Sunday, December 24, 2017

Rituals



Rituals
By Kathryn Carole Ellison

Rituals are central to our lives
Whether we recognize them or not - 
They're used when major events occur
To essentially 'mark the spot.'

They're also used in daily chores
Like preparation of a meal.
A person might use them in business
When firming up a deal.

Rituals give us places to be playful in life;
To explore meaning in what we do;
And time to rebuild family relationships,
Time to mend and glue.

Rituals connect us with our past;
They define our lives in the present.
They show us our path to the future,
Which we can make more pleasant.

As we pass on our ceremonies and traditions
To the next generation in line,
We tie together branches of the family tree
And use our love as twine.


..............................................................................................

I love rituals and traditions - and our family has many! I recently started a new morning ritual - just for me - that is beautiful and grounding. 

One of the great blessings of 2017 was meeting a wonderful woman who is a poet. Kathryn Carole Ellison's collection of poetry immediately spoke to me - in a very deep way. In her poetry she shares life's lessons in a beautiful, approachable way that really resonates with me. 

Every morning before I reach for my phone or read the news, I make a cup of tea, light a glassybaby, and read a poem (or two or three!). I randomly open to a page and the message is always just what I need that day. Then I take a few minutes to meditate on the message before I begin my day. It's powerful and calming at the same time. I carry the message with me throughout my day. 

I shared this ritual with a friend this week, and she sent me a text this morning with this picture expressing her gratitude for the gift of poetry I gave her and letting me know that she started her day with tea and a poem. 

If everyone started their day this way, I have a feeling the world would be a better place.


What are rituals that ground you? 

2 comments:

  1. Beautiful! You KNOW I LOVE this. Thank you for sharing with us.
    To answer your question, what grounds me...daily anchor words, prayer, meditation, my breath, poetry, walking in nature, being with my dog, bath, shower, journaling, lighting candles, holding a cup of hot tea, like you I have many rituals that ground me, those are the main ones, and my list goes on.

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