A common theme in conversations these days is the rapid pace of changes, both personal and wordly, some chosen and some unwanted and many challenging in some way to deal with. When asked for my wisdom on how to deal with the challenges of change, I speak of transitions being hard for most folks…and that creating ceremony offers ease to our human dislike of change by inviting elements other than our mind to the process of change.
So when something’s time is up-be it a relationship, habit, job, or place to live-it is important to consciously honor how what is leaving-whether it be our choice or not-has blessed our life. Doing so allows us to continue to receive the blessings of what is moving out of our life and to be in ease with the changes. Ceremony, with it’s calling upon elements of our being other than our minds, offers a sense of understanding and completion otherwise not possible using only our mind.
My ceremony for ease and gratitude with change is below. You may have other ways of ceremony; my invitation is simply to make conscious your gratitude…
1. Sitting down in a quiet place, close your eyes and take some deep breaths in and out, relaxing yourself into your body until you can feel yourself calm and focused within.
2. Write down what is leaving/changing, focusing on realizing clarity and positivity in how it served your life. (Even things we did not like/are happy are moving out have something to be grateful for, even if it is that it is leaving!)
3. Closing your eyes, bring what is leaving/changing into your heart, imaging beautiful light and joy surrounding what is leaving. Invite those who surround and guide you in the unseen world to help you understand how what is leaving has served your life. When you can feel the warmth of gratitude in your body for what is leaving you , offer your well wishes for it’s journey forward.
4. Opening your eyes, take the piece of paper with what you wrote and with a prayer, burn the paper. (Sage or cedar are great to burn as well if you have them) This releases what you wrote and the fire element offers release and transformation.
Ceremony offers us the opportunity to remember we are not simply the doings of our life; that our living has nobility, courage, and destiny. And so when you are feeling yourself down about what is changing in your life or world, take some time to remember with your body and your conscious choice with ceremony, what is good and noble in what is happening within the changes and the challenges.