Solstice Fire Ceremony

My how time is flying. I just returned from a three day confernece out of town and of course meant to send this before now but NOW is always a good time to take action. If you want to honor this time of ancestral healing come join us tomorrow for the annual Day of the Dead ceremony on Monday Otober 30th at 6pm. We will share some sustenance and get acquainted before going out to the fire to celebrate, mourn, and honor the loved ones who have gone before us. In so doing, we honor/heal our lineage and continue to heal ourselves, hence the seven generations that have gone before us as well as preparing the field for those who are to follow. Healing ourselves really does heal others as we clear past traumas and unfinished business from our family line. We pay tribute to those who helped us to find our way through their journeys, struggles, hard work, and healing. As we hold our ancestors with compassion, we complete the circle of healing by forgiving them and ourselves where needed, so we can recommit to the sacred purpose each of us is here to complete on our earth walk. We lay down what no longer serves us by offering it to the fire and then feeding the heart of the fire, with what we would like to grow in our own lives, hearts and habits. So come with simple food to share (if you like). I will have red lentil soup, rice and hot cider. Feel free to bring things for the community altar, pictures, photos, favorites food or other items for the altar to honor your ancestors. If you have more recent losses we will hold you in a circle of loving compassion. We will be outdoors unless there is heavy rain so dress in layers. If too wet, we will be in the house. Hope to see you tomorrow at 6pm. There is more info below about what to bring....

Fire Ceremonies 2016

Monday October 30, 2017 6:00 pm Day of the Dead Fire Ceremony with Monday Circle

I will be out of town at the Winster Soltice Fire Time, catch you later......

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 greatly and it is always ok to take care of yourself or 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 always yours!

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 HEALING CIRCLE

This circle is currently full but there is a wait list for anyone interested should shifting occur.

Do let me know of your interest. If enough people are interested perhaps a second group could form.

Spirit has been whispering in my ear for a bit now to start another circle that meets on a regular basis (bi-weekly for starters) 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 am proposing some dates (alternate Monday evenings beginning on All Souls Day). Once a group is formed we can decide together if these dates and times will work or need to be changed. 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.

Little Boys and Girls Sweat Lodge

( Available by request unless specific dates are listed herein and/or in addtion to dates listed.)

Saturday December 30, 2017

workday to prepare Friday December 29 1-4pm

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.