A RENAISSANCE WOMAN
PROVIDING PRACTICAL ANSWERS FOR LIFES PERTURBING QUESTIONS
Opening the Ripe Fig
- The Art of Sacred Sexuality
“In sandy earth or deep
In valley soil
I grow, a wildflower thriving
On your love.
Narcissus in the brambles,
Brightest flower –
I choose you from all others
For my love.
Sweet fruit tree growing wild
Within the thickets –
I blossom in your shade
And taste your love.
Hebrew Scriptures, Song of Songs –2:1-3
For many, the answer lies in the power of joining opposites, to brings the polarities of “other” and “other” into the mystery of One – where one is greater than the sum of its parts. But to join with another, one must be aligned in one’s own intentions and in one’s own energy centers.
For this ritual, come to a sacred space where you will be uninterrupted. Come by yourself, or come with another. Be prepared to spend several hours in loving devotion with this sacred temple you call your body.
What You’ll Need
- One candle for each color of the seven chakras (candles should last at least three hours)
- Cinnamon scent – simmering potpourri, incense, scented candle
- A poem that describes sexuality to you
- An idea about sexuality that you find intriguing
- Body paints or henna
- Music that arouses you
- A journal and pen for recording your work
What To Do
• Prepare
Take a bath, use salt in the water to leech the toxins out of your skin and to remember the womb waters you came from. Come into the sacred space naked and relaxed.
• Begin
Light a candle for each chakra until you are surrounded by a ring of illumination, let the smell of cinnamon pervade the space.
Begin by lighting a red candle – the color of the base root of survival. Sit quietly and consider the issues of survival – food, water, shelter, safety. If you are with another, begin to converse about these issues. Praise each other for giving these sacred elements of survival to your life. Touch the base of each other’s spine, and leave your hand there for some minutes. Notice what you feel, and if fear arises simply breathe love into the space until it dissolves.
Next light the orange candle. Consider the issues of sexuality – safety, pleasure, taboo, reproduction. Place your hands on your or the other’s sex without pressure, just a gentle touch. Here is a precious place of healing, of nurturing, of sharing. Let your desire arise, but not flame.
Be here, breathing, gently breathing.
Light your Yellow candle. Consider the issues of will and intellect. How powerful are the ideas we have about sex. Share your ideas. Using body paint, paint these ideas on the other’s belly. Laugh, have fun, make silliness not art! How good is a belly laugh!
Light your Green candle. Consider the issues of compassion. Kneeling in front of a mirror, or your “other,” gaze into each other’s eyes gently. Without speaking, think to yourself – “I thrive in your love. I thrive in y our love; I thrive in your love…. Paint an image upon this loving heart.
Light your Turquoise candle. Consider the issues of giving your voice to your desires. Read your poem(s) aloud. Savor them. Now ask to be touched in a way you most want to be touched. Experience; use your voice to give sound to this pleasure. Separate and feel the difference.
Light your Indigo candle. Consider the issues of Vision, your dreams, and your sacred imaginings. Facing each other or yourself in the mirror, try to match your breathing with the “other,” fall into a rhythm that feels comfortable, in – out – in – out. Slowly, when the time feels right, slowly close your eyes. Imagine your deepest desire with this “other”, experience it in the realm of your imagination. Open your eyes. Share this story.
Light your Violet candle. Consider the issues of the Sacred. Here in this circle of light, in the fully centers of your body, give praise. Play the music, dance, touch in the celebration of ripeness. Watch your “other,” match them in energy. When your ecstasy is at its peak, the fire of the snake is rising throughout your body, shouts your deepest wish for yourself (at this time in your life) to the stars. Throw your arms into the sky and will your wish out into the cosmos. Now come back and touch the ground, let the remaining energy go back into the sacred earth.
Use the power of this circle to make love, write, relax, or even sleep. Take time to unwind.
• Record
Make sure to record some of the insights you’ve gained in this ritual.
finding the heart of democracy within you
de·moc·ra·cy
n., pl. de·moc·ra·cies.
1. Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.
2. A political or social unit that has such a government.
3. The common people, considered as the primary source of political power.
4. Majority rule.
5. The principles of social equality and respect for the individual within a community.
Melissa takes this time to ask everyone – both old and new – to take a few minutes to reflect upon what Democracy means to you. As America steps into a new millennium, we step off into a void of new possibility. For many, this may feel like chaos, what with our Federal election process called into question, sides being taken, and tempers frayed to breaking.
What a wonderful opportunity to reflect upon what Democracy is and how your core spiritual values help determine your participation in this wonderful process. As an American citizen, or as a citizen of another country – democracy and its principles affect your life. How verdant is the moral ground upon which you stand during this major time shift? Are you standing in the midst of a fertile garden or on a barren ground? You are a steward of the Earth. Take this time to consider your actions during the past year, are you pleased with what you have done? Do your actions affirm your spirituality?
It is all to easy to point fingers at the ‘other,’ yet the teachings of the world’s great religious leaders encourage each to look into one’s self for the cause of this blame, the need to shame, and the desire to make scapegoats. Our community works towards healing, strives towards positive changes in our world, together we invoke the Healing Angel of Democracy to bring peaceful equality to all beings.
Melissa invites each of you to participate in this ritual in your own way, by yourself or in the company of others. This ritual can be done with family over the dinner table as a teaching blessing, or with your friends in an outpouring of solidarity. Whatever you choose to do, know that the freedom of Spirit is what our community believes in and works towards! Live in Freedom!
A Ritual of Realignment
What you’ll need:
• ‘Create your own prayer flags’ [see Store for description]
• Permanent marking pens
• Candle
• Rosemary - either fresh or oil
• A designated Witness – to write down what is said
BEGIN:
1. Ask each participant (or yourself) what they believe Democracy is: a) to themselves; 2) to the country in which they live (Witness records each statement)
2. Ask each participant to speak about ‘what they hold sacred’ and how it relates to Democracy – for instance – if you believe that it is important for each person to worship (or not worship) as she/he chooses; democracy could mean ‘freedom of religion’ to you. If you believe in the rights of living things to grow healthy with the resources they need to thrive; democracy could mean ‘equal representation under the law.’
3. Think about how your spirituality and your political involvement join and interconnect – for example – if you believe in the sacredness of the earth and the living beings that live upon it – do you work politically to protect and cherish them? How? When?
4. Share/write stories about how you have worked this year towards making your sacred politics a reality. Support each other as you tell your stories – remember small steps count, as well as large actions! Whatever your beliefs - get active today!
5. Take time to reflect upon what you have heard and learned from each other. Consider this coming year – is there a way to work for democratic principles with more courage, more Spirit in your life? Choose one way and when you are ready to share – make this commitment before your God/dess, friends or family. For example – "This year I will volunteer 2 hours a week to our community garden to support my belief that urban cities can be beautiful and life sustaining, with enough and some to share! " Listen to each participant.
6a) Write your pledge upon a prayer flag, sign it and date it.
b) When all the pledges are finished, each person dips their fingers in the rosemary oil or rubs the rosemary onto the cloth of the prayer flags. Rosemary is a sacred herb of remembrance and whenever you smell rosemary throughout the coming year, it will remind you of your pledge.
c) Light a candle to represent the Light of Freedom. Take the prayer flags, and (carefully) pass them over the flame three times. The first is for yourself to be ‘set on fire;’ the second is for the community to benefit from your (collective) works; the third is for the World – may it be free!
7. With great ‘pomp and circumstance*’ hang your recommit pledges from your rafters – preferably outside in the elements. As they flutter in the wind, may they remind you to keep your pledge, and work with Spirit!
*do whatever you like, bang pots and pans, walk in silence, be mindful!
This ritual has seven elements – seven is the Chariot in the Tarot. In the card one white horse and one black horse pull in different directions. The Charioteer must keep a firm hand on the reins and keep the horses working together. Seven is the number of change – don’t be afraid of change – use the strength of your Spirit, the support of your community, and the blessing of SPIRIT to make your dreams come true!
Eating Spirit–
Approaching nutrition as a sacramental rite
"Pay mind to your own life, your own health, and wholeness. A bleeding heart is of no help to anyone if it bleeds to death. "
Frederick Buechner (1926 - ____) US clergy, novelist
Our bodies are made of living tissue, fiber, bone, and muscle. Each physical element of our being must be fed to stay well. Recognizing that what we put into ourselves creates matter, does matter; this ritual is made to bless the nutrients we take into ourselves with gratitude and appreciation.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
• A pretty arrangement of whatever you are going to take into your body. Vitamins arranged on a pretty plate, Tea in a beautiful cup [tea cups from store], Food arranged for royalty, for you!
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Attention,please approach this ritual with a Beginner’s Mind!
What you are about to do is unique. Never before have you stood in this air, in this space, with these foods. Irrespective of how familiar your surroundings may seem, this moment is new and precious. Breathe in this newness three times, as you breathe out let go, relax, be stilled.
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CONSIDER: Look at the food before you – it may be a tea, it may be a food supplement, it may be a wonder filled meal of live foods, brilliant colors and good smells. Whatever the manifestation is -
REMEMBER:
• Innumerable labors brought this food to you. People grew the food, worked with the Earth using their science to produce this, harvest this, and transport it to your table today. Some beings died that you may live.
• Having considered this, consider whether your virtue and practice deserve this food. Each day millions of beings go hungry, some die. We who have enough must learn to share what we do not use. For those who have enough to eat, who are healthy, strong, vital, and free our hands can work for change until all beings are free of suffering. Encourage yourself to work for justice.
• Be mindful in what you are about to do. You are taking in energy, you alone can decide if it will nourish you and others. Whatever you are eating, affirm that it is GOOD.
EAT: Take this food, offer some to Spirit and some to the Earth. As you take this food into your body, imagine the radiant life energy flowing into you. Feel it go to the places where it will bring the most nourishment, do the most good. Imagine a radiant light surrounding you – pick a color of the chakra that stimulates that quality you want healing for [red for strength & vitality; orange for sensuality & libido; yellow for will & focus; green for emotional healing & balance, turquoise for voice & power of speech; indigo for vision & dreaming; violet for spiritual direction & awakening to Spirit]. As you feel the light entering your body, coloring your aura feel the power of life!
“What I place inside my temple is holy food.
All that I do is of Spirit, with Spirit and for Spirit.
I vibrate with radiant health!
©2008 Melissa Ellen Penn, MA
