By Deborah Globus
| A festival is a day or period of celebration, and while Google says it’s typically a religious commemoration, when we’re responsible for our own spiritual path, we get to make our own festivals! |  |
This is the festival meal we used to celebrate my friend, June’s 75th birthday. The basic idea comes from Grandmother Moon by Zsuzsuanna E. Budapest, and we spiced it up a bit with sacred space with some candles and tarot cards for inspiration.
Because you’re in sacred space, anything and everything you do during the meal becomes a sacred act. Every bite you take is a sacred act; every conversation you have is a sacred act (no matter how ridiculous or raunchy or irreverent.) Every act of generosity, every sip of wine, every meeting of the eye – they all become sacred within sacred space.
Because you’re in sacred space, anything and everything you do during the meal becomes a sacred act. Every bite you take is a sacred act; every conversation you have is a sacred act (no matter how ridiculous or raunchy or irreverent.) Every act of generosity, every sip of wine, every meeting of the eye – they all become sacred within sacred space.
13 tea lights
One purple candle
One pink candle
Fire-safe holders and a lighter
A Deck of Tarot cards (I used The Wild Unknown because I adore it)
One purple candle
One pink candle
Fire-safe holders and a lighter
A Deck of Tarot cards (I used The Wild Unknown because I adore it)
Set up 13 tea lights around the room (or alternately in the center of the table) with one tarot card at each candle. Turn each card over and light the candle for each dedication.
The Four of Wands – For celebrations large and small
The Three of Cups – For the intimate relationships and close friendships that bring joy and make life worthwhile
Strength – For the strength to face our fears, and gentle them into strengths
The Nine of Wands - For acknowledging the need to be mindful of how we use our energy
The Hermit – For the time we need alone to refill the well and access our wisdom
The Three of Pentacles – For the things work we do and the things we can accomplish when we come together in community and unity
The Four of Swords – For a well-deserved rest after the hard work
Six of Wands – For rising up out of difficulty and finding the way
The High Priestess – For the glory that comes of a woman who stands in her power and embraces it
Seven of Wands – For standing in your knowing and shining bright in the world
The Moon – For the shadow we cast and for that which we keep in the shadows, and all we learn when we are brave enough to search there
Death - For the truth that none of it means anything unless we acknowledge that it all ends
The Ten of Pentacles – For completeness, for abundance, for richness, for life
Purple candle – For power
Pink candle – For Happiness
The Four of Wands – For celebrations large and small
The Three of Cups – For the intimate relationships and close friendships that bring joy and make life worthwhile
Strength – For the strength to face our fears, and gentle them into strengths
The Nine of Wands - For acknowledging the need to be mindful of how we use our energy
The Hermit – For the time we need alone to refill the well and access our wisdom
The Three of Pentacles – For the things work we do and the things we can accomplish when we come together in community and unity
The Four of Swords – For a well-deserved rest after the hard work
Six of Wands – For rising up out of difficulty and finding the way
The High Priestess – For the glory that comes of a woman who stands in her power and embraces it
Seven of Wands – For standing in your knowing and shining bright in the world
The Moon – For the shadow we cast and for that which we keep in the shadows, and all we learn when we are brave enough to search there
Death - For the truth that none of it means anything unless we acknowledge that it all ends
The Ten of Pentacles – For completeness, for abundance, for richness, for life
Purple candle – For power
Pink candle – For Happiness
For us this was an impromptu speech in honor of our friend. It also happened to be the full moon so we held the festival meal in honor of that as well. You could also just be celebrating togetherness, friendship, or any of the holidays celebrating the changing of the seasons, like the Solstices and Equinoxes.
 Enjoy your meal and the sacred events that follow.  |  |
Take a moment to say “grace” after the meal. This can take any form you like, from simple gratitude for the good meal, a toast to friendship (and a draining of your glasses!) or meeting each other’s eyes and smiling. If you haven’t burned the candles out, extinguish them last.
Ideally you should feel a warm glow from a festival. There’s an energy - a refilling of the well - that comes from with the intimacy of good friends meeting on the spiritual level.
It’s all the more welcome for the lack of it in our society. We’re all but starving for this kind of interaction.
Still, it can be hard to trust enough to experience this.
It’s helped along by the creation of sacred space. It’s easier to open up when you’re tucked safe inside of sacred space. It’s easier to trust the process.
Trust the process and celebrate!
And tell me about your own festival below in the comments!
It’s all the more welcome for the lack of it in our society. We’re all but starving for this kind of interaction.
Still, it can be hard to trust enough to experience this.
It’s helped along by the creation of sacred space. It’s easier to open up when you’re tucked safe inside of sacred space. It’s easier to trust the process.
Trust the process and celebrate!
And tell me about your own festival below in the comments!
Further reading:
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