Ceremonies General

Gladyce Wahlendyasa of Superior Wisconsin is an enrolled Ojibwa member of Sault Ste Marie Chippewa Tribe was a guest speaker at the Lac Courte Orilles Ojibwa Comm. College Environment Film Festival on Jan. 28th of this year.

Gladyce spoke about the sacredness of water. She told us the following: Water is the gift of life. Water is sacred. Water is alive and guided by spirits. Water is the transporter of other energies. Sing to the water to resonate vibrational healing. Give thanks to the water in ceremony. Water assists us in power. Give offerings to the water spirits. Give tobacco ties for water ceremony. Do a water ceremony around the New Moon. Water spirit is feminine. Water ceremony is fluid.

I first read of the Water Ceremony in Mazina’igan, a Chronicle of the Lake Superior Ojibwa. The article “Nibi Wabo” a Woman’s Water Song was published in the winter 2007/2008 issue, pg. 20. We are reprinting the article but not the sing. The originators want the ceremony to be shared with women around the world.

Nibi Wabo Water Ceremony

Please honor the following request: It is important to be aware that, while the originators of the Water Song want it to be shared, [they] ask that it not be shared through the internet. Mazina’igan hopes this request will be respected.

At the end of February 2002 in the time of the Bear Moon, a ceremony was held in the backwoods of Kitigan‑zibi reserve. Thirteen grandmothers participated in this ceremony, among them Algonquin and mixed blood women. Between the thirteen, the four races of women were represented. This ceremony had not been done in one hundred and fifty years.

This was the time before the hand drum had come to the woman, the time when we still played the sticks. The grandmother who brought this vision to completion underwent a spiritual process that lasted four years from the time the vision was presented to her until the time of the actual ceremony. She has chosen to remain anonymous, and the other twelve women present are the guardians of the ceremony that we have been asked to pass on to the women of the world.

The ceremony includes a song, a ceremonial staff and led to a series of related teachings that we have received since then. These are not yet ready to be shared. It is time for the women to assume their responsibilities. We are the keepers of the water because we are more in tune with the natural cycles. Traditionally, in most cultures, the women are considered the keepers of the water. We have the connection and the ways and the ceremonies to bless and purify our waters as well as the waters that make up 70% of our physical bodies.

We are living in the days of the great purification of the Earth. We have the choice to sit by helplessly watching the events take place or to be active participants in easing her passage. It can be as simple as singing a song at a river bank, putting our hands over a bowl of water for our children’s consumption, giving thanks and blessing the water that goes into our morning coffee, or picking up the garbage at the beach.

We would like to share this song with the women of the world. Teach it to your daughters, granddaughters, sisters, aunties, mothers, and grandmothers. Teach it to all the women you know. Go and sing at lakes and rivers, wells and oceans and at the kitchen sink. Mother Earth is bleeding. It is our turn now to help Her, who has given us so much through this crisis. Let’s not wait to be asked. Let’s not wait to be forced.

Let’s do it now, together. The ceremony is a simple one. Women in a circle playing birch bark clapper sticks, is what was shown. The sticks are about eight inches long and about two inches wide. That is all. In areas that have no birch trees, seek out the branches of the trees that are traditionally connected to women or the water and use these.

Of course, it is needed much and at any time of the year, but the grandmothers have asked that the water ceremony be done particularly at the thirteenth moon which is the moon at the end of February/March. They have also taught us that all women’s ceremonies are best done at the new moon. It was also asked that the notes are not changed. Period.

It has been asked also that only women can sing this song because of the connection between our menstrual blood and the blood of the Earth, which is the water. It is to be sung one time for each of the seven directions—east, south, west, north, above, below, and within. It can be played on a hand drum, but in its original form it was played on the white birch sticks…

In February 2003 the ceremony was held again for the second time, and this time there were two or three thousand women (that we know of) around the world who were singing over the water ways of Mother Earth at the same hour. A sacred fire was held in Maniwaki (Kitigan-zibi) Quèbec for these women.

The countries included the United States, Canada, Guatemala, Brazil, Columbia, Germany, Holland, Japan, Italy, Senegal, New Zealand, Jamaica, and Mexico to name only a few. It is the music that purifies the water. The words were given in Algonquin/Ojibwa to the women in this community to pass on.

It is always best to preserve sacred things in their original form. According to the original vision, the thirteen grandmothers stood on the ice in order to absorb the teachings from the water under their feet. It was asked to bring the ceremony in for four straight years in the land where it was received so as to set it in time once again. On March 10, 2005 the fourth ceremony was held. All was done as shown. Thirteen women sang on the ice and an Algonquin elder sat in the center of the circle holding the Grandmother Staff and a Bald Eagle that was donated for the ceremony. That night women on every continent of the Earth sang in unison. We were about nine thousand or more. The feathers of the Eagle were distributed to spiritual elders and healers around the world.

The next Nibi Wabo ceremony should have been held on the thirteenth new moon counting from the tenth of March 2005. It always falls between the middle of February and the middle of March. This is the moon that opens up the door when the ancient Grandmothers are most easily accessed. (This door can also be accessed by all women when they are on their moontime.) And at this time (the thirteenth moon), it has been asked to have the full ceremonials, whereever possible. This includes a sacred fire lit right before sunset which burns for thirteen hours during the night. We include the men as the firekeepers, but if no men are available, women firekeepers are chosen. The women go out after dark onto the ice to bless the water and return for a traditional feast that ends with a giveaway ceremony. It is an opportunity for the women to spend the night together so they can share knowledge and teachings with each other.

This thirteenth door is actually open for the four days from the time of the last sliver of moon until the first sliver of rising appears. Hopefully one day we will be able to spend this full four days together with the women. Remember that this is a water ceremony, a woman’s ceremony. It is fluid. There is no need for rigid ‘protocol.’ There are no set ‘rules’ as to how it should be done apart from the Grandmothers’ requests. Every woman will add her own touch, her own wave or ripple. The water song can be done at each new moon or even every day to bless our water. It can also be done on each other, over our food and our animals—anywhere water is present.

The old thirteen moon calendars are also returning. Many women (and men) are having visions. Other water ceremonies are coming back, and new technologies coming through as we realize that in a very short time there may be no more drinking water for the next generations unless we act NOW. The elders tell us that if we don’t act now we may not have any clean water left within ten years. They tell us that it may already be too late unless women everywhere make the water their first priority. Pass it on.

In the Algonquin way, the spring, when the first water starts to run, is the time that the women offer tobacco ties to the water in thanks. In the summer, it is the time for the Rain Dances and the ceremonies of renewal. In the late fall in the time when the Aurora Borealis (northern lights) come out in the north, water ceremonies are also done. And in the cold of winter, the Nibi Wabo ceremony to honor the Grandmothers is held. It is good. It is necessary now more than ever. The elders tell us that if things continue the way they are, we may not have any clean water left within 10 years. They tell us that it may already be too late. Unless women everywhere make the water their first priority. Now.

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HEALING THE EARTH, ONE PLACE AT A TIME

A RITUAL TO BLESS A PLACE AND MAKE IT SACRED.

After each speech, pause with low drum or rattle.

Opener

We have come to bless this place, to make it holy, to make it whole.
We open our hearts to love, and we open our mouths to bless.
We begin here to heal our Mother Earth.

Invoker of the spirits of the Four Directions

Facing East: We welcome the energy, the beginning way, the rising sun at the beginning of the day and the light of illumination. We welcome the energies of the East.

Facing South: We welcome the energy of service to all my relations, the heat of the noonday sun and the spirit of action in the world. We welcome the energies and spirits of the South.

Facing West: We welcome the energy of looking deep within to find the gifts of healing and renewal. We welcome the energies and spirits of the West.

Facing North: We welcome the energy of wisdom and blessing the Grandmothers and Grandfathers who teach us. Teach us to be generous and honor all that we receive from the Earth.

Invoker of nature spirits:

We invite the spirits of the ground, spirits of the soil.
We invite the spirits of the plants and the standing people.
We invite the spirits of the elementals, the little people.
We invite the spirits of the animals, the furred and four-legged.
We invite the spirits of the insects, the many-legged.
We invite the spirits of the birds, the winged ones.
We invite the spirits of all living creatures in the web of life to be here with us, to bless this place.

Invoker of the ancient spirits of the place:

We ask the spirits who have lived, worked, prayed and played in this place to be here now with us, to bless this place.
We ask the spirits of native peoples who were here for thousands of years to be here now with us, to bless this place.
We ask the spirits of peoples who came here from other lands to make this their home, who learned to love this place, we ask them to be here now with us, to bless this place.

Invoker of the Divine:

We ask the Holy One, the Nameless One called by a thousand names to speak and act through us, to bless this place.

Pledger:

We regret any harm which has been done to this place by our human kind.
We pledge to refrain from harm to this place or to any other place on our Earth.
We pledge to teach our children to feel gratitude to our Earth and treat her and all her creatures with reverence.
We pledge to teach that we are all part of the web of life, that all beings are our relatives.

Earth Blesser: We come with this corn meal (handful of grain or seed) to bless the Earth and make it sacred.

Air Blesser: With loving Energy, we move the air (feather or paper fan, waved in all directions) to bless this place and make it sacred.

Fire Blesser: With fire (smudge bowl or candle or incense sticks) we bless this place and make it sacred. Go around the circle, smudging each person.

Water Blesser: (in a bowl or cup, with feather to disperse), we bless this place and make it sacred. We share this blessing with all gathered here.

Everyone: Holding out hands to bless:
A leader may speak and everyone repeat, phrase by phrase:
With our hearts and minds    voices and hands    we bless this place    and make it sacred.    May this place thrive    and be protected from harm.
May this place give peace and joy    to all who come here.

Disperser: We call for blessing upon all who are gathered here. We ask you to take this blessing to other places. Go forth and open hearts. Teach reverence for our Sacred Earth to people everywhere.

Closer: It is done! This place on Earth is now healed and blessed. Let us rejoice!
Cheer, drum, shake rattles, applaud, embrace.


 Note: If any onlooker is curious and asks about this ritual, give them a copy of this script and ask them to use it. Tell them to gather a group to bless some other place. This ritual will be owned by nobody and everybody. It is a give-away. It may be changed in any way as long as the intent and effect is to bless a place and bring healing to Mother Earth.

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Suggestions for a Water Ceremony

Greetings Dear Water Sisters:

Here are some suggestions for A Water Ceremony...Please refer to our web site for some other suggestions from Dr. Emoto and the Grandmothers from Canada.


Make sure that the people that are bringing their clean waters to you have their jars labeled as you will be refilling them with the new blessed waters for them to take home... everyone should be smudged down and all the items used for the ceremony smudged and purified with your sacred herb of choice....have a large container to hold all the waters when they are married together....this should be in the center of an Alter..or wherever you would like....I believe that the four elements should always be at any kind of ceremony....Light votive candles for the four directions around your circle large enough to hold all of your participants....this ceremony is for men and women....men cannot hold the waters once they are placed into the bowl. Water is feminine. Sing any songs that you would like....each person will say a prayer for their personal or gathered intentions....any type of prayer is good....drumming and dancing around the circle creates an energy or vortex...rattles are good....bring in the children with this they love it....each person will then go to the waters and say....Please forgive Us, I honor You, I am grateful for you, You are the blood of Our Mother Earth and we need to respect you for this. People can place their hands around the bowl or container but never touch the water..Someone will have a sprig of cedar or whatever grows in your area, or a feather, or sage...whatever your wishes. That person will dip the article into the water and bless the people standing around the circle.

Some people wish to bring their special things for blessings, these can be placed around the alter, you can make the alter as fancy or as simple as you wish. Flowers are always nice...or anything that you feel would create a special ambience...have a clean dipper or small cup handy to dip entering the water only Once...offer each person in the circle a tiny sip....you are all being blessed at this time through the blessed waters...
so beautiful. Sing a closing song and one more dance around the circle several times....

You can let the children make a wish for the waters and blow out the candles. This is something I do to close down a circle...everyone holds hands and gathers as close to the alter as possible then they take three steps back and say HAHHH to the heavens..Letting your breath out with a gust of air. Take three steps forward and blow out with your breath to the center of the alter...do this four times...ending with your breath out to the Alter...drop hands...place your hands together like a prayer position and say "It is so...or Nanmaste, Or All my Relations...anything you wish to close the circle...everyone hugs each other...you will have a potluck....afterwards, dip from a dipper into the containers that the people have brought holding their waters to take back for future use for this is blessed water...anything left over can be saved after you offer what you need to a special place that you wish to bless because of a need for purification and intent for Mother Earth

This simple ceremony can be altered for any reason except for the water part of it. You can ask that women wear skirts or not....I always do require this...but again this is entirely up to you. The best ceremonies are because people have great imaginations as well as spirit and love for our Mother.... I know that each of your participants will receive something from this ceremony. As you continue to do ceremonies you will surely create your own that feel right and comfortable to you...these are the ways that were given to me in several other ceremonies.

Hope this helps...Let your blessings flow like the ripples in a Reflection Pool…

Grandmother Whitedeer 5-13-2010

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Water Practice (3 levels) by Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo

Dear community:


Our planet and all our relations see more clearly that we are deeply connected as the oil from the asphalt volcano in the Gulf of Mexico flows into the Atlantic ocean. Consider that water is medicine and the elements are aspects of consciousness flowing through all beings and that our thoughts and prayers may guide the elements towards balance and harmony. We have experimented in various places the reawakening of dry springs through these prayers with success. I invite you to participate in energizing the healing of the Gulf of Mexico and our planet with prayer and correct action.

These prayers are based on teachings from my grandparents and Chief Thunder Cloud.

Water Practice (3 Levels ) by the Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo

1) Realize water is medicine.

Prayer When Drinking Water

As I receive this water and it flows through me,
May it become medicine dispelling all ills,
May it become medicine revealing the wisdom within and through out.
I offer apology for any harm done through wrong speech & action

As this water flows through me and becomes vapor,
May it purify the atmosphere
May it nourish the wisdom potential in the people
I offer apology for any harm done through wrong speech & action

As this water flows through me, and returns to the water table
May it remove the impurities of chemicals placed within the water
May the water be made new again
May this water become medicine for all beings in this and all worlds

2) When people are without enough water, go outside, preferably to a place where there has been a spring. If the spring has dried up go to that spring and stand near it and look to the east and hold either a gourd, cup or glass full of water, up to the sky and say:

Prayer To Bring Water

Thank you for this gift of life
Thank you for the gift of water
We appreciate this water that you have given
Now the earth is dry and the trees are crying,
Please accept our offering of this water
Please accept our apology for any harm done
through wrong speech & action

•  Pour some water on the ground.
•  Then, turn around and in each direction
•  Take four steps forward and repeat this prayer.
•  Step four steps back and turn to the next direction.
•  Repeat the prayer; doing this until you have prayed to all four directions.

3) This level is done at night to see and hear the sounds of those who are crying. Pour fresh water in a special glass that you use just for the purpose of this practice. Before going to sleep go to each corner of your bedroom and offer a bit of smudge, incense, or smokeless incense.

To each corner of the room make this offering prayer:

May what is outgrown become compost for the wisdom seed to flourish and grow
May what is outgrown become compost for the wisdom seed to flourish and grow
May what is outgrown become compost for the wisdom seed to flourish and grow

Take the glass of water to the window holding it up so you can see the moon; or if it is not visible hold it up, saying;

This water, may it become medicine to benefit all beings
May this water be a mirror that reveals all

•  Sip the water
•  Put it beside your bed and as you are lying in bed review the day
•  Look at, how did I listen to others? Did I respect the people I met today?
•  See above you the light and bring it into your heart and central pathway

The task in the dreamtime is to be able to raise your hands to the sky. This may take some time. What is significant in the dream body is to be able to raise your hands. Then you have awakened the awareness of the illusory body and the body of light. Through doing so you may benefit others through the dedication of your actions and the manifestation of ever more skillful methods.

This awakening is also to bring rain. Once you get your hands up in the air in the dream body, then you invite the rain to fall in gentle ways to nourish the seeds of wisdom in the people. Pray for the sweet waters to flow to give the people all they need.

When you wake up give thanks that another day has come, that the sun rises again, and hold the water up to the sun, giving thanks for this medicine:

May this water flow through me as medicine
May it return to the atmosphere as medicine
May it return to the earth as medicine

How we receive water is very precious because water is the gift of life.

Close each level of practice with a prayer of dedication.

May this benefit all beings in this and all worlds.

Wadogh,
Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo

Copyright Ywahoo Trust, 2003, Bristol Vermont 05443