Embrace the power of rituals this holiday season

"A ritual is a symbolic act through which we render visible the invisible values, emotions and insights that are most essential to us."

– Fabiana Fontevila

Holidays are chock full of rituals – family gatherings, special foods, decorations, candles, presents, ornaments and so much more.

Holidays are also full of expectations of physical activities, emotional satisfaction, epic stories, and the reinforcement of energetic connections.

At times, I have unrealistic expectations for the holidays. It becomes a perfect set up for disappointment when holidays don’t pan out the way I hoped they would.

For the past 5 years I have incorporated the 5 practices of the No Regrets Project into my holiday rituals. They keep me attuned to my own needs during this busy season. I create simple rituals that help me Love Myself & Share It, Trust – Take the Risk, Be Grateful Everyday, Choose Joy, and have the Courage to Be Me.

Powerful rituals evoke emotions in each of us. Practicing traditional rituals or creating new ritual expressions requires intention and attention. The use of symbolic objects or actions can add mystery and meaning to any ritual.

As I step into the holiday season from November 15, 2022 to January 2, 2023 my new rituals will be:

Love Myself & Share It Each morning my intention is to check in with my emotional self. I take time to ask myself, “What does my heart long for?” Writing my answer in my journal each morning alerts me to my most essential need. I might need to set time aside for grieving, connect with nature for inspiration, or find time to play.

Trust – Take the Risk I imagine that I am a sunflower, turning my seeded face to the sun. With my intention I pull light living energy down from the sun and invite it to cleanse my energy field. Like a sunflower, I pull the healing energies of the earth up through my roots, into my feet , up into my body, with the knowledge that I am connected with all there is.

Be Grateful Everyday I set an alarm for 9 am, 2 pm and 7 pm. When the alarm goes off, I close my eyes and place my hands on my chest to connect with my beating heart. I think of one thing I am grateful for in that moment. I say to myself, “I am so blessed.” Then I return to my regular activities. If I am in a meeting I simply say, “Excuse me.” I quietly perform this ritual. No one seems to mind my pause. In fact, they are quite curious.

Choose Joy Each day I set my intention to notice something that brings me delight. I post reminders to “Look for delights.” I thought that one delight per day would be enough. What I discovered was quite amazing. If you are looking for a delight, you will find many.

Courage to Be Me During the holidays my courage ritual is not about standing my ground in a family dispute. It is more about letting my quirky, weird self be visible for all to see. I might wear large pins or choose a theme song for the day and let others hear me singing or humming it. My intention is to be seen in a different way than I usually present my professional self.

I challenge you to create new rituals to enrich your holiday season.

Happy holidays, – Kitty