Self-Health and Awareness Center
3300 Grand Central Avenue, Vienna, WV 26105 ● 304-295-4411 (day) ● 304-295-9646 (eve,wkd)

                           "Nothing is more important than feeling good" 

"Everything is unfolding perfectly according to a divine plan, even when we can't see it."

(The Sunday Sacred Ceremony is currently on Hiatus. We will be sure to announce when we are back up and running.)

Mid-Ohio Valley Sunday Sacred Ceremony
First and Third Sunday of each month, Doors open at 6:45, Ceremony begins at 7 pm

We are pleased to announce that the Sunday gathering is returning on a bi-weekly basis beginning January 21st, and following the first and third Sunday of each month thereafter. After a short hiatus, we are bringing the service back in a different form. The first change is that that we have changed the name to more closely align with the new format. It is now called the Mid-Ohio Valley Sunday Sacred Ceremony. Beyond that, the service has become shorter, and more formal, with short teachings that are meant to educate and inspire.

The ceremony, which will last approximately 1 hour, begins just prior to entering the sacred space. Upon arrival, each person is given the opportunity to be "smudged." Smudging is a sacred practice held by many indigenous cultures including the Native Americans. In this ritual, we burn sage or other herbs to cleanse, purify, and protect the physical and spiritual bodies. Participants will be asked to stand quietly while the smoke from the sage is fanned around the aura to cleanse any harmful or negative energies from the energy field. In this way, each person who enters the space brings with them pure, clean energy. (You may opt out of smudging if you choose.)

The ceremony begins with the ringing of the chime, followed by a series of affirmations that will set forth the intentions for protection and truth. Affirmations are followed by the invocation of the four directions, including angelic forces. The calling of the four directions is another indigenous tradition that honors the role of the unseen world in the creation of all things seen. By calling upon the unseen forces of light and love, we invoke the power of God and all creation to be present.

Following the invocation, we do a healing ceremony. Each person will be led in a short visualization to bring in healing energies and send them out to the world. At the same time, we will have trained healers sending healing energies to everyone in the room and joining in the group healing.

After the healing, we join together in song. We do this to raise the vibration in the room and to feel joy and love. The songs we have chosen draw from a number of traditions. We may sing a hymn like, "Surely the Presence of the Lord" or we may sing a more contemporary song like John Lennon's "Imagine." We have chosen our songs for the quality of the vibration of the song, as well as the familiarity to the audience.

After the song, we will have a short teaching. As we are an omni-denominational service with a lean toward the metaphysical, the teachings are designed to both educate and inspire and will draw on any number of traditions. We seek to teach universal truth, not dogma. We believe that God is beyond religion. That God is an impersonal source that loves everyone and everything equally. That God, as love, is the source of love and creation. We believe that life is eternal and that only the body is transitory. We believe that the purpose of life is joy. We believe that God is whole unto itself and does not need or desire anything, including worship or supplication.

After the teaching, we will have a period of silent meditation and contemplation, followed by another song and the taking of collection.

After that, we do another sacred ceremony called "The Blessing of the Water." Each person receives a cup of water, which we will then bless, and drink. As water is the element of memory and confluence, we know that the water remembers the blessing and then transfers that blessing onto us. It fills us with light and healing.

The blessing of the water is followed by announcements.

We close the ceremony with a gratitude circle. In the circle, we each include those things for which we are grateful. We then close the four directions, and sing amazing grace. The chime is then rung and the ceremony ends for this week.

We invite you to join us. The Service is located at 6250 Grand Central Avenue, 2nd Floor, in Vienna. Or call us at 304-295-8074.

"It's about Joy!" 

"Thoughts become things....Choose the good ones!"