It is a powerful journey to be able to let go of an addiction.<\/p>\n
Items you will need:<\/p>\n
Have something that represents your addiction that you can bury in the earth that will not be toxic to the earth.\u00a0 For example if your addiction was cigarettes bring a bit of tobacco, for alcohol bring water, juice or tea. For Crystal Meth \u2013 salt.<\/p>\n
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Ask each person to bring a small stone on which they have written the way they will support you in your new addiction free life. \u00a0Have a basket to place stones in.<\/p>\n
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Collect a small bundle of sticks.\u00a0 On each stick write a negative impact of your previous addiction.<\/p>\n
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Gather friends and family in a place where you can have a bonfire. Near the location of the bonfire, dig a small hole to contain the item that represents the addiction.<\/p>\n
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Addiction Free Ceremony<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n As we gather together this afternoon may we be open to the words of wisdom that will be spoken today. We are here to honour one among us who has followed their dream to release the chains of addiction. It is a good day to be free.<\/p>\n \u201cLet us open our minds and hearts to the place of quiet, to the silent prayer for the healing of pain, and the soft, gentle coming of love.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Welcome to this gathering of family and friends to celebrate a remarkable accomplishment. To give up an addiction is nearly an impossibility. \u00a0Doctors now characterize addiction as a medical condition, which can be thought of as a disease which leads to compulsive behaviours (Wikipedia) \u2013 and _______ has found the fortitude to set down their addiction.<\/p>\n This is no small feat. Famous Author Edgar Allan Poe said of addiction \u201cI have absolutely no pleasure in the stimulants in which I sometimes so madly indulge. It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure that I have periled life and reputation and reason. It has been the desperate attempt to escape from torturing memories, from a sense of insupportable loneliness and a dread of some strange impending doom.\u201d<\/p>\n Doom, loneliness, escape \u2013 are three reasons for addiction, there is also pain, desire, and emptiness. Each a powerful force that takes the strength of mountains to overcome. Sometimes we can not and look to substances or habits to get us through a low patch, as an escape and then before we know it we are in the vice grip of addiction.<\/p>\n It is gatherings like today that remind us that the courage of the human spirit can conquer our cravings, our obsessions and our compulsions.<\/p>\n Invite people to make a circle around the fire \u2013 tell people that we will create a welcome circle \u2013 as we take the person\u2019s hand that is to our right we will welcome them into the circle by saying \u201cwelcome\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n Leader starts by taking their right hand and holding the hand of the person beside them, turning to them sand saying<\/em> \u201cwelcome\u201d, then that person takes the hand of the person beside them and says \u201cwelcome\u201d \u2013 until the entire group is holding hands. \u00a0Once everyone is holding hands \u2013 tell people \u2013 on the count of three we will all say \u201cwelcome\u201d together. 1,2,3 \u2026 \u201cWELCOME!\u201d Invite people to release hands.<\/em><\/p>\n Addiction is a very common ailment; most people have a habit they would like to be able to kick. It is only a very few, exceptionally strong people who are able to overcome an addiction, never to have it rule them again.\u00a0 While it might haunt us, it will never control us.<\/p>\n The Eagles said it well in their song \u201cHotel California\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMirrors on the ceiling, We do become prisoners to our addictions. Today, however, ______ is releasing themselves from addiction.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ___________ has brought __________ to represent their addiction and we are going to bury it in the earth. Let _______ (what addicted to) now be as nothing to ______ (person).<\/p>\n Say as covering the substance with earth.\u00a0 We consign this addiction to the earth.\u00a0 Earth take this substance and by removing it from ____________\u2019s life help them transform and grow into all that they can be.<\/p>\n As friends and family we are here to support you ______ as you publically let go of your addiction.<\/p>\n As _______ gets ready to burn all of pain around addiction this poem by American Rock singer and song writer Aimee Mann speaks to the draw of addiction like a moth to a flame:<\/p>\n \u201cThe Moth don’t care when he sees The Flame. Once all of the sticks are in the fire..<\/em><\/p>\n Each of those reasons to quit has now been consumed by the fire, helping to release ______ from all of the negativity associated with their addiction.<\/p>\n Now we will find our stones and one by one read the words on them and tell _________ how we will support them to be free of their addiction in the coming hours, weeks, months and decades.<\/p>\n Invite people to hold their stone \u2013 tell ________ how they will walk the walk with them and place the stone in ________\u2019s hands. (____ can then place stones in the basket after each person has presented their stone.\u00a0 Take all the time here that is needed for people to speak what is in their hearts and for ____________ to receive these blessings of strength and courage.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n American Singer Fergie said when giving up crystal methamphetamines \u201cIt was the hardest boyfriend I ever had to break up with.\u201d<\/p>\n This journey has been a hard one for __________ and we are here to support you and walk with you as you set down that which was harming you. <\/p>\n To end \u2013 holding hands around the fire say:<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe courage of the early morning\u2019s dawning,<\/p>\n And the strength of the rolling hills,<\/p>\n And the peace of the evening\u2019s twilight<\/p>\n And the love of our community<\/p>\n Be in our hearts.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nThe pink champagne on ice
\nAnd she said ‘We are all just prisoners here, of our own device’\u201d<\/p>\n
\nHe might get burned, but he’s in the game.
\nAnd once he’s in, he can’t go back, he’ll
\nBeat his wings ’til he burns them black…
\nNo, The Moth don’t care when he sees The Flame. . .
\nThe Moth don’t care if The Flame is real,
\n‘Cause Flame and Moth got a sweetheart deal.
\nAnd nothing fuels a good flirtation,
\nLike Need and Anger and Desperation…
\nNo, The Moth don’t care if The Flame is real. . . \u201d
\n______\u00a0 has written on sticks all of negative impacts of addiction in their life. We are going to read them out and through them into the fire. (Either person the ceremony is for or the leader can read these out.) After each one is read it is thrown into the fire. As the leader you can clap and encourage others to clap as each stick is given to the fire.<\/p>\n
\nWe are all works in progress.\u00a0 Trying to better ourselves and grow into all of the possibilities that the future holds for us.\u00a0 By quitting the addictions that have a hold on us we free up the energy to be stronger, better people.\u00a0 More of our authentic selves than ever before.\u00a0 Congratulations ___________ you are an ex-_________ main you gain fortitude with each day that you are addiction free.<\/p>\n