The Power of Ritual

 

I will never forget the feeling. It was my last day being music director of the beloved church where I had served for seven years, and now the time had come to move on. I had thought about leaving this job for years, but anytime I would seriously consider doing something about it I would be too scared and I’d question how I would make a living. The thought that kept coming up for me was who else but my little church would appreciate my songs? It’s times like these when you need someone who can see a higher vision for you than you can for yourself. That person for me was Rev. David Ault. He had been touring the country for years sharing his speaking and music with hundreds of churches and, like the pied piper, suggested I follow along on this path. “There’s a whole world out there who might just appreciate what you are creating,” he said to a very doubtful, scared me. But on this particular day, January 16, 2003, I stood inside a circle made of rose petals, with my dear friend Rev. Karyl Huntley asking my congregation if they were willing to release me to my next great expression. They all said in unison, “We Do.” Then Karyl reached out her hand and asked me to step over the line, to step outside of the circle she had created with the rose petals, asking me if I was willing to cross over this threshold and onto something greater. In that moment when I said “I am,” the feeling of freefalling and excitement landed in my chest and I knew I was changed.

 

That same ritual came full circle this past month as I facilitated Rev. Karyl Huntley moving onto her next path and leaving the Golden Gate Center for Spiritual Living, where she served for 23 years as that community’s Senior Minister. Karyl recently got married and is moving to England to be with her beloved and start a whole new chapter of her life. When I held out my hand and asked her to cross the threshold of rose petals and allow the new minister to take her place, I could see the same look in her eyes that I am sure I had 15 years ago. It was that look of “Yes I want this! Yes this is good for me…and what the heck am I doing – am I crazy??!!!” 

 

I truly believe that when we use ritual to honor whatever transition or growth we are going through, we allow our Spirit to catch up and truly integrate whatever shift is taking place. Doing that is the best self-care we can give to ourselves – to mark the moment (and feel all the emotions!) and then move onto what Spirit has in mind for us next.