Womens Moon Ceremony

WOMENS MOON CEREMONY

This ceremony was gifted to me from a wonderful Elder of the Nez Pierce Nation named Duckki Brown. The ceremony is more aptly to be considered a “Métis” that is a mixed ceremony. It derives from a blend of several traditions.

In presenting this ceremony you will find that it is important to do the beginning teaching when new women are present. If you have a long established group that information is well known and can be passed over. I would also like to add that it is a good practice to have many women share in the conducting of this ceremony. That is, one may bring in the directions, another does the Guided Ceremony and still another may thank the directions at the end. In this way the responsibility is shared and the sense of community is supported.

First gather all the women that are involved. Have them sit in a comfortable circle, preferably outdoors. If you are outdoors have a small fire burning if indoors a large candle will work..Have all the women hold hands. Ask them to close their eyes and imagine what this land would be like a hundred, five hundred years ago. Talk about the natural gifts of the land and the season that you are experiencing. Time trip to a place and time where there are no roads, no electricity, and no cities. Ask that they open their eyes and be ready to start this ceremony.

First explain that the fire is a representation of the camp fire that all cultures have shared stories around for thousands of years. We will use this fire to release all our pain and worries. Talk about how this ceremony is in memory of a time when the women of the tribe would be apart during their menses. How that was a powerful women’s time not a time of shame as is often portrayed by male anthropologists.

The first part of this ceremony is about release. This is done with the tobacco prayer. Bring out the small pouch of tobacco. Take a small pinch in your fingers and hold it up. Speak into the tobacco all of your worries or fears. The things that you wish to change. Also thank Great Mysteries (God/Goddess) for all that you have and are grateful for. When you are finished speaking blow your prayer into the pinch of tobacco, then place it in the fire or if you are inside into a small shell that can be passed with the tobacco to each woman. Tell everyone that it is important to speak out loud as words have a vibration, a power. Also let them know that it is important to really pay attention to each woman as she speaks her truth and to truly witness her words and her emotions. It is in this witnessing that true release happens. The fire then releases all issues.

Pass the tobacco to each women and witness each woman speak her prayer and release her tobacco.. When the tobacco returns to you take one more pinch and offer a prayer for all women that are not present. Those we know and those that we do not know.

Now it is time for the teaching of smudging. Many people already know this ceremony. Take your shell with sage, cedar and sweet grass. You will explain each. The whole of all four directions live in the smudge bowel. The shell is a representation of the waters, the beginning place of all life. The herbs are a representation of the earth. The sweet scents of the burning herbs are the essence of air taking your prayers to Great Spirit. Fire is represented by itself.

Even each herb that is used carries and ancient energetic gift. Sage brings us cleansing energy. Cedar is the sacred herb of the Northwest coast and teaches of dedication. Sweet grass connects us to all living things. It is called “sweet medicine” Omitakweasin. A Lakota word” all my relations”, all living things.

As you light the herbs stand and face each direction starting with the East then continuing around the circle “sunwise” That is clockwise. As nature turns.

In the East hold up the shell and lit herbs saying: Beautiful powers of the East, Soaring Eagle, Inspiration, bright dawn. Come and help us in our sacred circle.

In the South hold up the shell and say: Beautiful powers of the South, place of trust and innocence, little mouse, help us see the intricate and be joyful. Come help us in our sacred circle.

In the West hold up the shell and say: Beautiful Spirit of the West. Women’s place of birth, deep waters, living womb, leaping salmon, dancing bear. Come help us in our sacred circle.

In the North hold up the shell and say: Beautiful Spirit of the North. Ancient wisdom of the mountains, White Buffalo Woman keeper of the ceremonies. Come help us in our Sacred Circle.

Now stand with your arms upstreched the shell above your head and say. Grandmother Moon, Grandfather Sky, Star Nation, Standing People(trees) Please come and help us in our Sacred Circle.

Now bend down to the earth placing one hand reverently on her. Hold the shell in your other hand and say: Mother earth. Sweet Mother beneath our feet holding us safe as we sail through space. Nurture us. Please come help us in our Sacred Circle.

Finally standing, place your hand on your own heart holding the shell and say: Great Mystery, Akenkeninki, Spirit within me Thank You.

It is now time to send the shell and herby around the circle. Sit down and gently pass your hand through the scented smoke. Wash yourself with this smoke. As you do imagine that you are cleansing yourself. Making yourself Holy. When you are finished pass the shell around to the other women sunwise so that each can “smudge” themselves. Unlike the tobacco prayer where we were intensely paying attention to each other this part of the ceremony is a private experience that each woman is having with Great Mystery, preparing herself to receive the gift of renewal. When the shell is returned gently break apart the herbs and finishes their burning.

Now it is time for the Guided ceremony. Ask that each woman find a comfortable position sitting where she can have her hands palm up in her lap. As they find their positions ask that once again we connect to that ancient place in nature, it is evening and Grandmother Moon is rising in the clear sky far above us. She has a beautiful and healing light. Infact it seems that in in our minds eye she is beginning to hover directly over the circle. Her light is like a beautiful elixir. We can imagine that elixir gently falling from her on to the crown of our heads. As is does it brings a slowly spreading scence of warmth and wellbeing. We feel this in stages. As we breathe in it moves deeper and deeper through our beings. We feel that relaxation and warmth spreading across our face, down out necks, into our shoulders and backs. And as we breathe out we release all stress that remains in those areas. Like a steadily descending, gentle wave we are cleansed through all our being until finally we are immersed within a circle of Grandmothers healing energy. It feels like a shared beautiful pool that each woman is connected within.

At this time ask all the women to lift their palms up toward Grandmother. As they do tell them to imagine that grandmother is filling their palms with even more of that healing light. That this light is meant to be woven in every part of their being. As they fill their hand their hands begin to become heavy with light. They must then slowly lower their hands, still palm up, onto their knees.

Now it is time to weave this energy in to goodness. Take your left hand and place it on your head, as you do imagine that grandmothers beautiful healing energy is passing into your mind. Filling you with hope and faith. All negative thoughts are just melting away. Then take your right hand and place it on your forehead. Imagine all worries just slipping away. They are replaced with a scence of well being and of limitless possibility. Now take your left hand from your crown and place it on your throat. As you do be aware of all the things you may have said that you are not proud of. Let them just fall away with forgiveness. And begin to weave in good loving and healing words from grandmother. Words of clear communication and deep caring. Now take your hand from your forehead and place it on your heart. Allow all feelings of grief and hurt to just wash away. As they do begin to weave in the loving, healing gifts of compassion. Let your heart just open to all the love in the universe, feel the joy and completion of that love. Now take the hand from your throat and place it on your belly. As you do feel all the uncertainties and fears begin to just fade away. These have no power over you any longer. Begin to weave in the strength and self confidence that is your birthright. Feel it fill you with a wonderful healing glow. Now take the hand from your heart and place it on your womb. As you do connect with all other women the world over. All mothers and daughters that have shared pain and love. Let that energy fill you and as it does let all your women’s pain leave you as your blood leaves you each month. You are cleansed and purified. Finally take you hand from your belly and place it as a little cup at the base of your spine. Here you can send all the remaining pain or stress you may feel and as you feel that little cup fill join your two hands together and lift them up and up into the night sky above you opening them and releasing that energy into the directions to be transformed…..

Now place your hands down before you on mother earth. Feel her healing strength pass up from your palms and into your being. Place your hands on your heart in silent communication to the essence of all life.

Now reach out to your sisters. Once again holding hands in a sacred circle. Imagine all this energy available to you; imagine your desire to share. Lift that energy up and into the circle. See it becoming a beautiful glowing ball of light, like a miniature moon just hovering in the center of your circle. Begin to raise that ball. Higher and higher. As you do you notice that your energy ids not alone. Women everywhere are joining you, joining your prayers in their own sacred ways. You are in a beautiful sea of light filled with prayers of healing, prayers of peace. Your prayers of light suddenly open releasing themselves to the world below. Sending healing to all the children, to the elders, to the animals, the winged ones, the fourlegged, to all life. You send your prayers to the leaders of this world that they may know a way of peace beyond all war. It is good.

Now all lower their hand and sing a simple chant. Something meaningful to your group of women that you can all share. Sing more if you want. When you are finished it is time to share any thoughts or experiences from the ceremony. Many times a woman will have a story to share about seeing an animal or a guide. Share these insights with patience and love. Really listen. You are in touch with an altered state at these moments. Spirit is speaking. When the conversation becomes more mundane it is time to thank the directions and to close your circle. You may wish to share a simple meal at this time.

As you thank the directions begin in the East and always move sunwise. Relight your smudge shell and honor each direction as before.

Beautiful power of the East, soaring eagle, we thank you for this night. AH HO

Beautiful power of the South, little mouse, we thank you far this night AH HO

Beautiful power of the West, leaping salmon, we thank you for this night AH HO

Beautiful power of the North, White Buffalo Woman, we thank you for this night AH HO

Raise shell to sky: Grandmother Moon, Grandfather Sky, Star Nation Standing People
We thank you for this night AH HO

Touch the Earth: Sacred Mother who supports us, we thank you for this night AH HO

Shell to heart: Akenkeniki, Great Mystery within, I thank you. AH HO

Your ceremony is now complete. Remember on the deepest level you have been healed and ren