A Ritual to Clear Your Mind
Tarot Rituals: Ceremonies, Ideas & Experiences for the Tarot Lover by Nancy Antenucci is a long-awaited book by one of tarot’s most experienced and creative ritual creator. This work is rich in information on forming a relationship with the archetypes of tarot and using the power therein to shape your life. Nancy provides a foundation but leaves space for your creativity and intuition, and for the sacred, to unfold around and within you. Some of the rituals are deceptively simple, others more complex. Over the past few months, we’ve shared some of the simple rituals.
Today I’m sharing one of my favorite rituals that I learned from Nancy, and among the simplest. I learned it at a conference where she presented a workshop. She led us in this ritual before beginning. As the ritual proceeded, I swear I hear distractions falling away and everyone’s minds and hearts opening. This would be a useful ritual at the beginning of almost any group activity from a meeting to a party. You can even do it for yourself to prepare for any project that you want to give your full attention to.
Mind Gripe Ritual
Ideally, the Mind Gripe ritual occurs after the check in but before the main activity. This ritual helps everyone become more present with themselves and therefore with the group. Provide everyone with an index card. Have everyone take three minutes to print five things that their brain is holding onto right now: petty complaints, big concerns, obligations that won’t stop nagging them, insecurities, desires, fantasies, or expectations of themselves or this gathering.
Some examples could be: these chairs aren’t comfortable; I have to do laundry when I get home; will he be able to move to assisted living? They should record any thought that is loud or persistent without censoring. If thoughts are about someone else, only pronouns should be used, not formal names. These gripes are going to be dissolved collectively so there is no fear of the individual sharing personal gripes.
After five minutes, collect all the index cards. Shuffle them well. Turn the lights down low and have everyone close their eyes as they imagine the center of the room to be a powerful portal to the Creative Unknown. Have them listen with an open heart to those things that we battle every day. Using the Power of Pretend, suggest that each person send each gripe to the portal in the room to free the writer from its energy. Read at least one gripe from each index card slowly. The energy of the entire group can change during this act of empathy and release.
When done, place the pile of gripe cards in a designated place. Suggest thinking of this portal to reset focus if a person’s thoughts start to stray or energy becomes low. After the gathering, discard all the cards. Burning them is satisfying and thorough. They should at least be torn up so that they’re unrecognizable.
