A dictionary definition of ceremony is “a formal religious or sacred observance.” Religious ceremonies are very common – baptisms, weddings, funerals. But ceremonies are not just religious. Swearing-in ceremonies and graduation ceremonies are examples of secular ceremonies.
Ceremony is an important part of most spiritual practices. Ceremony helps us connect with the divine and make the mundane sacred. As shamanic practitioners who honor Spirit and energy, ceremony helps us remember this connection.
Ceremony helps us enact energetic changes and anchor them into physical reality.
Think of a wedding ceremony. When a couple makes formal vows to each other, it takes the spiritual union the two individuals feel on an energetic level and makes it real in the physical world. The wedding ceremony usually happens publicly, witnessed by family, friends and community members to make the marriage “official.”
The reverse is also true. By enacting physical changes in ceremony, we can bring about a desired energetic shift.
For example, in a fire ceremony, we might burn a stick or a piece of paper as a physical representation of an energy we are letting go of. The physical release helps us transform on an energetic level.
Ceremonies can be held to honor and celebrate. Examples would include birthday and anniversary parties, solstice and equinox gatherings, and ceremonies to honor the elements.
Ceremonies are often used to mark a transition or rite of passage, including the beginning or ending of life. Graduation and retirement parties, bar mitzvahs, weddings, christenings, funerals and memorial services, and initiation ceremonies are all examples of ceremonies marking a life transition.
Ceremonies can also be used for healing. We can do a fire ceremony to let go of something we no longer want to be connected to. We can do ceremonies to release heavy emotions such as grief or anger. A high seat ceremony from the Norse tradition helps us to channel the wisdom of an oracle.
While the terms “ceremony” and “ritual” tend to be used interchangeably, there is a distinction.
A ritual is a set of actions undertaken in a highly prescribed way to invoke a specific energy or response from Spirit. A ritual is done the same way every time, with little or no variance. This is the power of ritual. The momentum from every time you’ve undertaken that set of actions in the past informs the present moment. Rituals are sometimes passed through a spiritual lineage. When we perform these rituals, we are invoking the power and the momentum of the entire lineage.
For example, every time I see a client, I do the same set of actions in the ten minutes before the session. I ground and center myself. I own the room and place myself and the space in an octahedron of white light. I fill the room with my heart energy. Then I sing my power song. I merge with my body protector power animal, call to my true self and plug myself in to the energetic healing matrix of the Baraboo Hills. Lastly, I call individually to my spirit helpers and ask them to guide me in the session. This ritual prepares me to do healing for the client and begins invoking sacred space. This is a signal both to my being and to the helping spirits that it’s time to hold space for a client’s healing.
In contrast, a ceremony leaves room for guidance and interaction from Spirit. We’re not looking for a prescribed response. We desire spontaneous and heartfelt participation from the people involved – and from Spirit. Being in the moment and acting/speaking from the heart are powerful ways to be in ceremony. We surrender to what Spirit will bring, whether that’s the blessing of an insight, a healing or an energetic shift.
This work is real, and it matters.
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If you are curious and want to learn more, the “Call of the Drum” series begins on Sunday, June 4 and meets one Sunday a month through November. In this six-part series, we will explore shamanism through ceremonies, journeys, and healing. For more information: https://debramorrill.com/workshops/the-call-of-the-drum/