Kedar S Brown, ceremonialist, healer, intuitive and teacher of psychological and spiritual awareness with over thirty-two years of professional experience will come to Mount of Oaks in May to host a Grief Ritual.
He says, ‘As modern culture has moved further away from the cycles of the natural world we have learned to avoid the natural turning of the wheel of life. We push away the darkness with electric lights and screens, shield ourselves from winter with central heating and heated seats and shy away from our grief with endless entertainment or busy-ness. Indigenous cultures know all to well that night always falls, winter is inevitable and we all experience loss at some point.’
Grief is to be Shared
‘We are not designed to experience our grief lone, however personal it might feel. Since the beginning of time humans have come together to share their grief and help move it though so it doesn’t get stuck in the body and psyche causing lingering sadness, physical pain and disease or disruptive behavior patterns passed down through generations. In indigenous cultures grief rituals are held for the health and wellbeing of the individuals and the community. It is our collective responsibility to hold each other through the most challenging times in life. ‘
Indigenous cultures have always known this. It is only in modern times that we have banished our grief and so we turn to cultures with intact rites and rituals for dealing with grief in community.
What is a Grief Ritual?
‘The Dagara tribe are from Burkina Faso deep in West Africa. One of their respected Elders and medicine men is Malidoma Somé whose first name means “friend of the enemy”. His purpose in life – ascribed to him before birth – is to help bring the teachings of his tribe to the modern world to reconnect us with our hearts. The Grief Ritual offered by Rites of Passage Council is an adaptation of a three day grief ritual traditional in his village.’
Kedar describes the ritual like this – ‘Our version is a closed container that brings 20-40 people together for four days in a beautiful natural setting. Here we create our own village, build community and learn to trust each other. On the last day we collaborate to create a ceremonial space, gather our bundles of grief, and set up the drums. That evening, and often late into the night, we grieve together, as a village, as a people who share a common life experience.’
“This Indigenous African Grief Ritual offers a soul cleansing rite to release grief, lighten our soul and let our true spirit be heard, deepening our sense of balance and fulfillment. From the indigenous perspective, grief is not only for the living community, it is also a source of sustenance for and connection to the ancestors. Our communal tears will flow as a river from this world to the other as an offering that activates connection and healing in both worlds.”
— Kedar S. Brown
What’s Included?
Bring your camping gear and get yourself to the meeting spot – everything else is provided, including:
- Breakfast and dinner each day
- Traditional West African grief ritual
- A beautiful private property to camp, roam and swim (depending on the location you choose)
- The full attention of our dedicated, highly-trained staff
- Drumming movement and poetry
- Instruction in the Four Seasonal Shields of Initiation
- Personal myth making and storytelling
- Self and group generated ceremony
- Ritual process, body centered, group psychotherapy
- Healing ancestral trauma
We will provide you with a full gear list and many more details on the activities after registration
TO REGISTER follow this link
To take part in a live webinar Thursday 27th Feb (7pm UK/Portugese time) register here
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
If you register and cannot attend the live conversation, no problem -it will be recorded and emailed to you after the event.