On the last day at the conference, I took part in a fire ceremony
down on the Lake with over 100 women it seemed. The morning started out quite
chilly and a bit of drizzle. The forecast called for rain. But my friend and I
decided rain or not we were going to take part in the ceremony so we were
dressed to for anything. After eating breakfast, we walked down to the lake and
what a beautiful sight the lake is at the Omega Institute. The place is full of
surprises and treasures wherever you go.
When I arrived at the fire ceremony site, I was surprised to
see the volume of women that had already gathered. We each had to find a stick.
By the time the fire was started by women who had volunteered to be the fire starters
with our blessing and we all started to chant and sing into the fire, the sun had
come out full blast. The sky had cleared and there were scant white clouds
around the sky. And there were no rain clouds in sight. Making it seem as if the
Universe was shining down on us. Invoking the power of the Feminine Spirit with
no obstructions or inhibitions.
The feeling around that campfire was electric. Our singing
becoming one voice. One sound. Powerful yet gentle. Sweet yet urgent. Harmonious yet disjointed. Sometimes loud.
Other times soft. Voices coming and going as each woman let spirit move her in
whatever way she felt. Joining in when she felt the need. Stopping when she
felt the need. No one forcing the other to be who they could not be.
Women from all walks of light, joining our energy to bring forth
the change we were all looking for. Bringing forth closure to relationships and
situations that no longer serve us. Bringing forth forgiveness and understanding
of relationships and situations that needed to be let go. Bringing forth the
spirit of love, compassion and understanding. All of us standing in the rhythm
of our voice. Opening us to receive the combined energy of each other and that
of Mother Earth as we stood upon her soil.
Turning to face each direction as our guide invoked the
power of each one. Starting with facing
North. Then West. Then South then ending with us facing East. To the rising
sun. And then when we turned to face the
fire in the middle of the circle, our guide told us the sticks were for us to
burn away anything that was no longer serving
us. To send it back to the fire. To the beginning. And there was to be a woman
that stood behind us when we did so to protect our backs so that whatever we
threw into the fire did not try to come back in from behind. A powerful way for
each one of us as women there to stand in the rear of another woman we had never
met to lend her our support. A moving part of the ceremony.
A reminder that when we have each other’s backs rather than
stabbing each other in the back, we can accomplish so much more and can be so
much more when we are there for each other’s benefit rather than our ruin. There
were women who were fighting cancer. Women who needed to get out of situations
that were dragging them down. Women, as was I, searching for meaning and understanding
of what happens next in our lives. Some were in tears. Some were full of joy. Some
silent. But each one of us joining in with the spirit of cooperation and love.
As our chant ended and we closed our eyes, joining hands
together, when I closed my eyes it felt as if the world was on fire because the
redness of the sun filled my inner vision with red. Fiery red. As if the
Universe was letting me know it was time to accept the things that had to go.
And to move on in the spirit of renewal. And when the ceremony was done after
we faced each direction with gratitude, it took some time for us to break from the
group. To break from the powerful energy we had created together. As if none of
us wanted to break the circle of women spirit and renewal. As if the circle was
our strength. I looked round the circle at the faces of the women that had chosen
to join the circle together at the same time. Then I looked up at the trees.
Leaves shaking in the wind. Rustling that haunting sound. Amazed by the redness
of the leaves like they were on fire too and I inhaled deeply and with such
gratitude for the spirit bringing me to this place of strength.
And then slowly the circle started to break. Each one of us
taking in the blessing and lessons from the fire ceremony. Each one of us walking
away with a slightly different lesson but sharing the common energy of
sisterhood. Full from our experience and ready to take on whatever was to come
next with love and compassion. Letting go of what was no longer necessary and opening space for what was to come...
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