Ceremony by Fern Marshall

This is a beautiful piece of writing created by my lovely friend and writer Fern Marshall. The work takes inspiration from a Cacao Ceremony that we explored together in wintertime. Her words have the power to take you directly into the experience. Enjoy the journey :)

You can find out more about her work on https://www.wildgreensmagazine.com/#h.lskgvcjto8nk

Beyond the thin pane of glass, the cold winter night lies in wait. But here, now, there are candles with golden flames and cacao that lies thick and rough on my tongue. The rim of my cup is coated with wet pink rose petals. This is a soft, intimate space. We sit cross legged on large cushions on the floor, surrounded by blankets, crystals, feathers, and candlelight. Most important of all, we surround ourselves with sounds. Sounds that lift us from this ground floor city flat right up into the heavens above, sounds that transport us to the stars and back, in and out and around and through until we are merely blurs of movement and light, released from the everyday for an hour or two. In this small space the air vibrates with noise, thudding drums blending with the song of the delicate chimes swinging from my hand. I shake a rain stick, tentative at first but growing with confidence, giving myself permission to be loud, to make noise and take up space in the sound waves. We close our eyes and sing wordless songs that come from somewhere deep inside, my voice small at first but increasing in volume as I am absorbed into the flow, expanding beyond my inhibitions. Bronze singing bowls vibrate and hum in our palms. This is a space to escape into, to be held in. I let go, allow the cacao to warm and heal, forehead, jaw and shoulders starting to release tension. The beat of the drum is soft but insistent and there is a message to be heard if I listen carefully. Even after work on a grey, humdrum Tuesday night, magic can be found.