Guide to Participating in Friends of the River Medway Ceremonies
Offered by J M Julia and Ellen Kittredge
When attending a ceremony with Friends of the River Medway, participants are stepping into a space that has been consciously and lovingly created, tended, and held by the Elders and ceremonial leaders.
Our gatherings are rooted in respect for the River Medway, for the lands through which She flows, for the Beings of the Unseen Realms who accompany and observe us, and for the community that comes together to honour and work for the Waters.
This sharing is offered warmly so that it may help participants understand both what it means to enter a held space and how one may conduct oneself within it, so that all who attend can experience the ceremony safely, respectfully and as part of a unified community and energy.
Entering a Held and Safe Ceremonial Space
Before any ceremony begins, the Elders and ceremonial leaders spend time quietly listening to the land and the river. They attune themselves to the place where it is hoped that Ceremony may take place and seek guidance from those Beings who belong to that place or stretch of Water. This is carried out with deep respect and in accordance to long held Practice to bring forth the best possible potential for all concerned.
We ask:
Is this a suitable place for us to gather and hold Ceremony?
What is the best time for us to carry out our intention?
How many humans may this place comfortably hold?
Is there anything we should be mindful of?
How specifically can we support you - what do you need?
Only when these enquiries have been responded to and when we receive a clear sense of welcome, do we open the ceremonial Field.
Creating The Container of Holding
Once the location is chosen, The Elder and ceremonial leaders create what is known as The Container. This is an energetic and emotional Field of frequency that supports the group and the group intention.
This involves:
The preparing of themselves energetically.
Setting a very clear intention (by all those involved in the creation of the Ceremony to the Land, Waters and all Beings).
Making an agreement with all to immaculately honour the directives given by the Beings of the place in which we will be working.
Creating a protective, steadying boundary in the place of work.
Dedicating our work to the Highest Spiritual Good.
Once created, this Container allows all participants to enter a space of clear reflection, clear connection, clear shared purpose and deep Spiritual Warmth aligned to the Highest Spiritual good of all.
Your Unique Energy Is Welcome
We warmly welcome each person who feels called to join our ceremonies as everyone brings with them their own unique Essence and presence and therefore their unique way of connecting and giving to the Land and the Waters. This diversity enriches the work and strengthens our shared intention to honour, protect, and uplift the waters of the River Medway and by extension, all waters everywhere.
In this, the creation of the Container and the protocols we follow are brought forward so to allow for every person’s energy to be held safely and equally within the group field of unified intention.
How to Honour the Container During a Ceremony
To keep the container safe, steady and respectful, we ask participants to observe the following principles:
Take Your Cues from the Elder or Ceremonial Leaders.
The Elder or ceremonial leaders will guide the rhythm and flow of the ceremony being offered, including inviting participants when best to be in stillness, when best to be in receivership and when to come forward and make offerings.
This guidance protects the energy of the group and honours the Waters and the Land whose energy is often being Read, moment by moment.
We ask that participants please follow the lead of the Elder and ceremonial leaders rather than stepping forward or redirecting the ceremony themselves though assure all, that there is always a spaciousness when we invite participants to bring forth and forward their own unique impulse and offering of Essence Self.
Conduct Oneself with Modesty, Respect, and Awareness
A ceremony is a shared, sacred space. To honour this, we ask that participants;
Seek to be truly present in your own unique Presence
Speak softly
Keep movements mindful
Remain sensitive to others’ emotional or spiritual experiences
Be aware of the ceremonial environment – that it is the Home of many Beings and that we are visitors.
Avoid actions that draw focus away from the group
Bring accompanying children inward to be active in the ceremony, so that they may quietly witness and take part in it.
Asking that Participants Do Not Step Forward to Lead or Interrupt
Only the designated Elders or ceremonial leader hold the responsibility of opening, guiding and closing the space.
We always warmly welcome contributions and ideas to our ceremonial work and would ask that participants please speak with the Elder or ceremonial leader before the ceremony begins as introducing your own offering, announcement or direction during ceremony, even with kind intentions, can destabilise the energetic work and disrupt the group’s experience.
Opening and Closing of the Container
Clear indication will be given when the Ceremony and Container are both opened and closed.
Closing a ceremony is a delicate process. The Elder will signal clearly when the Container is sealed and the work is complete.
Until that moment participants are kindly asked to;
please remain present
avoid starting conversations
do not offer new ideas or actions forward
allow the energy to settle quietly and gently
These kindnesses ensure that everyone leaves the ceremony grounded and whole.
Why These Protocols Matter
These guidelines are not rules for the sake of rules nor are they based in hierarchy or control. They have been lovingly created because:
A ceremonial Container is sensitive, especially in its final moments
Sudden disruptions can fracture the energetic field
Participants may be in vulnerable and very open emotional states
The river and land deserve our upmost sensitivity, respect and care
The community relies on the Elder and ceremonial leaders to maintain continuity and safety
At Friends of The River Medway, we understand and treasure the opportunity to bring forward the experience of ceremony for our local and wider community.
Our ceremonial events are a lovingly and immaculately held spaces where all are invited to bring their unique energy and direct it by clear intention and when everyone honours those principles and directions which strengthen The Container, then the ceremony becomes a place of depth, beauty and genuine communion with the Land and the Waters – a place where we may all begin to build ‘bridges of trust and communication’ between humans and the Being of the Other Realms and with all life.
Every act within these ceremonies becomes an offering that benefits not only the land and the waters but our own becoming – where we are not merely observing a ritual, we are participating in the emergence of a New Way of being together.
In this New Way, shared ceremonial space becomes a place of living alchemy, where each of us bringing our unique Essence in equality with one another, contributes to the weaving of a new world rooted in harmony respect and deep belonging.
We warmly look forward to welcoming you.
© J M Julia 2026 All Rights Reserved.
The content of this document including all written material, artworks, concepts, ceremonial structures, formats and creative ideas is the intellectual property of J M Julia and may not be reproduced, distributed or used in any form without prior written permission.