About a month ago, when visiting with my mentor, she offered to do a reading for me. At first, I didn’t see the point as my guides talk to me directly, but nevertheless I was easily a willing participant. The experience of hearing my guides speak to me through her gave me immense validation. As she echoed conversations that I have had with my guides my confidence in my own abilities grew. But a new point came through in this reading, and that was the importance of incorporating ritual into my life and practice.
After I left her office, my head swirled with ideas about what a ritual was. Don’t get me wrong, I know the Oxford dictionary definition. But what does Ritual mean for the spirit world? Images ravished my mind like the spinning icons on a Las Vegas slot machine. Images of candles lit in a circle; cloaked monks walking around in a church chanting; shrines adorned with incense bowls bellowing smoke. I pondered relentlessly on what I would need, what I would say, and how I should “Ritual”?
The overachieving person, my alter ego pushes me to be, rushed home to begin surfing the internet. My mind feverishly seeking an A-to-Z guide, a map, stats, an app, studies, or charts on the best most efficient way to “Ritual”. A plethora of buying options flooded my search window. Instant spells, candle packages, alters, books and crystals galore. All things to make my ritual just right. I felt bombarded by items to buy with no clear-cut answers on what exactly I was supposed to do. On my path to realization of true self, I have often been shelled with “buy this or buy that” to get to the next step of higher being. It's an approach that I fell into at many different times in my life, but an approach I did not want for myself anymore. To top it off all the written information out there just sent my head spinning even more. My heart was telling me that this journey to a higher state of being should not be available just for those that are rich. Those that can buy all the trinkets to enlightenment. The crystal for every need, the sacred geometry for every focus, the aromatherapy, bowls, and gadgets to better reach your 5D self. I knew getting the McDonald’s drive through addition to enlightenment would not work. Nor could I afford the Gucci version of enlightenment in a bottle. Frustrated with my search for information that would fit me, I gave up.
Yesterday I took my morning walk. Which I generally do every morning, but not consistently. I walk my dog through the surrounding neighborhoods for approximately an hour. Sometimes times on my walks I try to make a conscious effort to give thanks. Yesterday, I thanked the trees. I thanked Mother Earth for her abundance, I thanked God for the day, and for my legs that carried me. I watched the sunrise on my walk, as the rays stretched across the landscape it made the trees fragrant. I could smell the cedar trees and maple trees as I walked by them. Whiffs of roses and lavender would occasionally catch my attention as I strolled down the street. I thanked God for the sun always rising, as well as the peaceful moment I was enjoying. The doves cooed, serenading me on my walk, in perfect harmony with the other birds that began to awaken and sing. Then I gave thanks to myself. Muttering softly, “Thank you, Melody, for being a good, responsible dog owner. Thank you, Melody, for taking time to care for yourself, walking yourself. It's good for your heart, it's good for your body, as well as your soul when you take time in your busy day to care for yourself. You know you always feel better when you take your morning walk.”
When I got home from my walk, I brushed the dog and jumped in the shower. Oftentimes when I take a shower, I try to stop, and be in the moment. This time I did just that. I didn't stress about all the meetings that awaited me at work, the to-do lists a mile long, or the deliverables that would be late. I just focused on the water. I felt the shower’s pulsating water splash onto my face and explode into a million microdroplets splattering into a cloud of mist. For that moment, I embraced all things water does for all things on earth and I gave thanks. Saying, “Water I honor you. I am grateful for you.” I thought about the water cleansing away any negativity attached to me and purifying me for the new day, so I might let my true self be known. I took a deep breath in and allowed the new day, the new beginning into my heart. It dawned on me while I was deeply entwined in this beautiful moment with the water that; I have a ritual. This is my ritual! I don't do it every day, but every time I do I feel better. I feel more relaxed about my day. I feel ready to conquer anything. A gentle ease washes over my body. I have a ritual. I do a ritual. Nothing came from a store online, or from a store down the street. Nothing, but God, my angels, my guides, the earth, water, and I. I have created my ritual.
I laugh now when I think about the stress, I put on myself to try to figure it all out. The pressure I put on myself to find the predefined box to make my ritual just right. What kind of ritual I needed to do to help me be more enlightened, more connected. What essential oil did I need? I already had it all at my fingertips. The scents of Cedar, Maple, rose and lavender all guided me through my ritual. There was no better alter than the abundance of Mother Earth, no candle more blessed than the sun, no chant more soul-lifting than the birds, and no tonic purer than water.
I have my ritual. Now to make it a constant. 😉
The sun rising is no more or less a miracle, than our realization of its nature. You practiced your religion long before you gave it a name, and as we are taught - sometimes, it is not knowing which is most most intimate. Bless you.