Blessing Circle

Home from Hood River, Oregon where my friend & mentor, Stephanie had a beautiful celebration of her life with her partner, Adi and their children & family. It was lovely and just perfect. In the morning, Marilee (who did the hood river training with me last August) and I lead a smallish yoga class for Adi, Stephanie and a few others. Forming a circle in Oak Grove park, we enjoyed a fun flow. An authentic moment captured...holding hands in Savasana.

The ceremony* in the park later in the afternoon with around 100 folk from all over with delicious food catered by Flow teacher, Laura, and cake/cupcakes created by Adi's mom. Stephanie tried to wrangle everyone into a softball game but everyone seemed more content to lay around and visit and watch the kids play.

Sharing with you the vows that they asked me to facilitate which began with an introduction of me thanking everyone for sharing this time with Adi & Stephanie in their commitment to partner together. Followed by a rose ceremony, their own vows, and a circle of blessing where I asked everyone to write one word on rocks (that I collected from the Zig Zag river the day before with my sweet friend Laurie & her kids) that they thought of when they think of the union. (I wrote "grace". Chole, their daughter wrote:"forever".)

Rose Ceremony :For the mothers, a red rose. Red is symbolic of the yin - the earthly, maternal energy and blessing - your mutual understanding of your earthly and physical agreements.

For the fathers, a white rose. White is symbolic of the yang - the masculine energy and blessing - the purity of your Real Self, your True nature - the purity of God's Love which shines upon you now and always. Your mutual understandings that the highest expression of your partnership is supporting each other spiritually.

For their daughters, a pink rose. Pink - a symbol of grace and elegance, the pink rose is often given as an expression of admiration. Pink roses also convey appreciation as well as joyfulness.

Jai showered with rose petals. (Who was more interested on the ribbons hanging around. : ))

Vows : Adi and Stephanie enter into this marriage understanding that marriage is not about security or getting anything from another...but rather, in knowing that everything you need in life...all the love, wisdom, insight, understanding, compassion and strength resides here and now...within. They have told me that they see marriage as providing opportunities and support for growth, full Self-expression, for lifting your lives to their highest potential, for healing false thoughts and small ideas.

Adi & Steph, you enter into a journey through life with one you love as an equal partner, sharing equally both the authority and the responsibilities inherent in a partnership, bearing together what burdens there be, basking equally in the glories

Give up your small selves and take refuge in each other. To truly take refuge in each other means you should take refuge in all things. This is to live and practice together.

Adi & Stephanie read their vows** that they wrote for one another which were very emotional and heartfelt.

Blessing Circle: A Circle is a symbol of the Sun, and the Earth...a symbol of the eternality of Truth, love and life...

In this moment, Adi and Steph choose for it to be a symbol of unity, not possession; of joining, not restricting, of encirclement, not entrapment.

During this Blessing Circle, you are now invited to share

a song, poem, a few words, or even just one word that is written on your rock, or a moment of sacred silence.

*click for photos!

**click for the vows that they read to each other... just gorgeous!