I do not want to go much deeper into the process of creating this space without defining what it means to me. i have spent hours journaling about the following six words and their true meanings, focusing on the way they relate to each other and the potential that exists in their interplay. however, i feel like the first step in sharing pieces of that process is for me to lay out the already accepted definitions of each.
we use words every day that we come to take for granted and assume to know the true definition of, but over time the lines that separate them from their peers can begin to blur, and in that process there is room for substantial loss of connection and intention.
so, below are the definitions of the six words that have called me here. the first two are obviously the title of the site and came to visit me in unison last winter, and the following four generate the tagline. though some of these words have multiple definitions, the definitions I chose to feature below are the ones that really speak to me.
i felt the need to hold each of these words in my hands today and blend them with some of the images that already reside in my life ; an untacked vision board of sorts. so i scattered them across the dining room table and snapped a few shots (image above). coming sometime soon: ramblings on the journey I have cast these words on.
revelry: unrestrained merrymaking, a boisterous celebration
grace: mercy; to give beauty, elegance, or charm to; a reprieve; seemingly effortless charm of movement; to embellish; to honor; a sense of propriety or consideration for others; divine (supremely good) assistance.
restore: to return to an original or former condition. To bring back to health and good spirits. To return to life. To get or give new life or energy.
reflect: to make apparent, express, or manifest; to bend back; to mirror; to express carefully considered thoughts; to meditate or ponder
create: to cause to exist; to bring into being; to give rise to; to produce through artistic or imaginative effort
connect: to join together; to establish a rapport or relationship; to become united, to be meaningfully related; to link; to establish communication.
what words dance in your own heart?
xo
A word that has been visiting me lately is Ritual.
ReplyDeleteFormally and most simply defined as a set of actions performed mainly for symbolic reasons.
Ritual.
Something we do with intent. Something that brings meaning to our lives. Something that can bring comfort, even pleasure.
I am trying to identify the rituals in my own life, recognize their significance, and honor how they mark moments in my life. It is easy to see community and spiritual ritual around us... how we mark the passing of a loved one, the celebration of a wedding or a new baby, coming of age...but even still, there are times when we are going with the ebb and flow of life and don't give much pause to what the universe offers us in these moments. Rituals have power that we may not always be ready for and I am trying to open myself up to full embrace that power as I can.
I am finding that being aware of certain moments in my life and witnessing those moments in the lives of others makes me more awake, more in the moment, more connected to the universe. More able to define the meaning in my days.
Thanks for sharing your words Annie. I am inspired to continue to delicately devour what this word Ritual is saying to me...and excited to see what other words and concepts are to join its lead.