Ritual is an important part of my life, it provides me with the space I need to connect with myself and my natural environment. It is an act of self love, an opportunity to bring more awareness and mindfulness into my daily life. To me a ritual can last a few minutes or a few hours, depending on the intent and the need. I have my own personal rituals that I do alone or sometimes with my children, or I have other rituals that I create with members of my community. Walking barefoot on the ground is a personal ritual of mine, that really helps to keep me grounded and helps to to release any pend up energy, it also allows me to stay connected to the earths natural cycles.
The rituals I have can be spontaneous or planned, but regardless of that ,they are never the same. I am not some one who likes to follow a routine. Each day is new and different and I also feel different, so I tend to allow my day to happen organically. To just go with the natural flow of things, except for days when there is the market in town or something planned. I do not have a set ritual for everyday, except walking barefoot, I do like to take a few moments and anchor myself onto the ground and just allow myself to feel connected and consciously feel my energy dropping into the earth and new energy raising up. This really helps me to remain present and mindful.
Rituals are really an opportunity to connect with that child like wonder that we all still carry inside of us, to allow us to see and connect with that child like mind, one that is freeing and at one with their surroundings. Children are born with an innate ability to see and preform magic and ritual goes hand in hand with that. I see it as my responsibility to myself and my children to uphold that tradition that we are all born with. Because anything we do with clear intention and from a place of love and celebration, is a ritual. The power created within these acts that we create and preform have the ability to change lives, because they give us the opportunity to experience peace within our selves. To connect with ourselves and honour ourselves and to then release that power, that energy out into the world in order to bring about change.
My Rituals
I have spoken about one of my simpler rituals, when I am walking barefoot and the little exercise I do to help me connect at an even deeper level. Simple in practice but anything but simple in the benefits that I gain. There are many healing benefits when we are in direct contact with the earths natural charge, we are meant to synchronize with the earth’s natural electric charge. Now is the time to move back to nature not away from it and this is one simple yet powerful way to do it.
Another ritual I do on any given day, depending on what is happening and how I am feeling, is Singing. I love to sing alone or with my children and I tend to do this when I am feeling overwhelmed, or sometimes at the request of my children. Singing really helps me to release any pend up energy, it is my form of mantra and I find it very healing. It allows me to empty my head and just been in the moment, expressing gratitude and love with my voice. It also helps me to celebrate, myself and my children. I currently use singing as a way to send out healing, loved infused energy to my sister. By closing my eyes and visualizing her happy and healthy, I sing this song and my children usually always join in.
You are beautiful,
You are bountiful,
You are bliss,
you are, you are.
Even though I am not near her, I know that my energy and intention will reach her. I also like to drum, again this is something I do by myself or with others and it usually happens spontaneously, for me drumming is quite similar to singing in that I can lose myself in this expression of joy and love. I really can get lost in drumming, but with a 17 month old I do not always get to drum for as long as I would like, but it is so freeing and it always takes me on a journey into the womb of the earth. The drum, the heart beat, natures own beat, connecting us all.
I have written before about the different rituals or ceremonies that I have helped create and that I have been asked to perform. Rituals to celebrate the major transitions of life. From naming ceremonies, to mother blessings, family blessings and hand fastings. Rituals to celebrate the changing seasons, to celebrate the Celtic festivals. All of these I do to help us connect our bodies with the natural earth cycles. I am very passionate about the importance of our bodies being intune with nature. I have seen first hand the effects that a life lived away, a life disconnected from nature can have. When we lose touch with these natural cycles, when we deny them then our minds automatically try to create their own and this is where we can have people suffering with their mental health.
Nature is constantly trying to communicate with us, to show us the way, but so many are blind and deaf to what she is saying. This huge shift away from our natural state of being has made the human world become sick. But Luckily not everyone feels this way and one simple way to reconnect is to create rituals, ceremonies within your life. To acknowledge the moon and the sun, the earth to celebrate them, to make that connection first with your mind and then with your heart. To open up to the natural flow of energy that is all around us and to allow ourselves to connect to it. To always feel connected.
Another ritual that I like to do, is feed the tree ritual. This is when I am on my moon cycle and wish to give my blood to the earth. There is an olive tree here on the land that I like to feed and I do this every month. As women we are given the opportunity every month to release any emotions, or blocked energies back into the earth. By giving our blood to the earth we are also helping to feed the soil as Menstrual blood is mineral rich and full of stem cells. It always feels good to be releasing and cleansing myself, alongside feeding the soil.
Some many things we do are rituals, like cooking, gardening, creating art, music, even brushing our teeth!