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This is an ongoing US and global project to help enthusiasts, scholars, practitioners, and curious parties learn more about shamanic living in a contemporary culture. The space here is devoted to sharing info, experiences and opinions about all forms of shamanic expression covering shamanism's multiple permutations. Among subjects explored are traditions, techniques, insights, definitions, events, artists, authors, and creativity. You are invited to draw from your own experiences and contribute.

What is a SHAMAN?

MAYAN: "a technichian of the Holy, a lover of the Sacred." CELTIC: "Empower the people...by changing the way we think." MEXICAN APACHE: "Someone who has simply learned to give freely of themselves..." AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL: "...a teacher or healer, a wisdom keeper of knowledge... (who) takes people to a door and encourages them to enter." W. AFRICAN DIAGRA: "views every event in life within a spiritual context." HAWAIIAN: "...human bridges to the spiritual world and its laws and the material world and its trials..." QUECHUA INDIAN: "embodies all experience." AMAZON: "...willing to engage the forces of the Universe...in a beneficial end for self, people, and for life in general."


-- from Travelers, Magicians and Shamans (Danny Paradise)

Friday, June 13, 2008

Summer Solstice Rituals

I just love the Universe's sense of timing and synchronicity. Right at a time we are all working on improving our relationship with Spirit, a friend came to me and asked if I could help her put together a ceremony or some sort of ritual for a summer solstice party that she is having next weekend. I'm going to look into some of the Wiccan rituals. My friend is Danish and she's got some rituals from her culture she wants to incorporate as well.

I was thinking that we should be bringing in an aspect of all of the elements, but more importantly, the element of fire. I was thinking it would be a great exercise if we did the flower wreath, like we had done at our retreat at the ocean. The solstice is a time of shifting energy, of movement of nature and time, I'd like the focus of the ceremony to be about having the participants bring something they'd like to shift in their lives. As we all know, it's more about making the effort to change more than the ceremony or ritual items used themselves, but I'd love to hear what anyone else has to suggest!

2 comments:

Night Sings said...

Sounds like our kind of party! If it involves a mix of "Norms" (or "muggles" as we often describe them) and Spiritchasers, I would aim low, since the combined energy of everyone involved is what gave our ritual a magical quality. If everyone does not buy in to the idea and the process beforehand, it could produce different levels of intent and might dilute the experience. I'd say it's a great idea though. It makes me want to think of ways to introduce similar rituals in my community.

walksinsacredspace said...

I'm adding more ritual and ceremony in my life as I walk further and deeper, creating a wider circle on this shamanic path. For many years, my knowledge was primarily funded by books.

My of my favorites for honoring the seasons is:
Nature-Speak
Omens & Messages in Nature
by Ted Andrews
This book has a section on Sacred Rites of The Seasons. It speaks to the magically rhythms per season, yearly cycle of energies in the body and the angelic powers of the seasons. Naure-Speak includes a chapter for each Equinox (Vernal and Autumn) and the Solstices (Summer and Winter). Each equinox/solstice has suggested readings of myths, tales and stories to open to the energies and rhythms of their season followed by an exercise rite/guided mediation.