Ritual Recipes

Whatever spiritual path we follow, whether we follow any path, we're far more alike than different. We all understand the importance of hard work and the value of sacrifice. We know how good it can feel to finally lay a burden down.  We know how it feels to give or receive comfort. We know what it is to grieve.  In this Summer Solstice ritual, I showcase the partnership between the Sun as the exhausted provider and the Moon as the nurturing caregiver. Knowing the Moon was about to enter Capricorn, the sign of the elders, I opened the ritual by calling in the Grandmothers of the four directions.  During the ritual, we recalled the seeds we planted the previous December at the Winter Solstice. What was it we wanted to nurture and grow? What came of all our hard work? Did we do a good job?  Of course, the deeper purpose of these questions and the ritual as a whole was to acknowledge our own burdens and admit our need for self-care.  My husband died two years ago. He had Alzheimer's. It wasn't until I created thi

Are you an artisan, a craftsperson, a maker? It's February. It's time to affirm your faith in your talent, prepare your tools, and get to work on your big dream. If you lived in the Old World in the land of the Norse, you'd be preparing your iron plow. You'd be honoring the Dwarves whose skill and knowledge are forged into your plow. You'd cleanse your plow. You'd charm it with herbs. Listen for a ritual to charm your tools. 

After 2 challenging years, I found hope attending the virtual conference of the Parliament of the World's Religions. Its 1893 conference is considered the beginning of the interfaith movement. The Oct 2021 conference offered 583 programs, panel discussions, religious ceremonies and spiritual observations. Presenters included Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, Bahhais, Sikhs, Hindus, Pagans, Native Americans, Indiginous people and more. The Dalai Lama spoke to the gathering, as did the Pope. Also sharing their wisdom were an Inuit shaman, a Curandera Esperitu, an African elder, and a Lakota grandmother -- and more.  Links: Episode 9 of Ritual Recipes about Spirit Spoons and a Ritual for Soup to Heal the World https://parliamentofreligions.org/home  

Think of your home as a living entity. A simple gratitude ritual can change your perspective on what your home really means. Your walls provide structure, shelter, and a sense of security. The floor supports you and keeps you grounded. Running water helps you get in touch with deep emotions.  This episode contains a simple ritual to help you see and appreciate what you have. 

My husband and I have been married for 40 years. He has Alzheimer's Disease. Late stage. I'm his full-time caregiver. I'm fortunate to have a social worker on our medical team, and to be a member of an online dementia support group. Still, there are potholes in the emotional road we're traveling. This episode shares respected data, personal stories, real mistakes I made, and three rituals I created to help me cope. If you are caring for a spouse with Alzheimer's or other form of dementia, this episode might help you navigate this painful path.

Imagine the story of your life. What happens to you after, "Once upon a time"? The ancient folktale of Fatima the Spinner is reimagined to support a woman's right to choose. Let it inspire your own story.  The Power of Your Warp & Weft, a workshop designed by author and professional weaver Paula Chaffee Scardamalia, is included with her permission. For more, visit her website and read her book: Weaving a Woman's Life: Spiritual Lessons from the Loom.

What does a wedding arch have to do with a king’s scepter, a flag planted on the moon, and a Thomas Kincaid painting? Weddings are filled with symbolism. One that has been lost over the years is the original meaning of the ceremony arch. Hint:  The meaning can be found in the night sky and the ancient belief, "As above, so below. "  

Yemaya, the Yoruba orisha, the Mother of All, is associated with cowrie shells, symbols of fertility, prosperity, and a woman's voice. This episode offers rituals using various shells, and a ceremonial ritual to discover your authentic self. Learn about the millions of Africans who died crossing the Atlantic Ocean in the horrors of The Middle Passage and why August 25 has been declared the Day of Healing. 

In the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean, we find the Inuit goddess Sedna. There are several versions of her origin story, each one horrific. At the heart of each is the theme of betrayal. The rituals I created for Sedna are designed to help us reframe childhood beliefs, especially those beliefs that can keep us from thriving as adults. That's the message in the language of the Pink Mouth Murex shell. (See "Ocean Oracle: What Seashells Reveal about Our True Nature" by Michelle Hanson.)

Getting married at the beach?  Mother Nature always leaves messages for us. Unfortunately, we don't always know how to read them. What messages can you find in seashells? The answers are important if you're having a beach wedding.  Resources mentioned: Ocean Oracle: What Seashells Reveal about Our True Nature by Michelle Hanson Sea Magic: Connecting with the Ocean's Energy by Sandra Kynes

Renewing your wedding vows can be a powerful ceremony You'll remember the happiest times in your marriage. You'll also remember the most painful. This episode offers two vow renewal rituals. One of them, The Growing Flame, can easily be adapted for any personal vow you make to yourself. 

Did you fall in love in Paris? Or Podunk? Use that info to personalize your wedding ceremony. Use that same info to create a ritual for a birthday or retirement party. Use it for a student who is leaving home to study abroad.  As often happens, this ritual was inspired by one of "my" couples, Thomas and Raffaele. They shared their first kiss in Rome's ancient Garden of Oranges on the Aventino, one of the city's seven hills. The men made their wedding vows on an oathing stone hand-painted with orange blossoms.  Not getting married? This ritual can inspire a daily exercise in gratitude. 

Imagine that you're a parent and your child is leaving home for college, or for a job, or some other grand adventure. You've equipped your son or daughter with all the necessities and you're excited to see your child take those first big steps away from home. But something doesn't feel right. This is a milestone in your young adult's life and in your own. Yet it feels empty. What's missing? A ritual! 

The falcon is the consummate hunter. It teaches us how to make progress by blending speed and focus. The falcon wants you to see beyond your limits. The hawk's medicine is inward and deep. It wants you to see your life from a broad perspective and let go of unnecessary baggage. The hawk awakens us to the vision we have inside us.  This is the 3rd in a series of how the magic and mythology of birds of prey can be used to create safe and simple rituals. See episode 43 for the Eagle, and episode 44 for the Owl.  For full shownotes, go to RitualRecipes.net

Imagine an owl. Did you feel a sense of apprehension or foreboding? No surprise. Owls have long been associated with death. Or, did you picture Harry Potter's owl, Hedwig? Beliefs about owls are contradictory because the owl is the symbol of death, and wisdom, and magic.  At the heart of owl medicine is the ability to discern the truth.  In this episode, you'll learn how to use a paper template of a feather in celebrating baby blessings and birthdays, funerals and memorials, and how to find answers in your dreams.  This episode is the second in a series about birds of prey and how they can inspire rituals. 

Central to all birds of prey is their association with death and the cycle of life. This episode is the first in a series of how birds of prey can inspire rituals for a variety of situations: funerals  and memorials, projects that require focus or the ability to see the big picture, and life events that require courage. As Lesley Morrison writes in her book, The Healing Wisdom of Birds, at the heart of eagle medicine is reaching the place where we realize our freedom to soar. This episode shares the gifts, challenges, history and mythology of the eagle in various cultures from the ancient world to now. For example, an Irish tradition says Adam and Eve are alive today, having shape-shifted as two eagles that live in Galway. The eagle's ability to shape-shift explains why two eagles, formerly two Druids who changed themselves into eagles in order to protect the grave of King Arthur.  See RitualRecipes.net for a list of references used in this episode and for information on Zita's guest appearance on the paranor

Discover your secret sound. Take a lesson from crows about adapting, from parrots about diplomacy, and from dolphins about communicating with other species. Build an altar to the element of air. Visit RitualRecipes.net for more details. 

To a writer, the blank screen can be exciting or daunting. Find helpful rituals with magic pens, stones, and draw on the special qualities of lions, ants, cardinals, and whales.  This episode also looks back in history at cultural changes brought about centuries ago by the Black Death, the invention of the printing press, and why having books became a status symbol.   (New podcast music by Hal Aaron Cohen! See HalAaron.com)

Did your grandmother's house have a parlor that was used to care for the dead? Mine did. When the time comes, which do you want: a funeral home or a home funeral? Burial or cremation? Fancy casket or cardboard box? Ashes in an urn or scattered someplace special? Who have you talked to about what you want? No one? I'm not surprised. Death hasn't been a popular topic of conversation -- until now.  This episode explores the national death-positive movement through Death Cafes, Death Doulas, Speaking Grief, the National Home Funeral Alliance, and more. It also includes "The Memory Box." That's a funeral ritual I created to help anyone, especially children, find a way to grieve.  Mentioned in the episode: National Home Funeral Alliance  (This is where you’ll find the Quick Guide to Home Funerals) Speaking Grief    Death Cafe   The International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA)   Mary’s Place (A Center for Grieving Children and Families)   Death’s Summer Coat: What the History of Death and Dying Teaches Us Ab

Most couples don't get married expecting to get divorced. But when a marriage is dissolved, can ritual help the couple move on? Rocky Road is a marriage maintenance ritual. Untying the Knot is a funeral ritual for the death of a marriage.  As heretical as it might sound, I don't believe that all marriages are meant to last. I believe we're meant to learn from those relationships and share what we've learned with others.  The two rituals in this episode are more complicated than my usual. They're worth the effort. If you're going through a divorce, recognizing the gifts hidden in these rituals may keep your heart from becoming bitter. That's important. Because someday you might want to take the risk again. When that happens, you'll be ready.   Hear personal stories from three people who went through a painful divorce. One is a bride from the first wedding I officiated.  One is podcast coach Dave Jackson. And one is my own story. In case you're wondering, we're all doing just fine.