The day of the Equinox and the 2 days before and after offer a great portal which we can align with, as the cosmic energies take a holy pause through the equal length of days and nights, light and dark.
This is a great time for us to turn to, as a way to reach more balance and equanimity in our lives: Sometimes we work so hard that we forget to appreciate the fruits of our efforts.
To receive the fruits of our work requires that we learn how to pause so that we may be able to:
- Savor what we have created,
and …
- Release what we no longer need.
This Equinox Ritual will support you in accessing the medicine of the Holy Pause.
What you will need:
At minima: A candle, matches, paper, and pen.
Optional: Drawing, painting material, and music that evokes gratitude, and release for you.
Choose a moment when you will not be disturbed for 15 to 30 minutes.
Open ritual space by lighting your candle. If it feels right to you, invite any guides, ancestors, and other deities to support you.
Take 3 deep breaths and settle into your seat, as you begin to take equal time for your in-breath, and out-breath, and the pause between the two.
For example, inhale for 4 seconds, pause for 4 seconds, and exhale for 4 seconds).
After a couple of minutes of this kind of breathing, return to more natural breathing and begin to reflect and to journal on these two questions.
- What do I savor at this time of my life?
- What am I ready to release now that I no longer need?
If you’d like, play your music, before you begin writing.
For each question, write for at least five minutes (and more if you wish) without any censoring. If you are stuck and find nothing else to write before these five minutes, do not stop writing but write instead, “and what I really want to say is …”
Often, this simple technique will unblock the stream of thoughts and invite new insights.
If you feel called to draw or paint your answers, instead of writing, or along with your writing, feel free to do so.
When you feel complete, stand up and shake for at least 5 minutes. (This is the time to play your music if you feel called to.
Begin by softening the ankles, knees, and hips, and let a soft shaking movement rise up through your legs and into the whole body.
Relax your jaws, neck, arms, and hands so that energy can move freely through the body. Keep relaxing the body, and let the shaking move you. Bring into your consciousness all that you are letting go of.
When you are ready, find a safe way to burn all that you have written. As you do so, let your heart’s intentions rise with the smoke and know that they are felt and blessed by the universe.
When it is done, rest in the pregnant void for as long as you need to, and then, offer the benefits of this ritual to the world.
Thank all the cosmic forces at play, for supporting you in tapping into the medicine of the holy pause.
Close the ritual by blowing out the candle and declaring that this is done.
In Love.
When we become more familiar with what balance feels like in our body, we reconnect with an inner compass that helps us navigate with a deeper trust through times of transition, and life’s inevitable ups and downs.
