Invitation to an Earth Healing Circle in Bat Cave, North Carolina
I am seeking 6-8 co-participants in a regular ritual circle, to pray and do magic for Earth Healing here on my beautiful land
in Bat Cave, North Carolina, either once a moon or once a season.
(Scroll to the bottom to read briefly about who I am and what the Earth Healing Circle is.)
My ritual to invite you to the Circle...
On a late winter morning when the moon is nearly full, I light a small fire in my FIRE CIRCLE on the hill. I overlook the barn with the goats who are watching, the fields and the rising hills beyond the wooded creek. To the fire I offer sage, rosemary, and juniper, and I recite aloud the prayer my mother wrote when we first started this ritual together: a prayer that Earth Healing happen through me.
I begin by thanking my mother for the original inspiration, and then thanking Mother Earth.
I purify myself for my intention with scent and sound. “I purify my heart, my voice, and my center of magic (my womb). I purify this place, and all that is conscious and unconscious in me.”
I face each direction and call IN this PLACE with rattle and words. From the East where the sun rises, purifying and initiating me into my purpose. From the South where the creek runs down into the world, where the work of life happens. From the West where the sun surrenders, reminding us to do the deep work. From the North, up the mountain, where winter performs its rite of silence and speaks its truth. I step into the center and lift my heart to the Sky where all is possible—unpredictable blessings of rain, wind, sun. I lower my heart to the earth: Mother of transformation and endless renewal, this is for You.
Within myself, I integrate all directions, that I might be a channel for healing and enact the prayer.
I walk the circle, calling in my goddesses and gods, my ancestors, the guardians of this place—the turkeys, the barred and screech owls, the salamanders, the hemlocks and hollies, the sourwoods and walnut trees, and everyone…
“This ritual is to call in the people who align with my intention for Earth Healing prayer.”
I SPEAK THE INTENTION OF THIS CIRCLE… to honor, bless, and reaffirm the cycles and wholeness of the Mother Earth and all Her beings, to reconnect the web of life through ritual and prayer.
I offer this prayer to the FIRE, send it up in smoke. Fire, gather us in your ancestral, communal warmth; motivate and inspire us.
I call this prayer into the AIR. Air, fly my intention—“May it reach you. May I recognize you, co-participants in this Ritual.”
“I sanctify this place for the Earth Healing Circle.”
Now I cross the creek to the STANDING STONES, great crooked boulders leaning together in formations where two creeks join. I give my offering, a string of amethyst stones. I ground and listen.
“May this venture have firm foundations, clear and real. I call in people who are reliable and serious in their intent. I call in stability.”
I let images come to my mind—circling energy—and I listen to what comes—the creek like murmurings of voices—and I feel what I feel with my touch—one hand cozy within my glove, one hand out in the winter air inviting. Holding balance. In the stillness of Stone, I feel how transformation can happen within the crucible of my body.
I send my intention into the STONE—stones being conduits and holders of energy, messengers between us and the Earth. “May I myself be true and unwavering in my commitment, and not lose heart.”
“I sanctify this place for the Earth Healing Circle.”
Now I cross back over to the CLEARING BY THE CREEK, where I and others have held this ritual before. To the creek I offer water infused with rose petals and herbs.
I feel the bright sweetness, a sense of loving connection here. I try to feel who you are, who you may be, who will come and do ritual here with me. I feel how you will have your own magics I can’t yet imagine, your own powers and wisdoms. What medicines you have! I can feel that.
I sing the song I created long before, for blessing each being of Earth whom we wish to heal and restore. When you come and join me, we can sing this song together, along with other songs you may bring. Stepping one step around the circle with each refrain, I bless:
The waters. The deserts and savannas, the jungles and boreal forests, the mountains and all the ecosystems. The trees from root to flower to sky, all their community. The insects everywhere and all the transformative work they do. The whales and corals and deepsea ecosystems and plankton. The flowers and grasses. The indigenous peoples and all peoples. The stones and healthy soil and all the decomposers and creators within.
I sing and bless whoever comes to mind until I have completed one circle. I ask for the blessing of WATER to connect us. Love, trust, surrender, intuitive connection, humility to each other’s wisdom. Flow.
All this blessing I put in a leaf and send it down the river to you. At first it gets stuck, it’s a little shy—so I get down beside it and give it a hand.
“I sanctify this place for the Earth Healing Circle.”
Lastly I walk back up the hill into the PINE FOREST. I imagine us doing deep magic here. The pines are a real community, with their own concerns and knowledge. To them I offer: my presence. My breath.
How are you? I listen WITHIN. I feel their dignity and their pride.
I feel that my own healing is to be able to form and facilitate this Ritual Circle. I feel my own self-doubt. My healing is to surrender to my own possibilities, to offer myself, to not be afraid. To have faith. I feel deep gratitude for this land and the abundance that allows me to offer this space.
I call you in. Come join me, if you feel yourself aligned with this intention! May we meet now. May we recognize each other.
“I sanctify this place for the Earth Healing Circle.”
I lie back under the trees and release the circle, for now. I feel some final tension within my heart relax.
I enter back into this life, and I am looking for you, Ritual partners. I feel grateful.
What is the Earth Healing Circle?
In order to change the world, we must first dream up the change we wish to see. A ritual, to me, is like a dream we create. When we’re doing ritual and making prayers, we become the ritual, and we become the prayers. Not only do we make magic, but we also transform ourselves by our words, our intentions, and the unexpected shifts that happen in the process of the ritual. This is the magic.
I am an author of mythical stories, and myths are basically rituals in written-story form. I love doing ritual. I have a dream of forming a group who will do ritual with me, who will contribute their own magic that harmonizes with mine to love the Earth together. I believe it is one of the ancient purposes of humanity to honor, bless, and support the cycles of nature through ritual, to be conduits of healing and reaffirm the wholeness of the world.
I will lead a basic ritual structure, but anyone who wishes to can also take turns leading prayers, visualizations, dances, songs, meditations, deep journeys, and whatever creative magic we’re inspired to contribute! The process will evolve as we go. We will pray and do magic for Earth Healing together—specifically for the healing of animals, plants, and ecosystems. This involves blessing, expressing gratitude and tenderness, supporting the cycles, listening, and sometimes grieving—honoring the great losses the Earth is experiencing at this time through our tears. It involves dreaming up a healed and reconnected web of life, reimagining ourselves as vessels of healing and love who return to our everyday lives as blessers of Mother Earth in all that we do. In being agents of healing, we also heal ourselves.
To get a sense of my perspective and the kind of ritual I do, please read the story above, about the ritual I made to initiate this Circle and invite you to it.
If you feel aligned and might be interested, please contact me using my CONTACT FORM—and tell me the best way to reach you.
