Moments of Eternity
It seemed to be a necessary ritual that he should prepare himself for sleep by meditating under the solemnity of the night sky… a mysterious transaction between the infinity of the soul and the infinity of the universe. ~Victor Hugo
I live with a man who is a creature of habit. Each day he arises and pours himself a glass of water. He sits at the kitchen table, slowly sipping and waking up. Then it’s time for breakfast. Breakfast is a treat: eggs with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and feta. This is followed by a mug of tea.
And so the day goes.
I know I have my rituals, too. I wake up each morning and turn on the computer in the spare room (it takes ten minutes to boot). I walk down the hallway and into our front rooms and open the house: swing back shutters, secure windows, let the light in. As I’m doing this, the little brown kitty I’ve been feeding stands up and stretches and waits for me on the back welcome mat. I turn on the kettle and then pour some cat food in a little tin. I walk her out to the edge of the yard to where her dish is waiting … along with the two other cats who’ve figured out morning time is feeding time. I leave them to it and come inside and steep my tea – sometimes English breakfast, sometimes rose peach – then I sit and sip and slowly wake up too.
I am a big fan of rituals. I think of them as the pegs I can hang my thoughts and ideas on, the markers for my beliefs. Sometimes they represent something greater than me – a remembering of something, even a mirroring of what I would like to be. Other times they are simply comfort, a familiar thing I can wrap around me when the world seems cold.
In my own way, I feel they connect me to eternity.
It can be easy, though, for our rituals to take the place of our gods, for our moments of eternity to be reduced to finite markers of what we have or want to achieve. When this happens, rituals are no longer the infinity of the soul interacting with the infinity of the universe.
How do you honor ritual in your life?
How do you allow your soul to regularly interact with infinity?
Your comments today are welcome.
Namaste and peace,
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Photo Credit bigbluemeanie
Well, Carla, it’s nearly 10.30pm. I have just completed writing tomorrows blog post. My husband has made my herbal tea, which I will carry to bed with me.
Tomorrow morning, I will take the longest time to wake up. I’m not a morning person. I will open the curtains, feed my two hungry cats, after a good morning cuddle, make tea for me and my husband and put the washing machine on. When I’m positive that I really am awake, then I will have breakfast.
Breakfast is eaten at the computer. Oh, and I shop on Tuesdays. Yes, I too am a creature of habit and it is a most comforting existence! And if I have to change plans every now and then? It’s no big deal, so long as I can return, in due course, to my habitual ways.
I feel the same way as you, Joanne. Change is fine and things get moved around sometimes, but I breathe a sigh of relief when things even back out and I can settle back into my routines again.
Thank you for sharing your morning with me. It was almost as good as our recent virtual coffee.
Hi Carla,
I agree ritual is so important. I love my morning rituals.
The first thing I do after putting out the cat food is meditate.
In the spring and summer I love to sit on my deck and meditate outdoors.
If I miss my morning meditation I always feel as if something is off in my day.
I also journal as well. I record of my dreams – as many of them do happen, and other ideas as they come to me.
After this comes the coffee that gets me going so that I can exercise.
I prefer not to talk to anyone in the morning. I need my solitude to mine all the “stuff” inside that’s floating around. After the coffee though I become a fully functioning member of society!
Thanks for this lovely exercise.
Angela Artemis´s last blog ..Is There a Difference Between Intuition, Psychism and Mediumship?
I really, really, REALLY enjoyed reading about your morning. Thank you so much for sharing it with me. You start your day in such a lovely way, easing yourself into it.
I have to say to you that G and I aren’t talkers in the morning, either. We’re not grumpy or sad or angry. We’re just still waking up and, as you so beautifully said, “mining the ’stuff’” that’s floating around. Once we have our tea and breakfast, though, we’re on our way to more speech.
Lovely comment today, Angela. xx
Rituals allow us to not only connect with the Divine, but also to connect with ourselves. By providing ourselves with a little space, a little self-care, a little time, we love ourselves and connect our inner being with the outer world. These simple acts of kindness towards ourselves allow us to face the day with more energy, more love, and more compassion than we might have otherwise.
Plus, if done with great care, rituals can focus our attention and bring us to the state of being mindfully present – aware of, and living in, the present moment fully, without thinking of the past or the future. The more we can do this, the happier we are.
Jay´s last blog ..Against the Wind
These simple acts of kindness towards ourselves allow us to face the day with more energy, more love, and more compassion than we might have otherwise.
This is so true. I know that when I am not able to perform my rituals regularly or consistently, I find it much harder to embrace my day with energy, love, and compassion. Those get depleted when time and love for me aren’t present.
Thank you for sharing, Jay. x
Ritual has been missing in my life for awhile now. I used to have well-planned, healthy rituals for morning, mid-day, evening, and even a couple others (deep breathing/stretching/water) thrown in throughout the day for good measure.
Then, life blew up. Due to family illnesses, my mornings began with a stiff neck in a hospital waiting room, and nighttime found me praying at a bedside. Even though rituals fell by the wayside, years of practicing them laid a foundation that kept me strong when life’s winds blew hardest.
Life is still unpredictable, but I’ve started moving back in the direction of ritual by bringing the individual components . . . meditation, walking, tea, inspirational reading . . . back into the gaps of time in my days. Eventually, there will be a big enough span of time to glue these things together again into treasured rituals.
Jean Sarauer´s last blog ..Confessions of a Backsliding Blogger
Thank you for being so honest here, Jean. You’ve had a lot happening in your life in the past few months that have turned your world upside down and brought in a lot of challenges. The thing is, I do believe that things will eventually right themselves again … or settle down. And when they do, some of your old rituals will still be there waiting for you.
You are a wonderful woman to be doing the things you’re doing, to be caring for people who are now finding it difficult to care for themselves. My wish for you is that you will get a few moments each day where you can love on you.
Until then, I send you a really big hug. (Did you feel it?)
Of all the things, you had to ask that I seldom do
To honor ritual in my life now that is a tough one too
Chaos is what my ritual seems to be few things are the same
Tho, lots of coffee before bed and some say that is lame
Now infinity with which I interact regularly that‘s easy to see
I do a lot of thinking and makes sure it involves all five of me
You have some very deep thoughts here. Glad I stopped by again.
desk49/Ellis Moore´s last blog ..My Soul
Oh, Ellis, you crazy man — Lay off the coffee before bed! What are you thinking?
Was great to see you again today. I enjoyed your little poem; it fit the theme of the post so well. I’ve no doubt you interact with infinity on a daily basis.
I have little rituals but I don’t know that I notice them or appreciate them as much as I might and I seem to notice them more when I am taken out of my element and they no longer are a part of my day.
Those little rituals have a wonderful place in my life – and they change with the different phases of my life as well.
Ah, tea is what I drink when I write… when my mind starts to blossom and it is time to work or write!
Have a wonderful weekend
The Exception´s last blog ..Believe it or not, It’s just me
I love a good cuppa, too, TE. In the morning, when it’s quiet, before the house wakes up … *sigh*
You make such a good point about how being taken out of our element helps us appreciate the daily rituals that give shape and comfort to our lives: traveling has a way of putting that in perspective. How are you feeling about your upcoming European travels? Where are you going? And is Greece/Crete on the agenda?
So when my husband engages in all his funny morning rituals, he’s really convening with the Gods? That’s what all that noise is. Haha. But seriously, he is a self-professed creature of habit and marrying me meant he had to learn to go with what comes at him out of left field. He’s gotten better at it but I think some of us need our comforts and others of us like to free fall. He freaks out when things go wrong, whereas I kind of enjoy it. But, he moved many times as a child, being an army brat, so I know why he is the way he is and I love him for it. We keeps me grounded and I help him move outside his comfort zone once in a while. it works. Great post Carla.
Katie´s last blog ..Pushing Yourself Forward: Week 5 of the 7-Week Life Cleanse
It sounds like you and your husband have really struck a good balance. It is definitely possible to flock to extremes on either side: I can definitely become rigid and set in my ways, so it’s nice to have things shaken up a bit. Of course, on the other end, it is possible to be too free-wheeling, like a top spinning out of control. You two complement each other.
Thank you for sharing about you and how you navigate the waters of routine. Maybe those rituals are the necessary buouys?
A thought provoking question how to continue to connecting the ritual with the infinite. I think it would have to be through being one with the ritual and then becoming aware of the vastness beyond.
My mourning ritual involves a cup of coffee and reading in peace and quiet. I love the sound of silence as the day starts. This silence to me is the connection to the infinite within and without.
Thanks for the questions Carla. I am more aware of my own rituals now
Manal´s last blog ..5 Reasons to Let Go of Your Story
Hi, Manal. “The sound of silence.” Aren’t those beautiful words? They bring a smile to my heart whenever I hear them. Thank you for sharing your morning ritual and how you greet your day. Thank you too for reminding us that the infinite is not only found external to us but within us, as well. x
Well, you know I am a fan of rituals! I really love the ones pertaining to the seasons. In summer there are mornings on the deck and the first watermelon of the year. Fall brings stew, getting out throw pillows and blankets. It’s soothing to me to know I have these rituals that greet me with such warmth and joy every year. Great post!
You mentioned something I had totally forgotten about on this the longest day of the year: the ritual of seasons. Thank you for doing that and reminding us all of how we are connected to a vast universe and world of changing seasons and calendars. It’s very grounding and very beautiful. (I love your rituals, by the way. They are lovely, like you.)
What a wonderful post! I love rituals. They are my anchors and I get a bit grouchy without them – nit intentionally, just a side effect. Llife feels chaotic and filled with anxiety when the rituals aren’t met.
I have morning rituals and evening rituals and a few seasonal ones
For morning I like to wake up before G for my silent contemplation and mediation. When he wakes up he likes to talk and I’m good as long as I’ve had my silence taking in the day and having that connection. Night is unwinding, journal writing and mediation – then falling asleep to a CD of music that inspires sleep – fortunately he’s gotten used to it and now he can sleep with it on because it plays all night. I really love bringing in a new day and ending one. – yes there are days when I wake up late and miss my ritual or stay up too late and fall asleep too soon – but I do love rituals.
Aileen´s last blog ..What Would Love Do?