In this era of science and technology, many of us have lost touch with the sacred traditions and ceremonies that, in times past, kept us connected to community and the divine. As we step into the stream of ever more choice, ever more busy, and the infinite stream of information and more stuff, I’m afraid we’re sacrificing our intuitive wisdom and inner knowing for instant gratification and easy pleasure.
Over the course of my adult life, I’ve been a student of culture. The thing that I find most comforting within each are their sacred traditions and ritual practices. They can range from the simple to the complex, yet all are a way to step out of the mundane and into the extraordinary.
It must have been the many years I spent immersed in Japanese culture that opened my heart to ritual and ceremony first. From the mundane removal of shoes before entering the home, or the simple “Itadakimasu” said before every meal— to the complex donning of a kimono worn during esoteric tea ceremony. These ancient practices are a way to consciously cross an invisible threshold into something more sacred, that offers reciprocity between humanity, spirit and nature.
From these early experiences, I’ve continued to open my heart to the wonders of ritual and ceremony found in diverse cultures around the world. While some might criticize this as a form of appropriation, instead I offer that this is the language of prayer, a connection to spirit, and a deeper relationship with divine guidance.
The more I observe clture, and study with skilled Shamans and wise teachers across the globe, the more I’m able to move through the veils of trauma that my human self has experienced. Ceremony and ritual have taught me about pure intention and have allowed me to see what doesn’t serve me any longer.
These days I live in deep connection with the plants, the animals, and the spirit guides that are my allies. Everyday they help and support me in reconnecting my lost parts of self to my natural state of wholeness. They guide me to dream my life into reality, and as a result, now more than ever I’m experiencing the life I’ve dreamed of living.
Shamanic wisdom, ritual and ceremony are all gaining momentum right now, and for good reason. This is a very important time where the collective “we” is being called to come together for peace, equality, and a new understanding of unity on our planet.
From ancient to modern times, ritual and ceremony are diverse and unique within each culture. What remains consistent is the intention to weave the sacred into the ordinary to bring forth wholeness. Tjhey offers the opportunity to strengthen the connection to inner spirit and as a result, to the collective spirit, as one.
What I know is that we are stronger, more beautiful and more powerful than we can ever imagine. Ceremony and ritual provide the conscious action to help keep us on our path. — Aho
Infinite Love,