Message to the behikes of the Caney Circle

[Miguel Sague Jr]

As we approach this Full Moon weekend we genuinely thank all the Caney Circle behikes who have been keeping up with Full Moon Ceremonies in their areas such as Behike Erlinda Mother Crow and Kasike Guatu Iri. We also  urge ALL other Caney Circle behikes and behikes-in-training to celebrate Full Moon Ceremony in their respective areas and send us a record of the ceremony, even if it is all by yourself or just with family. I look forward to your reports. Please see below a detailed step by step instruction of Full Moon Ceremony taken from our newly revised Caney Circle ceremonies page

 FULL MOON CEREMONY

 

The Full Moon Ceremony is performed to recognize and celebrate the sacred 28-day lunar cycle of fertility of the Cosmic Matriarch AtaBey, and the link between that fertility cycle and the 28-day menstrual cycle of human women. Click thisLINK to read some facts concerning the connections between the 28-day cycle of the divine woman Ata Bey and the 28-day menstrual cycle of human women.The most important day of the Full Moon is the actual day when the moon is completely full but the ceremony can be celebrated on the weekend nearest that day. 

The celebration of the Caney Circle Full Moon Ceremony goes as follows...

Materials and supplies:

 (in addition to the basic materials necessary for the initial  opening ritual  and ceremonial tobacco smoking as described in the Caney Circle CEREMONIES PAGE)

  * two tiki torches with torch fluid (in absence of these or if the ceremony must be celebrated indoors substitute with two candles)

  *  a seashell necklace for each woman participating in this ceremony

  *  (if possible) feather crown and decorative cape to be worn by the woman who is representing AtaBey

Before the ceremony begins the behike requests that a woman from the congregation perform the role of AtaBey. This woman is allowed to wear the feather crown and cape if these are available. 

The ceremony begins with the usual opening ritual and tobacco smoking ritual described in the Caney Circle behike Lodgegroup ceremonies page.

After the opening ritual the behike explains the meaning of the ceremony and the importance of recognizing the links between the 28-day cycles of both the divine matriarch and human women. It is also very important to explain that this is not only a woman's ceremony, that men also share in the magic of this link between the divine and the human because men are typically relatives, friends or companions of women, and men are linked to the divine woman through their female sisters with whom they collaborate to maintain the existence of our species.

The behike then guides the woman who is performing the role of AtaBey to stand before the two torches and light them. As she lights the torches the woman  says the words "THIS LIGHT REPRESENTS THE DOUBLE LIGHT OF THE FULL MOON".

 

  

Once the two torches have been lit the behike and the AtaBey woman stand bofore the two burning torches and the behike guides the AtaBey woman through the sacred words of the Full Moon Ceremony.

"WE WOMEN HAVE WITHIN US THE RHYTHM OF THE UNIVERSE, EVER CONSTANT AND STEADY, THE TWENTY EIGHT-DAY CYCLE OF LIFE. WE WOMEN ARE EACH A MANIFESTATION OF THE GREAT MOTHER, WHO WITH HER CYCLES OF LIFE AND DEATH BRINGS ABOUT THE REALITY WE KNOW OF AS EXISTENCE."

Once the sacred words have been uttered the behike guides the group in singing the chant of the sacred words of the Full Moon.

 Please click this LINK to access the web page containing videos of the chants of the Caney Circle where you can listen to the Full Moon Sacred Words song.

Also we hope you enjoy this rendition of the Full Moon Sacred Words Chant filmed by our Taino brother Guaribo of Arroyo Productions:

The behike also has the option of leading the participants in dancing during this chant. The dance should start by all those who wish to dance standing in a circle facing inwards and holding hands, then letting go of the hands and begin to dance in a clockwise direction.

The behike also has the option of leading the group in other dances to the rhythm of any of the other songs of the Caney. If the behike deems it necessary this point is a good place in which to lead the group in  the execution of the CORDON Healing Dance. 

The ceremony should be concluded with a period of sharing during which members of the assembled group are given an opportunity to take turns expressing their impressions, emotions or personal prayers and chants out loud for everyone to hear if they want to.

After that the behike should thank the participants for attending and, If applicable, the host in whose home or property the ceremony has been celebrated. 

Sometimes the Full Moon Ceremony is followed by a Guanara kansi purification. Please click this LINK to the Caney Circle ceremonies page to review our Kansi ceremony.