Empowered Prayer and Ritual

My introduction to spirituality as a child was through Catholicism and Christianity, and the ways prayer are used in these religions have always felt out of alignment with me.

Plant medicines have taught me alot about the energetics of Prayer. I have learned that when I am praying for healing, clarity, inspiration for my work, or guidance in a struggle I am navigating, these prayers are not met through rehearsed or recited words to an invisible God.

They are met through the embodiment of the energetic and emotional state of being behind them.

They are met through opening myself to receive guidance from spirit and the plants I work with, and making the commitment to act on what is received in an aligned way.

They are met through taking full accountability for the ways I act, think, and live that are out of alignment with my prayers, and consciously choosing to make changes.

They are met through a recognition that I am not praying to something outside of myself or depending on an external force to solve my problems for me, but connecting to an aspect of my spirit that is manifested in the form of whatever I am praying to.

For me, one of the most important aspects of Prayer is "ayni"/reciprocity through giving an offering before making a request. This offering can be as simple as heartfelt gratitude, tobacco or herbs that I have infused with my gratitude and intentions. Sometimes for stronger prayers it is an elaborate offering I put alot of time and energy into making, something of great sentimental value or a ceremonial object that is personally significant to me that I Bury in the ground, offer to a fire, or give to a body of water, or working with my menstrual blood.

For me, ritual and empowered Prayer is the essence of any work with plant medicine. I open any ceremonial space by cultivating and expressing gratitude and making an offering to the plant.

There are varying perspectives when it comes to setting a clear or specific intention when working with a plant medicine, but personally I find it absolutely necessary. There is so much power in spoken word and clearly stating a prayer with the voice, it is as if speaking it grounds it into physical reality and represents a commitment to doing my part.

Plant medicines have been my greatest teacher of ritual, in particular Cacao, Rose, and Ayahuasca. In the darkest times of my healing journey--healing myself of tumor from indigenous witchcraft, healing some really dark history in my ancestral lineage, and times I felt completely hopeless and wanted to give up, I would pray with a plant and they would guide me through ritual to cleanse the energy behind what I was facing.

I have noticed over time in exploring a variety of indigenous practices, that empowered Prayer in this sense is a common thread woven through many cultures.

As Western people, we have historically become separated from the largely Pagan and Earth Based spiritual practices of our distant ancestors through the widespread implementation of Judeo-Christianity...and engaging in ritual and connection with the Earth, the natural elements, and celestial bodies can be one way to tap into these lost memories that our DNA still holds.

I have learned in my work holding space for Rose Dietas and implementing intuitively guided ritual into someone's process, that this practice of empowered prayer and ritual can indeed be taught in a way that helps to connect to your own intuitive way of implementing them in your healing process.

I am in the process of forming a group of women sometime later this year for a 7 week long container to working with Rose and Cacao, and exploring a wide variety of ritual work and white blood magic that has been taught to me through my work with plant medicines over the last 8 years. This is a container for women who desire to reignite this natural way of cultivating relationships with and harnessing the power the Earth, the elements, the moon, and your blood for self healing and manifestation. Contact me if this calls you for more details!