Creating Ceremony For Conscious Change

[Guest guest]

Creating

Ceremony For Conscious Change

by Daina Puodziunas

 

Throughout

history, women have undergone public and private ceremonies to help them make

the transition from one stage of life to another, to change a behavior, bring

things to completion and mark new beginnings. Ceremony has a profound and

reinforcing effect on the psyche.

The

renewal of interest in ceremony can add a fruitful psychological and spiritual

dimension to our lives. Many therapies suggest commemorating an important

decision, a significant change or a new desire with a meaningful and memorable

action. This is where ceremony becomes a magnificent tool for personal

transformation.

I

participated in a Croning Ceremony last year held in

a beautiful church by an organization called, The Great Lakes Center For Sages. Crone refers to the mother, maiden, crone phases

of a woman’s life. The crone represents the phase of a woman’s life

after menopause. A crone is a female leader, counselor, healer who is

experienced and wise.

It

was an absolutely beautiful and meaningful ceremony. Each woman shared the

truths that she gained in her life and honored her own wisdom. It was

tremendously inspiring. Just like we have to wise up to the fact that we have

to become our own fairy godmothers if we want our dreams, desires and wishes to

come true, we also have to instate ourselves as wise women within our culture.

In both cases, nobody is going to do it for us.

Ceremonies

mark completions and new beginnings. They assist us with our inner adjustments

when our outer reality changes. I love to design ceremonies for transitions,

empowerment, clearing out the old and bringing in the new and have come up with

ingredients in ceremonies that make for powerful and lasting changes to occur.

 

TEN Essential

Ingredients For Creating A Powerful Ceremony

1. Getting crystal clear on your

intention(s) for the ceremony.

2. Deciding when, where and with

whom you want to do the ceremony. These things are important considerations.

3. Leaving the familiar behind in as

many ways as possible. This can include location, dress, attitude, etc. This

helps us be open to new things, get out of old habits and associations and be

ready for adventure and the new.

4. Understanding and harmonizing

with the purpose behind the ceremony. Aligning yourself

emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually with the reasons for holding

the ceremony.

5. Including whatever else allows

you to experience “enchanted space” – music, singing,

candles, etc. I use the term “enchanted space” instead of

“sacred space” because so many of us get very serious and solemn as

soon as we even think “sacred.” It is unfortunate, but true. We

want reverence, but a sweet, loving, magical reverence.

6. Having symbols of what you want

to empower and what you are leaving behind. Working with symbols is one of the

most powerful ways to access the essence of what our intentions are. When they

are physical ones, they have a profound effect on our psyches.

7. Quieting and centering your

energy as much in the present moment as possible. I call this learning how to

“down shift” your own energy. Whether it is through meditation,

contemplation or conscious breathing, we have a mind that goes all over the

place unless we take control of it. When we are present in ceremony we are alert,

aware and in our powerful center.

8. Knowing how to deliberately

raise, focus and direct your own energies. We were not taught how to

“self generate” our own energy so many of us live life reacting to

whatever is happening around us. When we learn how to have control over our own

energy, we are free beings. Ceremony requires that we know how to do this.

9. Including the elements: air,

earth, fire and water to help ground, transform, clear and empower. Each

element has a special magic that assists and interacts with our intentions.

They assist us with bringing heaven to earth.

10. Knowing how you are going to

integrate the change into your daily life. I refer to this as

“environmental design.” It involves surrounding yourself with

whatever you need to make the transition and bring the change into the

physical. Remember, the most profound insights, revelations and visions

don’t come alive until we take action on them. This is where a healthy

and supportive community, coach, buddies are very important. In my own life, there

is no way that I would have taken some of the steps I needed to get to where I

wanted to be if not for the support, perspectives and suggestions of others.

The

best ceremonies come from the heart. They can be elaborate and well planned or

spontaneous. I have learned that the most important qualities to bring to

ceremony are heart, a sense of lightness, joy, appreciation and connection.

Become as a little child, enchanted, immersed in the now, excited and open.

Then watch the magic, the syncornicities,

the serendipity begin to interact with you in your daily life. The

universe will speak to those with the ears to hear and eyes to see.

 

Daina Puodziunas,

aka Dinah, Midlife Fairy Godmother. Midlife Fairy

Godmother Enterprises providies tips, tools,

treasures for midlife women. Free Adventurers Club has monthly newsletter,

community calls, more. (616) 754 9672, www.MidlifeFairyGodmothers.com.

 

 

 

" How wonderful it is that nobody need

wait a single moment before starting to improve the world " .

- Anne Frank, diarist

 

 

 

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