Over the next ten days, the Days of Silence, you will set aside time for Sacred Dance Meditation for a few periods throughout each day, preferably at the same time, such as upon awakening or just before you eat a meal. The idea is to find a time that isn’t taxing for you.
You’ll want to set aside as much time as you need for the Reflection Periods. If you’ve been following this work for a while, please have your journal nearby. You may want a fresh, blank journal that you can use for these personal retreats.
As you dance through the next ten days, the goal is to be silent as often as possible. If you need to participate in sacred days or feasts during this time, that’s fine. But every time you must say something, speak from Spirit and use as few words as possible. Otherwise, eliminate conversation without being impolite and disengage with television, radio, or any mass communication. Stay away from news media of any kind and the internet, email, etc., unless you must. Even then, set limits on when you will get online. Lastly, keep your participation in the Days of Silence between you and your Higher Power.
Select the Sacred Dance Meditations from January, February, and March to aid your retreat. During the ten days, reflect on what you’ve learned from your Shadow, and embrace your inner mysticism. Here is the schedule:
Reflection Period for Day 1, 2, and 3—Review the four cardinal directions and above and below in finding your location; also review the use of the sacred elements. Consider how these affect your body, and meditate on them.
Reflection Period for Day 4, 5, and 6—For the next three days, feel and live the body mandala concept as you engage in your sacred dance, as you move throughout your day. Recall the body mandala when you lay down for bed at night.
Reflection Period for Day 7 and 8—Review what you have learned from your Shadow.
Reflection Period for Day 9—Have you fully grown into a mystic?
Reflection Period for Day 10—How many spiritual experiences have you provoked? What can you say about the use of sacred and spiritual altars in your home? Have you engaged in sacred geometry?
December 11–20 The Days of Presence and Contemplation
We continue with the personal retreat portion for the month of December. Follow the general directions for December 1–10.
For the next ten days, the goal is to continuously consider the presence of your Higher Power and contemplate your relationship to the Divine. That is, realize how the relationship has grown or deepened. Select the Sacred Dance Meditations from April, May, June, and August to aid your retreat. Here is the schedule:
Reflection Period for Day 11 and 12—How have you harvested your Spirit?
Reflection Period for Day 13 and 14—What are sacred portals? In what ways have you noticed and then walked through sacred portals?
Reflection Period for Day 15 and 16—Note what has occurred in your life from your sacred giving plan. How have you manifested abundance from it? What has changed in you as a result? How does it inform your giving during the Season of Light? How have you changed by adhering to your sacred laughter plan?
Reflection Period for Day 17 and 18—Review your spiritual journey map. What has transpired for you over the time you’ve been engaging with Sacred Dance Meditation? What can you add to your spiritual journey map?
Reflection Period for Day 19 and 20—Is there anything you need to bring into the Light? From the notes you made earlier, or any new awareness you had lately, what aspects of you, your beliefs, and your relationship to others exist that you would like to release? Prepare this on a separate document that you can bring to the Winter Solstice Ceremony.
December 21: Celebrate and Acknowledge the Winter Solstice.
Set up a fragrance bowl, large and visible in your home. Choose citrus, rose, eucalyptus, camphor, or whatever you have available, or what you can buy from your local market. Feel free to use essential oils and flowers too. Bless and charge the water. Ask the Universe to bless the scents and to remind you that you’re dwelling amid powers greater than you who are here to aid your spiritual growth and make your journey fulfilling.
Today, select a Sacred Dance Meditation from the year that resonates with you. If you would prefer, you may choreograph a set of movements of your own. Determine what time of day the winter solstice will occur where you live. Invite people to celebrate with you, or go to a place where there will be celebrating.
Set aside time to acknowledge the moment when the day and night are the same length, and that next moment when we observe the Light. Wear Sacred Dance Attire if you have it, or claim as sacred whatever you will decide to wear; if possible, wear all white. If you’re going in public, you can just wear something white that you have “charged” with Spirit.
Today, recall all the peoples of the ancient worlds who celebrate the winter solstice. Remember their efforts to build Medicine Wheels and pyramids to note the ways in which the planets moved and to be cognizant of the exact moment when the solstice occurred. Reflect on how amazing and wonderful it was that people in all and every cultural civilization celebrated and shared this remarkable moment.
Bring your notes from the reflection period of Day 19 and 20. Review them, and ask your Inner Mystic Dancer if all you need to be released is released. In a safe location where you will not cause a fire or trigger alarms, burn the paper containing your release.
Now, engage in your chosen Sacred Dance Meditation choreography, knowing that you have been moved onward into the Light with other beings who have gone before you and are surely coming behind you.
Using sacred vibrations of your gratitude, slowly pour the water out of your fragrance bowl. If you can, pour it outdoors into the soil.
December 22–31 Living in the Emergence of Light
The personal retreat for Living in the Emergence of Light helps you celebrate your divinity. You’ll want to have as much light flowing into your space as possible for the next ten days, when you’re awake. Continue to practice silence as you move forward over the next ten days. You can select Sacred Dance Meditations from July, September, andOctoberto aid your retreat.
When you can, burn incense of your choice, but try to use natural resins. If you’re able to do so, keep a fire burning in a fireplace, or you can even post a fireplace on your device if you would like. Light candles, and place them around your home or workspace, or use the LED kind. Light candles before your meals, and sit down to eat in peace and quiet. Continue sacred dancing at various points in your day.
Here are concepts covered in the last year that govern the next ten days of reflection as part of Living in the Emergence of Light:
Reflection Period for Day 22 and 23—How has the use of spiritual altars and shrines aided you in recalling the acts of the Divine, as well as remembering you are the Divine with skin on? Also note what you have manifested because of acting upon your creativity plan.
Reflection Period for Day 24 and 25—Have you had any epiphanies? What were they, and how did they help you or your community? What spiritual experiences were noteworthy for you?
Reflection Period for Day 26 and 27—Who have you attracted to you by sowing seeds? By living good deeds? What kinds of disturbances have you experienced as a result? How have you reimagined yourself when gazing in a mirror?
Reflection Period for Day 28 and 29—In your experience, how has truth or dharma helped you become more awakened?
Reflection Period for Day 30 and 31—In what ways have you engaged in sacred play? Have you started taking yourself less seriously? How would this impact your draft of your parting words of prose or poetry? Before the end of the evening, quietly reflect.
As you move into the coming days, ease carefully into talking with people, and remember that you dance sacredly in the Light. Choose what to eat and give. Make certain that you remain connected to your Source, and vow to sacredly dance each day of your life. Also continue using the Practices of Being Awake in Your Mind-Body so that you can refine and realize all your intentions for the good of all for this life.