Burning Yesterday: a fire ritual of letting go.

Crafting My Talisman

Immediately following my first spirit journey, my shaman leads a fire ritual to let go of the past that still hinders peace & growth along my journey.

I don't have a specific craft in mind as I venture into the nearby woods. Following the lovingly guiding energy of my faeries, I gather five pine cones & one large stick before returning to the shaman's yurt.

Lifting each pine cone like a curious child would, I visually examine them as I brainstorm. My thoughts form without my knowing & my hands begin to move in craft-making mode before I know what I'm actually doing.

I tear off one small piece from each pine cone: one pine cone to represent each large bundle of grudges, & one petal of prickly bark from each one to symbolize breaking away the bitterness, tearing my heartache off its roots. All of this is pain & resentment I carry is from people who severely wronged & wounded me, damaging an important part of my spirit that never quite healed properly; rather, it merely coped to survive, never knowing how to thrive.

Next, I gently lift coloured yarn from the craft box: first green; then yellow; needing a third, I settle for pink. Using Scotch tape, I press the pine cone bits against various sections of yarn.

A divine light within me answers my question regarding my selection of yarn colour. The green string represents the power of nature; yellow, the power of the sun & of light; & pink, the power of love. These powers, together, can conquer all—even the demons plaguing my spirit.

I wrap the decorated yarn around my stick, the fabric's colours slightly overlapping as one ends & another begins. This also holds symbolic meaning, as the power of nature, light, & love are all combined within this glorious universe, all affecting & blessing each other, creatively & beautifully.

Addressed to the Flame

Setting my craft aside, I lift my pen & write a letter to the sacrificial fire we are about to ignite:

Let go of

expectations

judgments

bitterness

fear of the unknown

self-loathing

negative thought patterns.

By the power vested in me

& channeled through my faeries & my phoenix,

I RELEASE TH