Sunday, December 23, 2012

The Burning Bowl

Winter Solstice 2012.
The day after the day the world might end seemed like an auspicious day for our Burning Bowl Ceremony. Fire is a catalyst for change. Fire transforms. Smoke carries our vision, our signal, our prayers, to the heavens.

I have been leading this ceremony for twenty years. On this night we have come together in a circle around a beautiful alter. Everyone has brought something for the alter and we settle in to see what the evening will bring. We spend time in stillness, reviewing our life in the present, and asking ourselves questions. What is working in my life? What is not? This is a time to review and bring awareness to those things that we wish to be done with, cycles to break, limiting beliefs that no longer serve us, ideas and thought forms that we are ready to let go of.  We write them down, and, one by one, will offer them to the fire.

One of the things on my list is "Letting go of any vow of poverty that I may have ever made."

Several years ago one of my teachers gave an interesting talk questioning why so many of us committed to healing ourselves and others suffered from such a lack of abundance. She told a story about how many of us had stood together as Essenes 2000 years ago. We had taken a "vow of personal poverty" to be able to live in the community. What we had belonged to everyone.  It was a very powerful lifetime for many of us, inundated with personal commitment and serving as channels of peace. Okay then !?!

Well, here we are. Are we carrying a cellular memory of "poverty equals worthiness?"
Even if I did vow it then, does it serve me now?  The only answer for me is “NO!”


I declared last night that I was giving up any vow of poverty that I may have made in any life time, consciously or unconsciously. I give up, now and forever, the limiting belief that there is not enough. I am now open to receive all the abundance that is coming my way and exploring new ways to move forward. 

The fire plays with the words on my paper, smoke circles around my fingers, it takes its time but I am committed to reducing it to ash. I hang on, holding my breath. It will be all right.

In a healing circle that I have been a part of for the last few months, one of the women, a very successful potter, shared with us an affirmation that has been part of her business practice. We asked her to repeat it as we all wrote it down.  If it resonates with you, consider it a Winter Solstice gift:

“There are plenty of clients who can afford my services. I have all the clients that I need for continuous prosperity.” 

Go forth into the abundance that is waiting for you ……..  In-Joy !!!