Priestesses Rising Retreat 2022

The other day, while sitting on the beach in Tofino decompressing after a mega activating Priestesses Rising Retreat Weekend, I was ruminating on the word "ceremony."  Its root comes from the Roman Goddess Ceres, who represents the natural world, the rhythms of the seasons, the ability to adapt in the face of change. She is the wheel of the year, the movement from holy day to holy day, blessing the unique gifts of each sacred moment. 

Seeing all of life as a ceremony allows us to operate from our divine template. This can involve formally calling in our guides and following established protocol, but it can also be completely spontaneous and silly. 

One of the highlights from our retreat was on Saturday night, after a huge day of transmissions, Shakti embodiment, vocal liberation, breathwork, group alchemy, cacao ceremony and deep channelings from the mystical realms, most of us were completely zonked. With the rain coming down outside, the planned fire ceremony and song circle was something none of us had the energy for.

I'd asked participants earlier in the evening to write out their sheds and claims on pieces of paper to be burned. By the end of the night, my co-facilitator Leanna and I's pockets were filled with folded up paper as if we were middle school gossip queens. We grabbed a beaten up pie pan from the communal kitchen, a lighter and two willing Magdalenas to join us to complete a circle of four (which according to my roommate Jessica, was very important). 

We stood outside around the camp fire pit under a canopy of cedars, eyes heavy, looking at each other blankly about how we were going to honour these sacred scribbled intentions graciously left in our care. We started by invoking Kali Ma by chanting her mantra "Om Kleem Kalikaye Namaha" three times. Then, out of no where, the mantra "Shark Bait Hoo Haha" from Finding Nemo became the main chorus as we dutifully watched each piece turn to ash.  

Thinking we were done, I looked for somewhere to scatter the ashes. Then I heard Leanna say: "We need to make a mud ball and throw it into the lake!" So we walked down the water's edge, wading in the switchgrass. Laughing hysterically, the other two grabbed Leanna's coattails as she leaned forward to grab a handful of mud to mix it with the ash, nearly falling in. She held up a drippy brown ball of muck and shoved it in my face "Kiss the sacred mud ball!" she exclaimed. And with that final blessing, she pitched it into the water and the ritual was complete.

It *might* have been my favourite ceremony of the whole weekend. 

This is what inspires me to keep walking the rose-petalled path of the Priestess - we are merging ancient and new and answering the call in our own unique way. I hope you'll join us at the next magical retreat on Halloween Weekend! Click HERE for details!

All my love,

 Leah Sonaria