of the towering Catskill Mountains, a sacred fire was lit. Surrounded by golden woods and in the cool, still evening air of mid-October 2004, the fire initiated an unprecedented and historic gathering of thirteen remarkable indigenous Grandmothers from around the world, keepers of their tribes' teachings from original times. The Grandmothers had come to fulfill an ancient prophecy, known by many of the world's indigenous tribes: "When the Grandmothers from the four directions speak, a new time is coming."

The urgency of the world's perilous situation requires a global response. As the wise women, curanderas, shamans, and healers of their tribes, each Grandmother brought to the council new visions and prophecies for humanity, their tribes' rich and varied sources of wisdom, and each tribe's unique and secret teachings for living within the Divine Order of all things. Their International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers met with other wise women elders - Alice Walker, Gloria Steinem, Carol Mosely Braun, Wilma Mankiller, Tenzin Palmo and H.H. Sai Ma, among others - whose insightful contributions are also included in this book.

Grandmothers Council the World introduces these extraordinary women, their views on relationships and women's wisdom, their ideas for healing the Earth as well as ourselves, their plans for ending war and poverty, for bettering life on our planet, and their revelations about the importance of prayer.

Carol Schaefer has also authored The Other Mother: A Woman's Love for the Child She Gave Up for Adoption (SoHo Press, 1991). It was named one of the 500 Great Books by Women -- a list that goes back to the 11th century -- by Penguin Reader's Guide. In 1995, it was adapted for television on by NBC and  is now among the most popular movies on Lifetime Television.

Carol Schaefer's other credits include:
Editor: Sacred Connections: Stories of Adoption (Running Press, 2001).
Author:  The Sacred Virgin - 2001
Author: Mary Queen of Scots, A Spiritual Biography - 2002
An Ancient Tear - 2004

Ms. Schaefer has appeared on local and national radio stations and speaks at conferences worldwide on adoption issues.

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