In many ways, 2020 has become a year of great upheaval and unknowns. Around the world, people are searching for ways to come back to themselves. A way to find peace amongst the chaos, and feel like they are walking with Spirit by their side. While there are many ways of learning from our spiritual teachers and ancestors, I believe that one of the most integral components of spiritual living in the 21st century is the use of a Personal Spirit Ceremony.
The difference between a Personal Ceremony and a Traditional Ceremony
A Personal Ceremony differs from a traditional ceremony in a couple of ways:
- A Traditional Ceremony is often lead by a shaman or elder for a group of people or a specific purpose. A Personal Ceremony, on the other hand, is lead by yourself and your own individual spirit guides.
- A Personal Ceremony can be altered depending on your intention, feeling, or time limitations; while a traditional ceremony follows an established practice that belongs to a specific group of people or culture.
A Traditional Ceremony
In traditional indigenous communities, ceremony was integral to the spiritual life of the people.
Ceremonies were often performed by the spiritual elder or shaman of the community. And they were usually based on communing with Spirit through direct revelation.
Sometimes, like on a Solstice or Full Moon, the people of the community would participate in the ceremony by dancing or singing songs to their many gods. Other times, the shaman or spiritual elder would conduct a ceremony on behalf of someone who was ill or injured, in order for the collective spirits to protect or heal them.
Ceremonies were used by traditional peoples around the world to celebrate marriages, births and deaths. As well as the changing of the seasons and a plethora of other occasions.
A Personal Ceremony
While you might be inclined to want to learn about traditional ceremonies and how they are conducted, a Personal Ceremony is built solely from your own intention.
It speaks directly to how Spirit works in your own personal life. And this gives you the freedom to explore where Spirit is calling you.
The framework of a Personal Ceremony is simple, but there is much flexibility to how each component works.
The number one thing to remember is that intention is key. Without a strong conviction, Spirit can not give you the guidance or solace you seek. Working with Spirit is a two-way street – You need to give energy to your ceremony in order to receive energy back from the universe.
Before you begin your ceremony, you will want to make sure that you will not be disturbed. Ceremonies are times of deep revelations and spiritual connections. So it is important that you give yourself time to connect fully with Spirit. You might choose to drum or sing for a few moments to bring yourself into a spiritual mindset before you officially start a Personal Ceremony.
A simplified framework of how to conduct your own Personal Spirit Ceremony
Below is a basic outline of the steps you can take to create your own Personal Spirit Ceremony.
1. Begin with an Opening Prayer
All ceremonies begin with an Opening Prayer and/or Acknowledgment of the 4 Directions.
Depending on your spiritual path, the four directions are represented by individual spirits which typically align with the elements. In shamanic traditions across North and South America, the Great Serpent represents the South alongside the element of Earth. Mother Jaguar represents the West and the healing element of Water. Hummingbird or Caribou is often used for the North direction and calls in the element of Air. While Eagle or Condor is commonly used for the East alongside the element of Fire.
Once you have called in the spirits of the 4 directions, you will want to be sure to acknowledge our Earth Mother and the many plants and animals that coexist alongside humans. Consider giving thanks for the nature that surrounds you or touching the earth as you offer this as part of your opening prayer. Some people use shells, crystals, leaves, sticks, or other natural elements to heighten their connection to the land they live on.
Afterwards, you will want to acknowledge and thank the heavens, the stars/planets, and the ancestors; those who have come before and live in the spiritual world around us. You can even name specific people or spirits that you work with. Be as elaborate or concise as you feel is necessary.
Finally, we offer a moment of gratitude to the Creator, the Way of life, the Great Unknown, or Spirit that flows through all. Whatever your conception of Spirit is, this is where we set our intention for the ceremony. We speak openly into the world about what we want to learn or are asking for in terms of the blessings we seek. And we thank the Creator for our lives and time that we can spend learning from the spiritual guides we follow.
2. Cleanse Your Mind, Body, and Soul
Cleansing yourself is an important step in order to be able to hear and feel what Spirit wants to teach you in your ceremony.
You might want to use a crystal-like Clear Quartz or Amethyst, which you trace along your aura field to remove any stagnant energy in your body.
Or you could drum, sing or even dance intuitively in order to bring yourself into a more balanced state.
Some people will use the smoke of sage to clear themselves; others might choose to do a short breathing meditation where you let go of any tension you might be carrying.
Choose something that speaks to you and makes you feel connected to your spiritual path.
3. Meditation / Creation of Spirit
This portion of the ceremony comes in many different forms for many different people.
The goal here is to be able to feel Spirit moving through you; teaching you about what you need to know.
If you are just starting your own ceremonies, meditation will be your best option. During this ceremonial meditation, it is strongly suggested to use music to guide your mind into a heightened state. Using the sounds of forests, drumming, or binaural beats can lead your consciousness to connect with your higher self. This will help you to let your mind and body relax so you can hear Spirit more clearly. I typically like to set a timer for 20-30mins during this portion of the ceremony, so I can really allow myself to hear and interact with my spiritual teachers.
If meditation isn’t your thing, you might want to journal freely or create art or dance without worry. Since this is a Personal Ceremony, you could intuitively wait to see what Spirit wants from you depending on your purpose. Some people find that they are most aligned with the Creator when they are making art or shaping clay. Others find that they get the urge to write and that is how Spirit speaks to them. Again, music or drumming can allow you to let yourself freely move in ways that you thought were long forgotten.
Find what works for your spirit and your soul.
Ceremony is not a competition, it is a renewal of Spirit in your life.
Once you are done with your Meditation or Creation of Spirit, you will want to drink water to reinvigorate your senses. Make sure to write down any lessons or words that stand out to you so you can revisit them at a later date or ceremony.
4. Close the Ceremony
When you are ready to finish your Personal Ceremony, it is time to offer another Closing Prayer and/or Acknowledgment of the 4 Directions.
Instead of beginning with the direction of South, like you did when you opened the ceremony, you begin this Closing Prayer with the direction of East and make your way back to South.
We once again thank our Earth Mother, the celestial beings above us, and the spirits of those who have paved the path for us to remember our place in the world.
Finally, we end this Closing Prayer with gratitude towards the Creator, the All-Knowing, the Source of Life, whatever you envision Spirit to be.
Once the Ceremony has been closed, you may want to take any leftover water from your meditation or incense ash and lay it outside under a tree or bush. This acts as a final gift to the earth in gratitude for guiding your way through life and through the ceremony.
Are you ready to create your own personal spirit ceremony?
Across the planet, our ancestors were people of the land, people of the sky and the ocean. They knew what it meant to be in right relations with all other living beings that call this earth home.
When we look for guidance or lessons through ceremony, we open ourselves up to a world that is far more vast and ancient than our individual lives. This is why ceremonial work is so integral to us remembering the path of Spirit.
If you’ve been feeling a call to ‘re-wild’ your way of being, a Personal Spirit Ceremony can be a beautiful gift of renewal and grace.
Remember, Spirit is always ready to work with you. You just need a little bit of intention and energy to get yourself started. You are not alone even though it might seem like it from the outside.
Your ancestors are waiting to speak to you and teach you about what it truly means to live a spiritual life.
Do you know your Mayan Sign? Get your free report.