Saturday, September 01, 2007

a new year...


"Most of us miss our own lives. Most of us spend our time preparing for a moment that never comes,
while the years slip by, unnoticed, unused." - Geneen Roth


Tonight I came home from work, had a quick shower to wash off the day, and set about beginning my 'divine mojo-boost' ritual. I wasn't sure until I sat down what I was going to do, but I knew that I wanted to get the autumn started off right.

I started by burning some sage. I like thinking that I have cleansed the air of any negative energy. Then I recited the bit of Mary Oliver poetry that I feel hits exactly the note of who I would like to be. (The one on my sidebar.) And then I did what I do best - I wrote - I wrote about all of the aspects of myself that I wanted to release and I gently read them to myself over and over and over again. At first I felt quite silly, and I felt like maybe nothing was going to happen, and then an amazing thing happened. I experienced release.

I felt it in happen in my stomach, just below my chest. I felt a tight place loosen. I hadn't even really known it was tight. I felt my forehead relax and my breath deepen. I felt softer than I have in ages. I folded up the paper, whispered a gentle thank you, burned some sage again and then took my paper out to the barbecue! I lit the edge and as I watched it burn I whispered a wish to the smoke for anyone else who was doing a ritual at the same time as I was. Then I whispered a prayer for those I love, and recited the bit of poetry again.

"I feel my boots trying to leave the ground, I feel my heart pumping hard. I want to think again of dangerous and noble things. I want to be light and frolicsome. I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing, as though I had wings." -Mary Oliver

I hope that wherever you are you are feeling rejuvenated and ready for autumn to begin. Here's to a new season and a new year!

And what did you do?

17 comments:

GreenishLady said...

Oh... I meant to do a ritual, and then, I forgot about the date. Now, when I read your post about your lovely experience, I feel sorry I wasn't more intentional in what I did yesterday, but I realise some of what I did was indeed in the nature of release and preparation for autumn. I bought 4 new kitchen chairs, and took out the broken old chairs to go to recycling, and, feeling a need for greenery, I acquired three plants for my living-room and hallway, with beautiful pots for them, too. I think my mojo will be boosted by that alone. Your reminder will make me consider what else I need to do, though, so thank you for that.

Dalissa McEwen Reeder said...

Sounds like a successful start! I, too, intend to burn up the negative but I haven't gotten to that part yet. I am so happy that you felt the release of all that negative energy.

Here's a link to what I did...

http://sentientmarrow.blogspot.com/2007/09/regaining-divine-mojo.html

madelyn said...

You do have wings - I felt the
flutter all the way over here!

Beautiful and you know - I think I
shall head down to Banyon Books
tomorrow and get some well -


hugs!

madelyn said...

hmmm - what i meant was I will
get some sage!

also - that quote is so true -
about life slipping past -
sort of a far more eloquent
"life is what happens while you
are busy making other plans"

John Lennon

:)

Unknown said...

Megg,
Something big turned and released within me this weekend. My fear is smaller and my feet are lighter. I am glad that your ritual proved powerful. Happy New Year!

Mindy said...

i feel this so strongly as well...autumn ringing in the true new year. lovely ritual for a fresh new start. xo

Michelle (a.k.a. la vie en rose) said...

oh meg this is such an inspiring post...it is filled with the lightness and the frolicsome-ness you long for...

you've inspired me to write my own list...

Melanie Margaret said...

Creating your own rituals is a fantastic idea!

MAHIMA said...

I wrote. voraciously.
and then I took my bright yellow coloured chart and my camera and went out onto the streets.
I took a multicolours lollipop, pink framed spectacles and a red flower as props.
I took portraits of people. strangers. asked them to play with the props against the board. And get clicked.
In return for some good conversation.
it was more enriching than I can describe.
I'm trying to live a daring life. :)

bella said...

wow.
This was a release for me, just reading your words and letting myself be moved by them, changed.

I will have my own autumn ritual tomorrow and this inspired me and healed something in me. To just release. That is enough.

Thank-you.

Jessica S. said...

I am feeling that poem...thanks for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Megg, this sounds like it was a beautiful ritual, and the release...that is so wonderful. My good intentions to participate in this were good; however, the weekend dictated otherwise in a big big way...which means that when the time is right, which will hopefully be very soon, I will come up with my autumn welcoming and actually do it.

I thank you for the idea and the inspiration.

xoxo

Jessie said...

What did I do? Uh...that's a good question. But I do know that what YOU did is wonderful! It is so easy to forget to create sacred time. Your words make me take a deep breath. They create a sacred space inside of me. Thank you for that.

luv,
j.

Amber said...

I sat outside under the stars for the first time in forever. I prayed and breathed.

You time sounds wonderful!

:)

Lianne said...

I feel like everything I've done and everything I've spoken since returning from vacation has been a ritual. To say that things in my life have shifted is a gross understatement.

Thank you, thank you for your Divine Mojo Ritual. Shall we all plan to do it again next year?

Tomorrow is a big DAY! Lunar eclipse and New Moon!

Anonymous said...

I went to the beach with Susannah. I dug my feet into the sand and imagined any way in which I wanted my life to be different.

Then I sat on the coach from Bournemouth to London and wrote out my dreams and my plans to get there.

Thanks,

xx

Nippon said...

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