The Aligning Power of Ceremony

Yesterday, I re-watched the DVD of Praises of the World, a ritual performance of Jennifer Berezan’s extended chant in praise of Mama Gaia.  Many of her friends joined her to offer poetry, improvised song, dance, drumming, and more.  Afterwards, I felt so aligned with Life.  When I offered a 90-minute tarot session to someone soon after the viewing, it flowed beautifully. 

Ceremony is so important for our well-being.  It reminds us of our connection with Something Larger, no matter what we name It.  And when we’re reminded of that connection, our minds, bodies, and emotions are rejuvenated.  Whether esctatic buddhist chanting, solemn high mass, a midnight drumming circle, or a dark moon goddess prayer, meaningful ceremony keeps us sane and healthy.  And, I believe, it’s good for Mama Gaia and all Her inhabitants.  She can’t help but feel better when we honour that which is life-affirming in sacred time and space.

What ceremonies align you with the Best of Life?  How do you notice that alignment?  Please leave comments!

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Two Faves Combined

Don’t you just love it when two or more of your favourite things come together?  Lately, for me, it’s the blend of tarot and circle process in the guise of the Gaian Tarot Circle, an online forum for people who have a copy of Joanna Powell Colbert’s luscious and user-friendly Gaian Tarot deck.  Even though it takes place on WordPress and on teleseminars, I experience the sensation of a real circle.  There’s respect, fascinating discussion, a variety of opinions, diverse styles of working with tarot and with communicating those ideas, and support for one another.  Study is prompted by the natural cycles of the moon.  If you get the deck, I highly recommend that you join the Gaian Tarot Circle.  We learn a lot, discover new friends, and find out more about old friends.

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Juicy New Processes for YOU!

My dear friends,

I’ve developed an exciting new way to work with people, using the tarot in a way that helps them remember their soul qualities and apply them to specific areas of life.

The first process helps you to create healthy intimate relationships.  This way of working with the cards and strategic questioning assists people to gain clarity around what a loving, respectful relationship looks like for them and to take steps towards making that kind of relationship a reality in their lives.

The second process employs tarot and strategic questioning to help you to remember your soul qualities and apply them to creating meaningful, lucrative work.  This series of activities assists you to gain clarity around your unique contribution to our world, take steps towards earning money by being of service to the Whole, and feel rejuvenated by doing what you love.

 

The best part is that working in this way creates forward movement very quickly!

 

When I designed this programme, I felt that it would be something many of you would definitely enjoy.

 

Simply get in touch with me if you’d like to hear more!  I’d love to share this process with you.  (416) 966 – 2685.

 

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What Is My Purpose as a Guide?

I’m currently reading a book by Molly Young Brown called Unfolding Self: The Practice of Psychosynthesis.  The first chapter is “Psychosynthesis and the Art of Guiding”, an explication and exploration of what it means to be a guide, counsellor, coach, therapist, helper, or whatever you choose to call it.  Brown provides an exercise on page 6, called “Exploring Purpose”, to help one find a sense of purpose as a guide that has great meaning and usefulness to one’s work.  I may revise it over time, but what I came up with is this:

My purpose as a guide is to companion people’s journeys to full, authentic humanity and to concelebrate their expression of that full, authentic humanity.

What about YOU?  What is your purpose as a guide?  Why do you do what you do?  Why do people love  what you offer?

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An Empowerment Tarot Layout

Here’s an empowerment layout I designed, inspired by Mary Greer’s book Women of the Golden Dawn: Rebels and Priestesses.  On pages 383 through 385 of that book, Mary has “Twelve Resources for Empowerment”, rooted in the lives and practices of the four women who are the main subjects of the text.  Even though she gives 12 points, this layout has 15 cards in it, because a couple of the points in MG’s book contain what I consider to be sub-points.  Please try it with yourself and/or others and let me know how it goes.  Take at least an hour and a half to two hours to really sink into it and record relevant insights.  If you’d like someone to facilitate, please feel free to set up an appointment with me.

[15]

[12]      [13]      [14]

[7]        [8]        [9]        [10]      [11]

[1]        [2]        [3]                                [4]        [5]        [6]

1. What material resources allow me some form of independent living?
2. What unconventional group(s) or community(ies) supports my personal power?
3. What unconventional philosophy/worldview supports my personal power?
4. What form(s) of artistic expression allows me to consciously channel creative forces from the subliminal mind?
5. What metaphor helps me to perceive the interconnectedness of everything that exists?
6. What allows me to influence events?
7. What are my most valued characteristics that act as sources of personal power?
8. What is my strong “No!”?
9. What is my strong “Yes!”?
10. What life-affirming boundaries do I need to set?
11. What is my primary life-affirming criterion at moments of decision or crisis?  (Note:  Perhaps phrase this card’s response as a question.)
12. What are the best self-reflective tools and/or processes to assist me to become more conscious?
13. How can I best integrate my diverse personality characteristics?
14. What are the best experiences, tools, and/or processes of centring for me to use in order to renew the sense of my own divinity?
15. By calling upon and employing the knowledge and practices named in Cards 1 through 14, who/what is the authentic self I am capable of becoming?

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Be Sure to Check In

“How can I introduce circle process to my [name of group here]?” is a question people ask me.  Whether it’s a family gathering, business meeting, book study circle, spiritual group, not-for-profit organisation, or whatever, don’t try to pull out all the stops when it comes to introducing the use of circle as a way to communicate.  Some might get it, but most will glaze over or run for the hills. 

The one piece of circle process that is an excellent introduction to this way of being together is check-in.  A check-in is a brief round of hearing how each person is as they enter the meeting or gathering.  In anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes each, every person has the opportunity to express, without interruption, what’s on hir mind, how s/he is feeling, the latest personal news, what s/he hopes to get out of the gathering, or what s/he is able (or not able) to contribute to the meeting.

Checking in helps us to be present and to witness our peers as real humans, not just talking heads in a chair.  If I know that Joe has been in negotiation with his ex-wife all week, I can better understand why his piece of the project could use a couple of more days of work.  If Maureen feels celebratory because she’s found a new spiritual community, I can find a happier piece of myself as we meet.  If, during my turn in check-in, I tell people that I’m immersed in a particular book, they can get a sense of where some of my vocabulary that day is coming from.

So, if you use no other aspect of circle work, at least do check-in.  You’ll find that the gathering is more focused, people are more accepting, and everyone is more grounded.

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Bee Messenger

A couple of days ago, I finished teaching a Level One reiki class in Beamsville, ON.  Bumblebees kept showing up in the teaching space.  That evening, many of us who belong to the Gaian Tarot Circle took part in a teleseminar by Carolyn Cushing.  She led us through a guided meditation into the Lovers card from the Gaian Tarot.  In that card is a bee!  Bees help to pollinate.  Bees respresent fertility.  They buzz!  So, my friends,:

• What acts of cross-pollination are taking place?
• What is fertile in our imaginations and spirits at this time?
• What’s the “buzz” of which we need to be aware?

Let me know!

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