Mongolian Ceremonies
Max and Diana Christensen take you on a journey through Mongolian Ceremonies to purify your body-mind. Each Ceremony coordinates with the elements, animals, and the unseen spirits. These ceremonies are for personal growth, not a course on “how to be a shaman” or instructorship.
Experience the traditional aspects of Mongolian Ceremonies by engaging in ceremonial rituals to the sky tengers and spirits. You will purify the body-mind through various dances, breathing, and levels of ceremonies.
While in nature, learn to find the power within oneself: the power of the “wind horse.” You will learn to build this gift within, to release emotional wounds within themselves.
Max and Diana teach traditionally. Therefore, training takes place outdoors, indoors, and on weekends with a small group of participants, allowing everyone to process their direct experience on their own time.
“Participation in shamanic ritual does not make one a shaman, any more than participation in a Catholic Mass makes one a Bishop. A shamanic professional, who is a highly trained and very often spiritually selected individual, is sometimes known as a shaman.” (Wikipedia)
Water Ceremony
Level 1: River, Thunder Breathing and Finding your Ongon
In this ceremony, you will go into nature to purify through the spirit of the water calling in the “four directions,” the traditional way of cleaning your body, mind, and spirit through the movement of the river. You will find the river “ongon” or spirit house stone for future ceremonies. Thunder breathing is an ancient breath to connect with the “thunder” beings combined with drumming to commune with the thunder spirits.
What to bring: backpack, water bottle, snacks, hiking shoes, bathing suit, towel, and a small pouch of tobacco for the offering.
Level 2: Lake, Fire Breathing and Learning the Dear Dance
You will experience merging yourself with the element of water to instill its spirit within you. Specific breathing and meditation will help you to understand the “Blood of the Earth” through this practice, and the water ceremony, you will connect with the spirit of the water and the spirit of the sky. Dear Dance purifies the dancer and their surroundings, and in certain situations, “the rain will fall”.
What to bring: backpack, water bottle, snacks, hiking shoes, hat, bathing suit, towel, and a small pouch of tobacco for the offering.
Level 3: Waterfall and Fire Breathing
There will not be a Water Level 3 class until we find a suitable place.
Prerequisite: Water Level 1 and 2
What to bring: backpack, water bottle, snacks, hiking shoes, bathing suit, towel, and a small pouch of tobacco for the offering.
Fire Ceremony
Level 1: Trance Drumming
The traditional fire ceremony was used by the ancients to ground, protect, and reveal the deeply hidden limitations of the self through the element of fire. You will be offering to the fire spirit through the four directions and through the making of “tree ongons” or spirit houses which will be provided to the fire spirit “ott-kan.” Trance drumming is a unique and natural way of altering the drummer’s perception. Through breath combined with unique dancing, you will easily attain the trance of the ancient ones.
What to bring: Drum if you have one, backpack, water bottle, snacks, hiking shoes, pants, and a small pouch of tobacco for the offering.
Level 2: Eagle Dance and Making Sacred Ongon
The eagle dance is done during fire ceremonies to offer respect to the ancestors of the past. This dance will be taught in the traditional way to connect the dancer with the spirit of the golden eagle and send the message of the dancer towards the spirits of the sky and learn the traditional methods of wrapping your Ongon to help you on your path to purification.
What to bring: tobacco, small feathers, long quartz crystal, stones and/or small crystal, artificial sinew, bells, and scraps of soft leather the amount based on how many stones you want to wrap.
Level 3: Climbing the Sky Ladder
This ceremony allows you to travel to the spirit world through drumming and body movement. This is done for an extended period without rest using a form of fire breath combined with stepping to allow your spirit to soar upwards to the sky and unite with the ancient ones.
The drum and dance are used in this method, and the dance requires determination and endurance to practice.
Prerequisite: Fire Level 1 & 2
What to bring: Drum if you have one, water bottle, snacks, and a small pouch of tobacco for the offering.
Earth Ceremony
Level 1: Wolf Dance, Breathing and Postures
The traditional wolf dance was used to communicate with the protective spirits of the forest. In this dance, you will learn to embrace the spirit of the wolf through various postures, breathing, and bodily movement. The wolf style uses the drum and specific sounds to unify the practitioner with the hidden spirits within nature. The strength and courage to overcome adversity are created within the practitioner who does the wolf dance.
What to bring: Drum if you have one, backpack, water bottle, snacks, and a small pouch of tobacco for the offering.
Level 2: Introspection
This ceremony challenges your body-mind bringing up what is hidden inside. You will learn the way of preparing and purifying by making ceremonial ties an old tradition used in many cultures. The Earth is a natural way of self-healing by using the soil’s life force to bring forth positive health Earth medicine is also suitable for grounding internal energy and balancing the body, mind, and spirit.
Prerequisite: Earth Level 1
What to bring for making your ties: 1-yard of blue cloth, one can of tobacco, scissors, pen, ruler, 8 ounces of artificial sinew, and 5 ounces of white yarn.
What to bring: Hat, water, blanket, and snacks.
Level 3: Earth Vision Quest-online retreat
Prerequisite: Earth Level 1& 2
What to bring: Ties from earth level 2, tent, sleeping bag, food, small carved wooden post, 1/2 yard of colored cloth, sage, & tobacco.
Air Ceremony
Level 1: Snake Dance, Breathing, and Postures
This traditional trance dance is used to access the spiritual world through snake breathing and body movement. It stimulates the wind and fire elements of the body, creating rising heat and opening the door to the spirit after purification occurs. Snake dance was traditionally used to develop healing ability and connection with the ancestors through vigorous movement and breathing.
Prerequisite: none
What to bring: water bottle, snacks, and a small pouch of tobacco for the offering.
Level 2: Rain Dance
The rain dance is a traditional way of bringing renewed life to the land and to the people in the times of old. The rain dance will be taught, which includes specific dance steps, drumming, and breathing techniques that are utilized to bring positive changes. The desired result of wind and rain comes forth from doing this ancient dance.
Prerequisite: none
What to bring: Drum if you have one, water bottle, snacks, and a small pouch of tobacco for the offering.
Level 3: Air Vision Quest - online retreat
Prerequisite: Air level 1 & 2
What to bring: