What are they?

They are group events whereby the participants consciously connect with the life-force of the Universe to bring about healing (meaning making whole) for a living being. This can be a person or a group of people, an animal, plant, place or thought form.

In indigenous cultures it is quite normal for people to receive healing, or therapy as we often call it in the west, in the midst of a whole group of people. If someone in the tribe is not well it is considered to affect the whole community and therefore everyone is concerned about the healing of the individual and expects to benefit from participating in the ritual and helping to facilitate the individuals’ well-being.

This of course has a fantastic positive effect on the functioning of community. We have lost some of the benefits of community healing by working in one to one situations in isolated therapy rooms.

Many therapists are aware that if a session flows well the therapist benefits as much as the client and the healing power happens in the open and safe space that is created between the two people.

In my experience the greatest healing takes place when the meeting between client, therapist and spirit is balanced. The Community Healing Ceremony aims to create this balance with the intent to maximize the healing power for everyone concerned. All participants, including the patient acknowledge the Universal Life-force as a power greater than the individual self which can be directed for healing. However it is not necessary to be part of any religious community or belief system and no particular religious customs are being observed.

The work is centred around the holistic principle of unity of body feeling, heart, mind and spirit and the interconnectedness of all things. Invoking and directing of the universal life-force which some may call spirit, god, love, presence, healing power or many other names is an essential part of the ceremony It is therefore important that a sacred space is created in which the healing can take place and that all participants have full integrity and clear intent.

The ceremony can have many structures and often direct guidance is sought from Spirit as to what is appropriate at the time.

A Place for Patients, Witnesses and Healers

There is a place for patients, witnesses and healers. There is no place for onlookers. The person who is the focus of the healing ceremony must have made a request for it. If the patient is incapable of doing this it can also be done by someone on their behalf who is genuinely concerned about the patient’s well being. A lot of energy gets generated by a true plea for help and this is needed to pull the participants together. 

A ceremony is not going have much power if it is called for entertainment or indulgence. The patient always needs to be fully informed of what constitutes the ceremony and must have given consent on all aspects. It is made dear and understood by everyone involved that confidentiality is to be observed and no one is to talk outside the ceremony about the patients story or specifics that happened during the ceremony without explicit permission of those involved.

Our Current Model

I will now describe one model that we are currently following in the ceremonies and the role of the various participant that make up the community.

One of the key principles of the ceremony is the circle. In a circle the energy goes round, multiplies and reinforces everyone’s intent. All equalizes in the circle and there is no hierarchy. It is often useful to have someone guiding the stages of the ceremony. This is a serving position and holds no exclusive power however.

In the ceremony we have several concentric circles:

• Spirit is in the middle - in the most powerful place.

• Also in the middle is the focus of the Community Healing Ceremony. The patient is the person who has asked for help. It is someone who has come to a very stuck place in life or who is so ill that they cannot empower themselves and need to receive. The title patient indicates a state of waiting to receive as supposed to titles like client, seeker, disabled person or pupil, which can indicate a more active phase in the healing process.

• Around the centre is a circle of core therapists who will work directly on the patient with body and energy work when appropriate. This could include hands on work, the use of essences, sound, colour, breath, visualisation and hands off vibrational healing. One or two of the therapists work with the patient in the follow up to the Community Healing Ceremony.

• The patient and therapists are surrounded by a circle of friends and family of the patient. They act as witnesses to the request and healing process of their friend or family member. They hold the intention of a positive outcome, observe carefully and remember in their hearts what they see, feel and hear during the ceremony. The patient may call upon them later for support and record keeping.

• A circle of flowers, leaves etc. will surround the first circles, representing nature and the earth powers.

• All this will be surrounded by a circle of healers who will hold the sacred space, support the other circles and direct the universal life energy for the purpose of healing.

Participants stay in the circle as it is formed but they can sit, stand or move if called to do so. They can work energetically in a variety of ways, with symbols, mantras, mudras, chi kung, Reiki, light healing, toning, sacred music, meditation, prayer, mutation, shamanic work etc. but always keeping in mind that besides invoking and directing, their job is to ground the energies and prevent the space from leaking out.

The concentric circles need to work in harmony for the ceremony to reach its full potential.

A Possible Flow of Ceremony

After preparing the space physically and the participants having cleansed themselves (smudge or spray can be helpful here) they gather and the patient is made comfortable.

The ceremony starts with everyone in one big circle around the patient and moving in a clockwise direction. Singing or toning is a possibility here. 

After a while the circle of healers finds its place and the other two circles continue to move. A little later the circle of family and friends finds its place. The therapists continue around the patient till everyone organically comes to a still point. Each circle has hands joined and a silence, text or prayer time is held so everyone can tune into their position.

The patient or representative communicates the plea for help. Any supportive stories from friends and family can be told at this moment.

A tibetan bowl or equivalent is played and with song and gesture the spirit helpers are invoked. Everyone’s attention is on bringing healing energy in.

People let go of hands. The outer circles can sit down if they prefer and hold their special attention whilst the core therapists begin to work on the patient directly till they feel the process is complete or time has run out.

They end by circling the patient, hands touching lightly. Everyone in each circle does the same. They give thanks to the outer circles, friends and family give thanks to the outer circle, the outer circle gives thanks to Spirit and turn back in. Everyone in turn faces the centre. This process is like a moving mandala.

The client is invited to share some of their experience. After that each of the circles are invited to share from the heart and with true speech about their experience.

The Ceremony finishes by gathering slowly around the patient and feeling the love that is generated as a group. Together a gesture of gratitude is made, from the heart everyone thanks the helpers from the sky, the earth and the helpers of all the cosmic realms. Then everyone acknowledges each other with namaste and sometimes a hug. Often the flowers are thrown up to the sky or a song ends the Ceremony. There is a vessel with water for washing hands on the way out.

A short joyful celebration with tea and cake provided by the patient completes the event.