Guidelines, Safety and Space Holding
We are committed to creating a healthy ceremonial space that supports indigenous
elders to impart their traditional wisdom teachings in an environment that includes
individuals, children and families.
Illness If you or a family member have been exposed to any illness, feel ill or have a temperature the day of the ceremony, please take care by staying home. We are happy to give you a partial refund.
Our ceremonies are held as private gatherings where every person attending is known
and trusted by someone in the group. Every participant is invited by someone in our circle.
These guidelines help us to focus, learn, and receive the blessings that come with
these gatherings. It has taken many decades to build these bridges with our indigenous elders; thank you for helping us take care, so we can continue the healing and repair for future generations.
● Smoking of any kind is allowed in designated areas per site rules and the
ceremonial requests of our elders and space tenders.
● Please leave recreational drugs & alcohol at home.
● No tolerance policy for inappropriate behavior which includes: actions that
violate others boundaries or put others in danger, conscious disrespect to
agreements, sacred spaces or requests.
● We reserve the right to deny attendance to anyone if we determine such action is
necessary.
● Prayer, healing & trance look different for different people. During ceremony, please
recognize that you don’t know the level of trance someone is in and you should
refrain from talking to them or touching them unless a ceremonial holder calls
upon you to offer safety or support.
● Please remember that we are each, no matter what our role for any given
gathering, an ambassador of this circle and our peoples, families, communities.
● Each role is within itself an opportunity for ceremonial training and is part of the
circle that makes the ceremony itself.
● Please be prepared to joyfully embody the roles you commit to, with whatever tools you
have to be of help, assistance, adding to something beyond your personal needs, so that you
can leave the land & community better than you found it.
● We invite you to honor the energies of the ceremony, by carrying yourself
with presence and awareness. Uncomfortable energies can act as hooks for us personally
and for the whole circle we are part of. Should challenges arise we ask folxs to take time
to reflect and try to harmonize the energies within before working it out with others.
● When unclear of your position or service in ceremonial spaces, ask for
instructions, honoring that there is a time and space outside of the ceremonial
container for discussions.
● Various lineages, have different protocol around honoring moontime. Women who
may be on their moontime during the ceremonies should check in with one of our fire
tenders to find out if there are any guidelines on how to honor this powerful energy.
● Please allow the elders to rest, eat and replenish their energy when we are not in circle
or ceremony.
● We ask people to be on time, be self-sufficient, to help out with what needs to be
done, to be attentive to the needs of our elders, youth and children, and each other.
● There will be a lost and found for items left in the community spaces. Please visit this space
before departure and do your best to manage personal items.
Sharing & Listening
Specific process for addressing concerns:
If you have taken the time to reflect upon your concern and feel you need additional support to remedy it, please reach out to the person that seems most appropriate for the situation. Depending upon the situation, we can offer a mediated listening structure or talking circle/council to clear up misunderstandings and/or establish enough harmony to be together in ceremony. When there is not enough skill or capacity to work out conflicts, we will practice letting go, offering space so that conflicts can be addressed at a more responsible time.
(These guidelines have been modified for Community Village and originated from Earth Peoples United, Spirit Fire and Community Village online facilitators.)
We are committed to creating a healthy ceremonial space that supports indigenous
elders to impart their traditional wisdom teachings in an environment that includes
individuals, children and families.
Illness If you or a family member have been exposed to any illness, feel ill or have a temperature the day of the ceremony, please take care by staying home. We are happy to give you a partial refund.
Our ceremonies are held as private gatherings where every person attending is known
and trusted by someone in the group. Every participant is invited by someone in our circle.
These guidelines help us to focus, learn, and receive the blessings that come with
these gatherings. It has taken many decades to build these bridges with our indigenous elders; thank you for helping us take care, so we can continue the healing and repair for future generations.
● Smoking of any kind is allowed in designated areas per site rules and the
ceremonial requests of our elders and space tenders.
● Please leave recreational drugs & alcohol at home.
● No tolerance policy for inappropriate behavior which includes: actions that
violate others boundaries or put others in danger, conscious disrespect to
agreements, sacred spaces or requests.
● We reserve the right to deny attendance to anyone if we determine such action is
necessary.
● Prayer, healing & trance look different for different people. During ceremony, please
recognize that you don’t know the level of trance someone is in and you should
refrain from talking to them or touching them unless a ceremonial holder calls
upon you to offer safety or support.
● Please remember that we are each, no matter what our role for any given
gathering, an ambassador of this circle and our peoples, families, communities.
● Each role is within itself an opportunity for ceremonial training and is part of the
circle that makes the ceremony itself.
● Please be prepared to joyfully embody the roles you commit to, with whatever tools you
have to be of help, assistance, adding to something beyond your personal needs, so that you
can leave the land & community better than you found it.
● We invite you to honor the energies of the ceremony, by carrying yourself
with presence and awareness. Uncomfortable energies can act as hooks for us personally
and for the whole circle we are part of. Should challenges arise we ask folxs to take time
to reflect and try to harmonize the energies within before working it out with others.
● When unclear of your position or service in ceremonial spaces, ask for
instructions, honoring that there is a time and space outside of the ceremonial
container for discussions.
● Various lineages, have different protocol around honoring moontime. Women who
may be on their moontime during the ceremonies should check in with one of our fire
tenders to find out if there are any guidelines on how to honor this powerful energy.
● Please allow the elders to rest, eat and replenish their energy when we are not in circle
or ceremony.
● We ask people to be on time, be self-sufficient, to help out with what needs to be
done, to be attentive to the needs of our elders, youth and children, and each other.
● There will be a lost and found for items left in the community spaces. Please visit this space
before departure and do your best to manage personal items.
Sharing & Listening
- We come with an open mind, listen and are mindful of self and others
- We listen & speak from the heart of our own experience
- We are mindful of time; we are in a shared space
- We practice confidentiality: what’s shared in circle stays in circle and the lessons gained can be shared beyond circle
- We practice being aware of (and working responsibly with) our own bodily and emotional responses
- We are all equally invited to share when we are sharing and not to feel pressured if we don’t feel called
- We allow ourselves to be present while listening and spontaneous while sharing
- We honor this circle as an intentional space to bring our wholeness; if we are needing more support for what happens in circle we will check in with a facilitator/holder.
Specific process for addressing concerns:
If you have taken the time to reflect upon your concern and feel you need additional support to remedy it, please reach out to the person that seems most appropriate for the situation. Depending upon the situation, we can offer a mediated listening structure or talking circle/council to clear up misunderstandings and/or establish enough harmony to be together in ceremony. When there is not enough skill or capacity to work out conflicts, we will practice letting go, offering space so that conflicts can be addressed at a more responsible time.
(These guidelines have been modified for Community Village and originated from Earth Peoples United, Spirit Fire and Community Village online facilitators.)