5 ways to start your ceremonial practise and why
For me, the art of ceremony isn’t singled out only for ‘special occasions'. The call for ceremony comes when my heart is heavy or i need connection and clarity , sometimes its a space for reflection or even creation. Being in ceremony one finds balance in nature and remind me of our place on this earth. There is only abundance in Nature; an abundance of diversity and experiences. Mother Earth does a fantastic job of showing us what balance looks like.
When things go out of balance, we’re left with not only chaos but a distorted reality. We are micro eco-systems within a larger macro system. When the cycle gets thrown out of balance, the rest of the system tries to rebalance it. By holding a ceremony with myself, I am reminded of it all, and can address this balance. Where am I lacking power? Where must I create space?
Ceremony is a container of reflection and questioning, built by my own reverence and love. We have become a culture addicted to output. We must always be ‘doing’ something. Practising ceremony is a way to rebuild our i ternal systems of input and output . How will you find divine inspiration if you do not have the space to receive it?
5 considerations
Finding Space
The first step is to find the space to sit that feels most peaceful and inviting to you. Many of us lead busy lives, so carving out a ‘physical space’ for ourselves can feel difficult sometimes. This is strange to most cultures, having a quiet place to pray is also a place to nourish independent thought. We all need time for ourselves. I encourage you to take this slowly and see this first step as inquiry. Can I find space for myself? What makes me feel most at peace about a space? Is it the light, the air, the cosiness?
By engaging with this thought process alone, you are stepping into presence, and deeper connection to your environment. Once you’ve found your space, start thinking about the ways you can nourish it with incense, candles, decoration, and comforting cushions and blankets.
Finding Time
Make sure you give yourself a window of time for the ceremony that you can really drop into this practice. You might not need two hours but I like to have shorter daily ceremonies and once a week create a ritual for ceremony that I can really relax into .
This, again, is a process of finding your own personal needs for peace. How much space do you need to give yourself to find peace? If you are particularly overwhelmed you may need to take a whole day. Experiment with time and reflect on how it feels to be inviting deeper commitment to yourself.
Decide your practise
Your practise needn’t follow any rules, and it's important that it evolves with you, around the things you find the most wonderful in life. The trick with a practise is to find a gentle container of doing that opens the window to being. If you cannot find love and rhythm in your practise, try a new one. Here are some examples for you to try:
Outside: make a Together Tea, and start your ceremony from the moment you pour the water. Become mindful as you watch the herbs flesh out and steep in the water. Take your tea outside with bare feet on the ground and sit in your quiet place. You can say a prayer, light candles, or arrange some leaves and flowers around you as you offer a little water back to the earth.
Orientation: if you feel lost, why not use our essential oils as a compass and place Earth to the North, Air to the East, Fire to the South, and Water to the West. In your ceremony, you can meditate on what directions you feel pulled towards and what each element represents for you. The oils are there for you to place on parts of the body where you feel stuck. Choose the direction most compelling to rub one oil blend on your hands and inhale deeply.
Cacao: why not go deeper with a sacred cacao ceremony? Before raw chocolate was first exported from the Amazon Basin it was considered a gift from the gods and consumed in ritual practice. Cacao in high doses can have a transformative effect on the body (which is why we call it heart opening). To find guidance for your cacao ceremony, we have created this pdf.
For more ideas, read our medicine guide where you’ll learn about our products and the gifts they carry for deeper ceremonies.
Intention:
When setting up your ceremonial space, its important to consider what is it you want to see more of in your life? Where do you feel stuck? An intention is the legacy you leave when you find what is most important to you and start living in accordance with that value.
If you want to foster a legacy of peace, you intend to lead your life with a peaceful heart, mind, and attitude. If you desire to lead a life of determination, you may intend to be resolute in your actions and thoughts. Intentions differ for each person and may change with time as we redefine and fine tune.
When you step into a ceremony it can take you in all different directions but we recommend keeping your intention in your focus. If you find this difficult, it may be helpful to write it down and place it in front of you.
Revere and reflect
What went well with your ceremony and what didn’t work for you? It is important to remain humble and never stop learning. Our practises should evolve as we do, and it doesn’t matter if they look different to everyone else’s. I see growth as a spiral that’s in constant movement. As we heal, unblock, release, acknowledge and become more aware, we move. We gain more connection, love, compassion, clarity and direction.
By setting your container of time, space, intention, and vision, you are opening space for your inner creativity and natural forces to come through. As adults so little of our life is spent in play. We hope these products might act as plant coded guidestones for you, sitting on your shelf as an eternal call back to being.
Private Ceremonies:
If you would like to have a guided Cacao Ceremony to drop deeply into a ceremonial space and receive guidance and inspiration how you may move forward to create your own ceremonies ,Annabelle , the founder of Garden of Alchemy offers bespoke in person ceremonies in the beautiful lands she tends to in East SUSSEX , UK or you can book a 2 hour online ceremony if you live abroad . Prices start at £200 Please contact Annabelle on her website www.gardenofalchemy.com
Blessings and love on your ceremonial journey .