Initiations: A Life of Ritual
Practices for Living and Dying
with Dr. Daniel Foor
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A year of transformative learning and ritual.
We enter the world through the gateway of initiation. From our birth until our return to the ancestors, this world provides abundant experiences from which to cultivate authentic presence. In this year of experiential learning, we’ll explore the seasons of human life, link each with foundational ritual skills, and integrate insights from developmental psychology, diverse religious and spiritual systems, stages of consciousness models, an international anti-oppressive cultural sensibility, and pragmatic ritual arts.
Online lessons are accompanied by live teachings, integration and ritual practice calls, small breakout groups, additional resources, and new moon rituals. Course content is both accessible for those new to ritual and of substance for those with years of experience.
Each season of the course offers distinct initiatory themes. Participants are encouraged to join for the full year-long course (four seasons) or may register for just the current season. Recorded lessons and resources for the Spring season are available to those joining for the year. All who join can expect to learn effective practices that support converting raw life experience into wisdom, compassion, and presence.
Investment
Includes self-paced Spring, Summer and Autumn lessons and live, interactive Winter lessons. To register for the Winter season only, click here.
This course is offered on a sliding scale and all payment levels include monthly payment options. About our self-select pricing model:
- Supporter rate invites folks with comfortable financial means to contribute more. Your generosity covers the cost for us to offer reduced rates.
- Standard rate is the actual cost for us to offer this program and sustain what we do. If you are able to enroll at this rate, we encourage you to do so.
- Community rate invites folks with leaner financial means to enjoy Ancestral Medicine programs at a reduced cost. *Limited availability.
If you’re not satisfied with the course after having engaged at least one lesson, we will grant you a full refund within 30 days of the beginning of the course.
Scholarship Options
If the sliding scale options above, including payment plans, are beyond your current financial means, we offer additional scholarship options. These options are limited and we trust applicants to apply for the option they require based on present needs and context. Please read the description and then fill out the form linked above to be considered. Scholarship applications will close on July 23rd at 7pm EDT.
Curriculum
One
Lesson One: Infancy, Voice, and Invocation
- Explore sacred aspects of conception, birth, and early childhood
- Consider the role of language and culture in early development
- Focus on the ritual skills of prayer, song, appeal, and invocation
- Learn tangible ways to utilize and strengthen invocation practices
- Enjoy resources on stages of consciousness and early childhoodÂ
Two
Lesson Two: Childhood, Boundaries, and Safety
- Explore key developmental milestones and challenges of childhood Â
- Gently reflect on your early life in light of your personal boundaries today
- Affirm connections between physical, psychological, and spiritual safety
- Learn effective practices for establishing ritual safety and boundariesÂ
- Enjoy resources on animism, childhood, and ritual for young people
Three
Lesson Three: Embodiment, Pleasure, and Being Whole
- Explore the mysteries of incarnation and embodiment over a lifespan
- Affirm body, sex, and pleasure positivity in support of embodiment
- Reflect on remedies for the fragmentation of soul, power, and psyche
- Engage in practices to welcome back and celebrate aspects of self
- Enjoy resources on non-duality, embodiment, and cultivating presenceÂ
Four
Lesson Four: Adolescence, Courage, and Calling
- Consider youth rites of passage connected to the ability to call in new life
- Explore connections between accountability and accessing guidance
- Reflect on experiences with authority and connection to authentic power
- Practice ways to directly access reliable spiritual guidance and support
- Enjoy resources on youth rites of passage and ethical development
Five
Lesson Five: Early Adulthood, Devotion, and Feeding Life
- Explore love and devotion as foundational to spiritual development
- Learn ways to intentionally cultivate heart courage and tenderness
- Reflect on the healing power of relationships, human and otherwise
- Enact love and devotion by learning tangible, ritual offering practicesÂ
- Enjoy poetry, art, and other resources on devotion and the sacred
Six
Lesson Six: Limitation, Sorrow, and Choosing Love
- Consider how little we control and the sacred functions of pain and limitation
- Explore impacts of personal loss and tragedy on soul-level development
- Reflect on the courage required to choose compassion over resentment
- Practice ritual skills to receive, regulate, and metabolize grief and sorrowÂ
- Enjoy resources on lament, heartache, and love in response to suffering
Seven
Lesson Seven: Midlife, Destiny, and Cleaning House
- Explore pragmatic frameworks for awakening and adult development
- Reflect on the process of clarifying, accepting, and living personal destiny
- Learn ways to identify and resolve blocks to more authentic expression
- Practice safely communing with and incorporating benevolent forces
- Enjoy resources on physical embodiment and communion with the powers
Eight
Lesson Eight: Early Elderhood, Warriorship, and Legacy
- Consider the myriad of challenges that follow from embracing destiny
- Learn about hazards, ritual protection, and the need to guard legacy
- Assess your current level of risk and willingness to address concernsÂ
- Practice partnering with supportive powers to increase ritual protection
- Enjoy resources on evil, malice, self-defense, and sacred warriorship
Nine
Lesson Nine: Power, Reckoning, and Making Amends
- Reflect on meanings and right uses of both worldly and spiritual power
- Consider the benefits of courageously facing any unresolved woundingÂ
- Learn ways to honestly assess your life and make any needed repairs  Â
- Practice calling back personal power from past mistakes and traumas
- Enjoy resources on power, imperfection, and responsible leadership
Ten
Lesson Ten: Elderhood, Humility, and Mending the World
- Consider elder rites of passage and pathways for ongoing cultivationÂ
- Affirm the power and importance of joy, levity, play, and irreverenceÂ
- Learn to anchor identity to more stable ancestral and ecological sourcesÂ
- Ritually turn toward and recommit to alleviating the suffering of the world
- Enjoy resources on elderhood rites of passage and responsibilities
Eleven
Lesson Eleven: Eclipse, Dying, and Becoming Ancestor
- Explore death of the body as a rite of passage to becoming ancestor
- Learn ways to further support ego death before physical death
- Continue to soften unhelpful binaries and to access unitive states
- Practice steady communion with elder forces for more effective service
- Enjoy resources on the ancestralization process and post-death journey
Twelve
Lesson Twelve: Awakening, Wisdom, and Becoming What Is
- Explore teachings on consciousness after dying and becoming an ancestorÂ
- Learn pragmatic ways to prioritize soul cultivation over the lifespan
- Reflect on your life through the long view of increasing love and wisdom
- Practice experiencing personal center as opening to the ground of being
- Enjoy resources on the far reaches of human development and potential
Lesson One: Infancy, Voice, and Invocation
- Explore sacred aspects of conception, birth, and early childhood
- Consider the role of language and culture in early development
- Focus on the ritual skills of prayer, song, appeal, and invocation
- Learn tangible ways to utilize and strengthen invocation practices
- Enjoy resources on stages of consciousness and early childhoodÂ
Lesson Two: Childhood, Boundaries, and Safety
- Explore key developmental milestones and challenges of childhood Â
- Gently reflect on your early life in light of your personal boundaries today
- Affirm connections between physical, psychological, and spiritual safety
- Learn effective practices for establishing ritual safety and boundariesÂ
- Enjoy resources on animism, childhood, and ritual for young people
Lesson Three: Embodiment, Pleasure, and Being Whole
- Explore the mysteries of incarnation and embodiment over a lifespan
- Affirm body, sex, and pleasure positivity in support of embodiment
- Reflect on remedies for the fragmentation of soul, power, and psyche
- Engage in practices to welcome back and celebrate aspects of self
- Enjoy resources on non-duality, embodiment, and cultivating presenceÂ
Lesson Four: Adolescence, Courage, and Calling
- Consider youth rites of passage connected to the ability to call in new life
- Explore connections between accountability and accessing guidance
- Reflect on experiences with authority and connection to authentic power
- Practice ways to directly access reliable spiritual guidance and support
- Enjoy resources on youth rites of passage and ethical development
Lesson Five: Early Adulthood, Devotion, and Feeding Life
- Explore love and devotion as foundational to spiritual development
- Learn ways to intentionally cultivate heart courage and tenderness
- Reflect on the healing power of relationships, human and otherwise
- Enact love and devotion by learning tangible, ritual offering practicesÂ
- Enjoy poetry, art, and other resources on devotion and the sacred
Lesson Six: Limitation, Sorrow, and Choosing Love
- Consider how little we control and the sacred functions of pain and limitation
- Explore impacts of personal loss and tragedy on soul-level development
- Reflect on the courage required to choose compassion over resentment
- Practice ritual skills to receive, regulate, and metabolize grief and sorrowÂ
- Enjoy resources on lament, heartache, and love in response to suffering
Lesson Seven: Midlife, Destiny, and Cleaning House
- Explore pragmatic frameworks for awakening and adult development
- Reflect on the process of clarifying, accepting, and living personal destiny
- Learn ways to identify and resolve blocks to more authentic expression
- Practice safely communing with and incorporating benevolent forces
- Enjoy resources on physical embodiment and communion with the powers
Lesson Eight: Early Elderhood, Warriorship, and Legacy
- Consider the myriad of challenges that follow from embracing destiny
- Learn about hazards, ritual protection, and the need to guard legacy
- Assess your current level of risk and willingness to address concernsÂ
- Practice partnering with supportive powers to increase ritual protection
- Enjoy resources on evil, malice, self-defense, and sacred warriorship
Lesson Nine: Power, Reckoning, and Making Amends
- Reflect on meanings and right uses of both worldly and spiritual power
- Consider the benefits of courageously facing any unresolved woundingÂ
- Learn ways to honestly assess your life and make any needed repairs  Â
- Practice calling back personal power from past mistakes and traumas
- Enjoy resources on power, imperfection, and responsible leadership
Lesson Ten: Elderhood, Humility, and Mending the World
- Consider elder rites of passage and pathways for ongoing cultivationÂ
- Affirm the power and importance of joy, levity, play, and irreverenceÂ
- Learn to anchor identity to more stable ancestral and ecological sourcesÂ
- Ritually turn toward and recommit to alleviating the suffering of the world
- Enjoy resources on elderhood rites of passage and responsibilities
Lesson Eleven: Eclipse, Dying, and Becoming Ancestor
- Explore death of the body as a rite of passage to becoming ancestor
- Learn ways to further support ego death before physical death
- Continue to soften unhelpful binaries and to access unitive states
- Practice steady communion with elder forces for more effective service
- Enjoy resources on the ancestralization process and post-death journey
Lesson Twelve: Awakening, Wisdom, and Becoming What Is
- Explore teachings on consciousness after dying and becoming an ancestorÂ
- Learn pragmatic ways to prioritize soul cultivation over the lifespan
- Reflect on your life through the long view of increasing love and wisdom
- Practice experiencing personal center as opening to the ground of being
- Enjoy resources on the far reaches of human development and potential
Four Seasons of Ritual
Elderhood through post-death. Themes include humility, service, ego death, rejoining the ancestors, and stabilizing love and wisdom.
Conception through childhood. Themes include voice, invocation, boundaries, pleasure, and living from wholeness and embodiment.
Adolescent to early adult. Themes include accessing spiritual guidance, passion and devotion, and working with grief and loss.
Midlife and early elderhood. Themes include clarifying destiny, sacred warriorship, making amends, and right use of power.
About the Instructor
Daniel Foor, PhD
Dr. Foor is a licensed psychotherapist, doctor of psychology, and the author of Ancestral Medicine: Rituals for Personal and Family Healing. He is an initiate in the Òrìṣà tradition of Yoruba-speaking West Africa and has learned from teachers of Mahayana Buddhism, Islamic Sufism, and the older ways of his English and German ancestors. Daniel is passionate about training aspiring leaders and change makers in the intersections of cultural healing, animist ethics, and applied ritual arts. He currently lives with his wife and two daughters near Granada, Spain in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
