Life Is A Ritual

In the quiet moments, I try to find order. Sometimes I am successful. Other times, not so much. In the shadow of the upheaval that swirls all around us now in so many aspects of our lives, the quiet moments mean so much more when experienced. This is especially true for me since I am actively seeking them out. Some days it feels like it is a fool’s errand. However, when I can close my eyes and take that deep breath, I am grateful as the noise slips away. Finding my center and my roots in the silent moments, I can summon the strength once more and carry on.

Last weekend, I was on a hike through the snowy woods. At times it was so quiet, it felt like my husband and I were the only humans left in the world. It was simply the birds, snapping twigs, the biting breeze, the rush of the brook in the distance, and the golden sun that spoke to us that morning. With each step, I felt so very present and acutely aware of my surroundings. Time stood still for us on that hike. The entire landscape looked and felt surreal. Even the light seemed to bend in ways one would expect during a late summer sunset in the desert. Within this liminal experience, there was a presence that felt ancient. It observed. It studied. It waited. Unsure of what to do, I continued my walk and waited to commune. There was a purpose to the intermingling of the energies. I am not fully sure what it was exactly, but I felt the connection deeply and it is something that I am still unwinding to understand.

As the fingers of light reached down to touch the snow and ice that was upon the ground and trees, I felt a pathway reveal itself deep within me. As I sat on a large rock overlooking the woods below, something stirred. Something connected. Something whispered. It was the unseen presence…

As quickly as the words came in, they flew away from me on the wind. The meaning of the message however, traveled into my depths. The inner pathway I felt reveal itself just before the message gripped me, left me no choice but to travel into a deeply introspective direction. The last year ripped open so many wounds, both personally and collectively. Personally, at times I have felt raw, sad, tired, frustrated, confused, and angry. Sometimes I can manage it well. Other times, I find myself working through the guilt from being reactionary. That is why I felt and allowed the message to go straight to my heart. For in these times, one must remember that hope is a light that can lead one out of the deepest darkness. And that is something that I must remember as well. For without hope, I know I would not be able to leave that shadowy place.

The words that enveloped me as they were whispered upon the wind was a gift to me by the Ancient presence. It is something that I have been reflecting on this week and wanted to share with you. “Your life, every moment of it, is a ritual. Your actions have weight. Your words have power. Your thoughts create the world around you. Intentions sent can be made manifest or broken instantly. Wield your power wisely.”

What we do and say has immense power whether it is realized or not. I know it is something that I need to remember in my daily life, especially when I am not at my best. Thoughts and emotions fuel what we put out into the world. The message of living life as a ritual helps to remind me of the importance of intention, compassion, love and trust. These powerful forces can be held in all the moments that make up our day. We hold the power of creation in a wide variety of ways. In bridging my spiritual practice with all aspects of my life, I hope to shift the energies so I can see the sacredness of the world around me and allow the space for the highest good of the situations to flow.  

In the upcoming weeks I will be writing on the sacredness that we all hold within us. I hope you will join me as we will dive into the ways we can recognize it and bring it into our daily lives. Until then, may the whispers upon the wind entice you to embrace the ritual that you are.

Be well,

Renee Bedard, The Whispering Crow