It was a beautiful morning, and on this day I harvested, then braided sweet grass from my garden. As we exchanged energy a delicious message was passed through to me. It said, “Life is a Ritual.” This anchored into my soul deeply and with love and gratitude, from that day forward I honored this message by actively creating ritual every day.

What is a Ritual? 

Ritual calls our soul home. Ritual is the act of consciously opening ourselves to the presence of Spirit. 

Rituals create moments where living becomes art.  We all have this instinct to create beauty, distinction and meaning in our lives. 

It creates time each day to honour ourselves, the precious gift of life, and the sacred earth we are held by. Simple rituals create moments of sanctuary and calm in our daily routine.

Creating daily sacred space calls our souls to be present. Through ceremony we weave ourselves together with the energies of nature, and activate all we hold within us for transformation. Ritual unleashes our creative energies into the world, calling them forth to help create healing and change. During ritual we send out our prayers and intentions, asking for the help we need from spirit guides and from our ancestors.

Ritual doesn’t have to be complicated. It can include everything from simple prayer to labyrinthine liturgy. Planting a garden, preparing a meal or making love can all be ceremony, depending on the consciousness in which it is done. Awareness and being present in the moment is the key.

Create a sacred space

Altars are small sanctuaries for prayer, meditation, and connection. Creating an altar can bring you closer to what is held in your heart and soul. Alters can be simple or more elaborate, just make them appealing to your senses and your heart.  

I like to use a candle, blessing herbs, a few crystals and sacred items that are important to me.

My favorite way to create simple ritual every day is to light a candle and add some blessing herbs. I offer the sacred smoke to myself and the space around me. I like to take some quiet time to sit and speak from my heart to the spirits, asking for any support I might be needing. I like to open my window or go outside to my outdoor Altar in Spring, Summer & Fall to hear the bird song, the connection to spirit for me is through the winged ones. In the winter months I put on some soothing music and sit in front of my altar. I ground myself for a few minutes before continuing my morning routine. I breathe in the sacred smoke, and call in blessings and support from spirit for my day. There are some days that I take longer if there is something that needs my attention. We can always alter the experience.

Finally, the overall purpose of any ritual is to produce the highest good for ourselves as well as for all. I always add a statement to my intention, such as, “I ask that everything that transpires here be for the highest good of all beings.”

Our practice is rooted in real life experience.

Blessed Be

The purpose of ritual is to change the mind of the human being.  It’s sacred drama in which you are the audience as well as the participant and the purpose of it is to activate parts of the mind that are not activated by everyday activity. 

--Sharon Devlin In Drawing Down the Moon

Rituals are formulas by which harmony is restored. 

—Terry Tempest Williams

To survive we must begin to know sacredness. The pace at which most of us live prevents this.

—CHRYSTOS

Empower me to be a bold participant, rather than a timid saint in waiting.

Ted Loner-Wrestling the light