Storytelling & Water Ceremony March 20-23

Storytelling & Water Ceremony
March 20-23

March 20 (Wednesday)
3-4:30 pm EST (8-9:30 pm CET)

On World Storytelling Day we at Green Tent Circle present the first of our new monthly online storytelling events, celebrating the equinox and the beginning of spring. Wisdom keeper Anja Mays and shaman, storyteller and artist Kristin Raphaela Otti will share stories and wisdom, musician, instrument maker and Qi Gong teacher Julia Marie Hofer will share her music.

Anja will talk about water ceremonies and invites us to participate in a global water ceremony on March 22, Water Day.

Join us in conversation with and storytelling about this sacred element!

Join Zoom Event:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86183877867?pwd=VtTn1s4OAYDx0adj2pCSLlHK5wTaaM.1

March 22 (Friday)
11 am - 1 pm EST (4-6 pm CET)

On World Water Day Anja and Kristin will hold space and conduct a water ceremony together.

Join us in ceremony from around the world!

The community is supporting the dialogue and workshop which is taking place on World Water Day at 2:30 pm EST in the UN Church Center in New York City.

CSW Workshop - March 2024

March 23 (Saturday)
4:45-6:15 pm EST (9:45-11:15 pm CET)

After Earth Hour (3:30-4:30 pm EST) we symbolically switch the lights back on again and meet online to talk about our experiences during our ceremonies and reflect upon our connection to water.

Join us in conversation!

Join Zoom Event:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81756386470?pwd=OOcptmo4wjuBveZtDl0VhiXxwEsAme.1

WHAT
WHO

WHEN
WHERE

Online Storytelling Event & Water Ceremony
Anja Mays, Kristin Raphaela Otti & Julia Marie Hofer
March 20-23
Zoom & Facebook

To learn more about Kristin Raphaela Otti and her work visit
Winterfeuer

To learn more about Anja Mays and her work visit
anjamays.de

To learn more about Julia Marie Hofer and her work visit
juliamariehofer.de

Water Ceremony Reflections

Green Tent Circle – Practice of ‘Affidamento’ in Ceremony for World Water Day 2024, March 22nd and for Earth Hour 2024, March 23rd

Written by Anja Mays

‘Affidamento’ – A matter of trust. The Italian term ‘affidare/affidamento’ means to trust each other and was used in the early women’s movements. As we three women opened a Green Tent ceremony, a true story unfolded. Within the preparation and the ceremony itself, this practice came into experience, the sharing of stories and visions and a deep look for the contexts became the memory of a profound experience.

In terms of shamanic practices, ‘Affidamento’ can be translated into a co-creative, meshworked ceremony, a kind of practice of deeply trusting the net which is holding us, when we do things together.

When there is an intention to come together and hold a ceremony in circle, we help, assist and guide each other and without a ‘leader’, without just a single person guiding, the spirit world unfolds their power, potential and stories with such ease and grace, especially when we step into the power of the sacred feminine and do so without any kind of competition.

Words were needed to materialize and manifest the idea as something ‘that asks for to be done’, so we held preparation meetings to concretize and to go forward, after a strong call had been heard and the decision to hold a water ceremony on World Water Day and to support the idea and the people onsite at the CSW gathering had been made.

A lot of healing and connections deepening were felt and done.

On World Water Day we finally met online, each one of us in her home, in ceremony. We sat in silence and opened ourselves up, so spirit could send messages through us. Her messages were strong and profound, as we received them clearly.

When there is an intention to come together and hold a ceremony in circle, we help, assist and guide each other. Without a ‘leader’, without just a single person guiding, the spirit world unfolds their power, potential and stories with such ease and grace.

We had placed different items on our altars, reflecting our calls and feelings: On mine there was sacred water, salt, Peace Flame (candle), ancient corals, a quartz and crystals, agates and three eggs – one for each of us. Julia had placed water, a candle, plum tree flowers, daisies, violets and a clear quartz on hers, Kristin had paper, writing tools, white pastels and the drawing of a seal, she had begun drawing prior to our ceremony.

While I was holding the Sacred Water in my hands, I received a message:

Me as water, I am holding home for each living being. For me it is not important, if they are living – or able to live – in my shape as salt or sweet water.
Human being or animal, you are looking for the moon, but in my depths. There is so much to discover, to be found and to experience.
I am holding all these emotions, all emotions, now it is time to clear yourself up, human being. After the ceremony, please give me back to Mother Earth. Do not share this water. This time, this water is for a one-time use.

I was given another message through Kristin and Julia, “Go to the ocean, she wants to speak to you.”

There was more to tell, more to share, more to unfold following our ceremony and I carried the prayers on to the next ceremony for 22 Women Praying for Peace held on the same day, March 22nd, World Water Day, and I felt a connection between our water ceremonies and the 8th Fire Ceremony in Palenque, Mexico.

We Are One
Written by Kristin Raphaela Otti

I opened space and lit my fire, opening my heart. “Calm your mind”, a gentle voice whispered. I became still, one with the ocean, the waters. Time and space ceased to exist. I was called back into the here and now after a while and saw, that Julia had taken her seat in the circle, calmly and gently. A message was to be given. Julia had been invited to journey deep into the sea. Anja had arrived, equally calmly and gently taken her seat in the circle and a message was to be given: “Great Grandmother Ocean wants to speak to you.” We became still again, sitting together in silence, one with the waters again. I found myself swimming alongside a gentle blue whale elder.

“We are the Ocean, for we are one. The Ocean is us, for we are one. We are the waters. We are the clouds. We are the rain. Father Sun calls the waters into the sky, so they can return to Mother Earth, nourishing her, healing and cleansing her, thus nourishing us, cleansing us, healing us, for we are one.”

I saw a battlefield, a sea of blood and Father Sun called the blood into the sky. The blood became the rain, nourishing Mother Earth, nourishing us with blood spilt and cries of pain. For we are one.

I saw violence, a hand inflicting pain, and Father Sun called the tears into the sky. The tears became the rain, nourishing Mother Earth, nourishing us with screams of pain. For we are one.

I saw compassion, gentle hands, caressing, loving, embracing, and Father Sun called the tears of joy into the sky. The tears became the rain, healing and mending Mother Earth, healing and mending our hearts with love unconditional. For we are one.

"White Whale", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2023)

We are one.

"White Seal going within", white pastels, Kristin Raphaela Otti (2024)

I saw compassion, gentle hands, caressing, loving, embracing, and Father Sun called the tears of joy into the sky. The tears became the rain, healing and mending Mother Earth, healing and mending our hearts with love unconditional. For we are one.

We are the boon.

We are the bane.

We are the heart.

We are the mind.

We are the soul.

We are the spirit.

We are one.

We swam out into the ocean of stars and I saw a giant tear drop slowly falling down on Mother Earth. “This tear is of our creation.” I saw floods of times past, the raging waters of our own creation. “This tear is of our own creation. It is us. For we are one.”

We are the laughter.

We are the pain.

We are the healing.

We are the storm.

We are the flood.

We are the medicine.

We are one.

A Gift Given
Written by Julia Marie Hofer

While being in ceremony, blessed floral water came into being. I filled water into a bowl, blessed it by chanting mantras and playing the harp, while gifts given from Mother Earth shared their blessings with us: daisies, violets, the blossoms of a plum tree and my clear quartz. The fire and light of my ceremonial candle wanted to connect to the water and the music blessed the water.

It is part of our task to approach the waters with pure intentions and speak to them from a pure heart, to honor them by giving back to them in a conscious way, to thank the waters and to heal them.

After the ceremony I filled the water into small bottles and now I am sharing the water with others. The blessed floral water is gift, a token of gratitude and healing and is to be given back to the waters, the rivers, the lakes, the oceans as a gift, a blessing to all the waters, that are replenishing and nourishing all beings of creation alike, drop by drop.

Water is the reservoir of all emotions. A lot is happening on Mother Earth and the waters are the guardians and custodians, that are cleansing us from emotions and pain.

It is part of our task to approach them with pure intentions and speak to them from a pure heart, to honor them by giving back to them in a conscious way, to thank the waters and to heal them.

This was the message I received and this is my gift to the guardians and custodians of the waters of consciousness.