Day 20: What is your favorite spiritual rite or ritual?
I have two real favorites, and I find them a little difficult to choose from. The first is the Christian Tenebrae service, a Maundy Thursday or Good Friday service, meant to leave a congregation in the grip of the saddest part of the trial and crucifixion, in order to prepare them for the celebration of Easter Sunday. The link above is a concise, clear description of the service, and the meaning of it. Any Christian who has not experienced this service should get to one, at least once in their lives. I wrote of my first Tenebrae service experience earlier in this challenge, and that can be found here.
The second is simply the act of looking mindfully within my soul, and out at the world. This is really not so much a rite, as a necessity for my balance. I have to remind myself often, each day, in order to refocus in a mindful matter on the beauty and the connectedness of every single thing on this planet. If I do this, I am almost always surprised at something I don’t see at other, less-focused times.
These rites are two that have long affected me with deep satisfaction, as they mark a time of connection between my thoughts, and my spirit.
Diabetic Redemption 