RITES OF PASSAGE & CEREMONY

Our western culture no longer provides the empowering, healing, supportive rituals which mark vital transitions in a woman's life. This lack may leave painful shadows on our psyche. By drawing upon our own spirits and existing ancient teachings, we will re-weave these profound experiences for ourselves and others. We learn the dynamics, elements and powers needed to create rituals and ceremonies as we weave sound, movement, choreography, focus, intent and purpose.

Part One:

BIRTHING: THE CREATIVE WOMB

A woman’s journey with fertility contains many opportunities for healing and empowerment. Join us on a radical rediscovery of rituals for clearing and blessing the womb, grief rituals for miscarriage, stillbirth and terminations, as well as Mother Blessings and Naming Ceremonies - joyful occasions for communities to come together and celebrate.  This creative, experiential weekend will particularly appeal to women who are pregnant or would like to be, and equally to doulas and other professionals interested in a profound exploration of pregnancy and birth as a rite of passage for the mother as well as for the child.

Saturday 10am - 5.30 / 6.00pm

Opening circle

Introduction to Ritual in general - spectrum from shamanic to secular.  Inclusivity.  DIY creativity as well as tradition.  Re-creating rituals we've lost.
Sacred Pregnancy / Fertility

Womb Clearing - Individual Visualisation of the womb as a chamber.  Simply doing the housekeeping.  

Womb Blessing - Working in pairs, calling on the grandmothers to send their light into the womb to bless the woman's creativity and make way for any children to grow there if appropriate for all.

Grief Rituals - Group grief ritual, using a symbol from nature (piece of grass / flower) to symbolise the one lost.  Could be miscarried child, mother lost, loss of innocence.  Drumming and keening.  Prayers for the souls of the dead.  Grounding and releasing.

Closing Circle

 

Sunday 9.30am - 4.30pm

Opening Circle

Mother Blessings - We devise and perform a small ceremony.

Naming Ceremonies - a discussion of what's involved in planning and creating a naming ceremony.  If appropriate, it may be planning for someone in the group.

Closing Circle - pointers of where next.

 

With Jackie Singer, author of Birthrites - Rituals and Celebrations for the Child-bearing Years.  Jackie is a celebrant who has worked with a wide variety of people to create ceremonies, and is the mother of two daughters.  She is a dramatherapist by training, and is currently training to be a shamanic practitioner at Shamanka.

Part Two:

THE GRANDMOTHER LODGE: MENOPAUSE

An exquisite ceremony given to Shamanka by Brooke Medicene Eagle celebrating our becoming women of potency and wisdom.

THE GREATEST JOURNEY:Death and dying

Overcoming fear and grief, including the many small deaths in our  lives. This world is the 'dream', there are other realities, our true life and home into which we are reborn anew at our death.

"I found it to be powerful and integrating."

Sabina