Acceptance
A lovely woman with smokey blue eyes sprinkles Florida Water on me and blesses my energy in preparation for the evening’s events.
It is the full moon; the bonfire is being built, twig by twig. No lighter fluid on this fire. This fire is sacred. Only twigs and leaves and hunted kindling. Wearing my Pi stone around my neck, I try to remember how the ceremony went the last time I attended an event at the Chacana Center. Do I bow? I activate the Wiracocha, the eighth chakra, the soul star, adding my energy field to this sacred space.
I was told ahead of time to set my intention on 3 things to release into the bonfire tonight. The instructions were: Find a stick and decorate it. Blow your intention to release those things that no longer serve you into the stick. I wrote the behaviors that I wanted to release on three brightly colored sticky notes and rolled them around the stick. I decorated my stick with dried palm fronds, hibiscus flowers, and yellow-green croton leaves. I wound embroidery thread around it all and tied with a respectful bow.
I have been welcomed by this group of Shaman Practitioners since August of 2020. What I learned from them helped me through the trials of the pandemic. During that time, I was initiated into the sacred rites of the Munay Ki, the nine rites of initiation, the knowledge of the medicine wheel. On this first step onto the path of the Shaman, I learned about myself through the lens of the Peruvian Elders.*
Tonight, I am welcome to join in the fun of the ceremony. The evening is mild and breezy, April in Florida is wonderful. There are beating drums, chanting voices, sacred ceremony and love for everyone.
Today’s blog is about acceptance. In the spiritual community in Florida, I feel welcome everywhere. I am welcome for ceremony at the Shaman bonfire, I am welcome for meditation at the Buddhist Temple, I am welcome for Christian karaoke at the Methodist Church. As long as I bring an open heart, and send positive energy into the mix, I am accepted for who I am, a searcher. We need to make this kind of acceptance contagious.
I give my deep respect those people who can accept someone who is not only a Christian, but also a Buddhist, and an initiate, and more.
I can see the oneness in all of these practices and religions. I see the people who are setting their intentions to help their community, their sangha or their tribe. I see people who are trying to raise their consciousness and the consciousness of the planet to step away from fear and into love. I see leaders helping their parishioners through life’s trails. I see powerful healers giving of themselves for others.
I see through acceptance, we can all make a difference.
When it is my turn, I bless my stick and place it on the bonfire. I watch as the flames release my wishes to the Universe.
*For more information on the Shaman path visit https://thefourwinds.com
