Why Rituals And Sacred Practice Are Important For Women in Transition

As women we are constantly going through some type of transition.

The transition from maiden to mother, the transition from daughter to caregiver, the transition from work to doing our great work in the world, and the transition into our wise years are just a few.

To feel more confident, clear and connected through our transitions, it is important to carve out the time, space and practice to create rituals that will bring you closer to your calling, your purpose and your beloved vision. Through cultivating rituals and sacred practices, you enter into your own temple of clarity and trust.

In this modern world we have lost our connection to self and to sacred rituals in our everyday that bring us to the wisdom and guidance that dwells within our very hearts. This is the guidance we are meant to listen to and follow on our journey, not the guidance of others. When we can go within for the answers, we are guided back to our calling, to our souls, to our beloved. In times of transition, it is imperative to master the skills of discerning your own guidance and placing your actions in trust, confidence and courage.

Through centuries of patriarchy suppressing and oppressing our ancient traditions, wisdom, knowledge and practices we have lost our way. In today’s culture we may be more “plugged in” and “connected” on a global scale, but we feel more isolated and alone than ever before. It is time to look at our practices and traditions and find a way that supports our individual strengths and our collective wisdom and feminine lineage that is yearning to come forth.

Have you ever noticed that most of our current cultural ceremonies for women are all based on our relationships with other people? Think about the ceremonies in your own life that you have experienced or taken part of.

Marriage
When we get married we are treated like Princesses for a day and celebrated and honored for uniting our life with another. But for women who choose to not marry, there is no pomp-and-circumstance or pause for celebration and honoring their path or choice. Women who do not marry or marry older in life are often left alone and feeling isolated during this phase of womanhood.

Motherhood
The other big celebration in life for a woman is becoming a mother. We nurture and nourish the mother-to-be with a baby shower but as soon as the baby comes, all our attention is shifted onto the child. And often mothers are left alone having to nurture and feed themselves while exhausted, learning how to breastfeed, often taking care of other children or having to shuffle the newborn into the doctor for a well-check just days after giving birth!

There is no pause, there is no gathering, reflection or sharing of the birth story. The attention automatically goes to the baby, the baby’s needs and the sleeping, eating schedule of the newborn. (I am not saying every woman experiences the beginning of motherhood in this way. I know many women who were blessed to have partners, families, doulas or friends on-hand and nearby for weeks following a birth. This is not the norm for most women in our country though. Many are back to work within 4-6 weeks of giving birth.)

After having a baby, the next ceremony for a woman is often silent and many times obsolete. There are some milestones but they are almost all based around the children (if you have any):  going to school for the first time, getting a driver’s license, graduation and then the empty-nest phase sets in. Again, most of the attention is on the child and we as women, as mothers, are often left alone, in the dark, struggling in the everyday having no rituals or ceremonies to nourish our bodies, our hearts, our souls, our relationships and our communities. What nourishment and self-care we do provide is done on our own own and not always in the company of other women.

So what happens if we have a tribe of women focusing on the woman herself through every transition and journey she embraces; listening to her calling, having time to rest, following the natural cycles of the seasons and her body. What if every woman had sacred space in her everyday life to be held in the unknown.

The unknown is the only constant on our journey as women. Entering adulthood, entering marriage, entering motherhood, entering the wise years. It’s all an unknown and we tend to do it silently and in a solo manner. Descending into the unknown is the heroine’s journey, a journey we all are on whether we recognize it or not.

What happens when we change the way we’ve been doing things? What if we listen to the guidance within and hold each other, support each other and create a bridge standing shoulder-to-shoulder in a circle of fellow women, of fellow sisters, in support of each other so we never have to go through life’s transitions on our own, in the dark or by ourselves.

Where the intention and the attention is on you – not your children, not your spouse, not the parent or friend you are taking care of. The focus, the love, the healing energy, the nurturing, the sharing of wisdom, the sharing of stories in an open, unbiased circle, is on you. Here there is space for your voice to be heard, for your wisdom to be shared, for your body to be healed, for your truth to be honored, for your calling to come forth.

What happens when we create rituals and daily sacred practices that support us on a deep soul and cellular level?

Transformation.
Collaboration.
Creativity.
Nourishment.
Community.
Inspiration.
Balance.
Peace.
Compassion.
Clarity.
Understanding.
Strength.
Support.
Connection.

These are all traits of the heroine and of the divine feminine. Surrendering to the flow of divine guidance leads you exactly where you need to be. And cultivating these traits through sacred practices are the diving board for deep transformation and living out your calling.

If you feel called to create your own unique sacred practices and rituals this year, I invite you to listen to that inner voice.  Without rituals and sacred practice in place, creating the shift into your greater vision will take more time and more energy. Putting practices into place in my daily life along with the support of a circle of sisters has changed the course of my life and my work. The practices allow me to tune in, listen, discern the guidance and take action to bring me closer to my great vision. The support of my sisters and my coach and mentor provide me with the safe haven of support to not only create what is calling to be created but to strip away the masks and fears that are keeping me from leading my life with intention, clarity and confidence.

Putting sacred practices in place is the first step to shifting into your greater vision. The daily practice and connection you experience will allow you to deepen into your vision, clear away the cobwebs and receive the clarity you seek even amidst the busyness of your everyday life.