image of full moon over water prayer for releasing emotions

Releasing Emotions that Won’t Go

Repressing Emotions is Unhealthy

A practice of releasing emotions before they build up can be helpful. Why is this? Because stuffing difficult emotions is harmful to our health. The bottled up emotions (anger, frustration, sadness, grief, fear) make their way back to the surface eventually. 

The eruption of old feelings can come in an uncontrollable torrent of expression at an inopportune time. This is harmful to the health of our relationships, jobs, and sanity.

The old feelings can also manifest as different pains or illness in our bodies. For example, a person who doesn’t speak up when something is bothering her can find herself in a chronic string of laryngitis infections, literally unable to speak.

When we repress emotions they grow until we can no longer ignore them. Psychologists call this amplification. When we ignore our feelings we may think we’re in control, but the emotions take over and control us. 

The Wisdom of Releasing Emotions

I’m guessing that this is not news to most of you. I’m guessing that most of you have discovered or are discovering the wisdom of listening to your feelings and finding healthy ways to move through them.

Journaling, exercise, breath-work, body movement, therapy, creative projects, poetry, writing, and more can help us express what we’re feeling in a way that keeps from harming ourselves and others. 

Processing our emotions helps us accept, heal, and release them. This can be done intentionally by evaluating our illusions, cultural conditioning, family history, and shadow tendencies and transforming who we are and what we believe. Questioning the harmful lifestyles, habits, and relationships that lead to uncomfortable emotions and making necessary life changes helps too.

Self-compassion in this work is key. Acceptance of the emotions, or at least of ourselves in the emotions, helps give way to their release.

Emotions seem to do best when allowed to flow through like water. Ephemeral yet very useful information, emotions speak the language of the soul. 

When we practice processing and releasing emotions and stop resisting or stuffing them, we experience the wisdom they have for us and find freedom from their captivity. Releasing emotions and not being defined by them is truly liberating.

When the Feelings Stick Around

But, sometimes despite our best efforts emotions seem to cling to us (or us to them). We process our shadows, analyze our stories, and strive for healing. We try to simply let it go, let bygones be bygones and move on. We let go and let God, and yet still… we wake up to the same terrible ache, the monotonous fiery rage, the wicked grief… remain. 

What do we do then?

Here in this no-man’s-land is where I meet you with the following prayer. Here where you may not be sure if you’re repressing or releasing emotions. Here where you keep trying to do what’s wise and work through, but keep finding yourself stuck. It’s okay. You’re not a bad person. You’re doing your best. Now it’s time to ask for help from the Divine and keep doing the best you can. The Beloved knows what’s in your heart and sees your effort to live in love.

A prayer for releasing emotions that won’t go…

Giver of this trouble and its reprieve, help me finish with this heartache. My goal is to stop feeling this terrible pain. But, I fear I may be repressing rather than releasing.

I know processing is healthy, but I’ve done my fair share. I really want the analysis of the story, evaluation of the root causes, and unveiling of the shadow to be done. However, this vexing painful riddle is apparently not done with me.

I know it’s healthy to practice acceptance and be mindful with the emotion and myself in this suffering. But, I have to admit that at this point I just want out. 

I say to my mind, “Let’s do something else for awhile.” I try to think about the weather or the color of my new shirt. Let my efforts affirm my movement towards light. Let me move away from the hurt and help it let go of me.

If it turns out I’m doing a terrible job and my release looks more like stuffing down, find me there in the deep burrows of my heart and dissolve the hurt there.

Great Giver never stop finding me, keep lifting this hurt from every deep chasm of my being for as long as it takes. Forgive me for my sloppiness in surrender and release. And in your mercy may I find that trying too hard was never the Path to you anyways. 

 

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winter solstice celebrations

How to: Winter Solstice Celebrations

Winter Solstice Celebrations

The Winter Solstice celebrations happen every year on the 21st or 22nd of December for those of us in the northern hemisphere. If you are in the southern hemisphere, this same date is your Summer Solstice. (Read about creating a summer solstice ceremony.) The Winter Solstice is the day with the least daylight of all other days of the year. The sun is at its lowest point in the southern sky. The rays of the sun are the faintest and coolest. The earth is tilted in a way that aims her face away from the sun, hiding her under a deep blanket of snow and cold. The word “solstice” comes from the latin words sol (sun) and sistere (stand still) because the sun appears to stand still before it reverses direction and begins its ascent back into the northern sky.

A Fire? Oh Yes! It’s Time!

This is one of my favorite of the solar holidays to celebrate because it is almost always as safe time, even in the driest of climates, to have a fire. Even still, please make sure there are no fire bans in effect for your area and that you have the necessary permits required to light an outdoor bonfire.

Logistics aside, bonfires are my favorite on the winter solstice. I was introduced to this most important of winter solstice traditions at an early age and have fond memories of crisp, dark nights illuminated by firelight. This is a wonderful family or community tradition to start or carry on.

A fire relates to the spiritual meaning of winter solstice as well. This is the day that the sun, symbolic of the light, is reborn. In hunter-gatherer times when so much of our existence relied on the forces of nature, the reemergence of the sun’s life giving force was critical to survival. Now it marks your ability to come out of darkness and into light, moving from ignorance to illumination. By lighting and tending a fire, you are tapping into these powerful mythic forces at a crucial moment in the annual cycle.

Bundle Up. It’s Cold and Dark Outside

Part of the significance of a winter solstice celebration is the light in the darkness, the warmth in the cold. Thus the reason why you should light and watch your ceremonial fire in darkness outside. Given the scant daylight this time of year, this is not too hard to accomplish. It seems impossible to stand or sit around in below freezing temperatures for hours on end, but there is a miraculous force at work. As long as you put on enough warm layers, the heat and light of the fire make the cold incredibly bearable. This is when our appreciation for the power of the element of fire deepens.

If the weather is too stormy or windy outside for a fire, an indoor fire in a fireplace will suffice. Turn off the lights to get the full effect of the solstice’s energy moving in your night.

Offerings to Burn in the Fire

As part of your Winter Solstice Celebration, you can invite your guests to participate by burning something in the fire. The first option is to have paper, pens, string and sticks available. You and your guests can write or draw on the paper what you are releasing that no longer serves you and then wrap the paper around a stick using the string. This bundle can then be placed in the fire as a symbol of the transmutation underway in your interior.

Another option is to have people bring a gift for the light/fire. This gift can be food, incense, or some other combustable, organic material that is an offering of gratitude for all the gifts in our lives. The offering is not meant to be another thing to go out and buy, but a collection of materials from the woods or yard, the cupboard or closet, that you already have on hand. It can be simple or elaborate. The point is that this gift is meant to unlock your creativity rather than burden you down with another thing to do. If a partially burnt sage smudge is all you can muster, that’s okay. If you find yourself wrapping a collection of holiday cookies and candies in colored tissue paper that’s great too. This is a “come as you are” opportunity to simply share gratitude with each other, the fire and the night.

Gathering of Friends

The holiday season is incredibly conducive to family and community gatherings it seems. Hopefully invitations to Christmas parties will not overwhelm your winter solstice celebration plans. But not to worry, winter solstice celebrations are usually surprisingly well attended. Many appreciate the break from gift shopping and giving as well as from intense jolly-making and chatter.

The winter solstice celebrations outside around a large bonfire lend themselves to quiet hushed voices and moments on end of empty staring into the flames. The simple act of sitting by a fire can erase all the busyness and provide much, much needed rejuvenation.

By gathering your friends to celebrate this humble holiday, you are providing them a chance to connect back into the true spirit of the season. That is the gift of a winter solstice ceremony. Planning a potluck or large meal inside around a table is in line with the energy of the winter solstice. However, the goal is always to get outside around the fire.

Quietude, Prayer and Contemplation

Regardless of if you are able to celebrate the winter solstice by a fire this year or not, you can always connect through quietude, prayer and contemplation. These are qualities of the north in the medicine wheel and the crux of what winter is about. Sure seeds in the ground will spring forth from the earth with the coming of the sun. Nonetheless now is not the time to plant them or pull them up for evaluation. Your ideas and ambitions are below the soil, tucked in by white blankets of snow. You couldn’t dig them up if you wanted. The ground is froze solid for a reason.

Forget ambition. Put away your worries. Let your plans lay and rest. Allow the opening of the void of night to find your interior. Find space between your thoughts. Practice mindfulness.

My article on The Seriousness of Solitude can help you with your personal and private winter solstice celebrations.

Sources of Light

Candles, Christmas lights, and the Menorah all embody the spirit of bringing light back into the darkness, fostering hope where there is despair. The twinkle of lights enchants us all, adult and child alike.This is the season when the divine child, the savior, of a number of traditions is born. The arrival of the holy baby reminds us of the new spark deep within that begins on this day.

So, in this busy holiday season I wish you wonder and hope, quiet and comfort. May your days be merry and bright. And may you remember the infinite light of your divine essence once again.

Prayers for the Season

Here are excerpts of some beautiful prayers to recite around the fire:

“May the blessings of light be on you, light without and light within. May the blessed sunshine shine on you and warm your heart till it glows like a great peat fire, so that the stranger may come and warm himself at it, and also a friend. And may the light shine out of the two eyes of you, like a candle set in the two windows of a house, bidding the wanderer come out of the storm.” – Traditional Irish Blessing

“It is our quiet time.
We do not speak because the voices are within us.
it is our quiet time.
We do not dance, because the earth is all within us.
It is our quiet time.
We rest with all of nature.” 
– Nancy Wood

 

About Author, Stacey L. L. Couch

Stacey Couch shamanic practitionerStacey L. L. Couch, Certified Shamanic Practitioner and Ordained Minister, plans and facilitates ceremonies of all types from house blessings to weddings to life transitions. With her deeply rooted experience in the field of shamanism and vast knowledge about the natural world, Stacey brings a unique blend of rational and mystical perspective to every ceremony she conducts. Every ceremony is custom-built and includes the valuable ideas and input from those she works on behalf of. Stacey can travel to you to conduct the ceremony in person, or she can meet with you by phone or Skype to work together and help you plan your own ceremony.

To Learn More About Stacey Couch’s Ceremonial Services Visit:
Wedding Ceremony Page
Land & House Blessing Page
or email Stacey at info@wildgratitude.com to discuss your idea for a unique, personalized ceremony

world animal day

How to: Celebrate World Animal Day

Why Celebrate World Animal Day?

By this point our global community has named every day as a national day for someone or international day to celebrate something. There are entire websites dedicated keeping us up with what or who we should be celebrating on any given day. There is caregiver’s day, marine mammal awareness day, international tiger day, and, yes, cotton candy day (It’s December 7th by the way.) How do we choose any, if any, to commemorate?

Well, it all depends on your beliefs and your passions. If you are passionate about the welfare of animals, today, World Animal Day, might be one new holiday you want to put on your calendar.

Heinrich Zimmermann (1887 – 1942) was a German writer of the magazine Man and Dog and animal protection activist that came up with the idea of World Animal Day. Heinrich organized the first celebrations starting in Berlin in 1925. He reportedly choose the date of October the 4th in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Feast Day of St. Francis

Well known as the day of the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the eve of October 4th, 1226 marked the passing of this well respected founder of the Catholic Franciscan order. St. Francis is the patron saint of animals, ecology and the environment. There are numerous stories of him communicating with animals in miraculous ways.

The most impressive animal whispering is Saint Francis’s taming of the wolf of the Italian town of Gubbio. The starving wolf was devouring livestock and attacking the people in the town. St. Francis not only tamed the ferocious wolf, which resulted in the wolf comfortably laying at his feet, he also brokered a treaty between the townsfolk and the wolf. The people agreed to feed the wolf and the wolf consented to never hurt anyone again. This peace deal was successful for the remainder of the wolf’s life.

There are other tales of St. Francis rescuing a rabbit and a waterfowl. When he went to set them free they refused to leave his tranquil presence. He had the companionship of a crow that traveled with him to collect alms. When St. Francis died, the crow languished and died at his tomb. St. Francis is said to have quieted a particularly obnoxious donkey who was interrupting a sermon. He silenced an entire chorus of birds in the forest so that he could praise God. Over and over, the animals followed St. Francis’s direction and he, in turn, treated them as equals. He’d refer to the animals directly as “Brother” and “Sister”. He talked to them in a way that absolutely respected their intelligence.

Blessing of the Animals

Every year, Catholic churches around the world celebrate the Feast Day of St. Francis by inviting animal stewards to bring their pets to a blessing of the animals ceremony. You don’t have to be Catholic or to visit your local parish to participate in this beautiful honoring of the animals. In fact, your crowd shy cats would probably like best if you stayed at home.

Meaningful ceremonies are not reserved for institutions or for religions. Meaningful ceremonies are something you can do alone or in the privacy of your own home with your family. You can also host your own blessing of the animals and invite friends over.

When honoring the animals, it is important to remember a couple of things:

  • Note that you love the animals for their own sake, not just because of what they do for you
  • You honor our pets every day with the immaculate care you give them, but today you can make an extra effort to forgive their faults and bad habits. Love them unconditionally.
  • Remember all of the animals that are suffering at the hands of humans. Make a special effort to include them in your prayers.
  • Pray for the sick, the blind, the handicapped, and the terrified animals that are waiting for a kind hand to rescue them.
  • Regardless of if you believe in eating meat or not, send love, light, and grace to the livestock of the world that are feed to humans.
  • Turn your face to the greater environment and remember too that all the wild ones need our blessings.

Here is a prayer attributed to St. Francis that you may choose to include in your blessing ceremony:

[ct_focus background=”#e3e1e1″ gradient=”#FFFFFF” color=”light” style=”normal” ]”Be praised, my Lord, for all your creatures.
T
hrough our own unconsciousness
we have lost the beautiful relationship
we once had with the rest of creation.
Help us to see
that by restoring our relationship with you
we will also renew our connection with all your creation.
Give is the grace to see
all animals as gifts from you
and to treat them with respect,
for they are your creation.
We pray for all animals
who are suffering
as a result of our neglect.
May the order you originally established
be once again restored
to the whole world… Amen.

– quoted from Saint Francis of Assisi: Brother of Creation by Mirabai Starr [/ct_focus]

Feasting on World Animal Day

Many would argue that feasts eaten on World Animal Day should be vegetarian or vegan. With this sentiment I do not disagree. Regardless, this day should be a day to consider your relationship to your food. Are you eating organic or locally raised food as often as you could be? Are your eggs, cheese or meat humanely raised? Would you rather eat less or no meat at all?

I do not bring all of this up to shame you or commend you. More important than any righteousness about what food you put on your table is the reminder to make conscientious choices about your eating. Think about what feels well suited for you. Practice acceptance of all walks of life and do your best not to judge the choices of others. Lead by example and not preaching. That is the Franciscan way.

How about feasting with the animals on World Animal Day? Before you put those food bowls down in front of your cats and dogs or fill the feeders for the horses, goats and chickens, say a prayer over the food so that it may nourish the animals, lead to a sense of good health, and fill their hearts with joy.

Helping Out the Animals

If you are at the office on World Animal Day, at least do your best to make a commitment to help out animals in need this coming weekend or this month. Consider donating to or volunteering at an animal sanctuary that provides homes for disadvantage animals for their entire lives. If you work at or help run an animal shelter, this day can be a reminder to reach out for additional support. Many sanctuaries, rescues, and animal welfare organizations use this unique holiday to plan fundraisers and special events.

There are a lot of opinions out there, especially among animal advocates, about how animals should be treated. Do your best to come out of judgement, anger or resentment. Stand up against what is harmful in the treatment of animals, but in the spirit of sacred activism which refuses to breed hate. Help to raise awareness about the plight of animals through your example of living kindness. Join forces with others who are doing the same.

Additional Resources About World Animal Day and St. Francis:

http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/img/resource/Origin%20of%20World%20Animal%20Day.pdf

http://www.worldanimalday.org.uk/ 

Contemplations & Living Wisdom, Saint Francis of Assisi: Brother of Creation by Mirabai Starr from Sounds True, 2013.

 

About Author, Stacey L. L. Couch

Stacey Couch shamanic practitionerStacey L. L. Couch, Certified Shamanic Practitioner and Ordained Minister, plans and facilitates ceremonies of all types from house blessings to weddings to life transitions. Many of these ceremonies coincide with either equinoxes or solstices. With her deeply rooted experience in the field of shamanism and vast knowledge about the natural world, Stacey brings a unique blend of rational and mystical perspective to every ceremony she conducts. Every ceremony is custom-built and includes the valuable ideas and input from those she works on behalf of. Stacey can travel to you to conduct the ceremony in person, or she can meet with you by phone or Skype to work together and help you plan your own ceremony.

To Learn More About Stacey Couch’s Ceremonial Services Visit:
Wedding Ceremony Page
Land & House Blessing Page
or email Stacey at info@wildgratitude.com to discuss your idea for a unique, personalized ceremony

spring equinox rituals

How to: Spring Equinox Rituals

Spring equinox rituals can be synonymous with Easter traditions, but there is more to this celestial holiday than many people realize.

The spring equinox (otherwise known as the “first day of spring”) is a turning point in the seasons when the sun reaches its zenith over the celestial equator. Or, more plainly, it comes to the midpoint in its journey from north to south. On an equinox, both the northern and southern hemispheres are equally illuminated.

From the Latin word meaning equal (equi) night (-nox), the day of the equinox is a time when there is an equal amount of nighttime to daytime. In recent times, the spring equinox happens on the 19th or 20th of March depending on the year.

Spring Equinox Rituals: In Like a Ram

The spring equinox marks the start of the astrological calendar. This is the first day of the astrological sign of Aries, the ram. Charging forth with passion, the ram exemplifies the reemergence of life after a frozen winter. This is the time of year when many species of animals hatch or birth young. Spring is most commonly associated with baby bunnies, ducklings, lambs and chicks. We see these young ones as sweet and innocent. But we must not forget the intense strength and drive it takes for new life to burst on the scene.

On the vernal equinox, day equals night and the season of spring starts in earnest. We are in the place of the East in the medicine wheel. Now the seeds in the ground have the courage to spring forth. Now the birds lay and hatch eggs and the animals give birth. We have come out of the quiet slumber of winter, the intensity of gales that forced us inside, and we too are born again to the world. We can go outside and linger.

Spring is an intoxicating time of year full of zealous birdsong and audacious color. With the coming of the sun, the grasses grow before our very eyes. Everything starts living out loud. Allow the vibrancy of all life around you to fuel your enthusiasm.

Your spring equinox rituals should include a good deal of excitement and enthusiasm for life. Vibrancy should be a keyword as you set the tone. Pastels are a beautiful Easter tradition, but on the vernal equinox how about bright yellows, greens, pinks and oranges?

Lighten Things Up

Every ceremony, not just a spring equinox ceremony, should include purification of the space and participants at the start. How about instead of the smoky sage you get out a spray bottle? Fill it with citrus scented water. You can either squeeze fresh lemons, limes or oranges into water or you can pull out the essential oils.

Before the guests arrive, walk in a counter-clockwise circle around the room and spray the water. Then as each guest comes in the door bless them with a spritz of citrus sweetness. Citrus is know for its antibacterial and antiviral properties, so you’ll literally be clearing those lingering winter bugs out of the house. Just be sure not to spray anyone in the face and use essential oils sparingly as they can irritate skin. Citrus also uplifts and clears the the mind. Starting fresh is just what we need this time of year.

Other ways to lift up and out the doldrums of winter and the old energy of last year is to open a window or door to let a fresh breeze in for a time. Dusting and sweeping your house by yourself can be lovely and simple spring equinox rituals to make space for the new and lighten your load.

The Spring Goddess Ostara

For a change, we have a Germanic goddess in a staring role. The Greek, Egyptian and Hindu pantheons typically dominate the scene. It is a nice change of pace to welcome this lovely lady into your vernal equinox rituals.

Ostara is known as the goddess of fertility, dawn and spring. Her name is also spelled Eostre, which is where the name for the Easter holiday and for estrogen came from. Ostara’s associated with the eastern star. She is a manifestation of the archetype of the maiden – fresh, vibrant and pure. Just like the return of the Greek goddess Persephone from the underworld sparks the start of spring, so too does the arrival of Ostara.

One key story tells of how Ostara was late one year only to find a dying little bird frozen in the snow. She felt such remorse that she brought the bird back to life, but she was not able to save his wings. So, she turned him into a white hare and gave him the ability to lay eggs of all colors of the rainbow. It is said he hides the eggs for the children each year. (Read full story on GoddessGift.com).

The spring equinox rituals of painting and hunting for eggs was eventually linked to the Christian Easter holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, there’s no reason you can’t paint your eggs on the spring equinox and have the easter egg hunt on Easter.

One of my favorite spring equinox rituals that’s worth reviving is to light a fire at dawn in honor of this goddess.

Planting Your Seeds

A spring equinox ritual that gets lost in the shuffle of egg dyes, baskets and candy is the planting of seeds for the summer crops. The beauty of this ceremony is that it can be conducted alone or with a group. When you are planning and sowing your garden at or around the vernal equinox this year, do it with intention. Think of what new things, beliefs, practices and/or values you are bringing into your life this year. Before you put the seeds in the ground, hold them and imbue them with your new intent.

Now is the time for planting the seeds of hopes and dreams and allowing them to be activated by Divine forces. It is a good time to think about what you would like to allow into your life that you haven’t had room for before. If you have been cultivating a way of life for a number of years, now is the time to add new shoots and branches to your tree as well as blossom out with willingness to express your truth. The soil is cleared away by the freeze and moist from the melt. There is plenty of open space to create a fresh way of being in the world. Be inspired and spring forth!

About Author, Stacey L. L. Couch

Stacey Couch shamanic practitionerStacey L. L. Couch, Certified Shamanic Practitioner and Ordained Minister, plans and facilitates ceremonies of all types from house blessings to weddings to life transitions. Many of these ceremonies coincide with either equinoxes or solstices. With her deeply rooted experience in the field of shamanism and vast knowledge about the natural world, Stacey brings a unique blend of rational and mystical perspective to every ceremony she conducts. Every ceremony is custom-built and includes the valuable ideas and input from those she works on behalf of. Stacey can travel to you to conduct the ceremony in person, or she can meet with you by phone or Skype to work together and help you plan your own ceremony.

To Learn More About Stacey Couch’s Ceremonial Services Visit:
Wedding Ceremony Page
Land & House Blessing Page
or email Stacey at info@wildgratitude.com to discuss your idea for a unique, personalized ceremony

autumnal equinox celebration

How To: Autumnal Equinox Celebration

The autumnal equinox (otherwise known as the “first day of fall”) is a turning point in the seasons when the sun reaches its zenith over the celestial equator. Or, more plainly, it comes to the midpoint in its journey from north to south. On an equinox, both the northern and southern hemispheres are equally illuminated.

From the Latin word meaning equal (equi) night (-nox), the day of the equinox is a time when there is an equal amount of nighttime to daytime. In recent times, the autumnal equinox happens on the 22nd or 23rd of September depending on the year.

This symmetry between north and south and light and dark reminds us of the need for balance and harmony. This is especially so during the autumnal eclipse versus the vernal equinox in the spring, because the fall equinox is the date and time that the sun enters the astrological sign of Libra. The symbol of a set of scales, the sign of Libra is synonymous with balance, harmony, collaboration and partnership.

Autumnal Equinox Celebration

Less popular for ceremonies than the dramatic winter and summer solstices, equinoxes still do receive some attention. Formerly, in agrarian societies, this time of year was cause for huge gatherings and thanksgiving. Now, rather than the end of November, was typically the time that communities in the northern hemisphere were bringing in their crops for the winter and hosting massive feasts.

As “developed” countries moved into the industrial age, an increasing proportion of the population had little to do with the raising, harvesting and processing of food. Supermarkets and packaging distanced much of the modern world from the rituals of the autumnal equinox. In the United States, Thanksgiving supplanted fall harvest festivals in popularity.

However, the holiday of the autumnal equinox is experiencing a resurgence as more and more people return to the land to grow their own food or at least experience the flood of winter squash and root crops at the farmer’s market.

Harvest Rituals

It used to be that an entire community would gather for the harvest because one family couldn’t collect and handle all the food alone. With the advent of agricultural machinery this vital tradition fell away.

If you are growing your own crops, the day or evening of the fall equinox is a great time to invite a few friends over to help you pick and/or process your fruits and vegetables. The harvest can culminate in a potluck and everyone can take some of the extra crop home to enjoy.

Another great fall equinox ritual is to purchase a bushel or some bulk quantity of a crop and either gather the family together or invite friends over to “put up” the food. Canning salsa, jam, jelly, sauces or pickled veggies is a beautiful art form that benefits tremendously from the help of many hands. My family spends hours in the kitchen all during the month of September processing tomatoes, peppers and pesto and cleaning potatoes for dry storage.

An easy way to participate in the spirit of the autumnal equinox is to find a local farm that hosts a fall festival or pumpkin patch.

Gathering Up the Bounty …

With all the talk about harvest, we are reminded to be grateful for the bounty and abundance in our lives. Many autumnal equinox celebrations include discussion among the members of what they have been able to bring to fruition in their own lives.

This is a time for closure, finishing projects, and taking stock. Like the squirrels that store up acorns and the beavers that stockpile larders in their dams, we are urged to look at what we have manifested in our lives that we are grateful for. What are you gathering together right now?

… And Letting Go

In the spirit of the season of balance, we must too assess what we are ready to let go of. Like the trees that lose their leaves each fall, now is the time to discern what you are ready to release. The “things” you’d like to release should include elements of the costume, the false identity, you wear. The leaves on trees are the “costume” and identity. What do you no longer need to carry that is not yours? Where in your life can you stop trying to impress or appease others?

The flowers are also letting go of their seeds, putting off manifesting new blossoms until next spring. It is important that we too let go of our ambitions for a time and let them hibernate. All good ideas benefit from some soak time.

Symbolically, you can do some fall tidying up to simplify the look and feel of your home and ready it for winter. Just like the trees send their energy into their roots in the fall, so too we can come back to our own roots and the simple life.

With a group during a fall equinox ritual, you can have participants write down what they’d like to release on a piece of paper, or even better leaves, and burn them in a communal fire. Fire can be tricky in dry areas this time of year, so participants can also tear the pieces of paper or crumble the leaves and bury them in the soil as long as the material is compostable.

Coming Together …

The three astrological signs that occur during autumn – libra, scorpio and sagittarius – are about coming into and growing through social and intimate connections. Social gatherings abound from Thanksgiving through to Christmas. Many friend and work holiday parties actually happen before Christmas break when everyone retreats into the more intimate setting of immediate family. In regards to an autumnal equinox celebration, make it a social activity, allowing plenty of time for conversation and merriment.

… And Turning In

The balance to all this outward effort is that fall is also the season for turning inward both literally and symbolically. The chill in the night air chases us inside earlier. We wait for the day to warm up before heading out in the morning.

Symbolically, our thoughts start turning inward, our minds and hearts quiet as our schedules (hopefully) wind down a bit. This is if you are moving with the natural rhythms. If you find yourself still pumping at the pace of summer, be mindful and make a concerted effort to slow down. You may have to decline a few invitations or deadlines, but doing so will provide a hefty immune boost against the upcoming flu season.

All in Balance

So, you can see how the autumnal equinox is a juxtaposition of opposites that could pull you to and fro. What we learn in the melee is the capacity to move seamlessly between the outer and the inner, embracing and releasing, and noise and quiet. It is when we get purposefully attached or accidentally entrenched to one mode of being that we experience suffering. Strive for balance rather than extremes and you’ll find the perfect recipe.

 

About Author, Stacey L. L. Couch

Stacey Couch shamanic practitionerStacey L. L. Couch, Certified Shamanic Practitioner and Ordained Minister, plans and facilitates ceremonies of all types from house blessings to weddings to life transitions. Many of these ceremonies coincide with either equinoxes or solstices. With her deeply rooted experience in the field of shamanism and vast knowledge about the natural world, Stacey brings a unique blend of rational and mystical perspective to every ceremony she conducts. Every ceremony is custom-built and includes the valuable ideas and input from those she works on behalf of. Stacey can travel to you to conduct the ceremony in person, or she can meet with you by phone or Skype to work together and help you plan your own ceremony.

To Learn More About Stacey Couch’s Ceremonial Services Visit:
Wedding Ceremony Page
Land & House Blessing Page
or email Stacey at info@wildgratitude.com to discuss your idea for a unique, personalized ceremony

summer solstice ceremony

How to: Summer Solstice Ceremony

The Summer Solstice happens every year on the 20th or 21st of June. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, it is the one day with the most daylight of all other days of the year. The sun is at its peak, the highest point in the sky. The rays of the sun are the brightest and warmest. The earth is tilted in a way that her face is aimed at the sun, basking in the heat like an open sunflower. The word “solstice” comes from the latin words sol (sun) and sistere (stand still) because the sun appears to stand still before it reverses direction and begins its decent back into the southern sky.

The Summer Solstice is the time when Mother Earth opens her arms wide to the heavens. When we harvest the fruits of our labors. This is when the doors swing wide open and we can most readily connect with the overwhelming power of the sun. Now is when we come to know abundance. We come to understand and live abundance of spirit, abundance of love and abundance of nourishment. These are the days when heaven walks on Earth in the form of beautiful bounty.

Our spirits, our souls, are invited to be swept away in the levity, the aliveness of all things, and we have the opportunity to be utterly caught up with joy. The chorus of bird song and the scent of growing grasses and flowers overwhelm our senses. This is the time of year when we gather together and celebrate all that we have accomplished, all that we have been given. This is a time to laugh and share with our friends. This is a time of passion and energy, openness and joy.

A Time for a Gathering

The solstice is a perfect time of year to come together with family and friends. Even if you don’t plan any ceremonial activities, simply coming together to share a meal helps you tap into the lightness and gratitude radiating around the world on this day. The laughter and love of your gathering will contribute to the overall vibration of happiness on this bright day.

What? No Fire?

The Summer Solstice is paradoxically associated with the South on the Medicine Wheel despite the fact that the sun is at it’s northernmost point in the sky. With the heat of summer and the intensity of the solar exposure, the south and summer are often also associated with the element of fire.

In addition to the associations between fire, summer, and the south, in this time for celebration we want a fire! Nothing says excitement and passion more that a crackling, spark throwing fire. Telling stories, roasting food, and playing music around the bonfire signify summer more than most other experiences. However, this is also the season when the rains subside and the ground dries – wildfire season. Some years and in some areas the wildfire danger is higher than others. Some solstice ceremonies can include a fire, while a wide majority of others can’t. Due to this reason, I don’t include rituals surrounding fire in my Summer Solstice plans. If a fire is possible, we have it as an added bonus after the formal gathering and dinner.

With the sun being so close and staying with us so long through the day, she provides more than enough flame. I recommend honoring her with symbols of her greatness. Red, yellow and orange flowers do the job best. Include hearty, heat tolerant flowers such as sunflowers or calendula (pictured above) on your altar during a Summer Solstice ceremony. Painting images of the sun or including fabric with a bright sun motif will also make an impact. If you don’t set an altar, include these items in the communal or dining area.

How About the Apogee?

The apogee or climax of the sun’s power is midday, but planning a celebration for this time sends everyone running into the shade and shunning the heat. Plan to gather in the late afternoon and watch the sun set together, reminiscing already about how great the day was. A BBQ with crisp, refreshing salads and fruits can then follow for dinner.

Gratitude & Abundance

If you are pining for a Summer Solstice ceremony, but are a little afraid to come out and ask your friends to partake what they might judge as a pagan holiday, you have options! Instead of talking about Mother Earth and the Sun God, you can simply invite people to share what they are grateful for in their lives. Ask them to talk about where they find abundance in their lives and what fills their cup overflowing. The experience of abundance and gratitude is universal. No matter what faith or beliefs your eclectic group shares, this will bond them together and honor the energy of the day.

You can also invite guests to collect natural things from the land that are beautiful to them and collect the items in a central place. In the photo above, the group was surprised that even during a dry New Mexico summer, they found an abundance of amazing things to display on the altar. Grains such as corn (pictured above), rice, bird seed, and dried beans make great symbols of abundance to scatter around your yard or display in your home.

Music

Music is a universal force that lends itself fabulously to the dancing, excited energy of the sun. Invite a friend or more who play an instrument to come and add melody to the festivities. If you don’t know any musicians, be sure that you have a stereo with some uplifting tunes to play. Some people, like my husband, never have to be reminded of this necessity, but others have to remind themselves to put on some music.

Water

It is always good to introduce balance into a ceremony. Since we have an excess of fire energy on this day, I am always certain to put a craft of water on the altar during a Summer Solstice ceremony (see vase in photo above) and I often incorporate a ritual or two with the water. Having the group bless water and then use it to nourish parched plants is a lovely, simple way to say “thank you” for all the abundance around us.

Salute the sun

There are many formal group activities you can do together to celebrate the Summer Solstice, and this is one of my favorites…

A Guided Meditation – Let us take a moment to bask in the rays of the longest day. Let’s turn to the sun, like the face of a flower and take in her glory. As you face the sun, turn your palms out towards this immense source of her power. Now pay attention to how the rays of the sun warm your skin, how the rays are received as brightness in your eyes, notice even, the smell of the sun. We invite you to open your heart to this joy and allow it to pour in. Allow your soul to surrender to the sun’s rays, to the sun’s warmth, to the sun’s love. Allow the abundance of these times to overfill you.

 

About Author, Stacey L. L. Couch

Stacey Couch shamanic practitionerStacey L. L. Couch, Certified Shamanic Practitioner and Ordained Minister, plans and facilitates ceremonies of all types from house blessings to weddings to life transitions. With her deeply rooted experience in the field of shamanism and vast knowledge about the natural world, Stacey brings a unique blend of rational and mystical perspective to every ceremony she conducts. Every ceremony is custom-built and includes the valuable ideas and input from those she works on behalf of. Stacey can travel to you to conduct the ceremony in person, or she can meet with you by phone or Skype to work together and help you plan your own ceremony.

To Learn More About Stacey Couch’s Ceremonial Services Visit:
Wedding Ceremony Page
Land & House Blessing Page
or email Stacey at info@wildgratitude.com to discuss your idea for a unique, personalized ceremony

How to: Setting Intentions

Now that we have explored the question of What is Intention? and the similarities and differences between intention and prayer, we move on to understanding the nature of each. It is important to understand what makes a powerful prayer when learning about setting intentions.

Learning About Prayer

Coming to prayer as an adult, I  have been exploring the nature of prayer itself. What I find in conversations with my teachers, friends and clients as well as in the printed words of renowned mystics are widely accepted guidelines for praying. They are as follows:

  • Avoid petition and gratitude prayers that say to God, “Thank you for …” and “please give protection to… and aid for… and healing to…”
  • Ask for virtuous, immaterial things like grace, love and healing rather than material things like money, success, and recognition.
  • Prayer should tend toward selflessness. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ask for anything, but what we request should tend toward what makes us compassionate human beings. Praying for generosity of spirit, the grace of endurance, or freedom from fear all meet this concept.
  • Prayer is meant to be an opening up to the One, a question, rather than an expectation, demand or closing off.
  • We must be patient in waiting for the answer to our prayer.
  • Understanding that the answer to our prayers may not always be pleasing or easy helps us listen better.
  • Letting go of the outcome is a key component of a powerful prayer.

The Loophole of Intent

Now that I’ve come to develop a working understanding of both prayer and intent, I don’t feel that either is necessarily better than the other. They are one in the same except for one tricky loophole. Since intent is not typically considered the same as prayer, the helpful guidelines above are often skipped. I can say this from experience because I’m willing to admit that, for a time, I had an addiction to free-wheeling intention. I tricked myself into believing that what I was doing was different than prayer and thus free of consequences.

Instead of praying for more money in my life, I intended for abundance. Instead of asking God to help me, I set the intention to have ease in my life.  Instead of putting my illness in God’s hands, I determined what needed healing in me and set the intent to shift it. My intentions were more often than not about my personal comfort and want I wanted in my life with a distinct expectation of the outcome. And, guess what – it was working!

For the longest time the success of my intending was intoxicating. I couldn’t get enough of wishing for something and it coming true. Literally it was that direct. Even looking back now I am blown away by the generosity of the universe. But, eventually I ran out of zest for the habit. The consequence of my actions started to show through.

Inside, I felt an emptiness. There was too great a gap between myself and the Divine and every day this distance wore away at my composure. I had so many great “things” in my life but I could not find an enduring sense of the Spirit who moves through all these things. Whenever confronted with a challenge I struggled intensely. My faith waned.

I decided to let go of intending all together and, because it was so intertwined with my spiritual practice, I actually let that go too, cold turkey. I walked away from intending and my spiritual practice and into the desert. Some time later, I discovered prayer.

At first, I was afraid to let myself pray because I worried I would fall back into old patterns. I kept to reading great prayers by great mystics. Once I began to remember some of the prayers, I prayed them repeatedly. Then slowly, ever so slowly, I began to write my own spontaneous prayers and say them out loud. It was the structure of the guidelines above that helped me gather the courage to trust myself in prayer and it is this deep trust that has caused great change in my life. There is more connectivity between myself and the mystical realms. Faith is real to me now.

So, do I use intention in my life anymore? Not for myself, but I still do for my clients because that is often the less religiously charged of the two words. I do this because I am working with spirituality rather than religion. At the same time, I write this article for my clients because I want them to understand what I am talking about on a deeper level when I talk about stating an intention.

Setting Intentions

Intentions for shamanic healing and spiritual inquiry are meant to be treated with the same care as prayer. I encourage you to approach them with the reverence you would as if you were talking to God. If you do believe in “The One”, “Source”, “Goddess” or “Great Spirit”, what would you ask him or her at this moment?

An intent can have an agenda, but what is the motivation behind that agenda? Who would have to sacrifice something they own or who would have to change who they are to make your request happen? Are you willing to open up to the whole and consider how fulfilling your request might affect those around you?

An intent can have a romantic word, but is your romantic word covering up a fear? Often a request for safety masks a fear of divine chaos. Unfortunately, bad things can happen to good people, it is one of the great mysteries of the cosmos and there is no way to prevent divine chaos, bad or good, from touching your life. How does this truth sit with you?

A request for abundance can conceal a fear of financial poverty. It may be a good time to ask the Divine for help releasing the fear. Another route may be to ask for help understanding true abundance. True abundance has nothing to do with dollar signs.

True security is not like the walls of a gated community, but a deep, deep faith in the order of the cosmos that exists no matter where you are. It is always there whenever you stop and listen to the silence. When you are in the truth, fear cannot penetrate your soul.

As we learned in the article on What is Intention?, one meaning of intent and intention is “aim or purpose”. What is your purpose for seeking healing or guidance? If you are looking for the healing work to result in a particular outcome, my recommendation is to simply intend for assistance with learning how to release the outcome.

The intent for healing work and seeking divine guidance is meant to be an opening up to an exquisite dialogue with the Divine.

Ultimately the question is not “can you bring this to me?” as surely the spirits can, but rather is more: “I am listening. What are you revealing right now?”

About Author, Stacey L. L. Couch

Stacey Couch shamanic practitionerStacey L. L. Couch, Certified Shamanic Practitioner, works as a publicist and journalist for Mother Nature and is the author of Gracious Wild: A Shamanic Journey with Hawks. She empowers people with the ability to explore life’s big questions by calling on nature, story and synchronicity as a source for guidance and healing. With her deeply rooted experience in the field of shamanism and passion for working with wildlife and rescue animals, Stacey has a unique blend of rational and mystical perspective that makes the world of shamanism easily accessible to others. She values mindfulness, wonder, and compassion in her daily spiritual practice. Learn More about Stacey.

What is Intention?

In our spiritual work, we so often utilize the words “intention” and “intent”. We set an intent for what we’d like to heal. We carry an intention for something in our lives to change. We decide what we’d like to manifest (such as a new job or a new house) and set an intent around that.

I’ve used the words myself for years and years. I use the words casually. I unconsciously weave them into my inner conversations and my conversations with clients. I never question the merit of or motivation behind setting intent or forming an intention. I simply believe the process has value and assume that the understanding of the concept of intention is universal. However, this belief is now changing in me.

First let’s look at some definitions of the intent, and then we’ll look at how human nature puts intention to use in spiritual practice.

Definition of Intent

“Intent” originates from the Latin word “intentus” which means an extending, attentive to, and strained. It is a past participle of “intendere” which means to direct attention.

The most simple modern day definition of intent is an aim or a purpose.

“Intent on” means to be:

  • Resolved or determined to do something
  • Attentively occupied with
  • Showing earnest and eager attention

In criminal law, intent takes on a deeper meaning which I include here simply as a way to show that this word can be used to describe both a helpful and a harmful state of mind. Understanding that intent is a word strong enough to convict someone of a crime allows us to start unveiling the power behind our intentions.

Intent is a “determined and purposeful state of mind accompanying an act. While motive is usually not a deciding factor in determination of guilt, an intent that designs or manipulates means to achieve a foreseen unlawful end always is. Intent implies inevitability of a consequence, a natural or probable consequence is not considered intent in law.” – http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/intent.html

If you read that correctly, you will understand that intent is more powerful than motive in criminal law because it implies that a person has made up their mind to commit the crime no matter what and that the crime would not happen without their intending it to. Motivation simply says this is something we’d like to do or like to happen, but intent has enough drive behind it to make it “inevitable”.

What is Intention?

Intention has a number of contexts but the most common two are “an act of determining mentally upon some action or result” or “the end or object intended”. Intention is also a medical term used to describe the way a wound or fracture is healing. It is less important to know the exact use of the medical phrase and more fun to see this linguistic connection between intention and healing.

In her work in Medicine for the Earth, Sandra Ingerman discusses how a group of people coming together and setting an intent for healing polluted water can actually cause a change in the chemical makeup of the water – for the better. Her pivotal teaching is spreading across the globe and creating a living web of light with the sole purpose of healing the planet. It is an outstanding body of work that is making great change in the world.

There has been a good deal of research done around intention and how setting a mental intent can affect people’s health and success. The book The Intention Experiment covers a wide range of scientific experiments that show how intention can cause a hastening of healing and aid change in other aspects of the physical world around us. For those who believe in the power of intention, this book gives the precious proof that we are looking for when trying to explain why we value setting an intention.

Masaru Emoto’s work in The Hidden Messages in Water is overflowing with images of how our intentions can affect the formation of water crystals. As you flip through the pages, beautiful photos of water crystals labeled “love” and “peace” demonstrate the power of words. Reading his book is like standing in a snow storm and making out the snowflakes on your glove. The melting of the snowflakes mirrors the disappointment of learning how our hurtful words create ugly, malformed crystals. Here, we see how intention is a two way street.

Intent and Prayer

I think just about everyone of us has had someone say to us at some point in our lives, “I will pray for your healing.” How did that make you feel?  The inner response can range from gratitude to resistance depending on a person’s feelings about religion and spirituality. An atheist may very well may resist and distaste the offering, possibly seeing it as an outright offense. A devout Christian may be deeply appreciative of the gesture, feeling it as the greatest gift. An independent spiritual seeker may get a bit defensive or brush off the prayer, worried that the prayer is an attempt to convert them.

Outside of religious communities the word “prayer” has fallen into disuse. This has happened for a number of reasons, and most of them have to do with the counter-movement to organized religion. There are a number of dissenters who left the church and what they felt as an oppressive, restrictive belief system. In leaving the church, they left the language behind. There are also people that never found the source of grace they longed for in a temple, so they never picked up the language in the first place.

Regardless, I am proposing that despite the loss of the use of the word prayer, that the concept has still found its way into many spiritual circles disguised as “intention”. Now instead of praying for our own healing, we are intending for it. Psychologically, spiritually, and energetically it looks strikingly similar. Set a book on the power of prayer next to the power of intention, and you see that the logic, the stories, and the evidence are nearly interchangeable.

The main difference that prayer has an implicit spiritual context and intent is not necessarily attached to spirituality. By involving angels and spirit guides as well as conversations about metaphysics and energy in our intention setting, we have linked the two and, thus, brought intent much closer to prayer.

Continue Reading about this topic in my next article on How to: Setting Intentions

About Author, Stacey L. L. Couch

Stacey Couch shamanic practitionerStacey L. L. Couch, Certified Shamanic Practitioner, works as a publicist and journalist for Mother Nature and is the author of Gracious Wild: A Shamanic Journey with Hawks. She empowers people with the ability to explore life’s big questions by calling on nature, story and synchronicity as a source for guidance and healing. With her deeply rooted experience in the field of shamanism and passion for working with wildlife and rescue animals, Stacey has a unique blend of rational and mystical perspective that makes the world of shamanism easily accessible to others. She values mindfulness, wonder, and compassion in her daily spiritual practice. Learn More about Stacey.

animal symbolism

How to: Research Animal Symbolism

Venturing into the world of animal symbolism, otherwise known as the study of power animals, can be very daunting. There are sometimes wide gaps and obvious contradictions between the various books and websites that tell you what a spirit animals signifies. It is important to fact check any power animal reading as well as flesh out these readings with additional information. I can tell  from experience, that it would be incredibly easy to write an entire book about the symbolism and power of just a single species of animal. That means that any power animal interpretation available (yes, including mine), will not cover the entire scope of the animal’s gifts. Most books and websites have a limited number of animals listed, and it can be hard to find a reading on the less common animals. This is when we are forced to create our own interpretations, which is a good thing!

Any true inquiry into the nature of a power animal should include an absorption of simple scientific facts about the colors, structure, eating habits, mating, survival, and environment of the animal. Understanding how the animal makes a living and what their social lives are like can be incredibly enlightening.

Look for what makes this animal unique in the animal kingdom. Take notes on what fun facts really jump out.

We are drawn to the qualities in our power animals that we either identify with or we desire. In pinpointing what we like about our power animals we have the opportunity to make these characteristics conscious in ourselves. Identifying with power animals is a great way to boost self-esteem and become more empowered in who we are. It can be hard to sit down and write a list of what traits we like about ourselves, and a good place to start is by listing the positive aspects of the power animal that match our own great qualities. If the power animal has a characteristic we covet, they have come to help us manifest that expression in the world. A elk that proudly bugles his voice into the world can help someone with speaking up and claiming their territory.

Don’t dismiss what is ugly, cruel, or frightening about an animal. These traits help point out our judgements and fears.

We often think that our power animals are a direct reflection of ourselves, so when we unearth a piece of information about the animal we don’t like we tend to get discouraged. Just because a salamander eats baby birds doesn’t mean that those of us with salamander power animals are heartless individuals that devour helpless beings. This fact can either be taken as a metaphor – that the resource we need may come from those who haven’t left the nest – or as a generous reflection. When we find something that turns us off, this can direct us to the way we judge others unfairly. When we polarize strongly against a certain way of being, we are limiting our own path. In choosing to not do something we can waste a lot of energy making sure we don’t become what we fear.

With the scary or gross power animal we have the chance to learn acceptance and let go of fear. When we encounter a power animal we’d rather not have, we are being offered the opportunity to look into our own shadow. The characteristics of the animal will point out the best way to do this. A bat who is a creature of the night, for instance, is a perfect helper in going into the darkness. They often go out in groups and they use a chirping voice to call out into the darkness and see what’s around them. This could mean that the best option is to join a support group that is a safe place to navigate frightening subjects and ask the others to be a sounding board for what we’re working through.

Any animal can easily help us with both our fears and our triumphs. It is up to us to determine what the animal has come to help with.

Once we fill up to the brim with information on our power animal, it’s time to filter through the information and get clear about what the animal has come to help with. Some facts about the animal might resonate while others don’t. Our intuition is a powerful ally for us in this process. Try not to think this through too hard. Our rational minds can help sort the information while our intuitive nature deciphers the meaning.

Creating our own power animal interpretations is a practice that takes a lifetime to perfect, and it gets easier with each reading we create. I’ve put together a list of my favorite online resources for biological information on wildlife. If you have a website you’d like to share please post it in the comments below.

Here are my videos on Spirit Animals:

 

IN DEPTH ANIMAL GUIDES

This list of websites starts with sites that have the most animals listed with the most information on each animal. I also recommend an internet or library search for information on the particular animal. There are many books and websites dedicated to a single animal (such as polar bears) or group of animals (such as marine mammals) that have much more in depth information not always found in the general animal guides.

Encyclopedia of Life has all species around the world. Be sure to click “Read Full Entry” link below the bottom right hand corner of the image of the search result: http://eol.org

National Geographic has pictures and videos of featured animals: 
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/topic/facts-pictures

 

QUICK FACTS ABOUT ANIMALS

Short on time? These sites will give you a quick summary so you can get in, get what you need, and get out.

One Kind is an animal protection charity with quick and great unique facts: https://onekindplanet.org/animal/

A to Z Index of Animals has wildlife and domestic animals: http://a-z-animals.com/animals/

Defenders of Wildlife has many North American megafauna: http://www.defenders.org/animal-factsheets

World Wildlife Fund has megafauna throughout the world that are of conservation interest:
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species

 

BIRDS AT THE SPECIES LEVEL

There is a lot of great information out there about different species of birds and I highly recommend that all interpretations of birds go to the species level. To simply have an “owl” as a power animal will get you some of information about what they offer as guidance. Being able to see in the dark and fly without making any noise are characteristics of the whole group, but we are limited on what we can learn given that there are over 100 species of owls around the globe. Going to the species level helps us delve deep and gives us magnitudes more information.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology is the premier source for all things avian. Be sure to listen to calls: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search

Seattle Audubon Society has facts about species hard to find elsewhere: http://www.birdweb.org/birdweb/

 

ANIMAL LEGENDS

For fun I wanted to add in some animal mythology. I couldn’t resist sharing this link to an extensive list of Native American myths about animals. http://www.native-languages.org/legends-animals.htm

Medicine Wheel by Season

How to: Prayers for the Directions

In an earlier post on “Calling the Directions & The Medicine Wheel” I shared a definition of medicine wheels, how to move about the wheel, and associations with the directions on the wheel. In this post, I share with you methods for composing a prayer to call in the directions.

The Nature of Prayer

Prayers are peculiar things that can take on any nature. Just because we call something a “prayer” does not make it sacred. The ego can compose self-involved pleas to a Higher Power. Many people choose not to pray because they’ve become frustrated with petition and gratitude prayers. Others grow weary of prescribed prayers (such as the Hail Mary or Lord’s Prayer) that can lose their spark over time.

So, how do we say sacred prayers that foster connection? How do we avoid the dry wishlist and rote repetition? Practice composing our own organic prayers helps. Petition and gratitude prayers are often fueled by fears. In tracking how our unconscious fears creep into our prayers, we can tailor our prayers to admit and release our fears consciously. Lastly, it helps to have a practice of cultivating your connection with your intuition and your soul. The stronger this connection, the more able you will be to create authentic, spontaneous prayers.

If you feel like you are entirely new to tracking your fears and cultivating soul connection that’s okay. Continue on the path of learning and, in the meantime, rely on the written prayers of so many who’ve gone down this path before.

Composing Your Own Prayers

Do not be anxious. There is no need for you to compose beautifully worded prayers. Use whatever words suit your needs and desires…. But don’t spend all your time summoning up the presence of God…. Simply set out your needs and acknowledge that you have no right to be always aware of God’s presence. There is a time for this, and a time for that. Observe them. Otherwise your soul will grow weary.” – Saint Theresa of Avila

Below are elements of calling in the directions that you may choose to include in your prayers for the directions. How you word your prayer for each of these elements will vary with your relationship to them. Notice that words aren’t the only elements here. Actions are just as, if not more, critical to your prayer. The cardinal direction you choose to start at is your choice. I recommend going clockwise on the wheel and finishing with all the cardinal directions before going to earth, sky, and center.

Step 1: Aligning

To align and show your intent for working with a direction you can very simply face the given direction. For the earth you have the option of kneeling and placing your palms on the ground. For the sky you may choose to raise your arms up to the heavens. In this portion of the prayers for the directions you state the name of the direction. It may be as simple as “Spirit of the East”. Some use “watchtower” or “guardian” instead of spirit. You may also choose a more complex name that you have adopted such as “Goddess” for the earth or “Our Heavenly Father” for the sky.

Step 2: Opening

You may choose to demonstrate your openness to greet and welcome in the power of the direction by standing with your arms open and palms facing outward. In a more private prayer you may choose to bow or kneel. You can simply say “I welcome you to our circle”. In my prayers, I typically follow that with the phrase “with open heart, arms, and mind.”

Step 3: Invitation

Here is where you can take the opportunity to name the graces or gifts of that direction that you are inviting into your life. “Please bring your graces of new beginnings and fresh starts” would be a perfect prayer to include for the East. Not to be confused with petition, this portion of the prayer helps us name and embrace what we are inviting in. You may say “I embrace/allow/invite your gifts”.

Step 4: Gratitude

Although we don’t want to fall into petition and gratitude prayer, gratitude is a valuable component to consider. To avoid saying “thank you for blah, blah, blah” instead say “thank you for your presence”. One way to field test your gratitude prayer is to see if it’s attached to a certain outcome. If you say “thank you for your fresh start” that is an outcome, but “thank you for the guidance and healing you offer” is less results oriented.

Step 5: Closing

Once you’ve completed your ceremony, it is customary to thank the spirits again and release them. Ultimately the space we use for ceremony is left off to serve another purpose and it is up to us to release the space to its new purpose. Often the ending sounds something like “Spirits we release you. Thank you. Your service today and always is greatly appreciated.”

Other Practices to Keep in Mind

When saying prayers for the directions many people like to include an instrument that goes beyond the power of words into the power of sound alone. Shaking a rattle or beating a drum while praying is common as is whistling or playing a flute. Some sing their prayers.

Speaking out loud helps us practice with the weight of words. Creating prayers like these helps us understand how powerful the words from our minds and mouths are. Mindfulness with speech is an important spiritual practice. When we decide to summon divine support let us do so with reverence and attention. And, it is worth listening to Saint Theresa of Avila when she advises we “use whatever words suit your needs and desires”. Take these prayers seriously, but not too seriously that you get tongue-tied. Be willing to put yourself out there in your beautiful imperfection.