Page 20 - Horizons-February2018

RITUAL, CEREMONY

AND TRANCE

Wind Hughes aka The Feminine Shaman™ is a practicing licensed Individual, Marriage & Family Therapist, Reiki Master, Activ-
ist, Musician and Minister and award-winning Author of Life is the Ceremony: How We Live It Is The Ritual - The Journey Of A
Feminine Shaman. Visit http://www.windhughes.com/

As dawn’s light emerges from the dark star-lit night
I awaken and give thanks for the gift of another day. Ceremony and ritual then become part of a Way of living
I have a personal ritual that begins most days. This expressed in every breath, in every word, in every moment, in
morning ritual usually begins as I sit at my altar and breathe to every action. Ritual is alive and in harmony with the Natural
shift my energy and raise my vibration. I burn sage and the call Law of the Universe. True ceremony is the ritual art of living
for guidance from my guides, ancestors and all spirit beings Spirit. You cannot take a ceremonial ritual and perform it as a
that are connected to me. I offer gratitude for all that is in rote practice, empty of the living Way. In the beginning many
my life and good in the world and also for the gifts that have people start in this rote manner, but when ritual is practiced
come from the hardships as well. Sometimes I am in prayer or on a regular basis there is the opportunity to experience and
empowering a vision of what I see to manifest in my future. expand, to understand it as a sacred Way, a Way of life, a Way
of being.
I usually include music or some kind of sound vibration; my
voice, my guitar, a simple repetitive beat on my hoop drum Ritual Space is sacred space and I approach it always with the
or an accompaniment on my Ashika drum to a special piece deepest respect, honor and pureness of heart. The words ritu-
of music I use to move energy through my body and beyond. al, ceremony and trance are often used in relation to practices
Other mornings I feel called to use my body in movement of Spirit work, yet many people get confused as to what they
through what I call the Honor Dance, which is an expression of actually are, what distinguishes one from the other. Think of
honoring spirit, those above & those below, the Earth, and ex- ceremony as a sacred container that provides space for ritual.
tending my open heart to another and allowing heart offerings Now hold ritual as a series of gestures, behaviors and expres-
to come into mine. sions with intent and focus that are practiced in ceremony.
Ritual is the symbolic expression of higher truths. Historically
Through this process I am graced with the peace of expanded and cross-culturally people have used scared substances such
being, and it is at this point, if I desire, that I will send as Peyote, Mescaline, Ayahuasca and other psychotropics in
out healing energy to someone, empower a vision I wish to ritual to alter and expand consciousness. But more frequently
manifest, or send out an aspect of my being to connect with the tool used is trance induction. Trance induction raises the
another person. Whatever I do that involves another person individuals level of vibration through the use of various tech-
on any level is always offered for the good of all and accord- niques including repetitive sound like the beat of the drum,
ing to free will. Nothing should ever be imposed upon another light, movement, dance, breathwork, prayer or chanting. An
being without their permission. With an open heart I then sit increase in an individuals energetic field expands their aware-
in silence. When I feel complete I give thanks to all the spirits ness beyond the personal level of existence, and creates a
who have heard my prayers, who are present in my life. I point of inner reference that transcends the mind chatter and
release my call upon them and offer for them to stay if they so the emotional & physical veils. Trance becomes the doorway to
choose. Then I close in some way, with some words or a heart the other side.
felt honoring of what is sacred, what is Spirit. This is a simple
example of a ritual, a personal ritual, held in a ceremonial The power of words in ritual cannot be underestimated. Words
container, and includes some form of trance inducing aspect give form to intent, to creative energy. They carry our intent
like the drum, dance or breath. out in to the world of form as vibration and have impact. It
is essential in all of life and in ritual space to be conscious of
Truly there is ultimately no beginning or end of ritual space. the words spoken. Be sure they represent your truth and serve
That expanded state we attempt to create in such a ceremoni- the highest good for you and others. I often think of ritual as
al way has no beginning or no end. It is a continuous stream of a story or journey, one with a beginning, middle and an end.
Spirit, Universal Consciousness, God, whatever you choose to The beginning sets the sacred space and creates connection to
call that inner aspect of our own divine nature where we are others and Spirit. The middle raises the power and the energy
one with Creator. Ceremonial use of ritual and trance-inducing and directs it with intent to the chosen place, vision or experi-
aspects of ritual serve to reunite us with that which we truly ence, and provides the container for us to travel through other
already are, but have forgotten. The breath, the drum, the dimensions and realms. The end calls us back, grounds us into
song, the dance, the prayer all serve to raise the frequency
of our vibration so we may align with Spirit realm and awaken ...continued on page 21
again to the truth of what is most sacred, what is our true
nature in alignment with Creator.

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