From Wikipedia...
A ceremony is an activity, infused with ritual significance, performed on a special occasion.
Ceremony, ritual - lots of conversation lately about ceremony and ritual. The latest being the sad news of a sweat lodge ceremony gone so horribly wrong that lives were lost, lives were changed from this day forward. Was it because there wasn't a true understanding of the ceremony where those around the circle are releasing, discovering, and healing? I certainly hope, being that it was led by a popular spiritual author, it was not because of the money. I don't know him very well - just interviews I've seen over the last couple of years. I know he is a mentor for some in my line of work and I highly respect their opinions. No judgment. I just know he will be forever touched by this - maybe even defined by this - what a way to learn a lesson. My prayers are with them all.
I know that my lesson from the sidelines is that there is sacredness in the ceremony - not the numbers. My guides whispered to me in the middle of the night that it's about understanding these ceremonies and the power associated with them. To honor that power is also integral with the ceremony.
When I was a teenager, my father said "Come help me with my Ritual work"...he was a Freemason and now, as I think about it, I held that little book and helped him memorize his lines. I sure wish I could recall the hidden mysteries that were at the time, just words that I checked to make sure my Dad said in the order they were written . I think it was his way of including me in this sacred ceremony that was not available to young girls then or today.
Thanks, Dad, for helping me understand the sacredness of ceremony, and including me in yours.
My prayers are with those touched by the events in Sedona.
