Mother’s Day Ritual by Rev. Karyl Huntley

The ritual is perfect for men and women of all ages, as well as mature teens. It can be used by a family group, by a couple or by a single person, alone. If it is done by a couple, one person does the ritual first with the other prompting the inner work; the second person also acts as the scribe. The roles are then reversed and the second person does the ritual while the first scribes. If you are doing this ritual alone, simply read the parts that the leader would say as personal directions and things to ponder.

Begin with the leader of the ritual saying: “We are gathered here to honor our mothers and the doorway through which we entered this earth plane. In order to bring the memory or the energy of our mothers into this room, let us each speak the name we had for our mother as children. If you had more than one person who mothered you, speak all the names. If you did not have a mother figure as a child, speak the name you had for your absent mother.” One at a time, the members of the group speak the mother names into the room.

The leader directs the oldest members of the group to begin first. If there are people present in their eighties, their ninth decade, they begin by speaking a memory or impression of their mother that they have had in their eighties. Their mother, most certainly will have passed, but her impact in their lives does not end with her passing. Proceed backwards down to the first decade of their lives. The group continues to share, scribe, and tie their beads. Then the leader continues slowly.

“I ask you now to tie a last bead on your cord signifying your birth. With eyes closed now remember anything you can about your birth or what you remember being told about your birth. Remember or imagine taking your first breath and feeling air on your skin for the first time. Remember leaving your mother’s body. Take a moment to thank her in your own heart for giving you your entry into this life.

“Letting your fingers move away from the last bead as the cord continues to slip through your fingers; continue moving backward in time, although being in the eternal realm before birth there is not time as we know it. Remember the forming of your life’s path and when you have the completion to this statement, ‘I am coming into the world to….’ Speak it to your scribe. Tie a knot into your cord for this memory and continue to remember other aspects of your life’s purpose; speak them and tie a knot for each aspect of your soul’s intention that comes to you.” Let the partners accomplish this in hushed tones until the process comes to a natural ending. The leader then continues slowly.

“Now holding the end of the cord in one hand, move your other hand over the memories from the formless world and stop at the first bead: your birth. Imagine all that came together in the formless realm for you to be born. Imagine the divine ideas and plans, the sendoff from the realm of eternity, and the welcome of the world – all in the moment of your birth.

“Reflect, for a moment, on the creative process that you are…beginning as an idea in the Mind of God. Move your hands over the beads of your life and gather all the cord, beads, and knots into both hands which you hold in front of your heart in the traditional gesture of prayer. Your life memories have become your prayer beads.

“Now, ponder what wants to come into being through you now. Feel all the elements coming together for the forming of that which wants to come through you. Open your hands just a bit like opening a gateway for the creations to come into this world that are yours to create. Give consent for this new creation to come into being. If you can put it into words whisper it to your scribe. Pause, now, in prayer and give thanks to your mother for modeling the creative process for you as you came through her as God’s creation.”

After a moment reverse partners and repeat the process for those who were the scribes first. When the whole ritual is complete exchange the writing that has been scribed.

Everyone call an end to the ritual by holding their beads and saying, “Blessed be the mothers.”

If you enjoy using this ritual as part of your holiday celebration, you will love Rev. Karyl's new book, "Real Life Rituals," published by Spiritual Living Press. Using the book as a guide for celebrating seasonal changes, holidays, and life transitions will enrich and deepen your everyday experiences of life. The book can be ordered directly from DeVorss
devorss.com/display.cgi?tpl=item&record=1323

Visit Karyl's website at www.realliferituals.com.

Click here for a printable PFD of this ritual.

Gregg Braden, author of the best-seller God Code and other fine books is our celebrated keynote, along with Gabrielle Roth, brilliant dancer, musician and teacher of her own style of “ecstatic dance.” Thrill your intellect with Braden’s concepts about mind and spirit, and satisfy your soul’s urge to express itself to the primal trance rhythms of Roth’s award winning music.

We’ll experience a bridging of generations with the fine speakers in Merrill Hall and those who knew Ernest Holmes in the Fireside Chats. Rev. Ruth Wilkerson, Dr. Roger Teel, Rev. Sandra Jackson, Dr. Lloyd Tupper, our brilliant youth speakers….. the list of greats goes on.

This year’s mastery series includes five week-long learning adventures: Rev. Peggy Price explores Jesus and the Science of Mind; Manu Hinduja takes us on a lively jaunt through the commonalities of religions in All Paths Lead to the One; Dr. Mark Vierra discusses the lives and work of The Great Mystics; Sam Ambler, esteemed poet, facilitates God is the Word: Discovering the Poet Within; and Rev. Marty Bacher takes us on The Hero’s Journey: Your Life as a Dynamic Adventure.

Bead-making or music-making, improvisation or meditation, fractals, malas or movies, the afternoon workshops and on-the-deck activities has something for everyone. And the new hit of last year is back – the Youth Scholarship Auction. We encourage you to bring along something for the auction, and your checkbook to buy it back. We hope you give yourself the gift of Sanctuary this August 6 – 12, 2006, in Pacific Grove, California.

Click here for more info: www.ucrsevents.org/asilomar