The Sanctuary of Ceremony and the Peace of the Present Moment

"When everything is connected to everything else, for better or for worse, everything matters."

~ Bruce Mau

There was a time, not too long ago, in all corners of the globe, where people came together and acknowledged their inherent connection to something bigger than themselves, to some sort of higher power and force that connected all of life. People had many names for this energy. Whether they called it Wankan Tanka (translated as Great Spirit) like the Lakota people of North America, or whether they acknowledged the plethora of divine beings intertwined with the beauty, abundance and sustenance of Nature through the polytheistic lens of the pagans of Anglo-Saxon Europe in the early middle ages, or whether they called it by the name Ke Akua, or God, like the people here in Hawaii do, since the beginning of time, humans have always needed a way to make sense of themselves and their place and purpose in the world by connecting with something greater than themselves, and by giving thanks for their humble part in it all.

Ceremony and ritual have always been a foundational piece of my life, even when I was young and attended church with my father at age 5. I would bow my head, clear my thoughts and pray to God, or I would close my eyes and lift my hands towards the heavens during worship. I would take communion every once in a while, being reminded of the symbolism of Christ’s body and blood through the taking of bread and grape juice, or I would open up my Bible and read the Word of God, hoping to glean some wisdom from its many thin pages. These were all the little actions I would take and intentions I would set in order to “right” myself with God and gain some connection, and hopefully find some solace in a very confusing world from that connection I felt. As I got older my understanding of God and connection expanded to include practices like yoga and meditation. I started practicing yoga after my first ever heartbreak, and spent 10 days in silent meditation. I experienced the peace and solace that can be found in those still silent moments, when I stopped trying to distract myself, or defend my ego, or pretend that I could figure it all out on my own. I found God with a different name, under a different guise, but with the same overflowing love, peace and compassion. I’ve now come to realize that God, Source, Jehovah, Wakan Tanka, Krishna, Consciousness- is simply the life force that animates all living things, and is inextricably linked to being alive; it is an essential piece of that which makes us who and what we are.

This unbreakable connection is what has sustained me my entire life, and gotten me through the worst of moments. It is what gets me out of bed in the morning and allows me to rest easy at night, because it gives my life purpose and meaning, knowing that I am here as a piece of the collective whole and I am here to contribute to that whole in some meaningful way while I’m alive. Going about life without any understanding of one's part in the greater story at play, or of one’s innate social responsibility to the greater world of which we are a part, is the quickest and most efficient way to feeling depressed, purposeless, and hopeless, because we are denying a fundamental part of ourselves, which is this consciousness and cosmic, life-animating energy that is inherent to all beings. When we are disconnected from self, from our purpose, from our fellow human beings and are feeling lost, unhappy and confused because of it, it is ultimately because we are also disconnected from something greater than ourselves, whether that be in the form of a deity or feeling disconnected from the greater consciousness of life itself. In those moments of despair or loneliness, we’ve simply lost our connection, and being intentional with creating ritual and ceremony practices in our daily lives is one way we can reconnect, and get back to our true nature, which is for better or worse, whether we like it or not, completely and totally linked to the rest of life.

I know that this can all seem a little "out there" for many people, especially since many of us have been raised in an individualistic society where science and medicine and various forms of study are isolated subjects, compartmentalized into separate fields of study with no overlap whatsoever, so let me put it into different, perhaps more relatable terms. When we look at life in all its various forms, from the micro to the macro scale, we see that life operates in a cohesive way, whether it is cells of the human body organized into organs, organized into organ systems, organized into a functional body, or whether it is an individual tree planted in a forest of a larger ecosystem with lots of other plants and animals living in symbiotic relationship with that tree, or whether its our sun, which is the center of our solar system that is part of our greater galaxy in a whole field of galaxies strewn about our larger universe that is very possibly one of infinite universes extending out into the greater cosmos…! All life and life forms are connected and a part of something larger, from the smallest atom to the most enormous star, and we humans would be foolish to think that we are the sole exception to that rule. It seems fair to say, then, that we are each individually connected to a greater community of people, plants, animals and elements that make up life and society, and this connection is as inescapable as death, an inherent part of who we are.

When we think small within our own little egoic framework and make life about ourselves, we forget our place in all of this, and we become disconnected. We may feel isolated and alone, lost or purposeless, however there is hope! By creating space for ceremony and ritual in our daily lives we can begin to reestablish that connection with the Divine, the lack of which being the cause of so much of our mental and emotional suffering.

Ceremony is an interesting word that is used most often to mark special occasions, yet is still somewhat ambiguous in nature because of the many uses and kinds of ceremony that are available to us. The kind of ceremony I am referring to is more of a safe space that one creates for themselves to find peace and solace inside their own mind and body, so that they can take refuge from their busy and overwhelming lives. Creating this ceremonial space for oneself simply comes down to combining these three distinct elements:

1. A set intention/desired outcome

Holding an intention at the beginning of any ceremony or ritual is hugely important. It sets the tone and space for what is to take place during this precious time we’ve set aside for ourselves. It is important to take time to become clear about our intentions and remember to focus on them, or bring them back into our awareness throughout our practice. These are usually centered around what it is we seek to gain, learn or let go of during our practice, and may even be considered the most important part of creating ceremony because it is what differentiates ceremony or sacred space, like yoga or meditation or prayer, from just stretching or sitting still or talking; the main difference between yoga and stretching is intention, the difference between meditating and doing nothing is intention, and the difference between praying and talking is intention. Taking your intention seriously during your practice make it all the more powerful at the end.

2. An acknowledgement of the Sacred, or that higher power, and the humility necessary to accept one’s place in that

This is often a harder one to grasp, just because not everyone has an established relationship with a higher power, however, we can acknowledge and humble ourselves to the simple understanding that our greater community, the world, and everything in it is all working together so that you, as the unique little being that you are, can live. A great example of this is the act of saying Grace, or a prayer before mealtime, giving thanks for the nourishment one is about to receive. This is a beautiful practice that can help us become more connected to our food, which can help us eat slower and more mindfully, and can remind us of all the energy, time, minerals, hands, hearts, resources and lives that went into bringing that meal to our plates. We can acknowledge and give thanks for the people who grew the food, and the sweat and toil they put into growing and harvesting those plants. We can acknowledge and appreciate the animals who gave their lives or parts of themselves so that we could enjoy our meal. We can acknowledge and appreciate the elements that had to exist in order for our food to grow, and we can appreciate all who took part in packaging, shipping and preparing our food for us. Without this small act, we often take things like the meal in front of us for granted, we lose gratitude and we disconnect from our food and the greater world that made our meal possible. Acknowledging and appreciating something greater is simply understanding that without it, without the rest of life, we could not exist. It is equally as important to have a sense of gratitude for everything that is because it allows us to be. Humbling ourselves to that understanding is also crucial because it allows us to come into right relationship with the world around us, which inevitably allows us to heal and find peace within ourselves.

3. slowing down in order to come into the present moment

There is a beautiful quote by Lao Tzu that is maybe somewhat cliché at this point, but rings with so much truth: “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.”

I don’t know about you, but I have found this to be so true in my own life when I look back at my more anxious or depressed seasons. When I get depressed I tend to think small, think about myself in comparison to others, replaying the past again and again, fruitlessly hoping for a different result, even though what’s done is done. When I am anxious I am worrying about a future that I cannot predict, worrying about results that I have no control over, and I allow that fear and worry to drive me. When I am fully in the present, however, after I’ve allowed the often hypercritical, bullying, obnoxious voice in my head to calm down, I always find peace, because nothing else can exist in the present moment. A great example of finding peace in the present moment is when we come into a “flow state”, or when we get so lost in the moment during a creative or physical activity, that we forget about everything else our mind was thinking about and just enjoy the beauty and bliss of the moment. You might come into a flow state when you surf that perfect wave, or create a new riff on the guitar, or while dancing to a really great song! These are just a few examples of how the present moment can transform our mood just by simply focusing on it and being in it. It takes practice, our minds aren’t used to sitting still for very long, so be patient with yourself while learning to be present. Just know that slowing down, becoming aware of our senses, focusing on the breath which is constant and always present, can help us to release the excruciatingly tight hold our mind may have over our psyches and therefore our emotions and wellbeing.

If we can design our daily practice to include these three pieces, we can create a ceremonial space, a sanctuary for ourselves from this often harsh and overwhelming world.

My practice usually includes prayer (acknowledging the Sacred), journaling (laying out my desires/intentions), and meditation (slowing down and being present). Yoga is another great example of ceremony because it forces us to set an intention at the beginning, whether that’s through mantra, affirmations or simply intending to get through the entire practice without any injuries; we acknowledge our teachers and our lineage, honoring the sacred practice that is yoga, or yoking ourselves to the divine; and by being mindful of our breath and movements, we are ushered deeper and deeper into the present moment throughout the practice. There are lots of other kinds of ceremonies as well, like tea ceremonies, right of passage and coming of age ceremonies, death, birth and renewal ceremonies, grief ceremonies and cord cutting ceremonies. There are many ways to connect with something greater than oneself and to use this unique tool as a way of letting go of unwanted, stuck energy, or moving forward in life with greater clarity and vitality. Ceremony is also just a time and a space that you can set aside to take refuge from the world outside and give yourself the rest and sanctuary you need as a weary student attending this school of life here on earth.

Next time you’re feeling anxious, depressed, overwhelmed, or just flat out confused by life, take some time and space to reconnect with yourself and the greater whole of life that surrounds you, and create some solace for yourself in whatever way feels best for you. Maybe go for a walk and pray to your higher power, being intentional with your words and steps. Maybe sit on a cushion and just breathe for a few minutes, reciting affirmations to yourself and reflecting on all the things you have to be grateful for. Maybe go to a yoga class and allow the peace of that practice to wash over you. There are many ways to reconnect to ourselves and the larger whole by being present, intentional and humble in the way we go about our lives and interact with the world around us. Learn to give yourself this gift from time to time, and watch how things begin to shift.