2009 Prayer Stick Ritual

January 2009 Today I completed a Prayer Stick for 2009.  I made one last year through a workshop given by Laura Berry.  She facilitated this one too.

The Story of this stick is about the Goddess, both my own embracing of the Goddess and of the Earth's balancing through the Goddess energy.

Last year I brought many trinkets from my first 40 years of life, random charms, jewelry and meaningful sayings for the assistance of releasing everything that had gotten me to that place and for putting into place my intentions for what I desired instead.

This year I came in with nothing, with only the intention of creating, being fully present in the moment and all it had to offer.  I was very excited about approaching this project in this manner because I saw it as an awesome exercise in being in the moment and not over planning, in going with the flow, and creating with what is given to me when I showed up.

Laura provided each of us with a bag of words, a picture of an animal totem, and various beads and stones, a small shell, and a stone with the picture of a spiral engraved on it.  Already there in the bag were some powerful items to get started on this stick.  We spent a few minutes in guided meditation to create the space for us to be able to release the past year and set the intentions for this new year just begun.  Then we were drawn to select the stick that spoke most to our hearts.  The one I chose had a straight branch, with four even branches coming from the "top".  These you cannot see in the photo since they have been dressed up!

The Goddess

So, I got to work, gluing this and that, deciding on the ribbon, and what to dangle from it, and this is what I came up with:
1) The shape of a "tree".  I am very drawn to the Kabbalistic Tree of Life.  I wanted to begin with a piece of wood that would have a trunk and then from that trunk branches branching out.  At this point I remembered that I had brought a bag of...
2) ...ANCHI crystals with me, as I usually have them with me everywhere I go.  They have been amazing for my own health and personal growth, and I thought they would be great to glue several of them to the bottom of the trunk, or root, of my "tree", so that I can remember that I am grounded in the ancient wisdom of the Earth (for these crystals are 1.6 billion years old) and the immense energy of the vortex that is at the mine where these crystals come from.  Nothing can hinder this incredible energy, they are so charged!  And that is how I choose to view myself in my life right now, charged with this ancient energy and wisdom, helping myself and others find ultimate balance, embracing the feminine and Goddess.
3)  The color GOLD.  I have been using Gold in my meditations with patients in my practice.  For the last month or so Gold has been "up".  To me, Gold is the color of lavish opulence, Divine worthiness, and sparkly bliss.  Using Gold can instantly shift one's vibration to higher levels.  Also, the words, "All I touch is Gold" are key to the Alchemist.  This is the energy I am embracing in 2009.  The Alchemist.  Gold is where it's at.  :-)  So, all of the ribbon on my Goddess stick is Gold.
4)  Gems as symbol and gems as words.  I glued three gemstones where I placed the words:
"Allowing":  If I allow the Universe to move through me, and allow others to have their experiences, then I am a vessel of the Divine, and Life is allowed to flow easily and effortlessly.
"Bliss":  Well, clearly we can all do with more bliss.  How often are our blissful states? Is it possible to maintain a blissful state no matter what is going on around us?  Is this not our birthright?  Ah, Bliss, yes, please!
"Leap":  As a leap of faith, or as I've always resonated with the frog when it is time in my life to takes great leaps.  Often I feel I am leaping into a great abyss of the unknown.  What is riskier than that?  But seriously, it's about the experience, not so much the safety.  I've lived many years in "safe", and have found that the leaps I take that are based on my intuition, have always lead to some profound experiences.  Leap like the Frog, Intuit like the Turtle.  There was no turtle energy with this stick, except for the fact that the turtle represents mother earth and nurturing.
"Breath":  If we don't breathe, we don't live.  The word "inspire" is really "In Spirit", we breathe in the Spirit of Life.  The Breath of Life.  The more deeply we can breathe, the more of Life we can experience.  I have been working on the breath for awhile, and I know through my own experience and through working with patients, that if we are hanging onto our emotions and pains from the past, it is immensely difficult to breathe deeply and then to take in All that Life has to offer.
"Grace":  I endeavor to be a Channel of Grace in every moment and every encounter I have in this lifetime. This means I need to be free and clear, to hear the intuitions and to express what I hear and see.  it is not for me to judge what comes from me as long as I understand that I am a channel of Grace all the time.  My Life IS Grace.
"Trust":  None of this would be happening if I didn't trust in the Universe, in the Divine Support, and my many Guides.  I trust I am still doing this human thing because I have a mission and things to accomplish.  I trust that I am fully supported in all endeavors that are for my greatest good as well as for the greatest good of this Beloved planet.
and "Joy":  Well, like Bliss, this is a great experience to have.  To be filled with joy.  How many of us experience Joy on a regular basis?  I plan to experience greater and greater Joy.   I mean, really, life is too short to be far from Joy for long.

Chakra Beads, Feathers, and Receive/Give

5)  Feathers:  Mainly a remembrance of the sweat lodge I did in early December 2008.  It was very very powerful.  I mainly wish to remember the purification of religious persecution of all sectors of all societies.  Also a couple of profound sayings by our teacher Wolf.  One of which was:  "There is no Truth, only Choice"  (he is right in that each person's truth is his or her own, not the ultimate Truth, and that we are here having Experiences, and choosing to have said experiences.  Our moment to moment choices we make shape these experiences.)  He also conversed with another sweat lodge experiencer that asking "why" is a distraction.  Every time.  Also, to remember to remain in a place of steadfast connection, no matter what travails and surprises come our way.  Also, to remember that transcending the physical body is, indeed, a reality, as well as a necessity.
6)  String of chakra beads:  I strung gemstone beads which represent the Heart, Throat and Crown chakras.  It is about expressing through our hearts what we know and have discerned from the Universe and made our own.
7)  "Receiving":  From Laura's stack of words, I had drawn the word "Receiving".  This is a very feminine word, also a word related to the flow of Abundance in the Universe.  If we are continually giving of ourselves, and not receiving, then we are not allowing ourselves to be nourished and replenished, and then ultimately we run out of juice to keep on going.  If we gracefullyand heart-fully receive as well as we give, then we are in the flow of abundance.  From Laura's bag of "goodies" I received the word "giving", so I glued that on the back of the Receiving plate.  My focus, as a continual giver, is to work on receiving the Abundance and Prosperity that is awaiting my openness and allowing.
8)  Quote chosen from a pile of quotes:  "Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future;  Live the actual moment.  Only this moment is life."  This fully pertains to my endeavor to live each moment fully, timelessly, and intentionally. And glued to this quote is a ticket with the word "Courage" on it, also drawn from a pile of tickets with words on them.  We have plenty of time if we take the time to experience each and every moment.  I have the courage to do so!!

The Nest

9)  The Nest:  Included a picture of the Blue Jay, representing Happiness and taking time out to sing a happy song.  Also the word "nest" was in my gift bag from Laura, which is, to me, about empty-nesting, as my boys grow and begin down their adult paths.  It's also about my selling my "nest", and gaining a new wonderful nest.  Within this nest on the Goddess, near her heart, I have placed three Gold beads, one each for each of my precious sons.  Next to them is the spiral of life on a little stone.  This is to remind me of the ongoing spiral of life, and as I transition out of this phase of my life, I am spiraling into the next phase as the Divine would have it be done.
It's all about creating the life I desire and deserve.  It's about Alchemy and embracing those formerly persecuted aspects of myself.  It's all about receiving the Abundance and flow of the Universal Love that is around us and through us in ev