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In a nutshell, a spiritual ritual is a framework that allows
people to express a common vision gracefully and with all
the necessary elements remembered.
Ritual means that a group that
comes together with a common purpose is able to express that
purpose with out falling over each other or forgetting what
to do when, where or how. It means that an individual moved to express some
aspect of their spirituality, can do so without the stress
of remembering all the parts they want to include, on the
spot. A spiritual ritual is a support mechanism. It allows
us to move through a spiritual landscape with a rough map;
a map that allows us to feel safe with the knowledge that
we are on a known route which will bring us home at the end
of our journey.
It’s a bit like public transport really… when
you go to a new city and have to use the bus system to get
around it can take a great deal of concentration and effort
to figure out how to get from A to B and back again. You know
it works because you can see others using it effectively but
it takes a while to work it out for yourself. Where do you
get a ticket? Do you need the correct change? Do you need
to keep your ticket in order to get out of the station? How
many stops do you go and in which direction? What is the etiquette
of the journey? Do you greet commuters or ignore them? How
do you indicate that you need to get off? What if you miss
the stop or your connection? Sometimes a kind local takes
pity on you and will guide you through the maze. They will
smile and shake their heads – “foreigners”!
But after you have taken the trip a couple of times it starts
to make sense and instead of frantically figuring out how
to press the bell, pull the strap or push the button to make
the doors open, you start to appreciate the scenery you are
passing by. Then you begin to notice the same faces and you
smile in recognition, “Hello”. You even begin
to think of a particular seat on the bus as “yours”.
If you take the journey often enough you become at home on
the journey, you anticipate the bumps and appreciate the good
drivers.
Ritual is much the same. It is the familiar routine of travelling
from A to B and back again in spiritual terms. When you first
attend a ritual it can take a great deal of concentration
to figure out how it all fits together; when to speak and
what to do. The etiquette may seem odd but is there to assist
everyone to get along smoothly. It makes sure those who know
the ropes support those who are new. Etiquette also defines
the roles of individuals with in the ritual. The driver doesn’t
try to collect the tickets or clean the bus, but, each job
needs doing and each role has its time and place. The routine
provides the boundaries; you can tell where the ritual is
up to – beginning, middle or end. It also means that
the important bits are attended to as a matter of course.
And as you become a regular participant, it all starts to
fall into place; it becomes familiar and thus comfortable.
When the ritual has become second nature and you don’t
have to concentrate to remember everything, it just flows
naturally. Then you are able to really relax and enjoy the
ritual journey.
Indeed, a fulfilling ritual should be a journey – it
needs to have all the expected signposts to allow everyone
to feel safe and comfortable but should also contain some
space for the mysterious to reveal itself along the way. To
be truly fulfilling the ritual also needs to have a high point.
An effective climax is achieved by developing a build up before
and a slow down after.
A ritual journey actually begins with the anticipation of
the event. A bit like looking forward to a special trip. Similarly
the preparation for the ritual is important. As you shower
and decide what to wear, you are building your intent and
gathering energy. When you arrive and greet others who are
attending you are forming bonds that will support you through
the journey. When the ritual actually begins you take your
seat and allow it to transport you through the wondrous spiritual
scenery.
All satisfying ritual journeys take you on essentially the
same route – from the mundane world, to the spiritual
realms and back again. The routines they follow assist you
to lift your vibration from the denser everyday to the lighter
mystical. The use of incense, candlelight and music are common
and they set the scene. Calling on specific energies such
as angels, gods & goddesses, elementals & divas bring
the higher frequencies of other realms to assist us. Tools
such as chant, dance or drumming lift us further up, allowing
us to shrug off the constraints of the physical body and bring
enhanced awareness. Meditation or contemplation at the peak
may bring insights and revelations, as well as healing, inner
peace and acceptance. Expressions of gratitude for both the
experiences and the presence of those from other realms, bring
us back into our reality. Sharing food and drink anchor us
back into the physical world, bringing us home to our regular
being.
As with public transport there are some factors that can
make your journey more or less comfortable, more or less interesting
and more or less challenging.
Some drivers are thoughtful of how their driving affects
the passengers. They wait for people to take their seats before
they pull out into the traffic, they anticipate traffic light
changes and they keep as close as they can to the timetable.
Poor drivers seem to forget the passengers as soon as they
get on board. They push on regardless of the traffic conditions,
they career over potholes and seem to have little, if any
regard for the comfort of the passengers. A thoughtful ritual
leader plans the journey carefully and adjusts it according
to the level of knowledge and skill of the participants. They
are aware of how the passengers are travelling as a group
and they keep an eye on each individual participant. Capable
ritual leaders are flexible, with in the set timetable, and
allow extra time or speed up as necessary.
While the driver has a profound impact on the ritual journey,
it is also the case that each individual has their own ride
– no two experiences are the same. People who are attending
the same ritual will report very different experiences. Some
will be lifted up, feeling refreshed and invigorated while
others may be deeply challenged and feel significant discomfort.
Every journey has value and each is an opportunity for growth.
Each passenger has a personal responsibility with in the ritual
journey to both themselves and to the other passengers. They
need to ring the bell to indicate that they want to get off
– the driver, even if they are aware of what is happening,
is not a mind reader! After all one person’s discomfort
is another’s welcome challenge and the responsible individual
must decide for themselves weather to stay on the bus or get
off early.
Lastly, any journey we take regularly can be degraded into
a boring chore if it is simply the same road, looking out
the same window at the same scenery over and over and over
again. So when we take a ritual journey we must guard against
our comfort and familiarity with the ritual changing into
complacency and boredom. Though the route is well travelled,
there are new mysteries to be revealed on each and every journey.
Sometimes all we need is a change of perspective; sit in a
different place or maybe stand for the whole journey. Perhaps
a change of timetable is called for. Maybe a new outfit could
give you a lift and recharge your experience. Spending time
consciously contemplating the ritual beforehand; what do we
want to get out of it as well as what are we prepared to put
into it can have a significant effect, for where the mind
goes, energy follows. Whatever form it takes the real key
to keeping our experience fresh and vital is to simply keep
our eyes, minds and hearts open and allow a spontaneous element
to weave its way into the ritual.
As beings with both intellect and emotions we naturally look
for ways to express ourselves that are both logical and supportive.
Ritual is the result of this search. It gives us the framework
our intellect requires and the support our emotions desire.
Yet with in ritual we can find a rhythm, a flowing freedom
and an elegant grace that allows us to connect with whatever
we perceive as sacred and spiritual. Ritual allows us to be
as structured and formal or as wild and uninhibited as we
wish. Ritual can be a welcome and comfortable experience that
reinforces our connection to the spiritual realms, leaving
us renewed and at ease. It can also be a full on challenge,
pushing us to the edge and leaving us feeling exhausted and
scoured. Or it can leave us anywhere in between.
Ritual provides a method of interacting with others, who
share our vision in a way that is special and present to our
experience. In this way we build our spiritual community -
those who share a vision of the sacred and who do more than
just talk about it. We gather together at our bus stop and
get on the same bus together. When everyone has a seat we
set off. Travelling through our shared spiritual landscape,
acknowledging the common signposts and each other as we go.
Sometimes there is laughter, sometimes tears. Insight and
clarity are common visitors but the things that keep coming
back are the sense of awe & wonder, and the loving connection
we all have. At the end of our ritual journey we give thanks
for all we have experienced. After we alight from the bus
and return to our homes, we get on with our lives… and
plan the next ritual.
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