Can it really be so long since I last blogged?!

Here is my litany of excuses:

Had prep to do for a retreat I was co-facilitating

Corona social distancing started

It was my mum’s 75th

Corona social distancing meant no hugs or kisses

Corona lockdown hit

It was my birthday

Corona social distancing meant everyone stayed home

Gateway 4 (should have been at Ammerdown)

Corona meant our retreat went online

Exhaustion post-retreat

Corona in the village

Father-in-law’s 87th birthday

Corona takes life of his neighbour

Finally I return to my blog!

Study Group incorporating Self-Love and Selfhood Ceremony

On arrival at Jaqui's home I asked Chris and Jaqui to prepare the pot of hawthorn tea while I set up the ceremonial space in the front room. We then gathered, lighting a candle in the hearth, and took a few minutes to check in with each other.
In the ceremonial space I had placed several cards from The Four Agreements card deck, three herbal healing cards (walnut, hawthorn and willow), and in the centre of the room, I placed the tie-dyed faja (Mayan) that Alison made for me on the table as an altar-cloth, a large tea-light for each of us on top of some "grace" cards that Gail gave me to open each day for 40 days leading up to my 40th birthday (11 years ago - Gail was my girlfriend at the time and it was then that I legally changed my name to Hawthorn). Also on the table I placed several stones (tiger's eye, jasper, opal, and a goddess stone), all of which were given to me by Alison’s family after her death. 
As usual when we meet, we created a sacred circle and on this occasion I was the celebrant. I gave Chris and Jaqui the readings I wanted them to read and then I left the room before returning to start the ceremony:

Preparation – silence, personal reflection and musicTouches and Traces – Leonard BernsteinScene Suspended – Jon Hopkins

Grounding & Invocation - Celebrant invites us by saying:

Let us step down from our daily lives and into this thin place

Suspending external duties and thoughts as we step into this sacred space

• Just for this moment, lay aside your ordinary life and step into this extraordinary circle;Just for this moment, let the burdens of your heart rest in the shelter of this circle; Just for this moment, hand over your worries and let joy bubble up from your toes, spreading through your body and radiating out through your being to touch one another round the circle;  Just for this moment, breathe in love and breathe out love in this healing circle; Just for this moment put down the heaviness of the world and welcome Spirit into this circle.

Celebrant lights the central candle

All together (spoken): 

I Open my Heart, Let the Transformation begin!

We open our Hearts, Let the Transformation begin!

HAWTHORN HEART SONG introduced by celebrant as a call and response:

You hold my heart (repeat 3 times twice)Deep within your own glowing centre

You grow my heart (3 times twice)

Heart-light flowing out to connect with all beings

You heal my heart (3 times twice)

Holding shadow and light in the centre of our one heart

(Image)

BODY PRAYER: 

[the Ogham symbol for H, the 6^th letter of the Celtic alphabet - Hawthorn (Hoo-ah or Oo-ah)]Let us draw the symbol in the air three times as follows, reminding ourselves of the HEART, of HEALING, AND of HEALTH:

Stay seated or stand as you are comfortable

       Right hand across at heart level facing palm out to the left;

       Raise the left hand to meet the right in prayer position;

       Bring the hands across the body to the left staying in prayer position;

       Extend the right arm up to the sky and press the left hand down towards the earth.

       REPEAT THREE or more TIMES

CELEBRANT pours out a cup of hawthorn tea for each participant and they drink together.

_________________________

As we sipped our tea, Chris asked me to talk more about Alison, how we met, and why she is so ever-present for me. It was lovely to be asked and to be able to tell Jaqui and Chris about our history, including me taking the name Hawthorn and Alison taking the name Gean (wild cherry).

We then prepared to move into the ceremony I had prepared following my counselling sessions first with Jo (2nd year student) and then with Christopher (core tutor). This is how I put the request to Chris and Jaqui on Slack to which I received two wholehearted YES responses:

I am aware that there are a number of unanswered questions above and I don't know what is happening in anyone else's lives other than my own. I have just had wonderful counselling sessions, first with Jo and then with Christopher. Out of these has come a very clear call for me to take action on healing myself, to which end I would like to ask you both to be witnesses, holders, and participants in a short ritual on Sunday during which I will hold myself as a newborn, offer words of support and encouragement, and then invite you both to be guardians of that child-self. Should either of you feel uncomfortable please say. In addition if you would like to undertake this healing yourselves then I am very happy to witness, hold, and be guardian. We would do this ritual after our settling in/grounding opening ceremony. My desire is for this to free myself up further for the important work that we are all doing together and individually, and facilitate the same for each of you should you feel it is something necessary or helpful for you to do. This will all be time-framed so don't worry that you're going to have to spend the day mopping up tears!!! Let me know what feels right. Much love always xxxx

AN ACT OF SELF-LOVE and SELFHOOD

Florence the ragdoll is brought into the circle on a beautiful blanket to symbolise the newborn Leti, Juliet Ann Harris born on Maundy Thursday, 3^rd April 1969 in the back bedroom of number 1 Gypsy Lane, Marton. Florence was handmade for Juliet by her paternal grandmother some 40+ years ago and has been with her ever since. I wore the pearl bracelet that was made from my maternal grandmother's set of pearls, made into three bracelets by my sister, Emma for me, her and our mother.

Dear friends we have invoked the Great Spirit that connects us three and that weaves between all beings and all of Nature. And we have entered into this sacred heart space. We are now going to move into deeper healing, honouring my birth and beginning the process of my rebirth. I am so grateful that you Chris and you Jaqui have said YES to participating in this ceremony as witnesses, co-creators, and spiritual mentors/guardians.I would like to share with you the messages that have come from Christopher and Jane:From Christopher: “May the power of One Spirit be with you dear Leti and hold you during this special ceremony. Warmest of blessings,Christopher”
From Jane: “Dearest Leti - A thousand blessings on your stepping forward into the light, and blessings on Chris and Jaqui in their roles supporting you in this process.

You will be truly upheld, for the power of Spirit dances when it flows through us - and you will carve magic here.

Witnessing with grace.

Hold yourself in care and joy.

Utmost love

Jane”

So let us now to take a few minutes to prepare ourselves, stepping down deeper into ourselves and with each other in the presence of Spirit, our ancestors, deceased loved ones, and all of our OneSpirit tribe.

As we feel ready, we will each take a candle, light it from the central candle and say:

I am … CHRIS / JAQUI / LETI

I am here to witness Juliet Ann Harris welcoming herself
into the world and naming her true self

Leti lifts her ragdoll from the blanket, holds her tenderly and speaks softly to her while a piece of music plays:

Love Song by Will Todd (schoolfriend and witness at my
confirmation in 1986 at the age of 17, 10 years after my baptism when I was 7)

We invite Wise-woman Brigid, divine midwife and foster mother to all newborn, into this circle and say together:

Fire of wisdom to bless you, fire of insight to enlighten you, fire of mercy to protect you, fire of the Divine to encircle you and grant you peace

Now Leti turns to Chris, handing him her newborn self and asks:

Chris – do you welcome Juliet Ann Harris, my newborn-self as one of her spiritual guardians?

I DO AND I OFFER HER …
(a name or a grace/quality you would like to imbue her with)

Leti then receives Florence back into her arms and turns to Jaqui, handing her Florence and asking:

Jaqui – do you welcome Juliet Ann Harris, my newborn-self as one of her spiritual guardians?

I DO AND I OFFER HER …
(a name or a grace/quality you would like to imbue her with)

Again Leti receives Florence back into her arms and holds her while the readings are given.

Chris reads Psalm 139 (as translated/interpreted by Nan C Merrill in ”Psalms for Praying” pp277-279);Jaqui reads from Ezekiel 37:1-10 (in Woman Prayer Woman Song, pp 32-33)

SONG using CALL and RESPONSE: Blow Through Me Breath of God

Blow through me breath of God; blow through me like a pipe, like a flute,
like a reed, making melody - the cosmic song in me, breath of God

Leti turns to both Chris and Jaqui, saying:

I still have a long way to go to heal myself for the past I had and the past I did not have but today marks the end of the labour and the beginning of rebirth. I lay down the burden of my childhood, I give thanks for the privileges my parents gave me and I prepare to step forward, acknowledging myself as a line-walker and recognising the watery nature that I need in order to flow and to let go of rigidity as we welcome the New Moon today. To mark this new beginning I take the name Orisha 

as my middle name. 

I am Leti Orisha Hawthorn

Chris and Jaqui – will you support me, Leti Orisha Hawthorn as spiritual co-mentor as we travel together on this path?

BOTH RESPOND:   YES, LETI ORISHA HAWTHORN, WITH THE HELP OF ONESPIRIT AND EACH OTHER WE WILL!

BLESSING SPRAY AND ANOINTING WITH HAWTHORN OIL

We say together:

Fire of wisdom to bless us, fire of insight to enlighten us,
fire of mercy to protect us, fire of the Divine to encircle us and grant us peace

Let us gently close the circle for now, carrying with us the inner light that we have ignited, the inspiration we have breathed in, and the love of learning that we share.

Each snuffs out their candle then all stand holding hands and take turns in giving thanks.

END OF CEREMONY

This was such a powerful, enfolded-in-spirit time. I shared with Chris and Jaqui that Jo had sent me the extract about Orisha after our session on Wednesday but she had received it when she asked Spirit for a reading before we spoke. She had not shared it with me at the time as I felt the need for silence but I had mentioned Yoruba with reference to Iyanla Vanzant and her book "Yesterday I Cried". I was recalling how Vanzant talks about "borrowing from the old you" in the first chapter and that is an important teaching for me. Chris then told us that Orisha had become the term for all of the gods that the Yoruba people brought from Africa into the New World Yoruba practice, assimilated into attributes of spiritual character to make them more acceptable to the Western viewpoint.

Jaqui asked if she could read something back to me. She picked up the sheet and read the extract on Orisha, changing "she" to "you". Deeply moving and very humbling.

I will take some time to absorb all that took place on this special day and I give thanks for all that facilitated it coming to pass.

____________________________________

At end of our time together:

We give thanks for this time out of time in this thin place, for hospitality and sharing, for teaching and for discovering, for the opportunity of rebirth with each breath we take, and for all we have been, all we are, and all we are becoming.

CELEBRANT speaks the following words then all join in singing (and dancing as moved):

Dance with my heart (repeat 3 times twice)
We are one, we are dancing with the heart of all life

To close the celebrant invites everyone to step forward together, pick up their tealight, hold it up high in gratitude to Spirit and to one another for this sacred space, then extinguish the light before replacing the tealight on the ground and stepping back.

CELEBRANT (with joy!): 

“Our hearts have been opened, the transformation is underway!

WE give thanks for all who have been with us in spirit and we give thanks to the Great Spirit, that Divine Spark for dancing within and between us”

We closed by singing together the song that Jane taught us at the last gateway.

Feedback and Response - Hawthorn Heart Ceremony

Feedback from CM (core tutor):

It seems you are indeed used to creating healing energy in circles and with groups. There is confidence here and a clear direction as well as a real sensitivity to the needs of others.There is a rhythm, an ebb and flow to the unfolding of your ceremony that is pleasing and healing. There is a balance of light ( wisdom through information) and warmth (love of subject matter and the guests) and between these two I feel you holding the balance in that you know exactly, through your own biography what you are asking healing and protection for. 

I think the invocation at the beginning could be clearer. What or who are you invoking to help the group and you as a minister. This is the crucial and difficult step where you step away from you 'day person' into the minister where you are more than you.  

I also wondered how you will get them to speak the first text. Do they have it written down or will you speak it first and they copy you? Same goes for the song. It is always a bit of a hassle and potential embarrassment for people who are not accustomed to 'sing or speak along' to do so without clear guidance and help. 

If you do do it outside and there is wind how will you light the candles and keep them alight? It would be a pity to do it inside because of a bit of wind! 

A very effective ceremony Leti which will do all the things I think you intend it to do. 

 So lovely to receive this feedback this afternoon and the suggestions are just what I needed so that I can ensure these elements are made explicit in the "script".

1) Clarifying the invocation:

Grounding & Invocation - Celebrant invites all by saying:

We are here to seek healing – for the emotional, physical and spiritual hurts we carry. There is no promise that the healing will happen during the ceremony(!) but hopefully there will at least be a seed planted in each of us. 

We will begin by inviting the Divine/the Universal Spirit, the healing spirit of hawthorn, our ancestors, loved ones and any angels or spiritual guardians we wish to call on to be present with us here in this circle. 

Come Great Spirit - Stir us up to be open to healing and settle us down to bring healing to others as you cast your Love and Light around the circle and make it sacred 

Just for this moment... 

Now let us all say together the words in your service sheet

All together:          I Open my Heart, Let the Transformation begin!

We open our Hearts, Let the Transformation begin!

2) Service Sheet: as indicated in my original document, there will be a service sheet for each person with the song, Ogham symbol, and the group responses clearly laid out;

3) Singing: I will introduce the song, and sing it as a call and response at least to begin with. The words in brackets will be used if the participants seem comfortable to try singing it all

3) Outdoor Plan: again, as indicated in the original document, candles - one large central candle in a lantern if outdoors, one taper, tealights (in jars if outdoors) for each participant

Spiritual Counselling with a Year 2 Student

Over the next few weeks we are each to have three spiritual counselling sessions with a 2nd year student, at the end of which they will write up a case study. When the announcement came through that we could now select our counsellor I scrolled through the names, photos, and descriptions allowing my eye to lightly view them all. Then I went back through them and found myself stopping at Jo's profile. I read it through and it spoke to me, resonating with me on a profound level so I contacted her and asked if she might consider being my counsellor. She replied with a YES and we then arranged to have an introductory conversation.

Such a joy to meet with Jo over Zoom yesterday afternoon. We spent an hour in gentle conversation, building rapport and exploring our contract. The Spirit moves in such marvellously mysterious and wondrous ways and I felt filled with delight and anticipation by the time we said goodbye.

JoHi I'm Jo... a 'spiritual being having a human experience'! As with most things in my life I believe I was guided to the One Spirit training. I'd never considered Interfaith Ministry when I found myself on the One Spirit website... but then everyone I spoke to that week was a OSIM! I've been a daily meditator for nearly 10 years and I'm loving putting a deep focus on my spiritual life through the One Spirit training ♡I live on the Isle of Skye with my husband, two children and crazy kitten. We had no plan to move to the Highlands of Scotland but after 15 months living in a bus, travelling around the coast of the UK, homeschooling & exploring different ways of living, a life by the coast amongst the mountains and wildlife proved impossible to leave! I love to spend time with my family jumping in pools, walking barefoot on the beach and swimming in the sea.I've had a varied work life in IT, social enterprise, property development, even owned a restaurant. In 2009 I qualified as a coach and 2013 as a meditation teacher and have worked mainly in coaching, facilitation and running meditation courses since. I've no clear idea yet of where my ministry may take me in the long term, but the words 'go where the pain is & be the presence of love' came to me strongly at the end of first year & I felt nudged to take a role at Women's Aid.
I love the magic of spiritual counselling; how by holding space, being a loving presence, listening deeply, surrendering to Spirit, and meeting people where they are... profound healing can happen... for us all ♡

Reflection on creating first ceremony

Reflection

As soon as we were informed about the first ceremony assignment, using earth-based faith paths, I knew that I wanted to focus on the hawthorn tree and on healing. I took the name Hawthorn as my business name back in 2000 having discovered the Ogham alphabet and symbolism in a little shop called “Enchantment” which, at the time, was on Church Hill in Morningside, Edinburgh where I lived. Despite being born in early April I was drawn to the Huathe and when I read about its properties I knew that it was the one for me. Health with Hawthorn was founded as a health-and-wellbeing consultancy. I taught group exercise classes, one-to-one consultations, and facilitated workshops, guest-lectured, and created bespoke trainings for community and workplace groups. I wanted my business name to reflect my ethos, which has always been to nurture the whole person and to guide each person to become more capable of making wiser choices about their wellbeing, so hawthorn was a perfect fit. All parts of the tree can be used for healing, it is particularly useful for heart health, with its antioxidant properties, and it is renowned for its self-healing properties. I finally took the name as my own in 2009 following divorce.

I observe how hawthorns are usually present near standing stones and healing circles where rowans also grow; I notice them on hillsides growing in line with the prevailing winds, yielding yet not breaking: "no matter how the winds rail against you, even when they threaten to pull your roots from the earth, you stand your ground."

And I watch as they are manipulated into hedging, sliced almost all the way through their trunks (pleaching) and then bent horizontal and woven in with others. And as I do all of this I sit with my hawthorn-self and acknowledge how I sometimes feel about to break (but I don’t) and sometimes I am defensive and thorny but still blossom in the right conditions. I am noticing that I am starting to really offer myself the healing I desire for others and I am grateful, I lean in and I breathe out the affirmation: My heart has been opened, the transformation is underway!

And as I have worked on creating this ceremony I have loved intertwining the different aspects of my life, my skills, and experience. I am excited at the prospect of offering the ceremony in my community in the future. I have also been surprised and delighted by how I have responded to my study buddies, both as we have explored their ceremonies and as they have guided and supported me with mine. It has been illuminating, humbling, and an immense privilege.

I have shared my preparations with my sister, my mother, and my husband by allowing them to read this document and I hope to speak with them in depth as the opportunity arises. I want to make the time to share it with my father (he’s away just now) who has always been a bit upset that I didn’t revert to his family name but chose to claim my own. I sense that this might well become part of the naming ceremony work I do!

Hawthorn Heart-Healing Ceremony

Time of year: can be used any time of the year but is especially powerful in May, at Beltane, during the 6^thmonth of the Celtic calendar

Setting: around a hawthorn tree if possible. If indoors have a central tree shape (use hawthorn branches, etc)

Purpose and intention:  small group heart healing – for the emotional, physical and spiritual hurts we carry

Note: this ceremony can be adapted for use as a Community Healing Ceremony in times of community challenges

Ceremonial elements: welcome and introduction, grounding and invocation, song, acts of personal protection and healing, readings, body prayer, sharing the healing cup, dance and closing

Ingredients:  service sheet with the song, Ogham symbol, and the group responses;

candles - one large central candle in a lantern if outdoors, one taper, tealights (in jars if outdoors) for each participant; 

hawthorn thorns, berries, tea, roots, bark, branches, leaves, and flowers (only very dilute form due to potency of hawthorn for some people!);
if these elements are not available, consider using rose. Do ensure
there are thick gloves available so that nobody pricks their finger

hawthorn tree if outdoors, small tubs of earth for each person and a bowl of water for washing hands; three readers (can be done by one person)

Key:   words in black are spoken by the celebrant; words in purple are spoken by all participants; words in green, brown and blue are for the three readers

METHOD

Welcome & introduction to themes and what to expect! (allay fears)

Welcome to this healing ceremony. I invite you to participate in whatever way feels right for you in the moment, actively or simply by being present. You will not be required to DO anything yet the invitation is there to sing, dance, sit, stand, lie down, and to speak.

Should you feel overwhelmed, return to your breath, take a step back (or push your chair back a little) and simply notice how you are feeling. You are welcome to take time out and return as well but do let the person next to you know so that we know you are ok.

Grounding & Invocation - Celebrant invites all by saying:

Just for this moment, lay aside your ordinary life and step into this extraordinary circle

Just for this moment, let the burdens of your heart rest in the shelter of this circle

Just for this moment, hand over your worries and let joy bubble up from your toes, spreading through your body and radiating out through your being to touch one another round the circle

Just for this moment, breathe in love and breathe out love in this healing circle

Just for this moment put down the heaviness of the world and welcome Spirit into this circle.

All together:          I Open my Heart, Let the Transformation begin!

We open our Hearts, Let the Transformation begin!

Instructions (where possible thorns and berries will be harvested for this)

We will move slowly into and around the circle as we
chant or speak these words carrying hawthorn thorns,
berries, leaves, twigs. 

Take your time to slow down, allow yourself to connect
with the ground beneath your feet, the air around you,
and the breath within you

Chant the first verse of Hawthorn Heart Song (Saliha 2012)

(Use the first line repeated to simplify – it can still be harmonised and sung in a round)

and start to walk slowly into the circle carrying the hawthorn thorns and berries

You grow my heart (6x)

[Heart-light flowing out to connect with all beings]

Once everyone has settled into the circle, allow the chant to continue a few more times and then return to silence

[Low lighting]   

Protection (if ceremony indoors - each person will have a little pot of earth in which to bury their paper):

Thorns might bring to mind wounding (Jesus’ crown of thorns)
and hindering access (the prince trying to reach Sleeping Beauty!;
hedging) and we will come back to this shortly, yet thorns are present
in order to protect the tree from plant-eating animals and symbolically
the thorns of the hawthorn represent the psychic protection needed for
all spiritual journeys.

Who/what do you feel that you need protecting from today?
Write or draw on a piece of paper - this is for your eyes only. 

I invite you now to place a thorn on the paper, fold the paper
up as small as you like and bury it near the roots of the hawthorn
(or in your pot of earth)

Celebrant speaks the words of the second verse of the Hawthorn Heart Song then all invited to sing it before returning to silence.

You hold my heart (6x)
[Deep within your own glowing centre]

SILENCE after the following words:

Sometimes thorns can cause harm to ourselves or to others.
In silence let us take a few moments to meditate on times,
places and people where this has happened in our lives.

So now we will pour the healing balm of light on to these
thorny parts of ourselves.

As you are ready please take your tealight to the central candle
and, using the taper, light your tealight.

Return to the circle placing your lit candle over the buried thorns
and paper (either on the ground if outside or on top of the
earth-filled pot if inside).

As you settle back into the circle, I invite you to say your name
and, if you are comfortable to, speak into the healing circle what
it is that you desire healing.

Leave a pause before moving on to the next verse of the song

Celebrant speaks the third verse once then everyone invited to sing it

You heal my heart (6x)
[Holding shadow and light in the centre of our one heart]

Celebrant introduces the readings:

Hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha) is often called the May Tree. It is connected with the 6th month of the Celtic Tree calendar, (May 13-June 9). The young leaves were traditionally known as “bread and butter” as farm workers would pick them and chew on them to stave off hunger pangs as they did the early morning milking before breakfast.

Hawthorn is used for hedging, creating boundaries. Its trunk can be cut through to allow it to bend to horizontal allowing plants to be interwoven. It then grows back along the trunk, unharmed by this seemingly brutal action. It is believed that it was hawthorn that was used to make the crown of thorns worn by Jesus. Now we hear more about the hawthorn and why we are using it:

FIRST VOICE: 

Hawthorn reminds us that love can be beautiful, and to beware its hidden thorns. If this feels significant to you today you may need to look into matters of the heart. Like the hawthorn tree in flower, love is sometimes delightfully joyful. Long and steady relationships bear fruit that sustain us through life's cold and difficult passages. But beware the thorns hidden among the fruits and flowers. It has been said that a true lover's heart is always half broken, and that we tend to hurt those we love best.

SECOND VOICE: from OGHAM The Celtic Oracle by Peter Pracownik and Andy BaggottIntuition is the guide and protector on the spiritual path especially during times of dramatic change and growth. Listen to your heart, not your head, for the parts of your being that are wild and unconditioned by society have much to teach you at this time…Remember, everything is significant. An open heart nurtures an open mind.Huathe (PRONOUNCED Hoo-ah or Oo-ah)The Ogham symbol for hawthorn is used in Celtic Reiki and its essence represents the energy of cleansing and preparation. It clears the mind of negative thoughts and mental confusion, offering clarity. It gives patience and offers stillness.

THIRD VOICE: from THE CELTIC TREE ORACLE by Liz and Colin Murray: The Hawthorn card represents cleansing and chastity, bringing protection from the inner magical realms - in other words, a period of restraint, waiting or keeping oneself to oneself. Concentrate on mental rather than physical activity as a prelude to the spiritual fertilization, growth and harvesting what will follow, providing such preparation has been properly made as the pure white flowers of the Hawthorn turn to glowing red haws in the autumn

BODY PRAYER:    

Stand or sit as you are able and feel free to change position. The aim here is to move comfortably – think of all the different shapes that trees make – tall and bendy, short and solid, pollarded, missing limbs, etc.  All of us can be tree-like!·      What shape are you as a tree?

·      Are you strong, upright and even?
·      Are you leaning to the left? Or to the right?  

Perhaps this brings back memories, good or not-so-good, from Music and Movement at primary school! Notice this. Draw yourself up as tall as you can, visualising an upright tree tall and strong;Now be an unloved tree, bowed over, limp and weak  “You hold my heart” Feel your trunk filling with nutrients and feel those nutrients coursing through you until you find yourself upright and strong once againRepeat this sequence slowly and notice how your mood, your energy, your heart changes  “You grow my heart” Now lean out to the left with your left arm, letting your torso bend as well if this is comfortable for youReturn to the centre and then lean out to the right with your right armNow we hold hands and lean to the left, return to the centre and lean to the right (repeat a few times so long as all comfortable) “You heal my heart” 

SILENCE        Please sit, stand, walk, or lie down as we stay in silence for a few minutes

SPOKEN TOGETHER THREE TIMES SLOWLY:

I honour the energy of hawthorn for cleansing and restraint.

I will choose what I place within my body and empty myself of
all that violates my personal well-being.

Blessed be

Pray Peace

On your service sheet you have a picture of the Ogham symbol for H, the 6^th letter of the Celtic alphabet - Hawthorn (Hoo-ah) so let us draw this symbol in the air three times, reminding ourselves of the HEART, of HEALING, AND of HEALTH

Now stay seated or stand as you are comfortable:

·      Right hand across at heart level facing palm out to the left

·      Raise the left hand to meet the right in prayer position

·      Bring the hands across the body to the left staying in prayer position

·      Extend the right arm up to the sky and press the left hand down towards the earth

·      REPEAT THREE TIMES

Now we take the movement from the Ogham symbol to the theme of heart health and self-healing:

·      Bring the hands together in prayer, touching your thumbs to your solar plexus

·      Raise the hands to your throat chakra

·      Raise the hands to your Third Eye

·      Turn your palms up and look upwards

·      Return the hands together above your head

·      Return to the solar plexus

·      Take right hand on to abdomen and cover with the left

·      Cup your hands and visualise drawing out of your being all that you wish to be rid of, all that you desire to be cleansed of

·      Then turn the palms outwards and push away 

·      If standing, step your Right leg back as you bring the hands back in and take a deep breath in

·      Stay with Right leg back as you cup the hands again and, breathing out, push the hands away

·      Repeat once more

·      Now step the Right leg in and repeat the sequence with the Left leg back.

SHARING THE CUP

We now connect even more deeply with one another, sharing the Cup. 

·      Hawthorn tea protects us through its antioxidant properties;
it improves heart health, and reduces anxiety;

·      It supports matters of the heart – physical, emotional, and spiritual.

Please take the cup, sip the tea and hold the cup for a few moments, meditating on these properties. Then pass the cup with these words:

I share this healing cup with you, we are one

Allow for a period of silence, even if it is just a few moments

The circle is open as our hearts are now open. I invite you to speak to the circle, sharing what is in your heart. Indicate that you wish to speak by picking up your tealight (in tub if indoors). Place it down when you have finished. If there is felt to be a need for silence I will lift my tealight and hold it until the circle is clear again. After a period of time we will then move into the final verse of our Hawthorn Heart song:

CELEBRANT speaks the words then all join in singing (and dancing as moved):

Dance with my heart (6x)
We are one, we are dancing with the heart of all life

To close the ceremony the celebrant invites everyone to step forward together, pick up their tealight, hold it up high in gratitude to Spirit and to one another for this sacred space, then extinguish the light before replacing the tealight on the ground and stepping back.

CELEBRANT (with joy!):   “Our hearts have been opened,
the transformation is underway!”

And all respond by singing the final verse of the song as they turn and leave the circle.