Celebrating our Soul Prints
There is one cherished book I have in my library. I read it over and over again. Each time a nugget of wisdom slips from its pages. The book “Soul Prints,” was written by Marc Gafni.
His messages of wisdom resonate and remind me to consciously mark major transition points on my life’s journey.
“A story can have the strength of a thousand incantations, the incense of the most sacred spaces, the heat and light of the most brilliant flames. Never lose your story, for the lines of our soul are the lines of your story. Live it; tell it loud.”
Reading this sends shivers down my spine. Have we become too busy to pause and look at how far we have come and all those life-changing moments we forgot to celebrate? Just as hikers leave a kern or tower of stones to mark the way, we need to do this for ourselves and with all those with whom we share a common bond.
Creating a ceremony or ritual, no matter how humble, helps us remember our place in the world and that we matter as is our ability to stand on the threshold of a new journey.
Rites of passage help us recognise and embrace our evolving identities.
From a marriage, wedding, birth of a new child, death, divorce, graduation and parting – all have their place and invite us to remember. These conscious and sacred moments provide clarity and purpose. They help us navigate our way onward.
I have spoken to some friends and their feelings about conventional rites of passage. “We’re tired of the same old ceremony. We want something different where a conscious understanding of this special moment is created, seen and celebrated.”
An ‘awake’ age of conscious rites of passage are emerging – one that looks beneath the surface and at the deeper understanding of change and transition moments. Even today, old traditions are bound to our modern world, as these traditions remain. Since ancient times our ancestors celebrated and went through different rites of passage.
When these moments can be shared they are made more powerful, because now we are witnessed. We are seen and our participation in this life is acknowledged and honoured.
Incorporating meaningful rituals into modern life – be it through personalised ceremonies, or reflective practices – can help us navigate change with intention and grace.