 
When your dear friend asks you to do a reflection activity before their wedding, you know
1. They did an AmeriCorps program.
2. You had better come up with a pretty good reflection activity.
This was the case with my friend Dhriti (which if you are my friend on facebook is the tiny woman who is always doing crazy yoga challenges and community service adventures with me). Well, I agonized over the daunting task of coming up with quality reflection questions and a unique way to deliver them. For 8 months. Then one Saturday morning I was hit with a flash of brilliance. I could create a cool theme that fits within the circle of things we do together and also might mean something special. I created the 7-day Chakra reflection wedding gift/combo. About a year ago we participated in a Chakra workshop at our yoga studio. We learned about the 7 Chakras and their associations within the body. 7 Chakras, 7 days, 7 colors, 7 sets of reflection questions. And I decided to write the reflection questions on 7 scrolls, cause that seemed more adventurous and fun. The first day I had to do a card to explain what was about to happen.
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| The Chakra Reflection Introduction |
Welcome to the adventure that is you wedding gift from me. Many months ago Dhri asked me if I would put together a reflection for you as you get ready to get married. So this will serve as both. For the next 7 days you will receive 7 gifts and 7 scrolls. These will contain your reflection questions and will represent many traditions including my own. There will also be many shared memories. Please enjoy. This card is yellow because Dhri loves yellow. With Love, Lisa Ranee Tatum and on the back of the card I placed an Outstanding sticker as a Hoby reference. Hoby was one of the first volunteer experiences that Dhri and I shared.
Chakra reflection Scroll Day 1
Root/Base
Element: Earth
Color: Red
1. Honoring the luck of the Irish.
2. Lucky Hand Sanitizer- an homage to the one you carry around Dhri and to Matt's luck :)
3. Ginger root because of the root chakra
4. Dhri makes wonderful tea and uses ginger in it
5. A stone that represented the book "Stone Soup". For those who do not know the story of Stone Soup. It is about a village where every has limited food supplies. No one will share as they have so little. A guy comes to town and starts making "Stone Soup" by placing a stone in water and starting to cook. He grabs the curiosity of the town as the have never heard of such a thing. The guy says "This soup would be great with some onions" and the curious people from the town bring one item at a time to contribute until together the whole village has a combined meal from what each contributed. This "Stone Soup" model reflects the ideals that we have as AmeriCorps Alums. I added the names of the happy couple and the date of the wedding. Plus it is a pretty nice-looking stone.
Wedding Reflection question (all questions developed with the help of Jonathan Wallace)
What are 3 ways we are stronger together, than apart?
Chakra Reflection Scroll Day 2
Sacral/Spleen
Element: Water
Scent Jasmine
Your gift for today is an emergency water supply. As a disaster person I always want my friends to be safe.
Wedding Reflection Question: If we could only have 5 foods (or ingredients) in our home for the rest of our lives, what mean(s) would we make together that satisfies us both?
So this day is a reflection on my profession as an Emergency Manager who tries to promote Disaster Preparedness and Safety as much as possible. I also got myself some extra water for my disaster supply kit at the same time since I was sure I did not have enough. I also provided some Jasmine incense to tie into the chakra theme.
Chakra Reflection Scroll Day 3
Solar Pexus
Element: Fire
A fire extinguisher that is required for Heritage Springs and your wedding.
Wedding Reflection Question:
What are key events that led us to this point today?
Bonus: Irish Wedding Poem
Here's to the wings of love, may they never molt a feather,
Till your little shoes and my big boots are under the bed together.
Part of the wedding ceremony includes fire and the venue for the wedding has one requirement and that is that anyone who will have fire must bring their own fire extinguisher. I found the wedding poem while I was doing research for this project in honor of Matt's heritage.
Chakra Reflection Scroll Day 4
Heart
Color: Green/Pink
Your gift is a yoga blanket and a sea shell and rose scented incense.
According to Native American tradition especially the Delaware tribe (mine), gifts include blankets and shells.
And let's face it we love yoga.
Wedding reflection questions:
How will we serve one another as husband and wife?
How will we serve others as husband and wife?
How will we love one an other and others, with our money?
Now you will feel no rain,
For each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
For each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness,
For each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two bodies,
But there is only one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place
To enter into the days of your togetherness
And may your days be good and long upon the earth.
Dhri needed a yoga blanket, because really, who doesn't? I was really excited to bring in some Native American traditions. The poem is especially relevant because it mentions warmth and reflects how Dhri and Matt met. There was a fire drill in their college dorm. Dhri left in her pjs and was immediately freezing. Matt had the forethought to grab his trench coat length jacket. He literally saved her from freezing and will continue to do so.
Chakra Reflection Scroll Day 5
Throat
Color: Blue
Element: Spirit/Air
Wedding Reflection Question:
How will we serve one another as husband and wife?
How will we serve others as husband and wife?
Matt and Dhriti's favorite movie together is Up. The beginning montage where the couple's love story is told quite beautifully with pictures is just perfect. I decided to give them their own starter kit for their life journey together (and I tied it to their home- like in the story). I also gave them a deck of cards as they have recently learned to play spades and in honor of the many game nights we have all had together (and will continue to have)
Chakra Reflection Scroll
Day 6
Third Eye
Element: Electrical
Sense: Sight
Wedding Reflection Question:
What are 3 Values that are important to us? What values should be important to our marriage? What do we envision our community to look like?
Gifts for this day were in honor fully of Matt. He is a filmmaker that has an understanding of light that eludes and impresses me. I gave them a light bulb, a flashlight, and a laser pointer that their furry family members Bear and Knives (kittens) love to play with. I could not celebrate this without including them.
The Mason jar is a little joke that came about when we were planning the wedding and created a secret pin board on Pinterest. For a time, it seemed every other pin had a mason jar in it. I had to carry the joke forward and put that in there.
Chakra Reflection Scroll Day 7
Crown
Color: Violet, White, Gold
Scent: Lavender
Out of the Volunteer Center bag a lotus flower is born. The birth of a friendship and a life we all celebrate together.
Wedding reflection question:
In 2064, when we are celebrating 50 years together, what one word or phrase, do we hope will describe our marriage?
This was the final day and while it didn't end with a bang, it was a full seven days of reflection, memory, and awesomeness.
This is my gift to the couple who means so much to me. I am honored to be included in the adventure that is their wedding.
Chakra reflection Scroll Day 1
Root/Base
Element: Earth
Color: Red
1. Honoring the luck of the Irish.
2. Lucky Hand Sanitizer- an homage to the one you carry around Dhri and to Matt's luck :)
3. Ginger root because of the root chakra
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| Gifts from Day 1 |
5. A stone that represented the book "Stone Soup". For those who do not know the story of Stone Soup. It is about a village where every has limited food supplies. No one will share as they have so little. A guy comes to town and starts making "Stone Soup" by placing a stone in water and starting to cook. He grabs the curiosity of the town as the have never heard of such a thing. The guy says "This soup would be great with some onions" and the curious people from the town bring one item at a time to contribute until together the whole village has a combined meal from what each contributed. This "Stone Soup" model reflects the ideals that we have as AmeriCorps Alums. I added the names of the happy couple and the date of the wedding. Plus it is a pretty nice-looking stone.
Wedding Reflection question (all questions developed with the help of Jonathan Wallace)
What are 3 ways we are stronger together, than apart?
Chakra Reflection Scroll Day 2
Sacral/Spleen
Element: Water
Scent Jasmine
Your gift for today is an emergency water supply. As a disaster person I always want my friends to be safe.
Wedding Reflection Question: If we could only have 5 foods (or ingredients) in our home for the rest of our lives, what mean(s) would we make together that satisfies us both?
So this day is a reflection on my profession as an Emergency Manager who tries to promote Disaster Preparedness and Safety as much as possible. I also got myself some extra water for my disaster supply kit at the same time since I was sure I did not have enough. I also provided some Jasmine incense to tie into the chakra theme.
Solar Pexus
Element: Fire
A fire extinguisher that is required for Heritage Springs and your wedding.
Wedding Reflection Question:
What are key events that led us to this point today?
Bonus: Irish Wedding Poem
Here's to the wings of love, may they never molt a feather,
Till your little shoes and my big boots are under the bed together.
Chakra Reflection Scroll Day 4
Heart
Color: Green/Pink
Your gift is a yoga blanket and a sea shell and rose scented incense.
According to Native American tradition especially the Delaware tribe (mine), gifts include blankets and shells.
And let's face it we love yoga.
Wedding reflection questions:
How will we serve one another as husband and wife?
How will we serve others as husband and wife?
How will we love one an other and others, with our money?
Now you will feel no rain,
For each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
For each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there is no more loneliness,
For each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two bodies,
But there is only one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place
To enter into the days of your togetherness
And may your days be good and long upon the earth.
Chakra Reflection Scroll Day 5
Throat
Color: Blue
Element: Spirit/Air
Wedding Reflection Question:
How will we serve one another as husband and wife?
How will we serve others as husband and wife?
Matt and Dhriti's favorite movie together is Up. The beginning montage where the couple's love story is told quite beautifully with pictures is just perfect. I decided to give them their own starter kit for their life journey together (and I tied it to their home- like in the story). I also gave them a deck of cards as they have recently learned to play spades and in honor of the many game nights we have all had together (and will continue to have)
Chakra Reflection Scroll
Day 6
Third Eye
Element: Electrical
Sense: Sight
Wedding Reflection Question:
What are 3 Values that are important to us? What values should be important to our marriage? What do we envision our community to look like?
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The Mason jar is a little joke that came about when we were planning the wedding and created a secret pin board on Pinterest. For a time, it seemed every other pin had a mason jar in it. I had to carry the joke forward and put that in there.
Chakra Reflection Scroll Day 7
Crown
Color: Violet, White, Gold
Scent: Lavender
Out of the Volunteer Center bag a lotus flower is born. The birth of a friendship and a life we all celebrate together.
Wedding reflection question:
In 2064, when we are celebrating 50 years together, what one word or phrase, do we hope will describe our marriage?
This was the final day and while it didn't end with a bang, it was a full seven days of reflection, memory, and awesomeness.
This is my gift to the couple who means so much to me. I am honored to be included in the adventure that is their wedding.
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| The gifts gathered together |
