Hi Rebecca. I just returned from a walk in the woods in which an extension of this ritual spontaneously came forward (a "Part B," if you will to your "Part A").
I walked around waiting to be found. When I received a felt-sense of belonging (being seen by something), I collected surrounding natural materials (asking permission before picking up). At the place where I felt the sense of belonging, I constructed a "house/altar" (it looked more like a tent made out of cactus skeletons). I then put the fear from the ritual in "Part A" (the folded piece of paper I had been carrying in my pocket) into the middle of the "home." I then knelt down and picked up a handful of dirt/sand and held it in the palm of my hand. I thought about the people and things that I am most afraid to lose and spoke the person/thing followed by "___I release you." (i.e. "Mom, I release you. Journaling, I release you"). I then said, "Holly, I release you." Next I took a deep breath and blew the dust out of my hands. I then stared at the folded up fear in the middle of the "home" and used the phrase that came to me after journaling in Part A. ("You always have a home here.") and again repeated all the people and things I was afraid to lose ("Mom, you always have a home here. Journaling, you always have a home here. Holly, you always have a home here"). I then said: "I belong. You belong. We belong. Together." I then stood up and stomped down/destroyed the home/altar. I went for a slow walk, murmuring the line "I always have a home here" and "You/We always have a home here" when I heard a bird or saw a tree that called to me.
Thanks for letting me share my Part B to your gorgeous Part A.
I'm really pleased to have inspired you to create your own closing, I think I will use your part B next time I encounter a really difficult fear in this ritual.
Fear is such a strange thing but I really think you're onto something with the idea of giving it a home. Maybe most of the distress comes from the various tactics we use to avoid it not the thing itself.
Wonderful. If you do try it, please let me know how it goes and if there are modifications that might make it more beautiful or potent. And thanks for the encouragement to create and collaborate in making ritualistic art 🖌
Hi Rebecca. I just returned from a walk in the woods in which an extension of this ritual spontaneously came forward (a "Part B," if you will to your "Part A").
I walked around waiting to be found. When I received a felt-sense of belonging (being seen by something), I collected surrounding natural materials (asking permission before picking up). At the place where I felt the sense of belonging, I constructed a "house/altar" (it looked more like a tent made out of cactus skeletons). I then put the fear from the ritual in "Part A" (the folded piece of paper I had been carrying in my pocket) into the middle of the "home." I then knelt down and picked up a handful of dirt/sand and held it in the palm of my hand. I thought about the people and things that I am most afraid to lose and spoke the person/thing followed by "___I release you." (i.e. "Mom, I release you. Journaling, I release you"). I then said, "Holly, I release you." Next I took a deep breath and blew the dust out of my hands. I then stared at the folded up fear in the middle of the "home" and used the phrase that came to me after journaling in Part A. ("You always have a home here.") and again repeated all the people and things I was afraid to lose ("Mom, you always have a home here. Journaling, you always have a home here. Holly, you always have a home here"). I then said: "I belong. You belong. We belong. Together." I then stood up and stomped down/destroyed the home/altar. I went for a slow walk, murmuring the line "I always have a home here" and "You/We always have a home here" when I heard a bird or saw a tree that called to me.
Thanks for letting me share my Part B to your gorgeous Part A.
I love this!
I'm really pleased to have inspired you to create your own closing, I think I will use your part B next time I encounter a really difficult fear in this ritual.
Fear is such a strange thing but I really think you're onto something with the idea of giving it a home. Maybe most of the distress comes from the various tactics we use to avoid it not the thing itself.
And thank you so much for the tip!
Wonderful. If you do try it, please let me know how it goes and if there are modifications that might make it more beautiful or potent. And thanks for the encouragement to create and collaborate in making ritualistic art 🖌
This was super helpful! Thank you!!