The Accidental Shaman by Howard G. Charing

Author:Howard G. Charing
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Spirituality/Shamanism
Publisher: Inner Traditions/Bear & Company
Published: 2017-02-08T16:00:00+00:00

EXERCISE

An Unbonding Ceremony

This ceremony is performed to release the pain and grief from a personal loss. Grieving for the loss of a loved one or for a deep relationship is probably one of the most raw and intense emotional experiences in our lives. The grief needs to flow through our being so we can release it, reclaim our lives, and move again into the beauty of our existence. It is difficult to release grief because we hold on to the memories and feelings of that time or person, but in doing this our life becomes clouded and we feel weighed down.

In this unbonding ceremony we give our pain to the higher order consciousness for transformation and release. The full moon is a powerful time for this ceremony. The moon in this phase symbolizes endings, transformation, and a new cycle of life. In shamanic traditions the mind and emotions are regarded as being in an open and awakened state at the time of the full moon. Buddha achieved his enlightenment and total freedom as the full moon rose after forty-nine days of meditation under the Bodhi Tree.

To prepare for the ceremony, you need to prepare a giveaway, an object that you craft or paint that provides an evocative symbol of your grief, words on paper that describe your feelings and memories about the loss, or a photo-graph that evokes deep-seated emotions regarding your loss. The important thing as you prepare the craft, note, or photo is to be conscious and aware of your grief and pain. This giveaway should be a profound and eloquent expression of your anguish and sorrow.

This ceremony is best conducted outdoors in nature. You will need your giveaway; a safe place to make a fire; and aromatic natural incense such as copal resin (Protium copal), white sage (Salvia apiana), or a stick of palo santo (Bursera graveolens). Feel free to include any items that embody a spiritual quality for you.

When you are ready, light the fire. While holding the giveaway, watch the flames as they rise and focus on their shapes, the shadows, the many colors and shades—the reds, the violets, and the yellows. In this way you can gently enter into a communion with the primal elemental spirit of fire. At a certain point you will feel the pull or an ineffable impulse to place the giveaway into the fire. As you do this, say the following words (or, of course, choose your own vocabulary):

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