We, the facilitators for the time being, have decided to call this community ‘Water Daré’,  ‘water’ in reference to the place we live in, and to the healing qualities of water. We will hold monthly meetings (see dates at the bottom of the page). The inspiration for Daré (pronounced daray) comes from Zimbabwe, where an indigenous healer, Mandaza, was instructed through dreams and visions to collaborate with other people across boundaries. Deena Metzger (deenametzger.com) and her husband Michael Ortiz Hill, healers, writers, visionaries in Topanga, CA, have brought Daré to the West, where it has a home in many cities. Daré was held in Seattle for 6 years, and now finds a new, re-inspired form.

Daré is an activity, and a mind set. The activity is council with healing at its core. The mind set is the concern for the community over the concern for the self.  The activity of Daré is always original, like Jazz, unexpected, and reflects the people present. Daré is in its principle open to anybody and is non-denominational.

In these demanding times, gathering in community, listening deeply to one another while seeking and celebrating the guidance of all forms of intelligence are among the most radical and healing acts we can undertake on behalf of life.  In community we offer ourselves to the sacred medicines of healing deep listening, touch and attention, ceremony and shared vision, stories and dreams.  As we weave together our varied gifts and experiences, we find support in becoming healing presences and discover how to restore healing and peacemaking to the center of our consciousness and our world. This effort is especially crucial in these times of suffering, widespread fear and anxiety, economic crisis, environmental devastation, war and a healthcare system that is falling apart.

A Daré meeting is roughly planned like this: (please feel free to come to any or all parts of the meeting)

• We start at noon with a 30 minutes silent sit to quiet our minds.
• We call spirit to be with us in this sacred activity with rattles, drums, instruments and voices around 1pm. Each of us calls on the spirits that one has developed a relation with.
• We gather in council to consider a question of importance. Each person who wishes to speak to the question does so from his or her heart, telling personal experiences that the question calls forth. Sitting in Council together is part of creating a healing community.
• We hold healing sessions around 3.30pm for those who wish to participate. Anyone can come to give and/or receive healing energy. We allow ourselves to be guided by spirits and ancestors.
• We reconvene in circle around 4.30pm to share dreams and consider how they might guide the community.
• We end around 6pm with the necessary clean-up.