In the early 1970’s, I had the wonderful experience of hearing Peace Pilgrim speak at a Unity Church in Florida and was totally taken by this woman who had given up all material goods and comforts to become a wanderer for peace.  I knew then that someday I would do similar work but couldn’t quite see the focus of my vision as I continued to serve others as an educator, school administrator, and educational consultant.

As I reached retirement age, I underwent some personal transformation through completing the Healing the Light Body Training of the Four Winds Society in Park City, Utah with Alberto Villoldo and Linda Fitch.  I was amazed at the change in myself as a result of this training. My interest in helping others led to facilitating classes that I termed the ”Medicine Circle”, which was a combination of some of the knowledge I received at the Four Winds, plus the awareness gained from the study of what some would describe as “new thought principles”, mystic wisdom, and Buddhism.  At this point the vision of peacewalking began to form but the message for the walk was not totally clear.
I grew up enjoying the outdoors and spent every spare minute walking in the woods and becoming one with nature, wishing everyone could have this opportunity.  I was concerned about the environment when I learned of the work of the Nature Conservancy, whose goal is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. The message for my walk became clear when I realized how closely my goal correlates with that of the Nature Conservancy.  Then I knew that I would be serving others by working toward bringing balance and harmony to all my relations and bringing awareness to organizations that are doing the same.  

For more information, contact Grandmother Raven at
"raven at circlesofessence dot com".

Grandmother Raven, aka Jodi Tuttle, at the Tallgrass Prarie
Preserve north of Pawhuska, Oklahoma for a Despacho
Ceremony and Peace Walk on July 18, 2009 with friends,
Rhonda Selig on left and Sherry Mickleberry on right.

In 1953 at the age 44, Mildred Norman Ryder, a woman known as the Peace Pilgrim, walked more than 25,000 miles on a personal pilgrimage for peace until her death in 1981. Ryder had answered her higher calling to be an advocate for peace and for 28 years she walked throughout the U.S. petitioning for international and personal peace.

Inspired by the Peace Pilgrim, Jodi Tuttle, also known as Grandmother Raven, began her own personal peace pilgrim journey. Tuttle is continuing and furthering the humanitarian work of the Peace Pilgrim with her organization Circle of Peace, promoting and advocating global peace with peace walk journeys. In the early 1970’s, Tuttle attended an event at a Unity Church in Florida where the Peace Pilgrim, Ryder, had given a peace talk presentation.

“I knew then that someday I would do similar work,” said Tuttle.

As Tuttle began her retirement after her previous career as an educator, school administrator and educational consultant, she underwent a personal transformation through studying and training in the Peruvian Inca shaman tradition at the Four Winds Society in Park City, Utah with Alberto Villoldo and Linda Fitch.

“I was amazed at the change in myself as a result of my training. My interest in helping others led to facilitating classes through the Medicine Circle, which is a combination of some of the shamanic knowledge I received at the Four Winds, plus the awareness gained from the study of what some would describe as new thought principles, mystic wisdom, and Buddhism,” said Tuttle.

Tuttle’s concern for the environment grew when she learned of the work of The Nature ConConservancy, whose goal is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. At this point, her personal vision of a peace walking pilgrimage began to form.

“The message for my walk became clear when I realized how closely my goal correlates with that of the Nature Conservancy. Then I knew that I would be serving others by working toward bringing balance and harmony to all my relations and bringing awareness to organizations that are doing the same,’ said Tuttle.

Tuttle teaches Medicine Circle classes and works as a life coach with individuals in personal transformation sessions in Tulsa, Okla. She began serving as a peace walker in this spring, dedicated to fostering environmental awareness and the elevation of human consciousness to bring peace and harmony to the earth.

“I walk in towns toward Nature Conservancy centers or other places focused on helping the environment. When I walk, I send out love and peace prayers for all the people I meet, and those that I pass,” said Tuttle.

Tuttle plans her peace walk journeys at a starting point in Tulsa, then makes a path toward a nature conservancy site. Tuttle, along with peace-supporting friends, walks approximately six miles at least once per week until she reaches her destination. Then, on a pre-scheduled weekend date, Tuttle performs a sacred shamanic prayer blessing ceremony known as a Despacho Ceremony at the nature conservancy destination.

“When I reach the environmental centers, I hold Despacho Ceremonies, for all who would like to participate. These prayers, patterned after the medicine men and women in Peru, are considered a gift or giveaway ceremony, which allows us to step into right relationship with the world,” said Tuttle.

Other peace supporters are invited and welcome to join Tuttle on her peace pilgrimage walk journeys. Tuttle has scheduled a weekly group peace walk on Wednesdays to meet at a pre-determined location in Tulsa at 7:00 am.

“I enjoy walking for peace with Grandmother Raven as a peaceful way of promoting peace and environmental sustainability with prayer blessings for people and mother earth,” said Selig.

Since Tuttle began her Circle of Peace walks, she has clocked in a little over 100 miles. She is currently walking through towns in six-mile increments two days per week on a planned route starting from Tulsa and heading towards the J.T. Nickel Family Nature and Wildlife Preserve in the Tahlequah area. She estimates that she will complete her journey and reach her destination by the end of August. Tuttle has tentatively scheduled a Despacho Ceremony prayer blessing at the J.T. Nickel Preserve on Friday, Aug. 28 to begin at 11 a.m. with a potluck picnic lunch and peace chats to follow at 12:00 noon. For more information about Grandmother Raven Circle of Peace walks, visit her website at www.circlesofessence.com. The Nature Conservancy Web site address is www.nature.org.

Contact Cheryl Shephard at NSU.