Rituals

What is a Ritual?

Rituals bring a heightened sense of awareness and reverence of the Sacred Presence within all of life. They connect us to the sacred depth in ourselves and our ordinary life experiences. Rituals also help us to connect with all of the human family and all the natural world.

Beginning

Rituals can be simple or more elaborate. They can be done individually or in a group. To begin , they invite us to designate a space as sacred and to set an intention, such as to be grateful, to celebrate, to forgive, to grieve, to heal etc.

Middle

Rituals make use of objects of choice such as candles, rocks, art, poetry, or the use of breath, music, movement or action etc. The heart of the ritual is using these objects or actions to connect what is seemingly ordinary to the sacred. This time can also include a period of silence and / or sharing.

Ending

The ritual ends with a closing. This is a time to revisit the original intention and offer gratitude and / or a blessing for the gift of connecting with the sacred presence in all things.

Gratitude Ritual

Gratitude also plays a positive role in overcoming distress. Even during other difficult challenges we each face throughout a lifetime recognizing what we have to be thankful for fosters resilience. How do we begin to quiet ourseslves to start embracing a deeper sense of gratitude and invite a personal alchemy through a practice of gratitude?

Honoring Nature Ritual

To be in the natural world establishing a more intense and intimate relationship with the earth community by wandering and wondering about the mysterious and marvellous gift of life.

Household Ritual

One of the customs in a traditional Jewish household is to install a mezuzah in every entranceway to the home. Some even put them in every doorway in the house.

A Sacred Settling Ritual

May I open my heart to love and compassion. My mind-body to presence and the mystery.

Bringing Ourselves to the Fire Ritual

Together we will create a sacred circle of love, blessing, and healing. Into this circle we will bring our fears and unsettledness, the gifts that have nurtured us during this time and lastly our gratitudes to the fire at the center of the circle to be transmuted to love and healing.

“elders serve as conduits between the divine realm and the mundane world, making the abstract truths of spirituality accessible to the community by embodying them in their everyday behavior.”

― Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, From Age-Ing to Sage-Ing: A Profound New Vision of Growing Older