Dear Seekers of Solace, Delight and Understanding,

This weekend offers two different drumming/meditative/prayerful/shamanic opportunities for you. They are different, but also linked, meaning coming to both might be an option for you if you are in need of some formalized healing work inside your tribe.  

This weekend we find ourselves at Imbolc - the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. It’s a holiday dedicated to Brigit, the Celtic goddess of springtime. There are all kinds of celebrations this weekend dedicated to Brigit, but these two drums won’t be like any of them. We will be working directly with two of her primary powers: grieving and healing.

On Friday (Minneapolis, First Universalist Church) we will do a ceremony of grieving. Brigit is the goddess of Springtime, but also credited with the invention of “keening” (a loud sound of wailing) after her son was killed in battle. There is, in this tidbit, a great wisdom recognizing that that the joyous rebirth of Spring does happen without first moving through the emptying force of grieving. We have a great deal to grieve – some is personal, some cultural, and some cosmic - and we don’t do most of it. We watch TV and obsessively look at Facebook to cover over these powers in us that need to be formally discharged from our body if our new blossoms are to come. So on Friday, we will enter into a safe container for grieving. You know right now if you need this, and if you are afraid of grieving, then you really do need this. If you need this, or if you don’t but want to be the energetic support for others who do need it, come. If you want to work on behalf of the community by doing some special prayer and ceremonial tasks this week, please contact me. It is a powerful, beautiful thing to work on behalf of others, and it helps you do your own grieving too. Don’t be shy-if helping calls to you, contact me.

On Saturday (St. Paul, Council of Churches, Summit Ave) we’ll offer you a healing ceremony. It’s sort of simple in its structure but it’s an opportunity to let go of pent up energies – frustration, anger, disappointment, regret, confusion, humiliation, anxiety…well, Lordy, who doesn’t need this?

See you soon.