Want to learn how to find extra strength in challenging times, and cultivate it to work for you? Enter: rituals. The ritual definition says, “something that is characteristic of a rite, practice or observation,” and they can be incorporated into your spiritual practice to invoke certain things like strength, hope, love, and more to help support you on your journey.
Rituals can often be thought of in a misunderstood way: as black clothing and ritual candles lit in a six-point star shape and lots of chanting going on. But this doesn’t have to be what embodies spiritual rituals! A ritual can be as simple as reciting a set of written words while holding a meaningful object, and as complex as a red candle with red chili pepper flakes on top burning while you drink a certain kind of tea and call in the fire creatures to help you burn away old stories that are keeping you stuck. See? There’s a lot of landscape in between how simple or complicated you want your rituals to be! However you’re comfortable with using rituals, whether you’re just dipping your toes in the water or you’re more experienced, we’re going to be bringing you some tried and true ones that can fit into your spiritual practice.
Rituals for strength and courage can help us overcome uncertainty about the future, stand up or speak up for ourselves during a challenging time, set boundaries with a loved one, move into a new chapter of our lives, and so much more. Choose one or more of the following rituals to practice and know you’re inviting more bravery into your life.
Acorn Ritual. This ritual is a perfect beginner’s ritual to call forth strength and bravery when you need it the most, and the acorn is a perfect object to be able to keep with you because of its small size.
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Step 1: Find an acorn and hold it in the palm of your hand.
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Step 2: Recite the following words:
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The mightiest of trees springs from a tiny acorn.
Help me to remember that the small can be courageous.
Bless me with strength and will of the oak.
Grant me the voice of the thunder.
Help me to roar when I would normally squeak.
And help me to make my voice louder than my insecurities.
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Step 3: Keep the acorn with you, in a pocket or purse, to keep the energy of the strength and courage you cultivate surrounding you.
Herbal Ritual for Courage. This ritual requires a few more items and has several steps, but will serve you well to help overcome fear, uncertainty and anxiety. The herbal ritual can be completed once or continuously for seasons of your life when you need increased courage for an extended period of time, perhaps you’re jumping into grad school and experiencing overwhelm, or you’re newly pregnant and seeking the strength needed to become a first-time mommy and calm the anxiety that comes with a first-time pregnancy.
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You will need:
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square of orange cloth
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red string or ribbon
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dried thyme
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dried basil
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black pepper
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orange oil
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Step 1: Lay out the cloth and sprinkle the herbs and orange oil onto the center of it, reciting the following:
Grant me courage, now and more.
Grant me bravery in my life each day
To follow my path and have my say.
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Step 2: Tie up the orange cloth with the red ribbon or string
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Step 3: Keep the pouch with you or near you throughout your day
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Step 4: Sleep with the pouch underneath your pillow at night
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Step 5: Every full moon, replace the herbs and oil
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Step 6: When the pouch has served its purpose and is no longer needed, untie the string or ribbon and bury it in the ground.
Circle of Strength Ritual. The Circle of Strength Ritual comes with good news - it only requires items you have around your home! This is a simple ritual to incorporate that doesn’t need objects you may not have, and instead utilizes meaningful objects found around your home. Set aside 30 minutes to one hour to practice this ritual in order to allow yourself enough time to truly take in your surroundings and power.
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You will need:
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a candle
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Step 1: Take a simple walk through your home and gather objects that remind you of your strength, bravery, courage, and power. These objects can be photos, a seashell from a time you traveled solo, a crystal you meditate with to enhance your courage, a note or card from a friend applauding your bravery, or any other object that brings you a meaningful connection to a time in your life when you felt strong and courageous.
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Step 2: Choose a space in your home, place and light a candle in the center of the floor or a table, and arrange the objects in a circle around it.
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Step 3: Sit on the floor in front of your circle or on a chair at your table.
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Step 4: Focusing on each object one at a time, ask it to surround you again in strength. Thank it for the power it brought to you in the past, and request that it supports you once again.
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Step 5: When you’ve gone around the full circle of objects, blow out the candle and place the objects somewhere you can continue seeing them each day as a reminder of your strength, on a shelf or an altar.
Overcoming obstacles and managing the uncertainty of life can be overwhelming for all of us at times, no one said life was easy! But these rituals can help in bringing you an extra boost of courage and strength to move through whatever lies in your path at the present moment. Use them during times you feel challenged, unsure, weak, or fearful. They’re here to support you and your spiritual practice as you continue to learn, grow, and enhance and expand it, whether that’s with beautiful sparkly crystals, candle-burning rituals, or both!
