Rite Mandala

Mandala Art by Shirley Gibson

Suggested Ritual for Hanging a Dream Catcher

Ritual is important because it triggers your subconscious mind into action. In this way the dream catcher becomes an extension of yourself and does what you want it to do.

Before hanging your dream catcher, go through your house and thoughtfully decide in what room you wish to hang your dream catcher. Think about it.

• Do you want it by a window where it will catch rays of light?
• Do you want it over a television set where it may act as a filtering system catching any negative vibrations that can steal in and rob your family of peace and calm, allowing only what is worthy of being remembered to pass through?
• Do you want it over your baby's crib so that while the innocent one sleeps its mind will be blessed with joy and peace?

The next step is to clear the room of negativity and create a sacred space by smudging. If you are uncomfortable with smudging, do what feels comfortable to you. The idea is to clear out negativity and set an intention that this is a sacred, magical, or special object that you are welcoming into your home.

After you clear the space, hang the dream catcher and then say a thank you or a prayer to the six directions.

1. To the Creator, the Never-Ending force that is all, I thank you. (speak directly to Creator Spirit within you)
2. To Mother Earth, the place of nurturing and hope, I thank you. (speak directly to the earth below your feet).
3. To the Spirit of the North, the place of winter and intuitive understanding, of healing, and the place of beginnings and endings, I thank you. (speak facing the direction of North)
4. Spirit of the East, where the sun rises, the place of new beginnings and the promise of Spring, I think you. (speak facing the direction of East)
5. Spirit of the South, place of Summer and rapid growth, the place of our heart and emotions, and the place where we learn survival, and develop a trust in life, I think you. (speak facing the direction of South)
6. Spirit of the West, where the sun sets and we find healing and self knowledge that gives us the power to use our head and our hearts to serve and to teach, I thank you. (speak facing the direction of West)

As you do this ritual, allow yourself to become aware of the higher power of the Universe called by many names: Great Spirit, Heavenly Father, God, Wakan-Tanka, Jehovah, Allah, The Ascendant, All That Is, and allow yourself to feel the presence of the Power within you.

At this point, face the dream catcher , and speak out loud to it and tell the dream catcher what you want it to do. Speak to the object as a friend, for it is your friend, an aspect of yourself.

Close by thanking it it for the goodness it will perform.

Ritual

When you sit down to pray
And then you kneel and then lie flat on your face
When you draw a blank and in disgust you say to the floor
I’m stumped – I’m all out of knowing what to pray for!

Oh! My heart skips a beat!

You let out an exasperated sigh and beat your fists on your head
You say – I give up! Use me for your purpose then!
Make me babble in a crowd – throw me in front of a bus!
I’m done caring about what you do or why you do it!

You think you are punishing me
I think I have never been more in love!

~by Grace Gibson

Ritual Mandala

Ritual

art by Shirley Gibson