Ceremony Training in Marseille: Exploring the Mandalas of the Directions

Here is something about the Four Directions ceremonies that I bet you didn’t know…

The Four Directions are most popularly understood through Native American traditions, where each direction is tied to a specific element, animal, and quality. In European magical traditions such as Paganism and Wicca, we see a similar mandala of North, East, South, and West with fixed elemental correspondences.

Some of you may also be aware of the Ayurvedic system of the doshas, the Five Elements system of Chinese medicine, and the directional mandalas of Vajrayana Buddhism.

But did you know there is another way of working with the directions - one that does not insist that a certain element must occupy a certain direction?

The Vietnamese Mother Goddess Tradition

In Vietnam, which was traditionally a matriarchal society, there is a deep reverence for the Great Mother Goddess who manifests in four different forms: mountain, earth, water, and sky.

What is remarkable about this system is its openness. The mountains are not automatically placed in the West, nor is the sea always placed in the East. Instead, the mountain is where the mountain is, the sea is where the sea is, the earth is under your feet, and the sky is above you.

This approach does not force us to fit reality into a pre-drawn mandala. Instead, we relax into the mandala that is already present around us.

Working with Multiple Mandalas

Those of you who have practiced with me will have seen me work with different directional templates. At times, I use the Four Directions ceremonies of Forrest Yoga, which have Native American origins. In Buddhist contexts, I may work with the archetypal placements of the mandala. And in other ceremonies, I expand to seven directions or even more.

I adapt the mandala to fit the purpose of the practice - whether it is for seasonal cycles, life stages, or protection from natural forces such as wind or flood.

What This Training Offers

The Ceremony Training in Marseille will give you:

• Insight into the Forrest Yoga approach to ceremony

  •      Exploration of multiple mandala systems and their origins

• Guidance to create your own mandalas that feel authentic to you

• Songs, mantras, and rituals to engage with each direction

• Meditation practices drawn from my 30 years of personal experience, combined with insights from my current Master’s studies in Buddhist meditation and medicine

• Neuroscience and nervous system anatomy to ground these practices in lived embodiment

Alongside this, we will explore additional rituals such as the Releasing Life Ceremony. Recently, I shared on social media that we released just short of 17,000 lives in six weeks, with a goal of reaching 100,000. We will also visit teaching spaces linked to Mary Magdalena, as Marseille was one of the places she resided.

Bring your prayer beads, instruments, oils, crystals, and tools. Together, we will co-create a mandala that allows us to step deeper into the mystery of ceremony.

Hybrid Format

The training will be held in Marseille and will also be available online. As many of you know, my work is always evolving. If you have already taken this training before, you are welcome to join online at half price to receive the newest updates and expansions of my practice.

Why This Matters

This training is not only about calling in the directions. It is about embodying ceremony in a way that honours lineage, respects tradition, and at the same time empowers you to step into your own authentic way of holding sacred space.

You will leave with practical tools to create ceremonies that feel alive, relevant, and deeply connected to the land and to the people you serve.

📍 Marseille, France

📅 2-7 October 2025

🌐 Hybrid: In person + Online

👉 Reserve your space now : https://www.caroyogablog.com/formation-forrest-yoga/