Enter your email to receive notifications of new posts. When I asked my newsletter readers for coming-of-age memories, the responses I received were a wonderful testament to the mother-daughter bond at menarche. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, dietary supplement, exercise, or other health program. When my older daughter (now sixteen) turned eleven, I started thinking about how we would punctuate her coming of age. The views expressed in the articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the perspective or beliefs of the Era of Light staff. They surrendered themselves completely to the wind and ocean and let themselves be carried to what they called the place of their resurrection, the place where they would live and work, die and be buried, and where their remains would await their resurrection on the Last Day. The wandering saints set forth without destination, often getting into a small boat with no oars or rudder, called a coracle, and trusting themselves to the currents of divine love. Your email address will not be published. It is a full shedding of the lining that would have created a human being had insemination and implantation occurred at the time of ovulation. Especially if you have children or live There are many sacred places in Ireland and Wales with the word dysert or disert in the name. If you have a particular deity you call upon, feel free to change names or attributes around where needed. NOW For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die. When we give our blood back to the earth in an intentional way, we engage in the sacred reciprocity that is our relationship with our original Mother, connecting womb to womb. You may already have one in your life: a spiritual director, a wise guide, someone you can turn to when things feel challenging and to whom you entrust the secret desires of your heart. A dear friend of mine Hannah Dyson of Soul Seed Gathering shared with me once that an indigenous elder of the Kogi tribe of Colombia explained to her how westerners feel ungrounded and uprooted because their placentas were never buried into the earth at the time of their birth. Christ on my right, Christ on my left Spend time each morning with these lines, repeating them gently to yourself until you have learned them by heart and then recall them throughout the day. The enchantment is nothing more than the clear, direct and simple expression of the intention; using words that have great vibratory power,this explains why normally enchantments were cast in native languages such as Celtic Gaulish, Latin, among others. Often we simply need to create an environment for ourselves that feels safe, and then the emotions can move freely and reveal to us their deeper wisdom and power. Your use of and/or visitation to the Web site signifies your agreement to CNIs Terms of Use and CNIs Privacy Policy. In August my youngest went off to college, making me an official empty-nester. You may be surprised by what is still living there. Blessing and anointing yourself with your menstrual blood is a powerful way to reclaim what has been deemed dirty and impure as exquisitely divine. I agree to the Privacy Policy and Psalm 91:12, A central Celtic practice at sacred sites, such as churches, graves, crosses, and holy wells, is known as walking the rounds.. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. (1998). Joseph of the Hebrew Bible, Jacobs dream of a staircase from earth to heaven with angels ascending and descending, Daniels dream of the four beasts, and Joseph the father of Jesus four separate dreams are all notable examples from scripture. It was the only time my mom allowed me and my two sisters to take the day off of school. They do not focus on deities or the the worshipping of any God, but are based on three principles which explain the effectiveness of this kind of magick. The number of rounds varies but is often three to reflect the sacredness of that number in the Celtic imagination. Ask to be guided, to enter into the deeper realms of your womb, and then simply trust and allow what you see. We were never meant feel separate or cut off from the Mother, Gaia, our earth, and yet many of us may ache from this wound. It might be a sunwise journey around a favorite tree, your church, or around the edges of a labyrinth. Colman and Kevin, who both lived in caves and had animals as their companions. 22 Sacred Rituals for Honoring Your Menstrual Cycle Your womb is an oracle and while menstruating the crimson tides that govern our emotional and creative selves are at their peak. Cranes were the sacred birds of the druids, kept as royal pets, and revered for their mystical characteristics. A marriage between the king who represented people and culture, and the sovereignty goddess who represented nature and the land. As a result, much of Celtic Christianity can be characterized by a strongly incarnational theology: The natural world, in particular, reveals the sacramentality of all creation. You may wish to create a ritual for this, along with giving your blood to the earth, journaling intentions, or anything else that connects you to your feminine nature, and either collect some of your blood in a moon cup or receive it directly from your yoni. Women's Health Expert, Visionary Health Pioneer, Wellness Speaker, and New York Times Best-Selling Author Read More, Yes, I understand that by completing this form I am agreeing to receive email messages from Dr. Northrup & can unsubscribe at any time. The steam rising from my coffee, the bird singing from a tree branch outside my window, the doorbell announcing a friends arrival, the meal that nourishes my body for service all bring me closer to Gods grace. Begin by finding just two lines of a scriptural text or poem that are meaningful to you. This is a potent time to journal the visions, images, and messages that come to you, especially in your dreams. LOVE MASTERY WebThe essential ritual in Celtic Weddings is the handfasting ceremony The handfasting ceremony involves 13 ribbons, each with their own symbolic meaning. 12 Celtic spiritual practices for modern times - U.S. Catholic As we die something else is being birthed. As we entered the dark circle, I could hardly see. Dry and store your menstrual blood for future spells and rituals. I was studying Medieval Irish and Celtic Studies at the time and so, began to recognise that any exposure to the rituals of our pre-Christian, Celtic ancestors were not alive in my body. Also during this preparation period it is important all participants develop self-knowledge and awareness, so they may take advantage of the power of their sexuality when they need it. honestly chris you are to me as maya angelou is to Oprah. Menstrual blood itself carries of the codes of creation, as it is from the clotting of the blood that the fetus forms, and it was once widely believed that this blood could restore a man to his original innocence. The Feminization of Red Path: a Neo-pagan Network of Female 6 celtic beltane celebration rituals fire. Tools for the Working of Celtic Sex Magic Rituals Attire The Wand The Staff or Stave The Dagger The Chalice Libation Vessels The Ladle The Cauldron The Phallus The Binding Vessel The Working Stone The Convocation Stone Candles and Candleholders Incense and Essential Oil Burners White Cleansing Cloth (s) The Sword To free yourself from worrying about bleeding on your sheets and bedding, get yourself a set of dark red sheets to use specifically during your menstrual cycle and lay down a big thick red towel or blanket to lay on as you bleed through the night. M*Y*O*U*R 6, pages 1217). In addition, the ritual provides stimulus for the emotions, because the mind understands rituals and parables, their emotions feel more concrete and elevated; adding more energy which makes the spirit feel good and stimulates the imagination helping picture in detail the goal at hand as if it was a real thingall this works as a great bridge of additional energy which adds power to the ritual and therefore to the goal at hand. Not only is your daughters body changing from that of a girl to that of a sexually mature woman, her brain and emotions are also changing rapidly. There is a unique term for this wandering: peregrinatio pro Christo, or the call to wander for the love of Christ. Yes! For many years I bled with the full moon through moon bathing, and eventually my cycle changed to bleeding with the new moon as I was guided deeper into the red current and the shadow side of nature. Although the sexual abuse of a fewshould; according to societya common misconception; have eradicated my desire to understand the power of sexuality, life granted me a rebellious spirit, which understood my power lay not in giving in to the trauma but on rising above it and that is what I try to do each and every day. It differs from pilgrimage and is a phrase without a precise English definition. During a handfasting, a priest, priestess, or honored guest will tie a A step-by-step guide to the ancient tradition of sex magic as practiced by generations of Celtic Druids. Renew your spiritual life and community worship with these adaptations of ancient Christian practices. It has been my personal experience that the physical pain, emotional turbulence, and challenges many women face during their moon time is the womb communicating through her the ancestral pain we have collected in a world that has forgotten our true nature. The ritual itself also has its ceremonial steps in which different rites are performed, such as forming the circle or the symbol they want to use, or placing the participants in strategic energetic points which exist on the ground, natural drinks that relax the mind and body and which expand the senses among others. Daughters of copper woman. Getting a drivers license, being able to vote, or consuming alcoholic beverages legally come too late chronologically to mark puberty, and they are not accompanied by the goodwill and instruction of the entire community. Thanks to the fundamental principle on which Celtic magic is based, the ritual not only uses as advantage the energy of the people involved but also the energy of the objects and symbolism being used; despite being inanimate, just like living beings they are formed by the same cosmic energy (something modern science has already proven) which can be activated and used when incorporated into a ritual. Closed down my eyes, connected with my breath and began the journey to my inner-world. To Celtic magicians, these types of rituals are ideal when they are done or practiced in a group. This also has other implications because it means the more energy we can produce, gather and channel, the more effective the magick ritual is going to be in reaching its goal. The Celtic monks sought out places in the wilderness to receive this gift of revelation. THANK YOU ALL This was the perfect union of the masculine with the divine feminine. Nowadays, modern Celtic groups are putting into practice their ancient traditions, in particular the Druids of the Welsh tradition, who have revitalized Celtic Magick rituals based on the reconstruction and the incorporation of new elements and knowledge, which allows them to adapt their rituals to current times they have managed to implement magical rituals that harness the power of sexuality. If you desire to drive deeper into your dream realm, dreamwork is a core component of both my Mythic Body and Sovereignty Goddess Incubator programmes. WebBeing raised Catholic, I never understood the rituals and ceremonies in church and all the mayhem around them. When we celebrate Halloween, or All Hallow's Eve, we are continuing the ancient tradition of Samhain, the Celtic festival of the dead. Walking in a circular manner helps to move us out of linear ways of thinking and to open our hearts to receive Gods grace. Taking into account the above fundamental principles, the magical ritual practiced by this Celtic Druidic tradition, takes or attaches great importance to the role ofIntention or Motivation. Genesis 9:1213, Another key practice for the Celtic saints was having a soul friend, inspired by earlier desert traditions. Celebrating your daughters first period is a great way to help her internalize positive feelings about her body that will stay with her for a lifetime. For this ritual, its very powerful if at the time of ovulation around two weeks before your menstrual cycle, you envision a dream or wish you have for your life or for our world. Our agitation, anger, and emotional eruptions that can accompany our moon time can likely be attributed to our heightened sensitivity and need for more rest, alone time, and self care. However, many others view handfasting as a ritual of betrothal, part of the Year and a Day custom, so you might see it at either type of ceremony. These rituals use the intentional use ofthought frequencyand the forces of nature and the cosmos; which in this particular case, is the energy generated by the sexual act. Christine Valters Paintner is a Benedictine oblate and the online Abbess at, Copyright 2023 US Catholic. Much like facial steams help clear skin, open the pores, release tension, and leave skin feeling supple and revitalized, yoni steams offer cleansing, healing, and revitalizing for the womb, vulva, and vagina (yoni). you can bring fire your people shall be my people, That intention is going to have to be formulated in words, those words are going to be formulated as what is commonly known the enchantment. WebCeltic Wicca is a modern form of Wicca that incorporates some elements of Celtic mythology. I froze staring at the hare. We would start out with a special morning together at the house, lounging around and taking our time getting ready. where you lodge, I will lodge; There are pattern days associated with different holy places and a set number of rounds to walk in specific places along with certain prayers. Menstrual Blood Magic - 13 Ways to Use Your Period In Spells To cook ourselves nourishing foods as an act of self love and self care. From this place, my desire is to create a community in Celtic Sisterhood where we can be in ritual and co-create ritual together. Jeremiah 6:16. QUANTUM BALANCE Ritual is a conscious act or performance that transitions us from everyday life into a world of possibility, where the limitations of the everyday can be renegotiated and transformed. When she returns, an older female relative, taking the role of Ideal Woman, teaches her the Beauty Way, massages her body, and also instructs her in tribal wisdom about male-female relationships. and what does the Lord require of you Here are a few of many examples of indigenous cultures who had (or still have) positive coming-of-age rites, ranging from tattooing and changes in hairstyle and clothing, to ceremonies involving the entire tribal group, to solitary vision quests: In general, puberty rites are less physically challenging for girls than for boys, perhaps because every culture recognizes that men will never go through the arduous initiation represented by childbirth. The second fundamental principleimplies that since this cosmic energy penetrates and makes everything that exists possible, it also makes us able to direct or channel such energiesthe ones which we emit and the ones found in our environmentin order to change or influence reality, events or obtain certain types of results through specific practices. You are probably familiar with the lorica prayer above, attributed to St. Patrick. This time the creatures were nowhere to be seen, and so I followed the hare. Some time ago, I had a dream of a hare called Bran (raven in Irish). When she arrived onshore, she was greeted by her entire village. On the other hand a healthy fantasy rises out of love, as such we can play out our fantasies with our partner, so long asLoveis the key motivation. To paint our dreams without it needing to be anything for anyone but us. Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down On one of my retreats years ago a woman asked me how she could see visions during our shamanic trance dance journeys to receive guidance from her intuitive self. Druids were also called upon to impart justice and to counsel monarchs. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season, and the beginning of winter. Seal with the words, from my womb to the earth womb may all be rebirthed in love.. 2. Bran sat at the entrance to the tomb, ushering me to follow. God said, This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. If you are easily offended by the subject of sexuality and its powers, please do not read any further; this article is instructional, it is not meant to offend anyone and you have choice to simply stop reading and walk away. I needed to uncover its message. Yet, all ritual in my life had been monoreligious. We can begin to see the everyday things of our lives as openings into the depths of the world. Sexual Practices of the Druids - Inner Traditions And then I will hold you tight and hold you long and together we will stare into silence. Terms of Use.*. Much of this symbology lives within the stories of the holy grail, an enlightened womb, that only a noble man arriving in true reverence and devotion could access, and there he would drink the elixir of immortality. I used moon cups for many years until one day my yoni said no and I have since honored that through free bleeding and menstrual cloths. HERE WE GO Understanding the Power Behind Celtic Sexual Magick You may enjoy warming up sesame oil with some essential oils or rose oils and massaging your whole body before getting into a bath in the evening. The Feminization of Red Path: a Neo-pagan Network of Female Ritual is a conscious act or performance that transitions us from everyday life into a world of possibility, where the limitations of the everyday can be renegotiated and Owen, Many Navaho people still practice their puberty ritual for girls, the kinaalda. I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. NOVA QUANTUM TERRA HERE WE ARE This article is meant to help people understand the power of their sexuality and to learn to differentiate healthy from unhealthy within the same spectrum, for example: A potato can be healthy to eat, while potato chips are notthis example will make more sense as you read what is to come. One way to do this is to imagine you are at the end of your life looking back. It whether external or internal, in group or as a coupleWouldnt it be possible to perform Sexual Magick without the need for a ritual? Each time I contemplated stepping on to the grass, strange jurassic creatures would run across my path, teeth chomping and snarling. Not only was it supposed to ward off Everything to Know About the Handfasting Ceremony - Brides When offering your blood back to the earth you may wish to also offer anything you are ready to release. This is the time when her unique, inborn gifts and talents are ripe for recognition and in-depth development. All indigenous people on earth provide their young people with specific rites of passage to signify their change in status from child to young adult. They are taken from the encyclopedia of Wicca and witchcraft as well as other sources.. As I sit here and write, Im amidst creating a ritual handbook for the women who join the Banron Mystery School on the summer solstice. This practice is rooted in the precarious sense people often have of our own existence. If you use a moon cup this is very easy to do, as the cup will gather your blood and you can remove the cup while somewhere in nature or in your garden. Modern science is now beginning to prove what ancient cultures already knew, that menstrual blood contains healing stem cells that can rejuvenate our energy and heal disease. Celtic Altar a surface that has been prepared for the work of doing rituals and magick. Find a holy place to walk around. Fair Use Notice can be found in this link. Yoni steams help ease pelvic tension or contraction, release emotions, balance hormones, heal yeast infections, and even clear memories and imprints of past sexual experiences and partners. Please use your own discernment when reading the content shared on this website. Just as God can speak through the words of the scriptures, so can we hear the voice of the divine in the elements and in creatures. They found their own threshold places, such as Skellig Michael, a jagged stone island jutting out into the Atlantic on which the ruins of a monastic community are still perched on top. Talk with her about why she does or doesnt want to celebrate, and use this as a chance to pass on your own wisdom about having a female body. If it feels right for you, you can begin to place small drops of your own blood (when it is fresh and a bright red color) under your tongue like taking a homeopathic medicine (which you are.) This is when wearing a moon cup is especially helpful as you can just remove your cup directly into the water while swimming, restoring the connection between the womb of Gaia and the womb of your birth. Traditional Samhain Rituals Dating back over 2000 years to Ireland, Samhain ( pronounced Sow-en) was the pivotal point of the Celtic New Year, which marked the end of the summer and the beginning of winter. When we experience climax, all our energetic fields open up, all our chackras vibrate simultaneously and fluidly; something that often throughout the day does not occur due to our own limiting beliefs, traumas or false programming. Micah 6:8. I felt safe to do so because of the ritual I had created. Rituals were the space holders in rites of passage to help us to transition through these liminal times, and to experience deep transformation in the process. One more important thing to point out is Sexual Magick, is not something to practice to try to bring harm to another, usually if that is the intention, the person desiring to cause harm will end up receiving exactly what he or she desired for another; in other words, if you desire harm, ultimately harm will come to you. Releasing this blood into the earth as a seed of life, which it is, is a powerful way to birth our vision into the ground, to allow it to manifest in the outer world beyond our womb. QUANTUM KEY In the month While walking the rounds, you might say traditional prayers like the Hail Mary and the Lords Prayer, but any prayers of the heart are welcome. Today we focus on the Celts, ancient peoples who lived in Europe more than 2000 years ago. Bleeding directly onto the earth, whether through dark clothing or without clothing, can literally bridge the illusion of disconnect between us and her. What a reward I had received. In ancient times dreams were respected as signs from God. This ceremony is the beginning of a long period of mentoring that includes information about sex, intimacy, and the special healing powers of the menstruating woman. The Christian calendar incorporates many of these rhythms, with Christmas falling near the winter solstice, the feast of John the Baptist at the summer solstice, and Easter after the spring equinox. Wicca terms and definitions Instead of trying to get somewhere specific, simply pay attention to the world around you and how God might be speaking to you. And Im so grateful that we did. The first fundamental principlerefers to the fact there is a collective cosmic energy which forms and makes possible everything that surrounds us, everything that exists; both physical beings and non-physical realities, both living and inanimate beings, everything is formed, penetrated, meshed and possible thanks to this collective cosmic energy; as such it is then obvious we are formed by this energy. No matter how much our children look forward to them, they dont begin to acknowledge or honor the power available when your biology gives you a renewed brain, a new body, and new feelings! The ancient ways of the red tent are reviving themselves once again, as women are coming together in sacred circle to hold, support, and honor one another during bleeding time. In the pre-Christian tradition there are significant feast days aligned with the equinoxes and solstices. The landscape can become a theophany, or place of divine manifestation. All Rights Reserved |, Embrace the theology we learn from family stories, Younger Catholics are seeking new models of sainthood, Pray with the four elements to connect to God and the Earth. You can also soak your menstrual cloths to gather your blood if you are using those instead. Ninth-century Irish theologian John Scotus Eriugena taught that there are two books of revelation: the book of the scriptures and the book of creation. Genesis 17:12. Consider writing a blessing of gratitude for each of the ordinary things that sustain you during the day. Once the ritual ends, the directions, elements, and any divinity is thanked, and the circle breaks up. To just be. As we are. Juniper burning, which formed part of the New Year rituals in some parts of the country, seemed to have a dual purpose. These were placed under the mothers pillow, or at a distance. Im so full of gr agus buochas, love and gratitude, to Bran, to Medb, and to my intuitive-self for following. When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here I am. Then he said, Come no closer! Have you noticed your dreams being especially powerful during your moon time? And yet, we live in a world that does not allow much space for the yin. Prayers were said by the living to the Celtic gods, and food, weapons, and precious goods ritually offered to them. Enough. Before Marinas first period arrived, I contacted all the people who cared deeply for her and requested that they write a few sentences about what they wished they had known at her age. By clicking Submit below, or otherwise using or visiting www.DrNorthrup.com, you hereby agree to all of the terms and conditions set forth in Christiane Northrup, Incs Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This was the highest form of ceremony in Ancient Ireland. I placed an oracle card with a hare on my altar. One of the most important rituals was preparing a drink of immortality made from menstrual blood, which is full of healing stem cells, which can actually activate our cellular capacity to regenerate and transport us to endocrine states of rapture. Celtic traditions were the guiding forces of a mystical rescue of neo-pagan femininity, which for a few years has influenced the feminization of the neo-Indian and neo-Mexican movement known as Red Path (Camino Rojo).