Tonight, it is Halloween and a Full Moon. It is mighty windy and the leaves let go from my Magnolia tree, swirling around me, under a cloudy night sky. It is time to make a fire in my firepit. It is time to burn a lot away, to give my burdens to the fire. And I make one helluva fire. It rages as it warms. It is inflamed and angry, as am I.
I create a dispacho, an offering to the Great Mother Earth, to Spirit, to the Universe. I ask for support. I envision a kinder world. I invite healing. The fire swallows up the beautiful gift package of flowers and cornmeal and all kinds of symbolic goodies before I even have time to turn my back. (It is rude and impolite to watch the fire consume the offering.) I so hope it will cleanse and calm me. When I do turn back, the embers glow with hope.
My core family is out of sorts and tense. We had a big fight this afternoon, what my mom used to refer to as a Donnybrook. Oh Boy! For so many reasons, this could have been expected. There is pain and there is blame as we each grieve in our misplaced anger over our feelings of powerlessness: over the pandemic, our limitations, our restraints, our clashing of styles, and even our moods. And so much hatred bleeding into our home from the outside world.
Whenever possible, create a ritual. So, I opened the directions by drumming them in (South, West, North, South, Above, Below and Within) with my beautiful handcrafted drum, given to me as a gift by a beloved friend. I hit it so hard the padded end of the pounding stick went flying. I wanted to make sure the Universe heard. I know my neighbors did.
In Chinese Five Element Theory we are living in the Autumn season of metal/air, holding on and letting go. Just as the leaves do. They know to let go to make room for new growth and possibilities. Tonight, some letting go was definitely needed. And no question, by the end of the ceremony my nervous system had settled, and my perspective is slowly beginning to shift as I write this.
Yesterday, I did another important ritual. I went through my drawers and closets to change my clothing for the seasons. Usually I love this purging, giving things away that no longer serve me and letting them go. In letting them go and giving them to charities, others benefit as well as I do. I enact this particular ritual twice a year, in the Spring and the Fall. It usually feels so good. Yesterday I noticed myself struggling. I had thoughts of scarcity. Who knows how our finances will be as the chaos of the world continues to unfold? I might need this sweater that I haven’t worn in years. Really???
And then I grabbed a big bag and began to go to town. I filled the bag in minutes. “Take a leap of faith, Ruthie,” I said. And then another bag. And another. And as I did, I noticed big breaths, big sighs, inhaling and exhaling, bringing forth the promise that I will have all that I need, and can let go of what I don’t. And that there is plenty to share. We must share.
I didn’t stop there. I worked with my emails. Before moving my junk mail to trash, I noticed emails from individuals which I had never received. I noticed my very own blogs going to junk. What!!! I sure hope my subscribers are receiving them. I would say aloud, “You are NOT Junk.” And I marked them as NOT junk. The rest- delete, delete, delete. I have made a vow to check my junk mail weekly now, as an intentional and powerful ritual. I invite you to do the same. You might find some gold there, that you missed. And you will definitely let go mindfully, what is truly junk. It is cathartic. Try it.
I promised a short video each week based on my new books. Enjoy!
And if you haven’t grabbed up my special offer, now is the time.
