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| My favourite childhood ritual... |
We are people of ritual. We have this drive to celebrate the important moments in our lives. Like the birth of a child, a coming of age, a wedding, the death of a mother-in-law and other enjoyable life altering events.
Thousands of years ago in the Ancient Near East when people had an encounter with God or an Angel they built an altar or slaughtered a lamb or a combination of other weird acts (and yes I acknowledge it made sense to them within their cultural and mythical worldview). After a real significant encounter the mortal’s name was also changed: Abram became Abraham. Jacob became Israel.
My landlord and body corporate is not that keen on me building an altar on the lawn. Neither is slaughtering a lamb on the driveway such a pleasant idea to all my fellow neighbours (and neither to me). And what a nuisance to get your name changed at the Department of Home Affairs and then all the follow up paper work to banks, etc. No thank you! My point? What do I do as someone living in 2012 to celebrate the remarkable shifts in my life?
Thank you Internet! Yeah I change something online! It’s the easy alternative to altar building. I tweak a paragraph or a word on a website. I write a blog post. I change my FB profile pic or banner (or post something extra silly or remarkble). Or worst case scenario I grab a white piece of paper and scribble a few words or phrases of inspiration. The bigger the shift, the bigger the online tweak. And sometimes a new awareness cannot be contained in the old form (and by the way that pretty much sums up the evolution of all religions and our understanding of God and life over the ages to this very moment). Then it is time to create something completely new. Didn’t Jesus share something about not pouring new wine into old wine skins?
Now really what is my point?
I want you to know I created a new Twitter account:
@TheZenRabbi
“I believe in the power of Love, mindfulness and giving yourself permission... #SpiritualCounsellor #LifeCoach #Enneagram"
I can’t claim that God changed my Twitter name, but I most certainly felt inspired. I also peeped through the window incase a ram appeared among the lavender before pressing enter and sacrificing that online spot forever. It’s a new name that embodies something of the Essence that is within me and what I share with my clients:
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| An Angora ram did appear out of the blue! Out of nowhere in the bistro at Meerendal Wine Estate... |
Guilt Clearer, Permission Granter, Gentle Healer, Way Finder, Soul Carer, Wholehearted Explorer, Bridge Builder, Considerate Helper, Fear Liberator, Peace-Maker, Freedom Fighter, Equality Establisher, Compassionate Listener, Vulnerable Warrior, Paradox Embracer, Diversity Enabler, Dogma Reformer, Conscious Observer...
It's a mixture of counselling and coaching drawing from my qualifications, personality and real life journey.
And like all journeys of faith even I have no idea how this will unfold. That is not in my hands (thank God!). It’s about showing up as honestly and authentically as I can and living moment by moment. Following the inspiration that comes to me. Living wholeheartedly, naked and raw (and also in a literal way this coming summer on a beautiful beach)... Embracing the unknown while staying connected to the Meaning and Purpose of my life and our lives...
Follow me...
ps We all know how late at night one thing can lead to another. This was no exception! Inspiration and I couldn’t just stay downstairs blogging but had to take it upstairs to the fresh linen of a new web domain and email address: www.TheZenRabbi.com & renier@thezenrabbi.com
Gentle Healer, Wayfinder, Soul Carer, I love your post. It explains to me why we are so drawn to change our headers and status updates on facebook and tweet our lives to the world as we know it. As our lives and life experiences change it is how we have our significant moments of growth and personal development witnessed and recorded. Significant regardless of how large or how small, as they are significant to us and can often be like markers on our journey with our peers.....ie: "Remember that time you posted the ....on facebook....where were you at then - whhaaaahhaaaaa - gosh that seems so long ago and yet it was only a few months back - wow you are way closer to living your life more fully now...." or whatever it may be.
ReplyDeleteI often scroll down in my Anahata Living group and look at the journey that has unfolded right there in the posts that have been made and shared by myself and others over time. It offers reminders and warm hearted moments always. It makes sense to me now why this is.
WOW - thank you so much (sincerely) for this new awareness(my nugget - cos I enjoyed everything you wrote)as a way in which to invite this modern day ritualistic practice into my life more consciously. I can see how it can capture "movements" and "moments" in life in a simple practical every day kind of way. I love it!!
I'm also a lover of the power and awesome beauty that the real life spirit-full ritual offers and invite you to seek out places like Phakalane - Centre for Living Ritual in Hout Bay to experience the modern day version of the Lamb slaughtering and name changing......:D There is one happening (just to share) in September for Women http://www.phakalane.co.za/current-events/9-events/269-womens-ritual and I know that there are rituals taking place all year round to which you can bring your significant milestones for acknowledgement and celebration with the divine.
To have both will be balance for me now.
My other nugget (there are always two or three aren't there) is the reminder that we can hand things over to God in a journey of faith and trust that they will unfold for our highest good.
A gentle explorer signing out. Thank you.
Dear gentle explorer thank you for your words and grateful you got value from it.
DeleteAnd I will definitely check out the rituals at Phakalane. Embracing our bodies I believe is extremely important! Quite often it is neglected or denied by people on a spiritual journey.
Warm regards,
TZR
"Dear Gentle Healer
ReplyDeleteI especially like the 'Permission Granter' angle (I wrote angel, perhaps equally to the point?) Please don't forget to add that this counselling/coaching isn't always of the warm&fuzzy variety and that you are quite able to be frustratingly firm and annoyingly perceptive.
Things aren't always as they seem ;-)"
Comment by Mariette Snyman