Fire ceremony creates rapid transformation. It's an opportunity to let go of old ways, stories and drama to transform, to renew and to be reborn. You honour your lesson, and old belief patterns by placing them in the fire and turning them over to spirit. Releasing old belief patterns into the fire opens the door to heal deeply at the soul level without having to experience them at literal and physical levels.
Fire Ceremony, one of the core ceremonies in many medicine traditions, is typically held around the full moon or new moon of each month when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest. In the past, when Fire Ceremony was taught, it was done with a teacher/shaman for years and years before doing it alone. Now Shaman says that the earth and civilization are at an urgent turning point, so much so, that it should be done by anyone willing to step in to facilitate. The fire itself will become your teacher and will let you know immediately if your intent is pure.
The steps to the ceremony are simple:
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Before coming to the fire circle, create an offering out of burnable material, typically a small stick. This "spirit arrow" can represent an issue or something that needs to be honoured so you can release it. The offering helps to focus your attention in a meditative way. The object can be decorated or left in its original state.
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Connect with what you are honouring, the gifts you have received or what you are envisioning into being. Use your breathe and blow this intention into the offering several times.
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Ideally, ceremonies should be outside if possible. However, the fire can be done indoors with the use of candles. Creating a ceremony indoors helps you to deeply connect to the earth, the star energies, and offers timelessness of location. When you are first learning it is recommended that you hold Fire Ceremonies at night. The darkness will help you notice subtle changes and learn from the fire.
The Earthkeeper creates the fire and is the only one that works the fire. They are the Guardians of the fire, the keeper of the flame and hold protection over the healing that takes place. Fire ceremony allows us to source from our soul and to remember how our ancestors sat around sacred fires throughout time. Any time you feel “blocked”, or are working on what you want to dream into your life fire is an incredible tool to help you change and shift.
Fire ceremony is a sacred tradition and should not be altered to "spice up", make more interesting or make it more "you".
In these times of such pervasive change, it can seem that the world is out of balance. Structures and paradigms on which we have relied heavily are breaking down so that new holistic structures can be birthed. It is a time of great opportunity to create balance in our lives through ceremonies such as the Ayni Despacho.
For hundreds of years, the Laika, high shaman or wisdom-keepers from the Q’ero lineage of Peru, have used the Ayni Despacho ceremony. Central to their accent is the understanding that the universe is benevolent, and only seems destructive when we are out of balance. They believe that the world mirrors back our own state of Ayni or right relationship. Coming back into Ayni, allows the Universe to work on our behalf once again, restoring the flow of synchronicity.
ANYI DESPACHO
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When we work in a ceremony such as the Ayni Despacho, we work at the level of the soul. A Despacho is similar to a mandala or sacred creation in that it holds symbolic origins and the prayers of the participants. As the shamans add the elements to the Despacho, the vibration of the participants and the room raises. The Despacho becomes a living prayer that brings energy shifts and healing.
In shamanic tradition, an Ayni Despacho is done with the intention to bring oneself and one’s community into the right relationship with the natural world. It creates a sense of union, harmony and reciprocity with nature.
For the Ayni Despacho, the shaman begins with a large piece of white paper that will serve as a ‘wrapping’ for all of the offerings. All ingredients have significance and each receives prayer before being placed on the paper. Coca leaves or bay leaves are used to hold prayers. Sugar and various sweets bring sweetness and love to the prayers. Corn and other grains are used to nourish participants and the Pachamama (the Earth). Once all ingredients have been added, the shaman carefully folds the bundle into the shape of a square ‘gift’ and ties it.
After a Despacho is prepared, the shaman uses it to cleanse the energy body of each participant. To close the ceremony, the Despacho is placed in a ceremonial fire, buried in the earth or released into the water.
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