Sacred Ceremony + Ritual
Andean Rituals
Ceremony and ritual have always been a way for me to connect with the unseen. Ever since I was young, I would seek out experiences that led me to a space of ceremony, and I remember not attaching the dogma to the experience, respecting everyone's way of connecting to spirit. It is the diversity and richness of ceremonial ritual that has always fascinated me the most. There is something about the sound of a bell ringing, incense burning, and prayers and mantras being whispered that bring me into stillness to commune with the Divine. There is healing that occurs in the arising stillness. A space that is left empty, and yet full all at the same time.
For the Q’ero, ceremonies and rituals are a way of coming into right relationship, or Ayni, with Mother Earth. They believe that when things are off balance in our lives, it is because we have fallen out of balance with nature and the Creator. By performing ceremony, whether it be a fire ceremony, or a ceremonial offering of some sort, the intention is always to restore balance and well being back to the individual, to our ancestors, and to those that walked the land before us.
Despacho
A 'despacho' ceremony is an offering to the Divine Mother, or Pachachama as the Q'ero say. It is a prayer packet that is sent to the Cosmic forces through burning it in fire, burying it in the Earth, or releasing it to the waters. An offering to bring balance and reciprocity or 'Ayni'. It is made to further our healing process, or to express gratitude and fortify our connection to nature and the cosmos.
As an offering we often include rice, sugar, nuts, seeds, beans, dried fruit, chocolate (Pachamama loves chocolate), candy, wine, and flowers. We like the offering to be abundant and beautiful in nature, just as if we were giving a gift to an actual mother figure in our lives. We then blow our intentions and prayers into a group of three leaves, or a kintu, from a sacred plant. In the Andes they use coca leaves, but in other parts of the world we can use bay leaves or the leaves from a rose bush.
These ceremonies are usually incorporated into a sound bath session for a deeper experience, but can be tailored to the needs of the individual or group.
Despachos are often held for special occasions as a blessing for a new home or business, a marriage or commitment ceremony, birthdays, and to ask for healing and balance for a family, individual or community.
Fire Ceremony
Since ancient times, tribal societies have understood the transformation that fire holds. The act of sending intentions, chants and prayers into the fire is a powerful alchemical process. The fire ceremony is a very important part of shamanic traditions around the world.
To prepare for our ceremony, we will need three or more small sticks or “spirit arrows,” that we will burn in the fire. We use these to blow our intentions and prayers into them, and one by one, respectfully and mindfully place them into the fire. But before starting the ceremony, we will open sacred space together by calling on the Four Directions. It is a very moving process, as we use our voice, rattles, and sometimes drums to connect us to the healing energies of Mother Nature.
I will guide you on how to get the best from this ceremony, and we will also have time to sit in silence, or share our experience with one another. This act of being in community with one another is very powerful in and of itself.
"Fire allows for rapid transformation. It provides the avenue to let go of the old story and drama, to transform, to renew and to be reborn. Through fire ceremony, you honor your lessons and old belief structures by placing them in the fire and turning them over to Spirit. By releasing these old patterns and beliefs into the fire, you heal deeply at the level of the soul without having to experience them at the literal and physical levels.”
*We can also organize for this ceremony to include a despacho, and sound bath as well.
** Please note the below bookings are for 1-3 people. Please inquire for group pricing.
Tea Ceremony
Much of Ancient Chinese wisdom is influenced by great Taoist and Buddist Masters. This is how they also came to know herbal medicine, and the natural remedies that come from Mother Earth. The tea plant, camelia sinensis, is no different. For thousands of years in China, tea has been recognized for her inherent healing abilities, and for her ability to help us ground and be one with the all that is, or the 10,000 Things, as Lao Tzu called the makings of the Universe. It’s as if through the practice of sitting with tea, through the alchemical process of the water and tea leaves, we awaken her into stillness, so that we too may be still.
Tea Ceremony
The practice of Chinese tea ceremony or Gongfu cha dates all the way back to the Ming Dynasty, and originated in Chaozhou, located in the south eastern part of China. It has roots in Daoism and is a way to cultivate inner stillness through the art of serving and drinking tea. Gongfu tea ceremony is a skillful practice of bringing tea leaves to life with the infusion of hot water and intention. Through this practice we can witness the awakening of the tea leaves as they steep, and feel this same vibrance inside of us. **For Gongfu cha, we generally sit with the pu’er and oolong varieties of tea.
Senchado, is a form of Japanese tea ceremony that has origins in Buddhism, as tea was introduced to Japan buddhist monks by way of China. Much like Gongfu cha, the practice of Senchado holds a vast spaciousness and stillness inside of it. It is an art form of presence in action. A mindful communing with nature through the elements of wood, water, leaves, and breath. It is a way to discover the fullness of that is through and ancient and powerful practice of ceremonial ritual. **With this practice we generally sit with the sencha and gyokuro varieties of tea.