The Richness of Ritual

“This is what rituals are for. We do spiritual ceremonies as human beings in order to create a safe resting place for our most complicated feelings of joy or trauma, so that we don't have to haul those feelings around with us forever, weighing us down. We all need such places of ritual safekeeping.” ― Elizabeth Gilbert So what are the rituals that are a part of your life? Do you turn to them in times of loss and pain? Do you seek them to honor and celebrate? Have they become part of your spiritual essence and bring a depth to your practice and a beauty to your life?

Our current culture has its rituals, though we do not often call them that. For some reason that word does not flow so comfortably from one’s tongue as it could and possibly should. Yet, look around you and you will see the many rituals that we have in our day. We have rituals to honor our country with the pledge of allegiance to the flag, we have rituals around our birthdays with the singing of the Happy Birthday song, and we have rituals around our holidays with the lighting of a Menorah, the decoration of trees and homes, and the attendance to religious ceremonies. We also have rituals tied to certain meals that we make and clothing that we wear. All of these rituals are done to bring special attention to a life event, a specific holy day or a right of passage.

But what other rituals have you looked for or even created to honor situations in your life that the more traditional does not cover and society accepted rituals do not address? In our home we celebrate the summer and winter solstice and spring and autumnal equinox of the year. We honor the cycle of the moon. We have rituals around intention setting and more. We have created very personalized rituals around specific rites of passage for our children and our role as parents.

For myself, personally, as a shaman many of my rituals use tools that are in direct relation to my practice whether it be the use of my soul stick to gather and send energies, the use of other altar tools to set intentions, the observance of symbolism or the reading of runes or cards to interpret messages and meanings. Rituals aid in setting a specific tone and draw in the essence of what we are seeking. Additionally, rituals act as a release to the emotion and presence that surrounds what we are honoring. Ritual connects our body, our mind, our hearts and our soul together as one. In this union we combine the humanness of who we are to the spiritual of who we are. In the energies created within this amalgamation we cross from the ordinary of our everyday to the sacred and revered of our life’s journey. Bringing ritual into our daily life creates spiritual space and presence within our regular everyday.

Blessings ~ Lisa

©COPYRIGHT 2013 Lisa Meade

The Value of Soul Care

You have the need and the right to spend part of your life caring for your soul. It is not easy. You have to resist the demands of the work-oriented, often defensive, element in your psyche that measures life only in terms of output ~ how much you produce ~ not in terms of the quality of your life experiences. To be a soulful person means to go against all the pervasive, 'prove-yourself' values of our culture, and instead treasure what is unique and internal and valuable in yourself and your own personal evolution. ~ Jean Shinoda Bolen As a society we place our value on production, accomplishments, and material manifestations of our efforts. More often our greatest achievements are those that are not immediately visible, often are not tangible and are not usually identifiable with a monetary value. Yet, having true inner peace, an appreciation of our authentic self, and acknowledgement of our personal growth are life’s greatest treasures.

Finding the time to honor, celebrate and place focused attention to these types of areas of our life, this soul growth and expansion, and this purposeful spirit care is often an overlooked space on our day’s timeline. We place more value on so many other things and this act of spiritual attention lags behind. Yet, when we do make the time for this part of our personal maintenance, we find ourselves empowered, we have an inner calm, we find beauty before us and we have an inner confidence that allows us to soar through the day.

So how do we make a point to include this soulful upkeep? How do we create an appreciation for the necessity of this time in our life, so that others do not balk when we incorporate it into our schedule, or include it in the day’s routine? Perhaps the steps need to be consistent yet small. Start with a simple morning ritual that gradually evolves into more. Try to set aside a day of the week that has a more expanded gift of self-care within it whether it be connection with nature, a day of spiritual service to others or a meditative practice. Find opportunities to celebrate your spiritual beliefs by creating days of honor. Then begin involving others. The more we model and share this act of soul care, the more it becomes understood, recognized and valued.

Just as it is with eating healthy food choices or making room for exercise, it begins with intentions and small consistent efforts. Repetition and placing value in the actions sends a signal to our body, mind and soul of the necessity of it. We begin to value the intention and look forward to its role in our day. The positive results that come from these efforts then spur us on for more efforts. The feel good factor reminds us of why the small cost is worth the quality of life it brings.

Blessings ~ Lisa

©COPYRIGHT 2013 Lisa Meade

Unexpected Guests

This being human is a guest house.Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes As an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond. -Rumi

I read this lesson from Rumi and cannot help but think about how many times in my life I have NOT been the welcoming hostess of the unexpected visitor of life. Over time, I have though. Even when I cringe for a moment at the door looking into the face of what I know will be a trying visit, a test of my graciousness, and a strain on my nerves. I have gotten better at welcoming the unexpected, the burdensome and the tiring. Yet, I have learned so much from their visits.

In life, not every guest is a pleasant vibrant experience. Not every occurrence is filled with joy, laughter and delight. Some are of pain, loss and disappointment. Some stretch us to grow outside of our comfort zone. Some require us to let go and release and we make room where we thought we were not ready to. Some of us cause us to act in faith and take calculated risks that require so much intention and effort.

But these “guests” help us grow. They allow us to lean into who our authentic self is. They cause us to stop and reflect on our truth and walk in it. They are the guests who sometimes push our buttons and we want to bury our head under the covers when we know they are near.

And yet, when they have departed and we sit and pause and assess the visit, we realize that they are some of the most important guests we have. Our life is richer for them. Our souls have expanded because of them. Our hearts are fuller and able to give more than we ever thought possible after their visit. Beauty of what they represent is now visible. Our momentary blindness of all they offered is gone and our perception has evolved. We are not the same person since their arrival; we are more of who are meant to be. We have a new depth to our essence that was not there at one time.

This is not to say our humanness will flinch at times when they knock on our door. They rarely call in advance so we are often caught off guard. But, as it so happens, there arrival is ALWAYS timely and we are ALWAYS ready for their visit. It is just so. Enough of these visits have caused me to gently welcome them. I have learned to look to them as informed visitors who shall inspire me at some point in time of their stay. I just need to remain open, as the loving and receptive hostess. I just need to be considerate of the opportunity. I just need to be compassionate with myself and allow the visit to unfold and listen closely for the beauty whispered in the stay.

Blessings ~ Lisa

©COPYRIGHT 2013 Lisa Meade

A Coat of Scars and Wounds

Some people wear their wounds and scars for the world to see. The recognition of their pain seems to serve as a justification to them for remaining stuck. They wear their hurt; publicly on display, sharing the story again and again. They relive the sorrow, the wrong doings, the hurtful words, the angst and disappointment for all those who are present to witness. They don’t choose to let go, to move forward, to forgive, or release. Instead, they tend and nurture the pain, in this odd cyclical sort of way, only to be disappointed in the life that they are living. It makes you wonder doesn’t it? How it would be for them if they could see the beauty in their pain? They cannot see the possible miraculous gift being given to them to step into the pain, witness how it flows through them, where it lands, what it says, how it burns and what it needs. If they were only willing to take the risk of looking at it from this perspective, then perhaps they would be able to shed it, like a layer of skin, to reveal the luminescence beneath of fresh and soft vulnerable newness. A newness that is supple and able to be a bit more resilient and glows with a glisten of inner truth and wisdom that has been gained.

Baring themselves this way, we know is not easy, and for some, they believe it to be impossible. They cling to every excuse and reason to stay shrouded in their pain. They hold onto it like a long favored article of clothing that brings them comfort and memories. Only in this case the comfort comes from not being willing to be uncomfortable for a period of time to discover the potential of what is waiting for them. The comfort is in the familiar. The comfort is in the unwillingness to change and to take the risk to move forward into a place of unknown. And the memories, even those that are sad and lonely, bring a sense of safety that they cling to.

Can you shed the wounds like an old coat that no longer fits you? Because it really doesn’t fit any longer. You are ready to be dressed in your vibrancy, not your old and tattered. Are you ready for the vulnerability of the newness and unfamiliar? Let go of the story, the wound and the pain. Step away from the drama and winding tales. Move into the softness of what can be, the release for the expansion of possibilities, and find just how resilient you are and watch your vibrant truth and authentic beauty radiate out. This style suits you so much better!

Blessings ~ Lisa

©COPYRIGHT 2013 Lisa Meade