Reclaiming Ceremony: Bringing Meaning Back Into Our Lives
Imagine this:
A thousand years ago, we are gathered in a circle around a fire. The entire tribe has come together for an important night—a rite of passage for the young people stepping into adulthood. They have spent days in the wilderness, fasting, listening to the land, seeking visions that will guide them. Now, they return, no longer children but full-fledged members of the tribe, responsible not only for themselves but for the well-being of the whole community. The elders speak wisdom over them. They are given symbols of their new roles. The fire crackles as the tribe sings, drums, and bears witness. Their relationship to nature, to the unseen, to each other—it has changed. They have changed. And because they have changed, we have all changed.
Now fast forward to today.
You are at a modern wedding. You are seated in neat rows, watching the couple stand at the altar, backs to the audience. You can’t hear their vows. You shift uncomfortably in your chair, aware of the shoes pinching your feet. You clap when you’re supposed to, but the moment doesn’t reach you. It happens in front of you, but not with you.
Then you move to the reception. The space is beautiful—soft candlelight, elegant napkins, carefully arranged flowers. The meal is delicious. But still, something feels… missing. You celebrate, but where was the witnessing? Where was the transformation? Where was the moment when the community took them in, blessed them, called them forth into this next phase of life?
What changed?
The fire is gone. The circle is broken. The meaning has faded.
We have not lost ceremony. We have simply forgotten it.
Why Should You Care About Ceremony?
We are missing something in our modern lives, and we feel it.
We feel it when milestones slip past us without reflection.
We feel it when we rush from one thing to the next, never pausing.
We feel it when our young people sit at a table together, each far away, lost in the screen of their device.
We feel it when we crave something more but don’t know how to name it.
Ceremony is not about religion or rigid tradition. It is about transcendence. Awe. Connection. Community. Meaning. It is about bringing something sacred into the everyday and making the everyday sacred.
When we engage in ceremony, we step outside of ordinary time. We mark transitions. We invite transformation. We remember who we are.
And the best part? We don’t need permission to do this.
We can reclaim ceremony. We must reclaim ceremony.
The Benefits of Ceremony
1. Transcendence – Stepping Outside the Ordinary and Into the Divine
Have you ever stood beneath a night sky, bathed in the light of a full moon, feeling moved and open to change? That is transcendence. Ceremony gives us access to those moments. It lifts us out of our routines and reminds us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. Something divine.
When we step into ceremony, we step into a space where time slows, where meaning is made, where we can connect with forces unseen—our ancestors, the elements, the spirit within us. We feel the presence of something beyond the everyday.
2. Awe – Awakening Wonder
Awe is what makes life feel alive. Without it, life becomes a series of tasks with little meaning. Ceremony invites awe back in.
Whether it’s watching the first rays of sunrise spill over the horizon, marking the start of something new… or lighting a candle in the quiet of your home, whispering a hope or a prayer into the flickering light—these moments slow us down, awaken our senses, and remind us that life is more than just tasks and routines. They connect us to something larger, something timeless, something waiting to be remembered.
3. Connection – To Ourselves, To Each Other, and To Nature
In a world that keeps us distracted and distant, ceremony pulls us back together. It creates a space where we can truly see and be seen. Where we can witness each other’s joys and griefs with open hearts.
But it is not just about human connection—it is about reconnecting with the natural world. Ancient ceremonies honored the elements, the moon, the sun, the turning of the seasons. Ceremony reminds us that we are not separate from nature; we are a part of it.
4. Community – The Power of the Circle and the Inner Healer Within Each of Us
The circle is the most elemental of ceremonies, but also the most powerful.
A circle is where we come together as equals. Where no one is above or below another. When we sit in a circle, we remember that we all have wisdom. We all have medicine to offer.
Modern life tells us to look outside of ourselves for answers—to experts, to technology, to authority figures. Ceremony reminds us to look within. When we gather in a circle, something ancient awakens. We share. We listen. We hold space. And in doing so, we reveal the inner healer, the knowing, the wisdom that has always been within us.
5. Meaning – Making the Invisible, Visible
The most important moments of our lives should not pass by unnoticed. Ceremony helps us pause, reflect, and give meaning to the things that matter—so that we don’t look back and realize we were too busy to honor them.
Reclaiming Ceremony in Your Life
Ceremony is not just for weddings and funerals. It can be part of everyday life.
Light a candle and set an intention at the start of something new.
Hold a circle with friends before a big transition—a new job, a move, a milestone birthday.
Create a ritual to honor endings—burn old papers, release what no longer serves you.
Gather with loved ones to share stories, not just meals.
Make time for gratitude, reflection, and marking change—big or small.
You don’t have to wait for a priest, a minister, or an official. You are the keeper of your own ceremonies.
The Invitation
So, I ask you—what would it feel like to bring more meaning, more connection, more awe into your life?
What if you stopped letting life rush past you and instead paused to honor it?
What if we brought the fire back?
Because the truth is: Ceremony never left us.
It’s been waiting.
Waiting for us to remember.
Waiting for us to step back into the circle.
Let’s reclaim the power of ceremony.
The world needs us to.
