Two Rituals of Forbearance

Ritual #1

Step 1: Place part of your index finger in your mouth up to the second joint, your palm facing outward, away from your face.

Step 2: Wrap your lips around your finger, making a firm seal allowing no air to escape; otherwise, you won’t be able to make the popping sound.

Step 3: Create a little suction in your mouth as though you are sucking on a straw. The breaking of the suction when you move your finger is the force that creates the popping sound.

Step 4: Quickly flip your finger outward toward your cheek. Let your finger slide along the inside your cheek and out your mouth.

Step 5: Let your finger break the seal you have created with your lips as your finger pops out your mouth. This will create a popping noise.

Step 6: Practice and repeat steps 1 through 5 until you have the motion down and can make the sound consistently.

This is the sound that resounded from my belly when my water broke with my first son 12 years ago today.



Ritual #2

Stand, my Son.

Know where North is and face it with confidence. I’m not speaking about thinking of confidence: I am talking about BECOMING confidence. May its cool breezes clear your mind, calm your spirit, present grace to you which you accept and offer to others.

May the fires of the South be welcome to ignite your passions and your will to persevere and to live, to continue to move forward in light through challenges that are certain to ebb and flow continuously in life.

May you lean into the Sunrise of the East as it greets you with the promises of a GOOD MORNING, a good morning that endures the entire day. Despite midday interruption, may you turn to yourself, reminding yourself that your GOOD MORNING can begin yet again in the afternoon sun and cloud.

And may the Sunset of the West give you comfort and restoration that allow you to stand in TRUTH. Within you is the energy, the ability you seek to find your pace, that JUST RIGHT pace that’s not too swift, yet not sluggish.

Breathe.

Breathe so you can feel the air run the full length, the full course of your lungs, from top to bottom. Breathe and know that no matter what comes your way, you shall still be centered. Should a force cut you in half, leaving you but a shadow of your old physical self, you shall still stand. Should a wind try to blow you down, you will bow to it and honor it, but you shall not break. Should acidity try to demolish your foundation, you shall, like the banyan tree, send new roots like sentinels, anchoring you once again. You will prevail. May you stand just a little taller today for this is your time and your space for forbearance.

My Son. You will prevail.

I love you.

May you have a blessed birthday.

(Goddess Mama, 8/2/2009.)