September 16, 2019
 
 
Hello Dear Ones,
 
My how time flies!  It seems I last sent a newsletter in June and we are now in the last harvest days of summer, pepper season around here.  So many colorful varieties, each with their own unique flavors and levels of spice.  I have the biggest crop of zinnias ever with their bright jewel like blooms towering above the lush foliage. The garden is a flutter with butterflies and other pollinators. My cats like to rest in the shade beneath the canopy of the zinnias, so cute. Hummingbirds dart this way and that coveting their favorite feeder (they are not good at sharing) but so fun to behold. Much is happening here at Drumsong. We are preparing for some renovations, and some are under way.  After 17 years here (I know, I cannot believe it either!), it is time to upgrade and make some changes.  I am preparing for the welcome disruption of construction and change.  When the dust settles we will have a makeover inside and a screened porch to enjoy year round. Woohoo!
 
I will also be going on an adventure to the Pacific Northwest this Fall , where we will hold a rattle making workshop and then to a retreat with Toko-Pa Turner (author of "Belonging").  Hopefully there will be whales, giant trees, big sky, open water with eagles soaring, along with the wild women in ceremony on her enchanted island.  So much to be grateful for!  This renewal for me is much needed and welcome. I will bring back energy from the Salish Sea and tales from the Pacific Northwest to share.
 
The next Fire Ceremony will be the annual Day of the Dead Ceremony Fire Ceremony on Nov 3 (see below). Be sure to RSVP by Oct 30 if you are planning on coming so we will be prepared to greet you.  There has been a request for a Women's Sweat Lodge on December 7 and there will be room for additional women if you are interested in that.  Not sure if the Autman will bring a Lodge before that but it could happen....  We will also have a Lodge to bring i the New Year, date TBA. May each of you find the perfect set of "right actions" to boost your evolution and the saving of our gorgeous planet. We are all needed to keep the momentum for positive change and healing, now more than ever. 
 
May the Fall Equinox usher in peace, equinimity, joy, renewal, depth of feeling and thought along with its cooler temps.  I look forward to seeing you soon.
With love and gratitude,
Miriam 
 
Fire Ceremonies 2019
Sunday Nov 3       4:30  potluck    Fire at 6:00     Day of the Dead    rsvp  by Wed Oct 30
Sunday Dec 22      4:30  potluck    Fire at  6:00   Winter Solstice      rsvp by  Wed Dec 18
 
Come bring your inspiration or find some here for yourself.  The fire is where we lay down our fears and excuses and take responsibility for what we are willing and able to do to make this world a better place right now!   Take strength, courage, love, light, growth, resilience, clarity, innocence, playfulness, and joy away with you.  You will have the opportunity to release beliefs, grief, feelings, thoughts, relationships or anything else that is hampering your ability to be fully and completely who you are by offering them to the fire. We will witness each other as we make new agreements with spirit and dream our lives into being. We will feed the holies and ask their assistance in co-creating ourselves, our thoughts and our lives as we wish them to be.  If your health and circumstance permit you to stay for the entire ceremony we appreciate that greatlyand it is always ok to take care of yourself and your children so please plan accordingly. This is not about rules or permission, it is about respecting ourselves and others,witnessing and being witnessed in sacred community.  The choice is yours! Fire ceremonies are a community ceremony so rsvp's are requested by dates listed. If we do not know people are coming they are subject to cancellation.  Call my cell phone for  last minute weather updates or info:  919 618-4919
 
Bring a chair, flashlight, drum, rattle, closed water bottle and dress for outdoors (if super cold or heavy rain we'll be indoors by the woodstove). Feel free to bring some healthy food to share if you are so moved. If you are drawn to be here please call or email Miriam at (919) 304-5754 or melieber@mebtel.net so I’ll know how many people to expect and give you directions if needed. Come prepared for both indoor and outdoor conditions weather depending.   I invite all women to wear a skirt or sarong over pants to honor our sacred grandmothers and the circle of life.  There is never a fee for ceremony but Gifting is appropriate and appreciated to support the life and work of the elders who dedicate their lives to keeping the old ways available and for wood and supplies needed for ceremony and the upkeep of the land.
 
 
 SHAMANIC TEACHING AND HEALING CIRCLE
 
 
 
CIRCLE MEETS THE 2ND AND 4TH  MONDAYS 7-9 PM,  CALL TO EXPRESS INTEREST AND/OR TO GET MORE INFORMATION.  I WILL NEED TO MEET WITH YOU IN PERSON PRIOR TO COMING FOR A VISIT. 
 
The Shamanic Teaching circle meets on a regular basis (bi-weekly) to deepen our relationship with our guides and helpers, to heal ourselves, to dream to the sacred beat of the drum, to share wisdom teachings and step out of the frenetic pace of life, to be authentic clear channels for spirit. I will be sharing teachings from the elders I have had the privilege to sit with, from my fifteen years of annual pilgrimage to vision quest in sacred community (as quester and supporter) and as one whose life purpose it is to serve and feed the people on this path with heart.  I invite you to bring your wisdom teachings, healing gifts and spirit of love. The drums are calling to be played and for their medicine to be shared in the service of humanity.
 
If you too feel this call, please let me know your intentions, needs, desires and willingness to commit to holding sacred space together. I can be reached at 919 304-5754 or 919 618-4919. 
 
A suggested donation for the holding of the space and facilitation of the circle: $20.00-25.00.
As always the amount of your gift is between you and spirit as we do not charge for ceremony itself.  
 
 
Little Boys and Girls Sweat Lodge
  ( Available by request unless specific dates are listed herein and/or in addtion to dates listed.)
Sweat Lodge Saturday December 7, 2019 This will be a women's lodge
Rain date sunday June 9
 Workdays:  TBA later but always let me know if you have time to come help out.
  The lodge is poured by Miriam / Firebird  in the tradition passed down to me by my beloved Elder Sharon Mitchell.  This is a beautiful teaching lodge that has the strength and heat for those with experience and the gentleness and ease for those who will join us for the first time (which is how it came to be known as the Little Boys and Girls Lodge).  It is not a lodge specifically for children as some have asked, but supervised children are welcome to attend ceremonies here unless otherwise specified.  Please notify me if spirit is calling you to join us, so I can let you know how to prepare and know how many people are coming.  Please know that we need at least 8 people to pour a lodge due to all the preparations involved so let us know if you would like to join us in ceremony.  
 
People always ask me "how long does a sweat lodge take?" My first thought is how much we need these ceremonies to take us back to soul time where it is the experience, the prayers, the being together in community, the work as worship that really matter and not the construct of time that we are forced to run our lives by.  I have learned for myself to not schedule anything else on lodge days as I step outside of "time" to be present to what is, the stones, the fire, the people and their prayers, the feast and then basking in the richness afterwards.  Please take care of yourselves however you need to with "time". You are welcome to join us for the time you can be with us and if you need to leave due to other commitments that is yours to keep track of.  My wish for you is that you can be timeless with us and sink into the ceremony as it unfolds organically.  If for some reason you need to leave during the lodge please be sure to let me and/or the firekeeper know ahead of time so we can assist you.  
 
We usually light the fire around 9 am and close the ceremony with a feast in the afternoon after cleaning up the ceremonial grounds.  It is tradition to leave a place better than you found it.   Please bring a dish to share for the feast following the lodge.  
 
Workdays : I'm looking forward to hearing from those of you who want to build this community, be you newcomers, or those who have been here often to share in the love of lodge from beginning to end.   We can always use help with gathering or purchasing, and splitting and moving wood, raking, moving blankets, etc.  We are in need of  stone people if you can bring some stones that have not been in an active creek bed (cantalope size) If you have a truck and/or chain saw and want to help gather some wood between lodges please let me know so we can find times to work together, it is an ongoing need.  The preparations are part of the ceremony and are a labor of love and communion with the land, the tall standing ones, the stone people, mother earth, the water and help deepen one’s experience of the ceremony as we joyfully prepare the grounds together. 
 
 
Contact Miriam/Firebird at 919 304-5754 or melieber@mebtel.net  if you are called to attend.  Please RSVP  with contact info if you would like to join us.  I will let you know what to bring, how to find us and how to best prepare once I know you are coming.  Feel free to call with any questions as well.    Checking in the day before lodge to verify last minute information or changes due to weather, illness or attendance is strongly encouraged as we have to have a certain number of people to hold this particular ceremony.
 
         
  
This list is by voluntary sign up.  If you choose to unsubscribe you may do so at the bottom. Thanks for reading this far. You and your friends are free to join this list and come to Drumsong but I request that you NOT POST events and ceremonies to Facebook or other social media.  I prefer to be a local resource here in our area. I appreciate your honoring this request. 
 
Thanks for reading!  Remember who you are, what you came here to do and have fun sharing your gifts with us all ! Shine your light brightly with love and gratitude.
  
Drumsong Sanctuary for the Soul
Miriam Lieberman
(919) 304-5754 or melieber@mebtel.net
1920 Western Trail
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
www.drumsongsanctuary.com 
 
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