Fall Equinox Ceremony: Giving Gratitude for the Inner and Outer Harvests, for the Endless Supply from an Endless Source
Fall Equinox Ceremony
(thought you might like a written version too...)
Fall Equinox is on September 23 at 12:49am Mountain time
Sunemaura and friends
In this ceremony, we give thanks for our inner and outer harvests. We acknowledge and give thanks for the endlessness of supply, the endlessness of Source.
We start the ceremony with the creation of an altar:
Think about your harvests. What have you harvested from the past spring and summer? On the inner plane – in your spirit, emotionally, mentally? On the outer plane – any projects completing or coming into flow? Any gardens (literal or metaphor!) blossoming?
Bring objects to your altar which speak of your harvests.
Bring something to your altar which expresses each of the four elements: fire, water, earth, air
Bring to your altar your drum, rattle and/or voice.
We then drum or rattle, letting the sounds call in sacred space.
We each take turns offering prayers of gratitude. We give thanks for the endlessness of Flow. We each give thanks for our individual inner and outer harvests.
We give thanks for harvests of the elements:
We bring forth the object expressing fire.
“Let this flame represent my Spirit – my passion, my fire. I am thankful and offer _______________(for example: my creative Spirit)”
We bring forth the object expressing water.
“Let this water represent my emotions. I am thankful and offer ______________ .”
We bring forth the object expressing earth.
“Let this soil represent my physical body. I am thankful and offer _______________________”
We drum, rattle and/or chant our gratitude.
We drum, rattle and/or chant into the OHM, the endless creative energy, the endless Source
We chant OHM several times.
We are so thankful.
(thought you might like a written version too...)
Fall Equinox is on September 23 at 12:49am Mountain time
Sunemaura and friends
In this ceremony, we give thanks for our inner and outer harvests. We acknowledge and give thanks for the endlessness of supply, the endlessness of Source.
We start the ceremony with the creation of an altar:
Think about your harvests. What have you harvested from the past spring and summer? On the inner plane – in your spirit, emotionally, mentally? On the outer plane – any projects completing or coming into flow? Any gardens (literal or metaphor!) blossoming?
Bring objects to your altar which speak of your harvests.
Bring something to your altar which expresses each of the four elements: fire, water, earth, air
Bring to your altar your drum, rattle and/or voice.
We then drum or rattle, letting the sounds call in sacred space.
We each take turns offering prayers of gratitude. We give thanks for the endlessness of Flow. We each give thanks for our individual inner and outer harvests.
We give thanks for harvests of the elements:
We bring forth the object expressing fire.
“Let this flame represent my Spirit – my passion, my fire. I am thankful and offer _______________(for example: my creative Spirit)”
We bring forth the object expressing water.
“Let this water represent my emotions. I am thankful and offer ______________ .”
We bring forth the object expressing earth.
“Let this soil represent my physical body. I am thankful and offer _______________________”
We drum, rattle and/or chant our gratitude.
We drum, rattle and/or chant into the OHM, the endless creative energy, the endless Source
We chant OHM several times.
We are so thankful.
Calling in the Elements - Bringing Our Medicine into Fruition
In April, we began a series of ceremonies. Each month, for five months, we will offer a simple ceremony invoking a particular element, calling forth its spirit to move us forward into the next phase of our journeys, the next step in the sharing of our individual medicine – that unique gift each of us brings to the world. At the completion of the series, we will provide a download of all five ceremonies. At that time, you may want to perform all five ceremonies together, as one ceremony. These are short, simple ceremonies, meant to be performed alone or in small groups. It is ideal to perform these ceremonies on or near the full moon.
Sunemaura and friendsIt
It is now August and, below, you will find the final ceremony in the series. And, as promised, click on this link to download all five ceremonies.
Sunemaura and friendsIt
It is now August and, below, you will find the final ceremony in the series. And, as promised, click on this link to download all five ceremonies.
| medicine_ceremonies.pdf |
Spirit Ceremony to Enter The Ohm
Portal by Sunemaura
Consider the Divine not an entity, but an all permeating field of benevolence and love. Consider that we might enter that field at any time: sit in, rest in, have presence in, even live in if we'd like. Consider that we might align our inner rhythms with the rhythms of this field. Contemplate the difference between interacting with Great Spirit and entering, being present within Great Spirit.
As much a spiritual practice as a ceremony, what follows was shared with me recently by my spirit circle as a way of aligning myself with my "highest purpose and pleasure" (their words in quotes). It was presented to me as a way of immersing myself in the purest of love: the love that is. not only the truth of the Divine, but the truth of our own souls. It's the core of who we are. By sinking into this love regularly (don't make this a one time experience), you will allow yourself to access some of the most deeply held truths of the beauty of your spirit - the roots of your divine spirit. You will allow yourself to feel connection with all of existence as all originates within this vast field of love. We are indeed all relatives.
Create a safe, sacred space for yourself. Sit comfortably. You may wish to light a candle, light incense, have a cup of tea.
Sitting quietly, begin with the breath, the breath of God (Ohm) within us. Notice your breaths in. Notice your breaths out. Notice them slowing down a bit. Don't try to control the breath. Let it fall deeply, but gently. Let the breath sink into your body. And let your whole being sink. Sink into your body. Let everything just sink down into the body. Let your body contain all of you. What does it feel like to rest in your body?
And now, open to the Ohm. Enter the Ohm. The primal sound. The field of love. Enter this field. You don't have to DO much of anything. Stay fully embodied and allow yourself, body, mind and spirit, to enter a palpably different frequency. You are not entering the realm of God. You are entering God, the Ohm.
And the plan is to rest in the Ohm, this field of love, for a bit of time each day. Leave behind the separation of this world and bask in the realities of union, joy and grace. By entering the Ohm each day, we start to recognize it as our natural state of being. From this place of understanding, trust is strengthened. Information about who we are, the gifts we bring to the world, our missions and other important aspects of our lives is easily conveyed through the energy of the Ohm, both within and outside of the experience of sitting in it.
As much a spiritual practice as a ceremony, what follows was shared with me recently by my spirit circle as a way of aligning myself with my "highest purpose and pleasure" (their words in quotes). It was presented to me as a way of immersing myself in the purest of love: the love that is. not only the truth of the Divine, but the truth of our own souls. It's the core of who we are. By sinking into this love regularly (don't make this a one time experience), you will allow yourself to access some of the most deeply held truths of the beauty of your spirit - the roots of your divine spirit. You will allow yourself to feel connection with all of existence as all originates within this vast field of love. We are indeed all relatives.
Create a safe, sacred space for yourself. Sit comfortably. You may wish to light a candle, light incense, have a cup of tea.
Sitting quietly, begin with the breath, the breath of God (Ohm) within us. Notice your breaths in. Notice your breaths out. Notice them slowing down a bit. Don't try to control the breath. Let it fall deeply, but gently. Let the breath sink into your body. And let your whole being sink. Sink into your body. Let everything just sink down into the body. Let your body contain all of you. What does it feel like to rest in your body?
And now, open to the Ohm. Enter the Ohm. The primal sound. The field of love. Enter this field. You don't have to DO much of anything. Stay fully embodied and allow yourself, body, mind and spirit, to enter a palpably different frequency. You are not entering the realm of God. You are entering God, the Ohm.
And the plan is to rest in the Ohm, this field of love, for a bit of time each day. Leave behind the separation of this world and bask in the realities of union, joy and grace. By entering the Ohm each day, we start to recognize it as our natural state of being. From this place of understanding, trust is strengthened. Information about who we are, the gifts we bring to the world, our missions and other important aspects of our lives is easily conveyed through the energy of the Ohm, both within and outside of the experience of sitting in it.
Air Ceremony to Breathe our Love into Being
Begin with the breath. The breath of Life within you. The breath of Love. Sit quietly, breathing softly, gently, in and out. Allow your weight to settle into the chair or earth on which you sit. Feel your body. Feel your solidity. Feel this moment. Gently breathe into this grounding. Really experience it. As you sit, a word or phrase will float to the surface of your heart and mind. This word or phrase will describe what you will offer the Earth. What you will offer humanity. What you will offer to you, your own being.
Breathe this word into your body. Breathe it out to the world. Inhale, taking the word in with intention. Exhale through pursed lips to your community, to the whole world. Repeat softly. Repeat gently. Repeat often, with great love.
Breathe this word into your body. Breathe it out to the world. Inhale, taking the word in with intention. Exhale through pursed lips to your community, to the whole world. Repeat softly. Repeat gently. Repeat often, with great love.
Water Ceremony to Anoint Us in Our Medicine
photo by David
Go to a place of natural, living water for this anointment ceremony or, if that is not easily done, anoint with the alternate ceremony shared below it.
Note: to anoint, dip your fingers in the water. Touch them to (in this case) your third eye (between the brows), throat, heart, dipping in for more water as needed.
Anointment Ceremony in Natural Water
This anointment takes place at a space of natural living water. Stand or sit as close to the water as you are able. Perhaps actually stand IN the water.
Deep breaths, slow exhales.
Breathing into the heart.
Exhaling from the heart.
Breathing into the whole body.
Exhaling from the whole body.
Dip your fingers into the water.
Anoint your third eye.
Anoint your throat.
Anoint your heart.
Wash your hands in the water.
Speak:
"I anoint myself with the right to be here - the right to live my medicine - the right to love the world in my own particular way. I anoint myself with the reality and grace of living this truth."
Give thanks.
Anointment Ceremony with a Bowl of Water
For this ceremony, you'll need a small bowl of water.
Hold the bowl of water in your lap, with both hands around it.
Bless the water.
Speak:
"Through the grace of the Divine Om as reflected in the Divine Oversoul of the Goodness of
Humanity, this water is returned to its origin, its purity, its innate living light. It is Sacred Water."
Receive the anointment:
Dip your fingers in the water.
Anoint your third eye.
Anoint your throat.
Anoint your heart.
Dip your fingers in the water and "wash" your hands.
Speak:
"I anoint myself with the right to be here - the right to live my medicine - the right to love the world in my own particular way. I anoint myself with the reality and grace of living this truth."
Give thanks.
Note: to anoint, dip your fingers in the water. Touch them to (in this case) your third eye (between the brows), throat, heart, dipping in for more water as needed.
Anointment Ceremony in Natural Water
This anointment takes place at a space of natural living water. Stand or sit as close to the water as you are able. Perhaps actually stand IN the water.
Deep breaths, slow exhales.
Breathing into the heart.
Exhaling from the heart.
Breathing into the whole body.
Exhaling from the whole body.
Dip your fingers into the water.
Anoint your third eye.
Anoint your throat.
Anoint your heart.
Wash your hands in the water.
Speak:
"I anoint myself with the right to be here - the right to live my medicine - the right to love the world in my own particular way. I anoint myself with the reality and grace of living this truth."
Give thanks.
Anointment Ceremony with a Bowl of Water
For this ceremony, you'll need a small bowl of water.
Hold the bowl of water in your lap, with both hands around it.
Bless the water.
Speak:
"Through the grace of the Divine Om as reflected in the Divine Oversoul of the Goodness of
Humanity, this water is returned to its origin, its purity, its innate living light. It is Sacred Water."
Receive the anointment:
Dip your fingers in the water.
Anoint your third eye.
Anoint your throat.
Anoint your heart.
Dip your fingers in the water and "wash" your hands.
Speak:
"I anoint myself with the right to be here - the right to live my medicine - the right to love the world in my own particular way. I anoint myself with the reality and grace of living this truth."
Give thanks.
Earth Ceremony to Root our Medicine
(Words in bold are to be spoken aloud.)
Stand barefoot in the dirt.
Or
Hold a bowl of dirt or soil.
“I plant my medicine on Earth. I plant __________.” (Here name gifts and qualities you bring to the healing of the planet and to the healing of your own life.)
“I nourish this medicine with _____________.” (How do you intend to nourish your medicine? With compassion? With physical self care? Something else?)
“I nourish Earth and I allow Earth to nourish me. This nourishment empowers my medicine.”
Pick up a handful of soil and rub it between your hands.
Or
Rub your feet and toes into the soil.
Breathe in deeply. Exhale slowly. Two or three times.
“Allowing Earth to absorb my medicine, I absorb her medicine. I am empowered by her strength, her stability, her provision, her great love. I am so thankful.”
Close the ceremony by making an offering to Earth. Go to a sacred space in Nature. Offer a prayer of gratitude. Leave an offering: a bit of sacred herbs, a gift of flower petals, a few minutes of Reiki, a prayer. Gratitude is probably the highest spiritual principle and one never to be overlooked.
Stand barefoot in the dirt.
Or
Hold a bowl of dirt or soil.
“I plant my medicine on Earth. I plant __________.” (Here name gifts and qualities you bring to the healing of the planet and to the healing of your own life.)
“I nourish this medicine with _____________.” (How do you intend to nourish your medicine? With compassion? With physical self care? Something else?)
“I nourish Earth and I allow Earth to nourish me. This nourishment empowers my medicine.”
Pick up a handful of soil and rub it between your hands.
Or
Rub your feet and toes into the soil.
Breathe in deeply. Exhale slowly. Two or three times.
“Allowing Earth to absorb my medicine, I absorb her medicine. I am empowered by her strength, her stability, her provision, her great love. I am so thankful.”
Close the ceremony by making an offering to Earth. Go to a sacred space in Nature. Offer a prayer of gratitude. Leave an offering: a bit of sacred herbs, a gift of flower petals, a few minutes of Reiki, a prayer. Gratitude is probably the highest spiritual principle and one never to be overlooked.
Fire Ceremony to Ignite Our Medicine
(Words in bold print are meant to be spoken aloud.)
Begin with a simple invocation, calling forth the spirit of fire and offering your intention:
I gratefully call on Brother Fire. I open to your presence, your assistance at this time. I open my heart, my life, my entire being to Creator, to Mother Gaia, to my highest, happiest, most useful and fulfilling path.
Light a fire. As I, myself, write and perform this ceremony this evening, I am lighting a simple stick of incense and meditating on the glowing ember at its end. You might like to light a candle, or a fire pit, or a burning bowl. Any kind of fire that speaks to you at this time will work.
Sit with the fire for a bit. Sit for ten to thirty minutes. Commune with the fire. Meditate with the fire. Breathe with the fire.
Join with Fire and accept its assistance:
I acknowledge and support Fire in igniting my passion, my spirit, my medicine, my path. I acknowledge and support Fire in burning through barriers to the expression of my medicine, the fulfillment of my needs, and the experience of love and joy.
Offer a prayer:
I open my heart to change, transformation and fulfillment within me and within my life. I open my heart to my next step. My next mission. I gratefully open my heart, mind and life to Creator. I open to Gaia, the ancestors, the ascended masters, to all my highest loving support. I give thanks and open my heart to the daily spark of Brother Fire. I ask for communion. I ask for guidance, provision and support. I ask for love. I am so thankful.
Spend five to fifteen minutes sitting with the fire again. Commune. Meditate. Accept guidance. Breathe. Give thanks.
Begin with a simple invocation, calling forth the spirit of fire and offering your intention:
I gratefully call on Brother Fire. I open to your presence, your assistance at this time. I open my heart, my life, my entire being to Creator, to Mother Gaia, to my highest, happiest, most useful and fulfilling path.
Light a fire. As I, myself, write and perform this ceremony this evening, I am lighting a simple stick of incense and meditating on the glowing ember at its end. You might like to light a candle, or a fire pit, or a burning bowl. Any kind of fire that speaks to you at this time will work.
Sit with the fire for a bit. Sit for ten to thirty minutes. Commune with the fire. Meditate with the fire. Breathe with the fire.
Join with Fire and accept its assistance:
I acknowledge and support Fire in igniting my passion, my spirit, my medicine, my path. I acknowledge and support Fire in burning through barriers to the expression of my medicine, the fulfillment of my needs, and the experience of love and joy.
Offer a prayer:
I open my heart to change, transformation and fulfillment within me and within my life. I open my heart to my next step. My next mission. I gratefully open my heart, mind and life to Creator. I open to Gaia, the ancestors, the ascended masters, to all my highest loving support. I give thanks and open my heart to the daily spark of Brother Fire. I ask for communion. I ask for guidance, provision and support. I ask for love. I am so thankful.
Spend five to fifteen minutes sitting with the fire again. Commune. Meditate. Accept guidance. Breathe. Give thanks.
March
Water Blessing Ceremony
This is a prayer ceremony to make Sacred Water. This is water for anointing, for ceremony, for healing.
You'll need:
A bowl of water. If you are going to keep the water for a length of time, you will need distilled or purified water. If it is for immediate use, you can use any kind of water at all.
You might want to put stones or crystals in the water.
A representative of each element: perhaps incense for air, a candle for fire, the crystals in the water for earth and the water itself for water. Create an altar with the four elements and nothing else.
Below I lead us in the ceremony itself and below that, is the written ceremony.
This is a prayer ceremony to make Sacred Water. This is water for anointing, for ceremony, for healing.
You'll need:
A bowl of water. If you are going to keep the water for a length of time, you will need distilled or purified water. If it is for immediate use, you can use any kind of water at all.
You might want to put stones or crystals in the water.
A representative of each element: perhaps incense for air, a candle for fire, the crystals in the water for earth and the water itself for water. Create an altar with the four elements and nothing else.
Below I lead us in the ceremony itself and below that, is the written ceremony.
Closing our eyes, we breathe gently, but deeply. We let the breaths lead us into sacred space – a space of blessing, peace, harmony, joy and restoration.
From this sacred place, we bless this water.
We open our eyes.
Lighting the incense, we ask Air to embrace this water.
Lighting the candle, we ask fire to embrace this water.
We ask these stones to infuse the water with the embrace of earth.
We ask water to hold the embrace of these elements and to contribute it's own essence.
We bring forward this bowl of water.
We call forth the Spirit of the East Wind and the Archangel Uriel. We ask that this water be blessed with the brightest of light.
We call forth the Spirit of the South Wind and the Archangel Michael. We ask that this water be blessed with divine love.
We call forth the Spirit of the West Wind and the Archangel Raphael. We ask that this water be blessed with great healing.
We call forth the Spirit of the North wind and the Archangel Gabriel. We ask that this water be blessed with true courage.
We lift the water. We ask that it be blessed by Creator, by Mother Earth, by the Celestials, by the Ancestors, by all that is sacred.
We experience bright light pooling above our heads. The light flows down into the water. It encompasses the water, our hands, flows down our arms. We feel the sense of the light embracing all whom the water will touch.
If we want to sing, chant, drum, or play sound of any kind into the water, it will enhance the blessing at this time.
The water will now sit outdoors or in a windowsill for a cycle of the sun and the moon.
The water is now Sacred Water, Holy Water, Spiritual Healing Water.
Sunemaura and friends
From this sacred place, we bless this water.
We open our eyes.
Lighting the incense, we ask Air to embrace this water.
Lighting the candle, we ask fire to embrace this water.
We ask these stones to infuse the water with the embrace of earth.
We ask water to hold the embrace of these elements and to contribute it's own essence.
We bring forward this bowl of water.
We call forth the Spirit of the East Wind and the Archangel Uriel. We ask that this water be blessed with the brightest of light.
We call forth the Spirit of the South Wind and the Archangel Michael. We ask that this water be blessed with divine love.
We call forth the Spirit of the West Wind and the Archangel Raphael. We ask that this water be blessed with great healing.
We call forth the Spirit of the North wind and the Archangel Gabriel. We ask that this water be blessed with true courage.
We lift the water. We ask that it be blessed by Creator, by Mother Earth, by the Celestials, by the Ancestors, by all that is sacred.
We experience bright light pooling above our heads. The light flows down into the water. It encompasses the water, our hands, flows down our arms. We feel the sense of the light embracing all whom the water will touch.
If we want to sing, chant, drum, or play sound of any kind into the water, it will enhance the blessing at this time.
The water will now sit outdoors or in a windowsill for a cycle of the sun and the moon.
The water is now Sacred Water, Holy Water, Spiritual Healing Water.
Sunemaura and friends