Rites of Passage Events

Reach Out

Interested in planning a rites of passage celebration for yourself or a loved one?

Let’s work together to create a truly magical, mindful and meaningful celebration …

The Irish Goddess Rites of Passage, Blessings and Ceremonies awaken seeds that lie dormant within every woman. In ancient times sacred Rites activated these seeds to educate, empower, and enliven including the triple spiral of Maiden, Mother and Crone energies.

Karen Ward, Moon Mná

Event Details

Circle Format

Our rites of passage celebrations follow the time-honored tradition of the women’s circle. Here are some of the elements of our women’s circles that we can incorporate into your special event:

Circle: We sit together in circle on the floor, gathered around a beautiful central altar space. Women bring their own cushion, blanket or backjack/floor chair to sit on, as per their comfort.

Altar: All of our circles have a spiritual center. We sit around our sacred altar which includes special items representing the elements, the directions, and the seasons and cycles of life. Women are welcome to bring their own sacred items and place on our shared altar.

Ceremonial Cacao: Our gatherings always include either sharing ceremonial cacao or herbal tea together, to open our hearts and help us relax into our sacred circle together.

Shamanic Drumming: We open sacred space together and call in the directions, elements and aspects of the seasons and cycles of our lives with drums, bells and rattles. Women are welcome to bring their own drum or sacred noise maker, or I have some rattles and bells to share.

Singing Bowl & Meditation: After a simple cleanse (which involves a special blend of sacred smoke from my own indigenous Irish tradition), we’ll relax to the sound of my crystal singing bowl attuned to the heart chakra, and we’ll have a short heart space meditation, grounding everyone and anchoring them in their own heart spaces.

Sharing Circle: Using the tradition of the talking piece, we move sunwise around the circle, each sister sharing one at a time. When holding our talking piece, it is a time to look within and share from the heart, while everyone else gives their full attention. There are no interruptions and no fixing. It’s a time for sharing and being heard deeply.

Treats & Oracle Cards: Towards the end of our circles, we enjoy some celebratory treats together. This can also be a fun time to choose some oracle cards to gain special messages or additional insight before our circle closes.

For more information about my circles, their format and photos you can visit my Women’s Circles webpage.

Venue

Where you wish to hold you or your friend’s special celebration is up to you. I’m based in south Austin, and am open to travel to locations nearby (south, east, west, central Austin). If your location is further north or out of town, we can discuss a travel fee. I can either come to your home, or you can find a venue to host your special gathering. Scroll down to the end for facilitation fees and package details.

Menarche Celebrations

In addition to our circle format outlined above, here’s a list of some themes, rituals and sharing topics we can include to create a very special coming-of-age gathering for your daughter:

Red Tent Theme: A “Red Tent” themed gathering can include items like a red altar cloth, red roses, red candles, perhaps with some beautiful menstrual art on our altar too. All guests can choose to wear red clothes and bring red-themed foods to share like strawberries, raspberries, red velvet cake etc.

Red Thread Ritual: Everyone gathered to celebrate the young woman (women close to the girl being celebrated and whom she feels comfortable with, like her mom, aunts, grandmother, and significant women in her life), unfurl some red yarn and pass it around the circle so everyone’s holding part of it. The red thread represents the blood of life, our sacred menstrual blood, and connects us to all women who have bleed throughout the millennia, including all our menstruating ancestors. We welcome the girl into this sacred lineage of the red thread and into this ancient tribe of women. We can then each make a bracelet from the red thread, having the woman to our right wrapping it around our wrist, and continuing sunwise around in circle. We finish with all wrapping the remaining piece of red thread around the wrist of the girl being celebrated.

First Period Stories Sharing Round: One option for a sharing topic, is for each woman in circle to share their own experiences of their first period. This could be done while everyone is still holding the red thread. Then the circle can end with the girl being celebrated sharing her first period story, creating a beautiful sense of solidarity and being part of this tribe of women. A beautiful way to end this sharing round is the ceremonial tying of the red thread around each woman’s wrist.

Supportive Advice Sharing Round: As we sip ceremonial cacao together, each woman in circle shares any insight, advice, or stories to support the girl on her journey into womanhood. The sharing prompts can be something like, What I wish I’d been told about my body and my menstrual cycle at your age or What I’ve learned from all my years of having a menstrual cycle that I’d love to share with you. If there’s time, this sharing round could be followed with a more free-style Questions & Answers round where the girl being celebrated can ask some questions about her journey into womanhood.

Blessings & Wishes Sharing Round: A beautiful way to complete a gathering is with each woman sharing wishes and blessings to encourage, empower and celebrate the girl on her journey into womanhood. A nice gesture is if these wishes or blessings have also been prewritten and placed in a special gift box, which is then presented to the girl being celebrated after this sharing round.

Maiden Blessings of Brigid: Brigid is ancient Irish Goddess of new beginnings. I can share a simple Maiden Blessing from Brigid, honoring the young woman’s journey into this new phase of her life. This blessing involves a “Maiden Stone”, which will be a red jasper keepsake for the girl being celebrated.

Fire Release Ceremony: If there’s time and a fire pit available, this fire release ceremony can be a powerful way for the girl being celebrated to acknowledge her journey out of childhood and into womanhood. Everyone gathers around the fire pit and plays drums or sacred noise makers. The girl is given time to think of what she’d like to release that would help her move forward into the fullness of her womanhood. Perhaps it’s something relating to childhood that she is now ready to release. She can write it on paper and when ready toss it into the flames, to the support of the women gathered around her (howls, drum beats, singing welcome!). The girl may choose to share what she wishes to release or keep it private.

Flower Intention & Crowning: The girl has time to ponder what it is she’d like to embody / wish for / manifest for this new phase of her life. While holding a red rose flower crown, she can set that intention. She can choose to share this with others or not. Then the group can crown her with these intentions.

More Ideas & Inspiration: You may be interested in including certain themes, topics and rituals from other rites of passage celebrations too, so scroll down for more ideas!

For more information on my work mentoring young women, visit my Girls Circle page.

Sample Menarche Celebration Schedule

2:30 – 3:00pm: Set Up

3:00 – 3:15pm: Welcome & Settle

3:15 – 3:30pm: Open Sacred Space

3:30pm: Serve Ceremonial Cacao

3:30 – 4:00pm: Red Thread Ritual & First Period Stories Sharing Round

4:00 – 4:30pm: Supportive Advice Sharing Round

4:30 – 5:00pm: Blessings & Wishes Sharing Round

5:00 – 5:15pm: Fire Release & Flower Crowning Ceremonies

5:15 – 5:45pm: Celebratory Treats, (Gifts) & Oracle Card Shares

5:45pm: Close Sacred Space

5:45 – 6:00pm: Clean Up

Bachelorette & Birthday Parties

In addition to our circle format outlined above, here’s a list of some themes, rituals and sharing topics we can include to create a super special, soulful and fun bachelorette or birthday celebration:

Goddess Theme: A Goddess themed celebration can include flowers, crystals and decks of Goddess cards on our central altar space. Guests can choose to wear white clothes (or whatever makes them feel like Goddesses!) or come wearing their own flower crowns. I love to bring along some additional “Goddess Adornments” to my women’s circles and special themed gatherings, including bindis, Indian jewelry, simple flower crowns, hair feathers, and coin belts that the women can adorn themselves with!

Bride-To-Be / Birthday Gal Blessing Sharing Round: As we sip ceremonial cacao together, each person in circle shares wishes, blessings, advice, or stories to support the bride-to-be on her journey into marriage, or birthday wishes and blessings for the guest of honor. These blessings and wishes can be written on paper and placed in a special gift box, which is then presented to her after the sharing round is complete.

Síle na Gig Sacred Sexuality Blessing (Bride-To-Be): Working with my own indigenous Irish tradition, I can offer the bride-to-be a Síle na Gig Sacred Sexuality blessing. Síle na Gig (Faerie Woman of the Vulva) is often referred to as the Irish Goddess of sexuality, and her blessing can assist us in embracing our full unapologetic sexual power as women.

Eriú Sovereignty Blessing (Birthday Gal): This blessing may be more appropriate for a birthday celebration, but both the Síle na Gig Blessings and the Eriú Sovereignty Blessings are available for either a bachelorette or birthday celebration. Goddess Ériu is Ireland’s sovereignty Goddess and gifted her name to the island of Ireland. Receiving her blessing will assist you in feeling powerfully aligned with your soul destiny and connected to your own true north.

Divine Feminine Anointing: Another nice inclusion to a sacred gathering is an anointing of each Goddess with special Divine Feminine oil, with a special group anointing for the bride-to-be or birthday gal.

Fire, Drumming & Chant: Depending on the venue, we could include a fire where all the Goddesses gather, playing drums, dancing.

Bachelorette Party Games: The last section of our circle is a great time for sharing celebratory treats, perhaps some champagne, receiving oracle card guidance, and playing some bachelorette party games. “What did the groom say?” is a fun game, typically arranged in advance by a friend and the bride-to-be’s fiancee.

Birthday Gifts: If receiving gifts is part of the event, we can include gift-giving during the last section of our circle while having some treats, perhaps some cake, and also having the opportunity to choose some oracle cards.

More Ideas & Inspiration: You may be interested in including certain themes, topics and rituals from other rites of passage celebrations too, so scroll through the others for more ideas!

Sample Bachelorette Party Schedule

6:30 – 7:00pm: Set Up

7:00 – 7:15pm: Welcome & Settle

7:15 – 7:45pm: Open Sacred Space & Meditation

7:45pm: Serve Ceremonial Cacao

7:45 – 8:15pm: Bride-To-Be Blessings Sharing Round & Gift Box Presentation

8:15 – 8:30pm: Fire, Drumming, Chant

8:30 – 8:45pm: Divine Feminine Anointing

8:45 – 9:30pm: Champagne, Treats, Party Games & Oracle Card Shares

9:30 – 9:45pm: Close Sacred Space & Relaxing Sing Bowl Meditation

9:45 – 10:00pm: Clean Up

Mother & Baby Showers

In addition to our circle format outlined above, here’s a list of some themes, sharing topics and rituals we can include to create a beautiful, supportive and meaningful mother and baby shower: (Note that while you may wish to combine your Mother and Baby Shower, you may also choose to have just a Mother Blessing Circle or a Baby Shower.)

Rose Theme: A rose themed gathering can include items like a pink altar cloth, pink roses, rose quartz crystals, rose essential oil to share, rose flower crowns etc.

Motherhood Blessings Sharing Round: As we sip ceremonial cacao together, we start with the mom sharing about her motherhood experience or perhaps her own wishes for motherhood, and then each of her friends share blessings, wishes, advice, or stories to support her on her motherhood journey.

Motherhood Blessings of Danu: Danu is the Great Mother figure of the ancient Irish Tuath Dé Danann tribe. I can share a Danu Motherhood Blessing with the new mom, honoring her journey into this new phase of her life. This blessing involves a “Mother Stone”, which will be a rose quartz keepsake for the mom imbued with these blessings.

Rose Crowning: As each woman is sharing their motherhood wishes and stories in circle, she is holding a beautiful rose crown. This crown, holding all the energy of this beautiful support and blessings, is then presented to the new mom after the sharing round, acknowledging her passage into motherhood.

Baby Blessings Sharing Round: Each person in circle, starting with the mom, shares blessings, dreams and wishes for the baby. These blessings and wishes can be written on paper and placed in a special gift box, which is then presented to the mom and baby after the sharing circle is complete.

Faerie Blessings: I can share a very simple faerie blessing for the baby (if the baby is present), which can also include some faerie celebration music, as we co-create some sacred sound together with our drums and bells!

Gifts: If receiving mother and baby shower gifts is part of the event, we can dedicate the last section of our circle to having some treats and time for gift-giving. This may also be a good time to receive some oracle card guidance and insight too.

More Ideas & Inspiration: You may be interested in including certain themes, topics and rituals from other rites of passage celebrations too, so scroll up and down for more ideas!

Sample Mother & Baby Shower Schedule

2:30 – 3:00pm: Set Up

3:00 – 3:15pm: Welcome & Settle

3:15 – 3:45pm: Open Sacred Space & Meditation

3:45pm: Serve Ceremonial Cacao

3:45 – 4:30pm: Mother Blessings Sharing Round & Rose Crowning

4:30 – 5:15pm: Baby Blessings Sharing Round & Gift Box Presentation

5:15 – 5:45pm: Celebratory Treats, (Gifts) & Oracle Card Shares

5:45pm: Close Sacred Space

5:45 – 6:00pm: Clean Up

Wise Woman Celebrations

In addition to our circle format outlined above, here’s a list of some themes, rituals and sharing topics we can include to create a meaningful and magical celebration honoring your journey through menopause and into your full power as wild wise woman:

Wise Woman Theme: A Wise Woman themed celebration can include nature-based items on the altar, owl feathers, Goddess adornments like bindis, simple flower crowns, hair feathers. Guests can dress in whatever makes them feel like divine goddesses. And I love to bring along some additional “Goddess Adornments” to my women’s circles and special themed gatherings, including bindis, Indian jewelry, simple flower crowns, hair feathers, and coin belts!

Wise Woman Blessings Sharing Circle: As we sip ceremonial cacao together, we start with the wise woman sharing about her crone hood experience or perhaps her own wishes for her wise woman years, and then each of her friends share blessings, wishes, advice, or stories to support her on her wild wise woman journey. These blessings and wishes can be written on paper and placed in a special gift box, which is then presented to her after the sharing round is complete.

Crone Blessings of An Cailleach: An Cailleach is the indigenous Irish crone Goddess, and she has a lot of wisdom to offer us. I can share a simple Crone Blessing from An Cailleach with the wise woman being celebrated, honoring her journey into this new phase of her life. This blessing involves a “Crone Stone”, which will be a ‘hag’ stone keepsake for the wise woman, imbued with these blessings.

Shamanic Drum Journey: Journeying or ‘Imramma’ is a traditional Celtic way to connect with our own spiritual guidance. With eyes closed, following spoken guidance and a primal rhythmic drum beat, the sisters gathered in circle can travel to their own inner world to gain personal insight. Connecting to the theme, the intention for the journey can be to connect to your own inner wise wild woman and receive a message or guidance from her.

Fire, Drumming & Crone Chant: In support of our new wise woman, we can gather around the fire in wild woman sisterhood beating our drums and dancing.

More Ideas & Inspiration: You may be interested in including certain themes, topics and rituals from other rites of passage celebrations too, so scroll up for more ideas!

Sample Wise Woman Celebration Schedule

6:30 – 7:00pm: Set Up

7:00 – 7:15pm: Welcome & Settle

7:15 – 7:45pm: Open Sacred Space & Meditation

7:45pm: Serve Ceremonial Cacao

7:45 – 8:15pm: Wise Woman Blessings Sharing Round & Gift Box Presentation

8:15 – 8:45pm: Shamanic Drum Journey

8:45 – 9:00pm: Fire, Drumming, Chanting

9:00 – 9:30pm: Celebratory Treats, (Gifts) & Oracle Card Shares

9:30 – 9:45pm: Close Sacred Space & Relaxing Sing Bowl Meditation

9:45 – 10:00pm: Clean Up

Package Details

Facilitation Package: $300

I facilitate your special rite of passage circle and you choose the location!

Includes:

• 3-hour specially curated event facilitation
• Complimentary ceremonial cacao (for up to 13 women)
• Sacred space and altar set up
• Cups, plates, napkins (option of simple terra-cotta cups or fancy tea cups and saucers!)
• Oracle cards to share (including Divine Feminine, Goddess, Rose and Celtic themed, as appropriate)
• Extra noise-makers to share (shakers and bells)
• Take-home gift of an Ask the Light Miracle card for each woman

Specific Items Also Included:

• Menarche Celebrations: Red tent themed altar decor, Red thread, “Maiden Stone” (red jasper keepsake for the girl, for her Maiden Blessing).
• Bachelorette & Birthday Parties: Goddess themed altar decor, Goddess adornments (bindis, Indian jewelry, simple flower crowns, hair feathers, and coin belts), Divine Feminine anointing oil.
• Mother & Baby Showers: Rose themed altar decor, “Mother Stone” (rose quartz keepsake for the mom, for her Mother Blessing).
• Wise Woman Celebrations: Wild woman themed altar decor, “Crone Stone” (a ‘hag’ stone keepsake for the wise woman, for her Crone Blessing).

Each Guest Brings:

• Cushion, blanket or backjack/floor chair to sit on
• Drinking water
• Celebration treats to share (optional)
• Drums or noise-makers (optional)
• Written wishes (if part of the event)
• Gifts (if part of the event)

Guests are Responsible For Providing (if part of the event):

• Flower crowns
• Gift box
• Champagne & glasses

Working Together

One Point of Contact: I ask that I work with just one main point of contact for your event.

One Payment: Payment in full is to be made by this one point of contact, leaving you to divide up the cost among your friends in whatever way works best for you all.

Austin Location: I’m based in south Austin, and am open to travel to locations nearby (south, east, west, central). If your location is further north or out of town, we can discuss a travel fee.

Reach Out!

Interested in planning a rites of passage celebration for yourself or a loved one? Let’s work together to create a truly magical, mindful and meaningful celebration. Reach out …

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Closing Prayer

We pray for all the sisters around the world.

May the world’s heart beat to the rhythm of the Divine Feminine once more.

May Love, Joy, Peace & Beauty Abound.

May Sacredness be Restored to the Realm.

Sin é ~ Our circle is now closed.