Sacred Container
Setting
At Ceremonia, our mission is to curate an environment that optimally empowers those who have bestowed their trust upon us to journey towards self-discovery and transformation. Our goal with this container is to facilitate:
Deep Diving: We create a sacred space conducive to profound introspection, encouraging participants to confront and navigate suppressed energies, memories, and traumas. This process paves the way for significant personal breakthroughs, catalyzed by the services we provide.
Empowered Transitions: We aim to guide participants through life transitions with a newfound sense of empowerment and clarity. Our structured environment fosters resilience and adaptability, enabling them to navigate these shifts confidently.
Impactful Transformation: Our purpose is to act as a beacon, guiding participants towards the most meaningful and enduring life transformations. The Ceremonia container is a transformative chrysalis designed to foster self-growth and personal evolution.
Harmonious Alignment: Our ultimate objective is to aid our participants in achieving a profound alignment of their body, mind, and spirit. By providing a harmonious setting that cultivates holistic wellness, we aspire to help each individual achieve an integral sense of balance and interconnectedness.
Objectives
Promote individual transformation and breakthroughs for participants in a safe, immersive, and supported space.
Time Management and Accountability: Participants should feel that their commitment to time during calls, workshops, and ceremonies is recognized and valued. They should perceive a shared understanding of the importance of punctuality and respect for others' time.
Agency and Boundaries: Participants should feel that their personal boundaries and choices are understood, respected, and upheld within the space. This includes physical, emotional, and energetic boundaries, fostering a safe and respectful environment.
Acceptance and Compassion: Every participant should feel unconditionally accepted and loved in all their complexity. We aim to create a space where everyone, regardless of their past experiences or present situations, feels acknowledged, appreciated, and embraced for who they are.
Safety and Vulnerability: The retreat should offer a safe haven where participants feel secure enough to delve deep into their inner selves, share their experiences openly, and exhibit vulnerability.
Support During Challenges: Participants should feel supported and cared for during their challenging moments. They should perceive the retreat as a sanctuary where their struggles are understood and met with empathy and assistance.
Living the Values: By embodying our core values such as time integrity and unconditional love, we aim to inspire participants to incorporate these principles into their lives. Participants should feel motivated to emulate these values in their everyday interactions.
Connection with Self and Others: Participants should experience a sense of ease and desire to connect deeply with themselves and others within the retreat. We aim to foster an environment that encourages self-exploration, communal bonds, and shared understanding.
Roles
Facilitators: Experts guiding workshops
Support Staff: Support and facilitate the journey.
Medicine Team: Guide participants during the ceremony.
Inner Circle Leaders: Encourage community interactions and engagement.
Beliefs
Ceremonia is a non-profit, non-denominational church that serves sacraments in the pursuit of greater connection with the Divine Within. We believe that the journey to awaken, heal, and manifest brings one closer to their Highest Self: the God Immanent, which is the divinity that lives within each being. This progression simultaneously affords greater connection with the divinity that exists in all other beings and things: the God Transcendent, which manifests as the feeling of Oneness.
Click here to view our detailed Beliefs. They are summarized as the tenets below:
Each individual creates and experiences their subjective reality.
No one person’s experience is more or less real than another’s.
Truth is subjective. One’s Inner Truth purifies as one sheds their ego’s protective layers.
Truth is also objective. This is experienced as unconditional love, creation, peace, joy, and gratitude.
Every human being contains within themselves the power to awaken, heal, and manifest wholly and completely. No substance, person, or external entity facilitates transformation directly other than the individual themselves. Externalities can only accelerate the process.
One experiences God in a non-dual state of the God Immanent (the Divine within) and God Transcendent (the Divine in all things) in the enlightened state.
Sacraments of MDMA, Psilocybin, and Ayahuasca are given by God to accelerate communion with the Divine.
Values
Safety: physical, mental, and emotional
Integrity: being and expressing truth
Curiosity: assumption of innocence
Vulnerability: risking pain in service of connection and growth
Responsibility: ownership of one’s experience
Sovereignty: all within consent and self-empowerment
Reverence: respect for the work and sacrament
Harmony: living with others and nature
Embodiment: be the change we want to see
Community: service to common values and supporting each other
Commitments for All
I commit to be present and truthful: to breathe, feel, and express myself authentically.
I commit to take responsibility: to own my emotions, judgments, and choices. I am the creator of my experience.
I commit to confidentiality: to not disclose others’ experience and only share my own.
I commit to consency: to ask for and honor permission before giving feedback.
I commit to time integrity: to show up on time for each session.
I commit to curiosity: to approach all and myself with openness and innocence.
I commit to courage: to lean in and be challenged with an open heart.
I commit to honor myself: to listen to my body, honor my needs, and do the Work with intention and integrity.
I commit to honor others: to allow others their own experience and not intervene unless they ask for support.
I commit to honor this container: to maintain intentionality and integrity in service of everyone’s healing and transformation.
Commitments for Staff
As representatives of Ceremonia, we embrace the responsibility to serve as constant pillars of support and understanding. Our commitments reflect this dedication:
Guardians of the Sacred Space: We acknowledge that we are under the watchful eyes of our participants, consciously or subconsciously, at all times. Understanding that our actions leave lasting energetic imprints, we strive to ensure these impacts align with the integrity and purpose of our mission.
Investment in Service: We pledge to dedicate our time, energy, and resources to this transformative work. Our role extends beyond mere participation, marking our commitment to prioritizing this service above all.
Personal Evolution: We appreciate the invaluable opportunity that Ceremonia provides us to ascend to our highest potential selves. This platform not only allows us to be seen in our elevated forms but also paves the way for continual self-improvement and growth.
Embodiment of Integrity and Values: We recognize the importance of demonstrating what it means to live in alignment with our core values. Through our actions, we aim to provide tangible examples that inspire our participants to challenge and upgrade their existing belief systems and perspectives.
Commitment to Service and Transformation: We commit to the understanding that our role goes beyond personal gains or losses, transcending our individual emotions and judgments. At the core of our work is a commitment to facilitate transformative experiences and prioritize the wellbeing of our participants. Our focus remains steadfast on the greater goal of service, holding space for each individual's journey of transformation.
Boundaries
Our collective and individual commitment to the principles of our sacred circle container is paramount. As staff, we uphold these principles to the highest standard, refraining from blurring boundaries. Breaches of these guidelines can lead to dismissal from the Journey.
Non-Imposition of Beliefs: We refrain from projecting our beliefs or moral stances onto others. Our mission is to facilitate a space conducive to the exploration and examination of diverse perspectives, encouraging participants to adopt what resonates with their paths of growth.
Facilitators, Not Coaches: Our role is not to enforce change but to hold a safe space where individuals can foster self-awareness and make their own decisions about change.
Respectful Interaction: We prohibit all forms of hostility, physical or emotional violence. We see triggers as opportunities for personal growth rather than excuses for judgment and separation. We discourage the use of harsh, abrasive, or offensive language, while advocating for mindful expression centered on love and respect.
Substance-Free Environment: The Journey forbids the use of external substances, including alcohol, cannabis, stimulants (prescription or otherwise), additional psychedelics, hard drugs, kratom, non-sacred tobacco (cigarettes, vapes), or any contraindicated or mind-altering substances.
Room Privacy: Staff and guests are not permitted in each other's rooms unless required for safety, health assistance, or at the request of the medicine team.
Maintaining Boundaries: We prohibit the development of romantic or sexual relationships between guests or staff during the Journey and for at least two weeks post Journey, except for established couples. This promotes the maintenance of healthy boundaries and focuses on personal energy work. Special attention or excessive physical affection that could imply romantic interest is unacceptable. As staff, we are tasked with spreading our attention evenly, maintaining platonic relationships, and setting clear boundaries.
Appropriate Conduct: Group activities like cuddling must be conducted responsibly, with staff especially mindful of their energy not being misinterpreted as confusing or inappropriate.
Dress Code: We expect all guests and staff to dress appropriately during and outside the ceremony. Activities like skinny dipping are not allowed during the Journey.
Business Proposals: We ask staff and guests to refrain from proposing business offers, partnerships, or selling services until after the integration phase. Staff intending to offer services or products should inform us for approval, to ensure alignment with Ceremonia's values and avoid any misconceptions of endorsement.
Journey Guidelines by Phases
Virtual Container
The Virtual Container marks the beginning of our participants' journey with Ceremonia, encompassing all their online interactions with our staff and brand.
Active engagement is crucial in the WhatsApp groups as container holders, given our commitment to a multi-week program that provides guidance, support, connection, and community. As container holders, leading by example and fostering interaction and connection within WhatsApp messages and calls is foundational to our virtual container.
Guiding Question
How can we foster safety and connection within our virtual container to encourage participants to fully engage?
Virtual Container Guidelines
Active Participation: Proactively engage in WhatsApp groups, answer prompts, and respond to participants' messages promptly with genuine care, curiosity, and compassion.
Time Integrity: Prioritize timely scheduling and communication. Be punctual and respectful of others' time.
Inclusive Interaction: Facilitate interaction within the groups and during calls. Pay particular attention to less active participants to ensure nobody feels left out or overlooked.
Safety and Trust: Foster an atmosphere of safety and trust that encourages participants to approach their journey with an open heart. This can be achieved by embodying our values and demonstrating our caring love.
Emphasis on Commitment: Communicate the significance of thorough preparation for their Journey participation. Highlight that their commitment is not only to the retreat but to the full multi-week program. Reinforce the deep reverence and respect required for the medicine and the opportunity of being on this journey.
Immersion Container
The Immersion Container encapsulates all workshops, ceremonies, and shared times. It forms the backbone of our expansion and integration process, allowing every guest to delve deeply into their personal work and begin integrating their insights and breakthroughs into their lives.
Guiding Question
How can the Ceremonia Circle Container best facilitate our guests' transformation, well-being, and connections?
Immersion Container Guidelines
Commitment Honoring: Uphold all commitments made within the circle, particularly those related to time integrity—arriving punctually, not leaving early, and encouraging guests to maintain time integrity with kind firmness.
Mindful Interaction: Be intentional with our words and behaviors, always considering the potential impact on others' processes, particularly given our roles and responsibilities.
Vulnerability and Depth: Lead with vulnerability and depth in our shares and expressions.
Guest Space and Time: Prioritize guests' time and space for sharing, being witnessed, and being celebrated.
Guidance, Not Direction: Ensure we don't impose change on people. Our role is to create a safe space for guests to develop their own awareness and make choices about their transformations.
Self-Awareness: Be mindful of our own trauma, triggers, and emotions to avoid their interference with the container. We are here to serve as clear mirrors for our guests.
Learning from Mistakes: Accept that mistakes happen, and take responsibility for them. Everyone can learn from everyone's mistakes.
Presence and Integration: Emphasize the importance of being present for all activities and the crucial role of integration.
Unconditional Positive Regard: Hold each person in the highest regard. Approach with curiosity, assume innocence, and offer unconditional love when shadows of trauma emerge. Refrain from judgment or resentment towards anyone in the circle.
Caring Experience: Aim to provide an experience where guests feel deeply cared for, perhaps for the first time in their lives, and are inspired to care for others in the same manner.
Elevation and Interconnectivity: Encourage guests to elevate themselves while recognizing the interconnectivity based on collective responsibility, sacred reciprocity, and mutually beneficial relationships with the environment, ancient wisdom holders, and one another.
Deeper Bonds: Help guests understand the importance of forming deeper bonds and investing more deeply in others' lives to create a robust support network during and after the Journey. Remind them not to take the preciousness of being on this journey together for granted.
Sacred Reflection: Invite reflection on the sacredness of life, ancient plant wisdom, practices, and rituals in a way that illustrates how these values can be incorporated into everyday life, work, and play.
Full Journey Commitment: Request that all staff and guests commit to the entire Journey. This commitment ensures their safety, facilitates full integration, and provides a supportive container for the collective group.
Ceremony Container
This container is curated by the minister and placeholders and is treated with utmost respect by all participants. It provides a sanctuary that permits guests to delve deeply into their personal work with minimal distractions, thereby facilitating the most profound transformations.
Highly effective ceremony containers, established by those deeply trained and reverent to the medicine, usually encompass:
Guiding Question
How can we let the Inner Healing Intelligence of each sovereign being manifest as fully and safely as possible?
Ceremony Container Guidelines
Personal Space and Safety: The container creates an environment where individuals feel secure to navigate their personal processes with as little external interference as possible.
Energy Conservation: The container encourages each participant to stay within their energy field, avoiding energy transfer or leakage to others. This involves refraining from touching, talking, excessive eye contact, and so forth, unless explicitly permitted or the ceremony is concluded.
Personal Journey Focus: The container asks all participants to remain absorbed in their personal Journey without unintentionally channeling energy to others physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.
Limiting Disturbances: Distractions such as falling water bottles, chatter, laughter, singing, yelling, or excessive movement or noise on their mats should be minimized. Participants are expected to return to a quiet state once they become aware of their noise or are approached by staff. Maintaining this collective container's cohesiveness and commitment supports a smoother Journey for all.
Ceremony Completion: Ensure all guests begin and finish the ceremony together, with no early departures.
Clear Roles and Support: Participants should clearly understand who to approach for assistance when needed, and comprehend the offered caretaking methods.
Safety in Exploration: Each ceremony container may have different safety concerns that must be communicated and adhered to fully. If exploration is allowed, it is crucial that guests only venture into areas designated as safe and supervised by the medicine team.
Restroom Courtesy: To maintain safety and flow, guests are asked not to lock doors and to return to the ceremony promptly, instead of spending extended periods in the restroom.
Focus on Transformation: Our primary goal is individual transformation and breakthrough. While allowing activities like hugging or talking during the ceremony might seem harmless, if it distracts someone from a deep process, it is not worth it.
Integration Container
Experiencing profound transformations often calls for careful navigation, understanding, and a deliberate integration process. The true essence of any transformative journey lies not only in the experience itself but in the way we weave its lessons into the fabric of our daily lives. This post-experience phase, often known as 'integration', is a critical component to consolidate our learnings and apply them to sustainably foster personal growth.
At Ceremonia, we firmly believe in the power of this integration process, which is why we've established our Integration Container to support participants in their transformative journey.
Guiding Question
How can we support the participants to navigate their challenges and continue to build upon their new way of being?
Integration Container Guidelines
Active Communication: Within our Integration Container, we promote proactive interactions. Our staff and participants stay connected via WhatsApp groups, responding to prompts and guest messages promptly and with genuine care, curiosity, and love.
Time Integrity: We honor the sanctity of time. This involves scheduling and communicating in advance, always ensuring punctuality for all interactions.
Supporting Post-Journey Challenges: We understand that the post-journey period can be demanding. Therefore, we stress the crucial role of integration work, as it's key to enduring transformation. We offer a solid support network so no one bypasses the challenges or feels alone during this process.
Sustaining Connections: We continuously nurture the precious connections developed during our time together. We encourage participants to maintain contact post-Journey, engage 1-1 online or offline, and share their experiences with the group.
Upholding Program Commitment: We never forget that everyone involved has made a full commitment to the entire multi-week program in support of their personal growth and the collective group. We ensure no one is left behind during the integration process, bolstering each other on the path of enduring transformation.
Through these pillars, we provide the necessary support and environment for the effective integration of transformative experiences, ensuring the enduring positive impact of our Ceremonia journey.
Additional Resources
Consult the MAPS/Zendo Harm Reduction manual for more information on safety and harm reduction.
Consult the Northstar Pledge for a pledge of ethics