I just returned from SOULutions annual  Winter Solstice event  I’ve created and facilitated a Winter Solstice Ceremony and BREATH OF LIFE CELEBRATION for  the last six years. Leslie has co-facilitated it with me for the last four.

I love way that the ceremony brings people with backgrounds of various religious faiths and spiritual beliefs together in a way that authentically honors each of these unique individual’s backgrounds and current spiritual beliefs.

I hope that Leslie and I accomplished this tonight. I believe that we did.

Here’s what our ceremony looked like: We  requested that each participant silently go inward and make contact as best as they can with the still place inside and since in to the question: “What intention, inspiration or creation most wants to be born in this upcoming year through me?  What  ”Virgin Birth”  am I willing  to give birth to. (A virgin birth is any inspiration or creation that is of a pure heart and lead by spirit and not fear based ego.)

Read my article: Virgin Birth-Don’t through the Baby Out with the Bathwater by clicking HERE.

What do I most need to let go of …or die to, to make the most room for this intention  to birthed from  the purest heart?

Then, the participants each wrote what they were willing to let go off on a piece of  flash paper.

One at a time, they each walked up and placed this paper into the Source Flame. This is the  candle that represented the Source of ALL Creation and light of the world. This ceremony did not concern itself with  any belief about this Source, only a heartfelt recognition of It and the miracle and mystery that it is , of which each of us is a part.

Then, a seed was taken that represented their own unique  intention for the new year. They blessed it and placed in a little vase containing a small portion of Mother Earth. Water was added to indicate the attention and nurturing that all dreams require to bring in to manifestation.

Finely, a small candle, representing their unique Divine Spark/Essence/Soul was  lit  from the Sources flame.

As you can see, each of the elements in  nature were observed, as is required for any big goal to be realized. The air element is represented by stilling  the mind and focusing on an intention to manifest and something to let go of. Earth represents grounding and structure; The Water that was added to the seed reminds us to charge this intention with our emotional energy and to nurture it by giving it regular attention; The Fire is represented by the individual flame from each of our candles and reminds us of the fiery action needed and Spirit is represented by the Source candle from which each of our individual flames were lit.

The name  that we used to remind us of the  formula for creation is I AM. Intention + Attention = Manifestation.

Feel free to add your comments or ask any questions.

Happy Wholidays,

Michael