About

Native American
Mexica Half Moon
Ceremony

4 Tobaccos Prayer

Dear Shimmering Hearts,
it is an honour to invite you once again to hold one night of prayer to celebrate life and connect to the earth and the elements, with Xochipilli Nahuimitl.

Stepping into this circle is a life changing experience, a journey back in time when humans were deeply connected to the creator and nature. With the guidance of the grandfather medicine from the Mexican desert, we will humbly offer our voices in support of the greater prayer, learning to ask for blessings for our lives and humanity. We will learn how to be present and to stay connected and how to flow in life in a “beautiful way”.

Friday 11th October 2019  
4 Tobacco Half Moon Ceremony
start 10pm
latest arrival 8pm

Friday Temazcal - Sweat Lodge
start at 1pm
latest arrival 12pm

About Temazcal

Location: Secluded farm North East London (Romford - nearest station Hainault)  

TIMES

Ceremony starts at 10pm and we kindly ask everyone to arrive no later than 8pm. If you would like to take your time to settle in the space and and offer a hand in the preparation, you can arrive anytime from 10am.

If you are joining us for Temazcal - Sweat Lodge please arrive no later than 12pm. We go in at 1pm.

LOCATION

The location’s closest station is Hainault, it is on a beautiful piece of land surrounded by nature. By confirming your attendance, we will send you details of the address closer to the time.

THIS IS PLASTIC AND WASTE FREE RETREAT.

CONTRIBUTION

The contribution for the Ceremony is £130 and the Sweat lodge is £40  

PARKING

Please note: there is limited parking on site, therefore we strongly encourage you to share lifts that you can organize on the event page on Facebook. If you want to arrive by car can you please email us at healingthelandproject@gmail.com to reserve a place. The contribution for parking is £5. This goes straight to the farm. Please note that if you haven’t you might get turned away.

TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE

To reserve your place please make a deposit via bank transfer of £50 (non refundable). The rest can be paid in cash on your arrival.
Paypal: healingthelandproject@gmail.com

BANK DETAILS 
Healing the Land Project
Sort Code: 400203
Acc: 32091941

When paying your deposit please use: Halfmoon and your full name as reference only.

Once you have made the transfer please confirm with us via email.

WHAT TO BRING?

As we will be sitting up around the fire through the night in the teepee it is important that you feel comfortable. Please bare in mind that the teepee can get full as this is a popular circle, so only bring what you need in with you.

We suggest that you bring:

- Something comfortable to sit on: cushion, blanket, meditation cushion, back jack, etc

- Comfortable clothing (we pray for good weather, but come prepared if it rains or gets cold)

- And we ask that, in keeping with this tradition, women wear long skirts during the ceremony

- Flashlight

- Extra bedding for during the daytime if you intend to rest (it is possible for you to bring your own tent which you can pitch up in the surrounding area for rest time during the day also)

- During the day time we will share food, please bring fruits to contribute and anything else you may like to eat

- This is a collective prayer where we will focus on a main intention through the night, however this is a great opportunity to bring with you your own personal prayer and intention for the ceremony

We look forward to sitting with you around the fire

Much love

Shimmering Hearts

Wet wipes are banned due to people leaving them used around the farm and also clogging and flooding the toilets. There is a sink you are welcome to have a wash using soap and own small towel. You are responsible for removing your own rubbish at the end.

The farm is a sacred space and is used to run projects for vulnerable people.

· Don’t drive minicabs in

· No recreational drugs at least 1 week before

· Look after your sacred energy

 *UNDER NOT CIRCUMSTANCES BLOCK THE WAY OUT OF THE FARM WITH YOU CAR*

Dogs are not allow in the farm any more.

PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE TRYING OUR BEST TO MINIMISE THE IMAPCT OF OUR RETREATS IN THE FARM AND ALSO WE ARE TRYING TO WALK THE TALK.

MEXICA HALF MOON CEREMONY

Guide

KEY PEOPLE IN THE CEREMONY

Road Man: Guides the Ceremony

Fire Keeper: Person who works the fire all night

Door person: Person in charge of helping the fire keeper and helping everyone in the Teepee.

Water drummer: Drummer for the singing- the carrier of the heart beat of the ceremony

Cedar person: Person that puts cedar as an offering each time the Road Man directs.

Water Prayer: Takes place around midnight and the Road Man or a person chosen by him does it.

Sacred Women: These are the chosen women that will prepare the sacreds (water, corn, deer meat and fruit). This will come into the Teepee after sunrise.

 All ladies should be wearing long skirts and all participants should be wearing light colours.

1.   Main prayer will be presented at the beginning. The main prayer is the “purpose” of the meeting. It is tradition to chose the reason why we are doing this ceremony.  

2.   Ceremony starts around 10pm. 

3.   You will be sitting up all night looking into the grandfather fire. It is recommended that you bring a small cushion or backrest to sit on and that is all you will need. Please leave all additional bags up in the designated area.

 4.   We move inside the Teepee in a clockwise direction. This includes the singing, the medicine and walking out of the Teepee to the toilet.

5.   Move in clockwise direction when leaving, do not pass behind the fire keeper, do not cross the medicine or the water drum at any point. If in doubt, please wait for the doorman who will be there to assist you.

6.   You will not need a water bottle during ceremony. There will be no water consumed until the Water Prayer -little after midnight - Please do not drink your own drinks during ceremony. During the Water Prayer everybody should focus in the prayer in that specific moment. After the prayer is finished the water will be passed person to person and we will each pour a small cup to drink, there is no need to hold the water and pray anymore, time is of the essence, drink quickly so as not to become stagnant.

7.   Midnight water and water prayer- at midnight the water enters the room. When the sacred water enters in the room it is important to get up onto your knees or kneel for the water. One person will pray for the water. As the water comes around in the bucket/glass bottle, simply lift it and move it across, do not turn the bucket. Pour the water and drink it quickly. Again, at this time please don’t hold onto the water or pray anymore. The water has already been prayed for and this will allow the ceremony to flow better and bring the power of the collective prayer.

8.   Singing: 4 songs per person each round- please try to sing to all the elements equally to keep the energy balanced and strong. Singing in front of a group of people may feel a bit challenging for many people. Please don’t feel any pressure to sing. We sing only to connect to the creator and to the elements. Singing should come from the heart, it is our way to say: Hey creator, Hey Great Spirit, I am here! You can sing in your mother tongue and something as an offering to creation. It will be great if you can sing songs from the Native American tradition, especially because they were created for these specific rituals. But we know this can take some time for some people to learn, so no pressure.

You can find songs and lyrics in our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Shimmeringheartsweatldoge/

9.   Singing will be accompanied by the water drum. The water drum is one of the most important elements in the ceremony as it carries the heartbeat of the ceremony. You will start singing only once the rattle and staff have been passed to you and the water drummer is beside you ready to go. Do not play the rattle too hard it is delicate.  Once you finish you will pass the rattle and the staff to the person on the left of you. If you are not singing just pass the rattle and the staff to the person next to you.

10. During the ceremony sacred Tobacco will be lit and may be passed around for everyone to pray. You will hold the Tobacco with your left hand with the lit part pointing to your heart. Please don’t inhale the Tobacco.  Tobacco is not to be inhaled; it is to pray. Only ever think good thoughts when a Tobacco is lit as it is a very very powerful medicine, which manifests anything you are thinking in that moment.

11. There will be moments when the “Cedar Person” will put Cedar in the fire for everybody to bless. Sometimes the Cedar will be for the water or for another reason. Please try to be mindful and only bless yourself when the Cedar is for you or for the group. The roadman will let us know what the Cedar will be for. You can simply use your hands to draw the smoke from the fire and pat your body where it is needed.

12. Please do not interrupt the ceremony or stand up while someone is singing or when the Road Man is talking. If you need to go outside ask permission and the Road man will indicate you the right moment to leave the Teepee.

13. The Sacred Offering: In the morning when the sacred water and food’s come around (water, corn, deer meat and fruit) please keep each of the bowls together, take a few pieces and pass it on quickly don’t hold onto the bowl. Eat what you take, remember it is an offering.

14. Always wait until the singing stops before getting up to go to the toilet. If you go outside to the toilet, please do not use wet wipes as they are banned, due to someone leaving them around the farm, they are not biodegradable.

15. If you need to get well, please do so by the grandfather fire or as directed by the roadman, can sometimes be outside or in wellness bucket.

16. Throughout the night always pray for what you want always rather than what you don’t want.

17.  Bring an open loving heart.

18. Please do not mix any other medicines during this retreat it is dangerous and you will be asked to leave immediately

OMETEOTL !