December 15, 2016
Dear Drumsong Community,
It is a cold evening and the month of December is flying by. so grateful for the wood stove. I have been on the road the last three weekends between holidays, training (Level 4 of Healing Touch) and graduation of my son last weekend it has been non stop. All the while keeping a steady pulse on the rapidly changing political climate in our beloved country. The news evokes a roller coaster of emotions and responses to deal with on a daily, if not moment to moment, basis. It takes a lot of energy, it seems, to stay positive and focused on bringing healing energy to the situation. My heart beats with those at Standing Rock in the frigid temperatures defending our water and the rights of all of us. With all of this I feel simultaneously exhilarated and exhausted. Therefore, I am making the tough call to cancel the Solstice Fire Ceremony this Snnday for self care sake (I know...I need the ceremony...but also need some down time before the next big Holiday week). If you were thinking of coming but have not rsvp'd , my apologies, and I look forward to seeing you at another ceremony soon.
I am so grateful to live here on this land, in a diverse community filled with meaning people, doing work I love, surrounded by loving people. My small life is blessed and I continue to marvel at the strength, beauty, and commitment to building a better planet from the ground up that each of you embodies. Thank you for each action you take on behalf of this Mother Earth and all our relatons. I am grateful for each of you and the opportunity to be alive with you at this challenging time. I think of the Dalai Lama everyday and how he remains happy and jovial despite the cruel destruction of his country and people, of Kwan Yin the goddess of compassion, of my teachers and elders and how they did their best to prepare me for this very time. I pray for strength and stamina for each of us to uphold our little corner of the world with dignity and respect for all. Love is still the most powerful force on earth and we shall prevail no matter how long it takes.
We are planning on rebuilding the lodge (12/30) and pouring a sweat lodge (12/31) to close out this year and purify ourselves for the long road ahead as we enter 2017. There is more information below. Feel free to call with questions.
SAVE THE DATE!
Drum Making Ceremony scheduled for Saturday March 4, 2017
9:00-4:30. See below for the basics and more information will follow soon.
I wish each of you a joyous holiday season no matter what you celebrate. Look into each other's eyes and see the light within each other, Let it shine through the darkest day of the year as we sing, chant, dance, dream the return of the LIGHT to our collective vision and times. Keep praying, singing, and loving,
Have heart and be kind to one another, we need it more than ever. Let us to be strong together,
Miriam/ Firebird
Fire Ceremonies 2016
Winter Solstice Sunday December 18 4:30 pm CANCELLED
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.
Drum Making Ceremony SAVE THE DATE
with Miriam Lieberman and Ashley St. Martin
Saturday March 4, 2017
9:00-4:30
$135 for a 12" drum
$60 deposit due by Friday February 10th, 2017
Make payable to Miriam Lieberman
1920 Western Trail Chapel Hill, NC 27516
Feel free to call with any questions 919 304-5754
More information to follow soon........
NEW 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.)
Workday to rebuild the lodge for the New Year: Friday December 30th
Lodge to Ring in the New year: Saturday December 31st
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.
Peace be with you, Miriam
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.
Miriam Lieberman
(919) 304-5754 or melieber@mebtel.net
(919) 304-5754 or melieber@mebtel.net
1920 Western Trail
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
www.drumsongsanctuary.com
