Communion of the Krokopeplos

The central rite of the Sisters of the Krokopeplos is the Communion, which comes in two "flavors", Individual and Circle. In Individual Communion, we sit in silent communion with the Goddess. In Circle Communion, we come together in small groups to commune with both the Goddess and each other.

Individual Communion

Individual communion is a silent contemplative ritual. It can be done in as little as 20 minutes, although it can be extended for several hours on special occasions. Friends are encouraged to sit in communion at least once per week. Sisters are encouraged to sit in communion every day.

No props are required for individual communion, although Sisters are encouraged to wear the veil. Many people enjoy a glass of warm saffron tea, or warm saffron infused milk, as part of their communion. You'll probably want to have a glass of cool water as well a a paper & pencil at hand to take some notes when you're done. Beginners to silent communion may want to set a gentle timer, and/or use headphones and an ambient noise to help them focus. Individual communion can be done while sitting or walking. The ritual, as presented, is simple, but very powerful. We encourage you to practice it several times as written before making changes.

Before beginning, allow yourself a few minutes to listen to your own thoughts without judgement. We are so often bombarded with constant stimuli that we rarely listen to our own thoughts. For this reason, we encourage you to spend several short times throughout your day listening to your own thoughts. On the toilet? Waiting in line? Stuck on hold? Instead of pulling out your phone to entertain yourself, spend the time listening to your inner self.

One of these listening times should be before individual communion. What have you been trying to tell yourself, but couldn't hear over the din? If you have tea or milk to drink, drink it while you listen. As you listen, your thoughts will begin to quiet. The more time you spend listening to yourself throughout the day, and the more regular your listening practice, the more quickly they will quiet.

Once you have heard what you have to say, it is time to listen to the goddess. Choose any name of the goddess which resonates with you. Breathe slowly and deeply. Most people breath in through the nose and out through the mouth, but you should experiment to find a breath that is easy and natural for you. On each inhale, smile and think to yourself the name of the Goddess. Allow the name to occupy your entire mind, and the smile to suffuse your entire body. Feel the warm saffron glow of the Goddess permeating you.

On each exhale, count. Allow your breath to become a circle, with very little pause between inhalation and exhalation. This may make you slightly light-headed. That’s a good sign. The goal is to empty your head of heaviness and fill it with light.

Continue, until you have counted 111 exhales. For most people, that will take 10-15 minutes. If you lose count, start over. Do not use beads or other tools to keep count. Keeping count in your head requires attention; if you lose count, it means you've become distracted. As you count higher, you may find yourself growing excited at the imminent approach of the goddess. Surrender to that joyful expectation, but keep counting until you reach 111. If you lose count, start over.

Once you reach 111, greet the goddess, ask for her wisdom, and listen to her answer. You should develop your own formula of greeting, but some examples to experiment with are provided below.

• Greetings, Goddess of the Krokopeplos, I come to you veiled in saffron. Please teach me concerning __________.

• Hail to the Goddess of the Krokopeplos, the enlightener of minds. What do you have to teach me today?

• I greet you, Great Goddess of the Krokopeplos. I have come to listen to you.

• Great Goddess of the Krokopeplos, I have come seeking wisdom about ______.

• Beloved Goddess of the Krokopeplos, in the name of Python Drakaina I ask: __________?

You may choose to listen to her "in your head", or allow her to speak out loud with your voice.

When you are done listening, thank the goddess, and promise to return again soon to commune with her further. If you want, you can invite her to visit further in your dreams. Open your eyes and remove your veil. If you wish, take notes about your experience.

Circle Communion

A Circle is a small group of Sisters & Friends who practice (and, ideally, live) together. Most Circles have 3-13 participants. We recommend against practicing this rite with only two people; the energy is unstable in that configuration. Instead, we recommend pairs practice the Individual communion, while sitting back to back. Circles with more than 13 people may require three or more experienced communers to help structure the energy; arrange them in a triangle.

To perform Circle communion