Needing rituals

Over the years I have changed my attitude to rituals. However, the British especially have their own little everyday rituals like the way you make a cup of tea or whether the jam or cream goes on the scone first. If we look at what we do each day then we can see just how much of what we do is part of a ritual.

I used to stand on the door step each morning and welcome in the day, asking for blessings from Father Sky, Mother Earth and the four quarters of North, South, East and West. Nowadays I tend to stand on the doorstep and connect without words to the sky, earth and the directions. I find words are not needed. This Imbolc for example, I started to see the bulbs shooting up in the ground and noticed some early spring flowers and new buds on the trees. I acknowledged this as the coming of Spring, of Imbolc and felt I did not really need a formal ritual or ceremony to acknowledge this.

My connection with the natural world around me is so strong and deep that words are not needed. I don’t set up and altar as what I can see outside in my garden is my altar all year. I have never really enjoyed the kind of ritual where a theatrical performance comes first. I have been to some of these and found much of the words said are just parts said without any deep feeling or meaning. To me, if you perform a ritual then what you do and say must have meaning for you and be sincere. So I wonder what your thoughts are on this? Imbolc Blessings to you all.

Ceremonies

What I am writing about this morning is something I have been thinking about for some time. I am a Druid and work alone as there are no Groves nearby. Most druids and many pagans celebrate the eight festivals of the wheel of the year. I always did this in the past but recently I have not been doing this as I feel that I celebrate the changing of the seasons in other ways.

As our climate is changing I sometimes think that celebrating on specific dates is not quite right. I spend a lot of time in nature and I notice when the seasons change and acknowledge this, sometimes by pausing and saying a few words and sometimes by just pausing for a brief moment of silence. For me this is more important than ‘doing’ a ceremony which can sometimes feel a bit false. I don’t need the candles, incense and other tools of ritual in order to acknowledge and give thanks for the changes in nature. I feel that I live each day as a druid and to me that is more important than a ceremony to recognise the changing of the seasons.

I have seen and been a part of many ceremonies which turned into theatrical performances. If you like that kind of ceremony then that is fine but it is not for me. Lughnasadh has just passed and I have already noticed the brown leaves on the ground, the elderberries, blackberries and rosehips as well as the reddening rowan berries which signify the coming of autumn. I have paused in my walks, touched these berries and given thanks for them. Need I do more?

I am sure that many of my readers will think differently but I would like to know your thoughts so please comment and enjoy your days in nature.