Ravenous- A New Tradition

Ravenous is:

A Community Seance
A Healing Ceremony
A Theatrical Performance
Improvisational Magic
Women’s Work

Ravenous was created and intuited by three Bird Women in the monsoon summer of 2018 (gregorian year) as an opportunity to raise the passion so we, as Bird Beings, and Humans, can elevate any amount of pain and anger so that the Birds, Trees and Creation can transform it into helpful energy for the Mother Earth and all who depend on her.

On February 2, 2019, during the dark of the moon and the halfway point between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, our ceremony began like this…

a voice says…

We humans, floating in the mayhem created by collective humanity, ask for our Bird Allies, the ones who fly between our world and the world above, to soar and dive down to us, as we need your help. We call to you, Parliment of Owls, Conspiracy of Ravens and Funeral of Vultures to assist us in ways only you can. Appetites divided, feathers united, we call upon our winged friends. We ask Raven and Vulture, the transformers of death, to eat the decaying feelings that weigh us down in this realm. We ask Owl, the transmuter of life, to help us take the offered energy so we can feel a rise in our Spirits and stay bouyant in this troubling world.

These birds, transmuters of Life and transformers of Death, have absorbed the stories of all victims of Human mayhem. They know us best. Their tribes have watched, and eaten, our traumas, our dramas with each other, and the pain we have caused other Beings. Our stories are in their bones, beaks and feathers. Our Seance asks that the thoughtful Raven, patient Vulture and powerful Owl help us open a safe and sacred portal so we can offer the energy of emotions that are weighing us down. As we agree to offer our pain and anger to be transformed and transmuted, the collective energy will become a powerful gift to be used for good in this beautiful and challenging place. This is our intention. We can do it if we become Birds of a Feather.

As Earth honoring Humans, we recognize the power of the circle. Our bird allies understand the circle. Some make many circles, some make only one. Circles end where they begin, as they begin once more. The great circle of the Earth contains the directions, which hold the many places called Home by the ones who live there. We live here. The center of our circle is here, and everywhere, especially within our own hearts.

To open our portal we honor the Ravens, Vultures and Owls who fly in the four directions. We ask that the four directions rise together and admit us into sacred space. May our wings of flight carry us to each corner of our sacred land as we ask for their blessings and protection.

We honor the wings of the East, the land of the great mountains and rising sun

We honor the wings of the South, the land of the Sajuaros and potent heat

We honor the wings of the West, the land of misty tree cathedrals and the mighty ocean

We honor the wings of the North, the land of snow makers and powerful cold

The axis of this circle is the Tree of Life. The One who holds up the world by breathing in what it needs and breathing out what we need. The Circle of Life is Breath.

We honor the roots of the underworld, that house the ones who live below.

We honor the branches that rise to the upperworld, that house the nests of so many

We honor the trunk, which houses our home in the middleworld, and the portal to all worlds, our hearts.

We call upon our Tree kin now, to help us breathe and open our heart portals so we can transform and transmute harmful energy into that which is helpful to us, and all Life.

These Humans who have been called to become Transformers of Death and Transmuter of Life are ready to gather the potent emotions you have to offer the Tree of Life, to lighten our Spirits with the help of benevolent Ancestors and Guides.

We are safe here. We are protected here. Together, we are Birds of a Feather.

Then, one by one, We birds arrive to help the humans with their heavy emotions caused by the being in this world. In full Bird regalia, we are Raven, Vulture and Owl. Anger is the message and the clearing from Raven. Next comes Vulture. Pain, specifically emotional pain, is the message and the clearing from Vulture. Finally Owl swoops in. Release, Upliftment and Courage is the message and the clearing from Owl. We seal the message and clearing by calling upon our Teacher Tree to help us be grounded in the Earth. Collective Rhythm helps us “shake it out”, to return to this world. Hopefully feeling a bit lighter and more connected to the Web of Life. This ceremony is offered as part of the healing ministry of the Web of Life Animist church.

We have hosted this ceremony twice, and we will again.

Until then Humans, many blessings to you,

Video by Lisa

Ravenous was an amazing clearing ceremony for our community in a time of injustices and frustrations with the world at large. We were able to go deep within ourselves and experience the repressed anger we feel about the world today . We offered these misguided emotions to our bird friends to allow them to take a small part of it away with them to help us clear and be embodied again . I recommend this ceremony for the release , the beauty of the costumes and the depth of emotion. Absolutely loved it and felt much better because of it.
Lisa C

Often times in life feelings get trapped inside our bodies.
We can go for days or weeks or years not even really comprehending this phenomenon, until we get sick or start feeling down or wonder why we’re not eating or sleeping or enjoying life as much as we use to.
If we don’t recognize the warning signs, we could end
up sick. Self-care is extremely important at this point. Reaching out for help from others is also vital. That’s why I decided to go
to Ravenous, a Web of Life event. The presenters seemed to put into words and action all the things I had been feeling and holding in. They helped me to release those things and to love and honor myself a little bit more. I’m very grateful for Web of Life Intuitive shamanic animists.
Reeve