The Ritual of Starting Again

I’m starting again. I found four separate documents on the topic of rituals that I have written in the past few months. Let’s call it practice. I have been practicing writing about rituals.

My personal definition of ritual is something I do regularly that I am devoted to, a practice, a habit, a discipline, a commitment. My personal rituals are often enhanced with side habits. For example, writing my morning pages is enhanced by my habit of drinking a warm cup of coffee. My yoga practice is enhanced by my Aussie, Fisher, rubbing against me like a cat when I’m in downward facing dog.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary that lives on my bookshelf defines ritual: an act, or series of acts, regularly repeated in a precise manner. Also, a ceremonial act or action.

Each day, each moment, I begin again. There is something that is nourished each time, even though I begin again, my practice holds all the practices of before. This document, I began again, but it holds the words and questions I practiced and played with the previous times I spent writing.

Last week, I committed to an office space for my podcast, Ritual of Practice. This feels like an important step on my journey. Over the last year, I learned that my home office space isn’t the best place to practice the podcast. Challenges include zippers tumbling in the dryer, enthusiastic dog sounds, and my son somehow home more than he’s at school.

I think this question, how will you start, or how will you begin again, is part of the practice. Life happens and sometimes includes illness, travel, and other things that disrupt the ritual, or practice. Things change. Some things that we want to change don’t. Regardless, how do you begin again? Where do you start? It is an open invitation.

I’ve been sick, which has disrupted more than one of my regular practices. While resting, I have enjoyed the show, Shrinking on AppleTV. My two biggest takeaways from the show are the practice of loving people for who they are and the practice of forgiveness. I felt a lot of acceptance on the show. The characters didn’t always agree with what their family or friends said or did, but they found ways to accept one another and move forward.

Another thing I chose to do while sick, I binged social media in a way that is not a ritual for me and found myself in tears of horror and hope. When I finally peeled myself away, I decided I would focus on the hope, the love, the beauty. I choose love.

If your heart is aching and you’re not sure how you can make a difference, I offer the practice of service. Volunteer (even if you think you don’t have the time). Even one hour a week will impact someone else’s life and your own. Donate time, food, clothing. Share a smile, a story, art, a meal. Lend your skills, a hand, your lens. This is love in action.

Also, take care of and love yourself. If you can, get outside. Move. Walk. Run. Ride. Play. This is a loving reminder that moving our bodies is one of the best ways to release negative emotions. Being outside also grounds us to the greatness that we share, living on Earth. As I walked this morning, I watched two ravens in flight and paused. I pause when I catch the shape of the moon outlined in the sky, or notice the dusting of snow on the red rocks. This pause allows me to absorb the beauty and wonder that is part of everyday. Look for the beauty. Look for the love. Appreciate it when you see it and allow yourself to feel it.

And the easiest, and hardest, on my list of practices – meditate. Much like being outside, this connects us to the great unknown, beauty and love felt deeply, beyond words. I invite you to choose love over fear, and when you lose faith, start again.

With Love,

Angela