The Ceremony: Death, Purification, Rebirth, Integration
Over and over and over, again and again and again....If you've been to my office, you may have seen that saying inscribed on a painting by Dianne Bennett. The painting depicts the turn of the seasonal wheel and the wheel of day and night through images of a sycamore tree, crows, and sun and moon. There are these constant cycles of respiration, of giving and receiving, light and dark, birth and death. They are happening all around us and within us. This is also the arc of ceremony work when working with plant medicines and shamanic journeys, where we go through a death process, purification, rebirth and renewal, and if all goes well, eventually, integration.
It is of course the wheel of the year as well, and right now we are coming into the season of rebirth and renewal, spring!
In cultures around the world it is time to fast, pray and meditate, cleanse both inner and outer worlds, and bask in the viriditas, the truth ringing greening power of the earth. The earth has it's own breathing process, breathing inwards, dying away and withdrawing into the darkness to develop inner light in the fall and winter, then exhaling in the spring, giving forth itself in bright green new growth and flowers. This is also the ongoing process of death and rebirth.
In Catholic traditions, it is almost lent, time to fast, let go of indulgences, eat a vegetarian diet and no meat, to lighten up the load physically and metaphysically. In Islam there is the tradition of Ramadan, fasting and praying in the spring near the equinox for almost a month, having no food or even water from dawn until sunset.
In Ayurveda, it is the traditional time for a spring digestive reset, cleanse, and renewal of your sacred agni, the fires within you that digest what you encounter through your vision, your heart feelings, your digestive tract, your auditory senses, and your skin; how you are touched and how you touch.
This year for the first time I am offering an all women's Spring Renewal Retreat for the seasonal Ayurvedic Cleanse through Anahata Healing Arts. See below for more information.
The early bird deadline is coming right up on February 12th
(this would make a great Valentines Day gift), until then you can save $50 off the registration fee.
I hope to see you soon for Therapeutic bodywork, Ayurvedic therapies, Integrative Health Counseling, Private Yoga, and of course, the upcoming Cleanse Workshop.
It's that time of year again, elder blossoms, a great time to make elder flower cordial.
Elder Flower Cordial
INGREDIENTS
15 elderflower heads large (use double if small)
2 lemons sliced
11 cups water
5 cups honey
STEPS
Check elderflowers for dirt and little insects - don't wash!
Add elderflowers, and lemon slices to the water in a big pan. (The only ingredient not yet going in is the honey)
Heat up to boiling point, stirring occasionally, remove from heat, add honey after water has cooled some, but still warm enough to incorporate. Cover and let sit overnight.
Strain the liquid through a muslin cloth, to catch all the flowers. Squeeze all that yummy flavor out of the pulp in the muslin!
Bottle up the finished cordial while it's still hot, pouring carefully into your bottles and closing the lids. Refrigerate if not using immediately.
DILUTION
Depending on desired sweetness, dilute 1:5 to 1:10.
Best enjoyed with sparkling mineral water.
Optional: Squeeze in some fresh lemon for extra tanginess!
