Sistren Ceremony

(May 9, 2011)

One by one, my lovelies arrived at my apartment, dressed in white, glowing and all smiles.  After the greetings, giggling and a bit of goofing off, we got down to business.  We prepared the ceremonial altar.  Sistren Cil directed us and explained the meaning of each item selected and placed on the altar.  She had referenced Sobonfu Some's book, Welcoming Spirit Home. 

This past February, Cil, Chrissy and I had the pleasure of hearing Sobonfu Some speak at the East Bay Church of Religious Science.  Sobonfu Some's name means "keeper of the rituals, keeper of knowledge."  She is from the Dagara tribe of Burkina Faso in West Africa and now travels the world conducting seminars and sharing her tribe's spiritual relationship with birth, pregnancy, child rearing, community building and healing practices.  I was soothed by Sobonfu's tender voice, moved by her passion and inspired by her preachings.  I was thrilled that Cil had read and referenced Sobonfu's chapter on fertility rituals.

The altar (my coffee table covered in a golden pareo), was set up in the center of my living room.  Upon it we placed:

• Three eggs and four seeds (which Reen meticulously extracted from a lemon).  Both the egg and seed represent new beginnings and new life.  The number three is the masculine number, four the feminine number, and seven the combination of the two, brings balance.
• Figurines; one in which was given to me by Gigi - a lovely statue of a graceful woman with long limbs and flowing hair, rising from a wave's crest.  Gigi chose to give this to me for my birthday, soon after I had started my journey, as she said it reminded her of me.  I've kept the figurine displayed ever since, as it is symbolic to me of my growth and freedom.  It seemed appropriate then to place it on the altar.
• To honor Oshun, African goddess of fertility, and prosperity, we placed honey, chocolate and jewelry of gold, as she loves sweets and is attracted to the color gold and yellow.
• Finally, to represent the Earthly elements, we placed a glass of water on the altar and burned sage, incense and a candle brought by Sistren Mar2. 

Once the altar had been set up, one by one we knelt before the community altar to say a prayer and then joined together in a circle around the ceremonial altar for an opening prayer.  I was instructed to lie down on a white cloth that had been placed on the carpet.  I was wrapped lovingly in the sheet, and each sistren surrounded me and knelt beside my swaddled body.  I recited a fertility prayer from Sobonfu's book, calling for the spirits and my ancestors to prepare my womb for a child.

After the prayer, the sistrens placed their healing hands inches above my head, chest, abdomen, legs and feet.  As I closed my eyes, tears sailing down the sides of my face, I listened to Yamaya filter through the distant iPod dock.  In quiet meditation, I could feel the warmth and energy passing through my sistrens' hands to my body.  The intensity of the moment consumed me.  I was engulfed by my sistren's loving prayers, physical presence and spiritual energy.

Following the ceremony we joined hand in hand around the altar once again, to say closing prayer.  This final moment was a beautiful sight to witness; my sistrens, all clothed in white, glowing with energy and exuding nothing but love.  Never had I felt more fulfilled.  Their boundless love and prayers would surely see me through the next day...