Thoughts & Practice

I have noticed in myself the struggles that come with an ever-changing routine. I have changed my pattern about the spaces in which I work and I am generally more careful when venturing out in public. For me, gathering with my faith community has generally been a source of comfort and strength. Even that has changed.

I have set about to create a few rituals in my own home-space. For instance, I write in my journal every morning. I include writing 10 items about which (or whom) I am thankful. (Note: I do not make the number a rule, just a guideline. I do not need something else to measure myself by or to imagine I could succeed or fail.) I begin there every day, with thankfulness. It has helped. However, any practice that keeps us grounded or reminds us of the sacred-nature of our time can become a “ritual,” practiced regularly as a source of comfort and peace.

Other suggestions:

• Light a candle with your evening meal (or any meal) and speak aloud something good about the day.
• Place a reminder of important people or experiences or God or whatever on your bedside table to catch your eye before you go to sleep and when you first wake-up. Pause to be mindful when you see the reminder.
• Calendar a time regularly to call people (or text or Snap-chat or Instagram) about whom you care.
• Set a timer on every hour to remind you just to “breathe yourself into the moment.”
• Add a meaningful reading to your morning practice.
• Take a walk everyday and notice the things in your neighborhood you haven’t before. List one thing you noticed in your journal.
• Write in a journal. Find a prompt and just let whatever words flow from you go on the paper.

Create your own! As always, find what connects with you. If it doesn’t, you can discard it. If it does give meaning and grounding to your day, keep at it. ALWAYS be kind to yourself-if you miss a day, you miss a day. No

need to beat yourself up about it. Just pick it up again tomorrow or do it now.

Create a ritual for yourself today. See if it helps.