Friday, Dec 19 - Monday, Dec 22, 2025
Please join me (Sarah) for a personal celebration of the changes of the season, as we welcome this beautiful, sacred and still time of the year. This gathering is an opportunity for slowing down, turning inward and gathering around the fire as we offer prayers (mantras, spoken prayers, written prayers, silent prayers) and sacred herbs, honoring the mysteries of transformation. This practice has been the highest "holy day" of my year since 2018. It's an opportunity to delve deeply into my devotional essence, and lose myself in the chanting of the mantras. It's a joy to share it with those of you also long for deep connection with the ineffable through the magic of group coherence, nature connection and entrainment.
The container for the solstice ritual itself will begin on Saturday (Dec 20th) with an opening circle from 2 pm to 4 pm. During this time, we'll share our intentions and co-create a schedule for mantra chanting on Sunday - the shortest day of the year. We'll also walk the land and collect colorful leaves and boughs to adorn and set the ceremonial fire.
Then we'll break for a potluck dinner (4-6 pm) and then an optional Sensual Cuddle & Pleasure Mapping (6-9 pm) led by Damon Sean and Lee Warren - more details on that below.
Sunday morning, we'll gather at 6:30 am to begin the fire ceremony, with opening prayers as the sun rises, followed by 108 repetitions of the gayatri mantra. Here is a link to the mantras we'll be using, over the course of the day. Stay tuned for a video of me chanting them so that you can begin to learn them and sing along. We'll return to the fire throughout the day, to keep it stoked and to offer more prayers and mantras. At sunset, for example, we may decide to offer 108 jyotir mantras to the last light of the day.
I am so grateful that the very talented Travis Redtail has offered to provide some devotional kirtan around the fire as well! This could also happen in the yogastan if it's really cold outside.
We will keep "silence" (other than chanting and singing) from sunrise to sunset on Sunday. We will also not have any organized meals that day, so fasting is an option, or bringing your own snacks/food.
When you are not around the fire chanting or singing, this is a wonderful time for journaling or walking the land. We will have a fire in the yogastan that day, so there will be a warm place to be inside for contemplation, yoga, napping.
Sunday evening, we'll break our silence with a heart circle and sharing time. Then we'll close the ceremony on Monday morning with the fire ceremony completion prayers as the sun rises, about 6:30 am.
And lastly, we'll have a potluck breakfast and closing circle on Monday, with departure between 11 am and noon.
The chanting around the fire will be outside so dress warmly! Pray that we'll be blessed with winter sunshine!
Financial Contribution:
Please make a donation to Dancing Shiva Tantra Monastery of around $200 if you are planning to stay Saturday through Monday. If you are only planning to attend the Saturday evening cuddles, we'd suggest around $25 - $45. There is also the option of arriving on Friday evening - that's when Sarah will be arriving - company is welcome! You may donate to Dancing Shiva through Paypal: (@dancingshivatrantra) or bring cash.
More about the Sensual Cuddle & Pleasure Mapping:
During this event, we'll be exploring the theme of "Pleasure as Transformation", facilitated by Damon Sean and Lee Warren. Based on Jaya's erotic blueprint system, we will explore mapping the territory of our bodies and beings for maximum pleasure in small groups before coming together for our larger group cuddle. In preparation, it can be supportive to complete Jaya's erotic blueprint quiz to learn more about your erotic type.
