Ceremonies and Rituals continue to fill a part of my life that no other experience does.

It is an opportunity to connect with spirit in a profound and real way. It is a moment out of the ordinaryness of life and receiving the magic and miracles that await us.

MY RELATIONSHIP WITH CEREMONY

For the past 15 years, my journey as a ceremonialist has been a combination of Moon circles, the honoring of Solstice and Equinox, birthing ways, and personal rites of passage.

I love how each of you attending informs the way the spirits guide me to lead. At times we need celebration and at other we need a sacred space to honor what’s lost. One beautiful Equionx I asked an old-growth maple if she would receive and transmute our grievance. She was thrilled to participate in this ritual. We took turns pouring the water, that held our sorrows, onto her feet, her roots at the base of her trunk.

 As a young girl child, my mother would bring me to the new-age ceremonies on the beach. I felt the wildness and expansiveness of the open night sky and the songs sung around the fire. Later I experienced my first lodge ceremony in 2002, and the first mentions of The Sundance and Redroad ways. In 2005, I started community ceremonies with a dear friend Nicole Sangseree. We hosted many rituals and gatherings spiritual in nature.

CEREMONIAL TRAINING

Over the years, I've attended many gatherings hosted by different individuals, grateful for the opportunities to learn, experience, and continually evolve as a practitioner of ceremonies. In 2016, my formal training took a significant priority, influenced by various mentors such as Jan Engels-Smith, featured on Gaia, and my involvement in the LightSong vision quest. My assistance and training also involved assisting Karen Heftner with Igniting Spirit and her firewalks, along with immersive experiences in sweat lodge teachings guided by Lauri Shainsky has also enriched and informed the ceremonies I lead now.

Being of Euro-mixed indigenous heritage, the exposure to some of the Lakota ways, rituals, and the indigenous stories of the medicine wheel felt like a profound homecoming, healing of the voids in my heart. A deep love of the medicine wheel wisdom is rooted in me. Because of this, in my ceremonies, I acknowledge the phases of the medicine wheel. How they reflect and intertwine with the phases of our lives and reconnect us with our innate relationship and coexistence with nature.

THE ALTAR:

The altar is the focal point, when you enter the room, space, tent, or clearing, to attend my ceremony there will be the altar. Altars, for me, represent a physical manifestation of prayer. Altars also honor our spirits and ancestors. Thus, building a gateway for the benevolent compassionate ones to join and support us.

The atars are living pieces of art through symbolism, offerings, and sacred objects. Each altar is a unique expression embodying the representation, colors, spirits, and beauty of each celebration. Participants are encouraged to bring offerings, gifts, and sometimes specific items to place on the altar, thus adding to the beauty, and connecting personally to the altar and the ceremony.

PREPARATIONS & PERMISSIONS:

Those who attend are invited to prepare in advance. These participations can involve suggested journaling for reflection and intention setting. Learning songs. Rituals like creating, prayer sticks or bundles. Finding and retrieving items from nature and other activities.

I acknowledge that we all do not have permission or similar heritage thus I ask each participant to learn the ways of their lineage, directing them in a small approachable way. Asking questions like: What did your ancestors burn as a smoking herb? What colors did your heritage symbolize and represent at a certain time of year? In this way, we can learn from each other and learn from our family. Not everything I do is to be duplicated. For, some of my ways of practicing and ritual are of me but not mine - In this way, I mean to say that I have been taught and have permission to share with you but some of what I bring through ceremony is not mine to teach or give away. This is what makes ceremonies so sacred and personal. I believe the ceremony we create together will evolve with the informing and growing of our community members and circle participants.

WHAT TO EXPECT

What has become a consistent expression and ritual within these gatherings is what we might call core shamanism; you’ll see invocation, prayer, sound healing, drumming, guided meditations, and burning rituals. All of the cultures across the globe have these things in common. 

When we are on land, we interact with the land spirits, and the nature present, whether that be a tree or a river.

Special attention is given to creating energetic containers that ensure a safe and uplifting environment for release and transmutation. Participants often leave the ceremony grounded, with newfound clarity and possibilities.

While each ceremony has planned themes and agendas, I remain open to spiritual guidance, adjusting in the moment for the group's optimal outcome. Channeling messages for the divine circle is also part of the ceremony's organic flow.

INCLUSIVITY

Inclusivity is a core value.

All people of all identities are welcome. Tickets are always available for the BIPOC community and financially limited individuals, please email hello@amberjanehealing.com spaces are limited.