“It is a time for birthing new ceremonies and rituals.”
We received this message during one of our Apu sessions in Peru last month. During an Apu session we are in dialogue with the spirits of the mountains and the Santa Tierras, the feminine land spirits as called forth by the shamans we work with.
Personal rituals and ceremonies are most powerful as they are offerings of our heart. They give voice to our Soul for ceremony and ritual are the language through which our Soul speaks. Our Soul is animated through the actions we take when we step into ceremony and ritual.
Birthing new ceremonies does not mean we need to reinvent the wheel each and every time yet this Spirit message reveals ceremonies no longer have to be held to hard and fast rules. I share here are a few simple rituals from my last trip to Peru, starting with a healing herbal remedy from Don Sebastian to inspire the birth of new ceremony and ritual.
Don Sebastian
It was very cold at Segrena Cocha, the lagoon where we set up camp under the peak of Apu Colca Cruz. Our trek involved plenty of rain and hailstorms to mark our passage. We never really seemed to dry out. After a long day of trekking and ceremony we huddled in our kitchen tent and Don Sebastian shared with us his medicine and healing.
Healing herbs of the Andes had been gathered and dried. Rubbing alcohol was added to make a loose paste. An egg white was added to the mix for binding. Infused with prayer, one of the most important ingredients added was munay or unconditional love. This healing remedy was vigorously massaged into sore muscles and aching spines as each one of us was willing to bare our skin in the cold to receive a healing from this humble master high in the mountains.
Another simple and profound ceremony anchored us to Earth and Light. After purification and prayers, red mud was applied to our left leg, the feminine. A red thread was tied at the ankle to anchor us to Earth. White mud was applied to our right leg, the masculine with a black thread at the ankle to anchor us to Light. These threads are left in place until they fall off on their own. The connections are strong as mine are still in place a month now after ceremony and don’t feel like they will fall off anytime soon.
Since returning home the herbal recipe has transformed my abundance of medicinal healing herbs from Thailand from their cotton muslin pouches previously used for steaming. As a rub I have used them now for purification ceremonies to clear the entire body. This can be done in a shower or if weather and privacy permits, is most profound done outdoors.
The herbal rub has also been used on specific areas of pain applied in a thick layer and wrapped with cotton gauze as a poultice. The herbal rub was also used in ceremony for anchoring Earth and Light instead of mud.
Above all, the most important ingredient we bring to any ceremony is munay. Whatever ceremony you create bring all the love you can muster.
May this serve to inspire, to heal and to birth new ceremonies.
In munay.
AHO my friends! AHO!
Karen Chrappa
Author of A Structure for Spirit
www.karenchrappa.com
