The Blessingway
by Patricia Anne Davis
Blessingway—hozhooji: a ceremony to awaken one to natural order (hozho); choosing constructive and life-affirming choices; healing from intentions and decisions that destroy oneself and others.
Navajo ceremonies do not require a conversion process of taking away the precious child within the natural order, and replacing this spiritual SELF-identity with a deficient self-image that has to be re-mediated to some desired end state of progress.
Once awakened to the natural order, we begin living the loving way—hozhooji: literal translation of the blessingway ceremony as translated by my paternal aunt. It is a way of living in reverent revolution, of making decisions that are constructive and life affirming.
Two main ceremonies: Protectionway and Blessingway
These two main ceremonies offer protection from contaminants like the maladaptive emotions of hate, jealousy, anger, guilt, fear, etc. and toxins from the environment.
Five major ceremonies: As five-fingered people, this corresponds to five major ceremonies that every child in the world could benefit by.
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Blessingway: the blessing way honors the divine feminine as a nurturer.
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Protectionway: divine masculine as a protector-provider.
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Purification and cleansing: numerous with specific names for specific purposes.
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Spiritual renewal: a nine-day ceremony for spiritual renewal.
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Journey to spirit world: the ceremony for a person on their journey to the spirit world.
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