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Sacred Moments
On July 29th, 2011, I had the privilege of facilitating one of the most important sacred events in my life: the wedding of my beautiful niece Briana to her beloved Mohannad. It was an incredibly moving experience for me, as Bri and I have shared a special bond ever since she was born. I was 18 when she entered this world, and my role as auntie was one I took very seriously. When she was growing up, we would sing "Me and My Shadow" to each other as she would invariably be thisclosetome whenever we were together. We were inseparable. (I wouldn't be surprised if we were Mom and Daughter in another lifetime!)
Now, 23 years after her birth, I was honored to lead the sacred ritual of her marriage. However, I TOTALLY WIGGED OUT for weeks before the event, worrying about what I was going to say. As a public speaker and Spiritual Director, I have plenty of experience being in front of a crowd and performing services. But this wasn't another keynote gig or a typical Sunday service. It was for Breezers. The stakes were high. I wanted to make it PERFECT.
If you have ever seen me speak in public before, you know that I don't usually deliver programs that are meticulously written or memorized. I like walking (or hooping, in some cases) on the razor's edge of extemporaneous speaking and improvisation. Would I be able to bring that same freshness of approach to this event too, or would I bungle it? No matter how hard I tried to plan, write and orchestrate the ceremony program, I was unable to get anything together other than a high-level outline. The words just wouldn't come, and I knew I'd have to walk the tightrope without a net yet again. Since the emotional stakes were so high, there was only one way I'd be able to get through it without having a complete meltdown: ASK FOR HELP.
About two hours before the ceremony, I set up the altar containing flowers, candles, my mother's urn, my medicine bag, a small cup of water to symbolize the gifts that Mother Earth provides, a large quartz crystal, Mohannad's prayer beads, my sister-in-law Susan's ring, and a few other sacred items. I cleared the entire space with sage and burned rose incense to fill the room with the sweet scent of love. And I prayed. A LOT. I asked my spiritual teachers - especially Jyoti -- and the members of my spiritual communities to be there to support and encourage me. I asked Creator for the words to make the service as profound as possible and promised that I would say anything that was given to me. I called upon the spirits of my ancestors -- (this means you, Ma!) -- my angels, archangels, and ascended masters to fill this room and all who enter it with Divine Love. I closed my prayer with a feeling of gratitude for the opportunity I was given, and trusted that everything would happen exactly as it should.
I am pleased to report that the ceremony went off without a hitch, and I was able to create exactly the kind of deeply personal yet communal experience that Briana and Mohannad were hoping to have. During the service I had only a few seconds where my emotion threatened to take me over, barely keeping myself from transforming into a slobbering mess when I described my bond with Briana. When all was said and done, I was able to enjoy that sacred moment with a heart full of love and gratitude for the energy that I brought and the words that I delivered. Without Spirit's assistance, it wouldn't have unfolded as beautifully as it did.
Is there a sacred moment dancing around your world right now? Is there an opportunity for you to transcend the everyday humdrum and bring some magic and majesty into it? Maybe it's something monumental like a rite of passage, or it could be simply making this Monday the Best Monday Ever. When you want to transform a moment into a Sacred Moment, ask your Source for the help you need, whether it is strength, healing, support, guidance, or words, and trust that it will be delivered to you exactly as you wish it. Ask and ye shall receive, each and every time. Life is so much more juicy when we can bring Spirit into it.
Enjoy the hot, sticky, sultry August days and nights, and I hope that you receive all that you desire. Thank you for your continued support of my work, and make it a wonderful day!
Blessings and love,
Theresa
LIVE JUICY * LET GO * RECEIVE * BE BIG
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