The sacred is not in heaven or far away. It is all around us, and small human rituals can connect us to its presence.”
~
Alma Luz Villanueva

map of North and South America with multicolored pins placed in various destinations on map

Photo by delfi de la Rua

The rituals of our lives are the containers that hold our stories. They mark our most joyful celebrations and rites of passage; they bind us to one another in times of loss and grief; and they punctuate the seasons of each year and the whole arc of our lives. Reflecting on the most important rituals of our lives is a way of mapping our story. It also invites us to consider how ritual enhances our lives, deepens our lived experience, and opens up possibility.

  • Begin with Gratitude. Take a moment once again to tune in to your breath and complete the phrase: “In this moment, I’m grateful…”
  • Map Your Story. Once centered, we invite you to begin by considering how the rituals of your life to date tell your story. Going back to your childhood and chronicling your journey to now, which rituals have most profoundly shaped your journey? Which have marked an important transition or transformation in your life? Which have been healing for you? Which have taken place in community, and which have been an individual experience? Consider either written exploration of these questions or creating a visual map of your life’s journey, with rituals as the primary indicators of your path. What would such a map look like? A collage of photographs? A series of drawings? A meandering trail with words and phrases penciled in?
  • Reflect. What has this process revealed about the value of ritual in your life? In what ways has ritual enriched and deepened your lived experience? When has it, perhaps, fallen short? When has it been healing or opened up connection and possibility? What aspects of ritual have been most important to you?

Deepening Resource:

Faith by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

We invite you to share your reflections below.

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Enjoy the full seven-day Tending the Rituals of Our Lives practice.


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