YOGA + Life® Magazines
  • Partner With Us
  • Subscribe
  • Education + Trainings
  • Retreat Directory
  • “The Practice”
  • HOME
  • FEATURED
    • Community + Culture
    • Wellness + Nutrition
    • Products
    • Profiles
    • Yoga + Fitness
    • Events
  • ALL CONTENT
    • Community + Culture
      • Art
      • Books
      • Community
      • Culture
      • Family
      • Fashion
      • Food + Drink
      • Nourish Me
      • Motivation
      • Music
      • Outdoors
      • Travel
    • Wellness + Nutrition
      • Self-Care
      • Nutrition
      • Psychology
      • Recipes
      • Therapy
      • Weight Loss
    • Products
      • Product Spotlights
      • Roundups
      • Try It On – Reviews
      • Try It Out – Reviews
    • Profiles
      • Business
      • Partner Profiles
      • People
      • Spotlight Cities
      • Students
      • Studios
      • Teachers
      • Seva Story
      • Sustainability Story
      • Storytelling
    • Yoga + Fitness
      • Asana
      • In the Practice
      • Meditation
      • Philosophy
      • Physiology
      • Sports
      • Workouts
    • Events
      • Festivals
      • Retreats
      • Training Spotlights
    • Inspiration From Y+L Partners
  • Y + L COMMUNITIES
    • COLORADO
    • MINNESOTA
    • NEW YORK
  • CONNECT
    • Order A Magazine
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contribute
    • Contact Us
  • LIVE CLASSES
Featured Posts
  • Invoking The Divine Feminine in Challenging Times | By Jeanie Manchester
    • 12 views
  • Ho’oponopono : A Hawaiian Mantra to Rise Out of Mental Chaos | By Shenna Jean
    • 24 views
  • 2021 Mindful Travel Essentials
    • 93 views
  • Partner With Us
  • Subscribe
  • Education + Trainings
  • Retreat Directory
  • “The Practice”
0 Followers
2K Likes
Partners
YOGA + Life® Magazines
Subscribe
  • HOME
  • FEATURED
    • Community + Culture
    • Wellness + Nutrition
    • Products
    • Profiles
    • Yoga + Fitness
    • Events
  • ALL CONTENT
    • Community + Culture
      • Art
      • Books
      • Community
      • Culture
      • Family
      • Fashion
      • Food + Drink
      • Nourish Me
      • Motivation
      • Music
      • Outdoors
      • Travel
    • Wellness + Nutrition
      • Self-Care
      • Nutrition
      • Psychology
      • Recipes
      • Therapy
      • Weight Loss
    • Products
      • Product Spotlights
      • Roundups
      • Try It On – Reviews
      • Try It Out – Reviews
    • Profiles
      • Business
      • Partner Profiles
      • People
      • Spotlight Cities
      • Students
      • Studios
      • Teachers
      • Seva Story
      • Sustainability Story
      • Storytelling
    • Yoga + Fitness
      • Asana
      • In the Practice
      • Meditation
      • Philosophy
      • Physiology
      • Sports
      • Workouts
    • Events
      • Festivals
      • Retreats
      • Training Spotlights
    • Inspiration From Y+L Partners
  • Y + L COMMUNITIES
    • COLORADO
    • MINNESOTA
    • NEW YORK
  • CONNECT
    • Order A Magazine
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contribute
    • Contact Us
  • LIVE CLASSES
Ceremony
  • Inspiration

Life as Ceremony : Feeling The Divine In Every Moment Between Everything | By Allison Janssen

  • YOGA + Life® Magazines
  • 123 views
  • 3 minute read
Total
2
Shares
2
0
0

Truly, any and every moment of life can be experienced as ceremony.

Beloved black gum and yellow-poplar leaves crunching below my feet. Dewy moss partnered with rough bark, greeting the warmth of my hands. A cool and low hanging autumn fog hugging the landscape, as a deep sense of silence fell upon me. Almost like a wall, or a door in itself, the feeling was beautifully dense, yet penetrable. At first, the reticence was all my senses could discern. As I moved deeper between my wise companions called trees, my eyes made out a small black iron fence veiled by dry ivy. Within it, six cement headstones. My Dad passing some time before, I knew what I had stumbled upon was a graveyard; I had seen one before. I constructed cemeteries to be simply where bodies were buried. But, this hallowed holding within my church, the forest, felt wildly different than anything I had threaded into before. And in it, I felt more clear, more distinctly present. I didn’t then realize the full significance of what I had found, or found for myself, of the holy ground I had entered. But I did understand that I was in the presence of something that time had touched, yet was timeless, intangible and sacred.

I did understand that I was in the presence of something that time had touched, yet was timeless, intangible and sacred.

This moment was so potent for me, that I returned to the burial ground as often as I could; treading deeper into conversation with the energy of it each time. This entering into sacred relationship, into mystery, became something my spirit craved. It felt like I was touching something deeper and purer within me, each time I ran through the woods into that silence. It felt like a return, a coming home. This journey always manifested itself as awe and gratitude into my day, seeing endless possibilities to meet the divine in varying shapes, experiences and forms.

Fast forward to today, decades later, and one could easily say that I am still that wild haired being conversing and moving in relationship with the sacred; awake to its beauty. Not that I am returning to that wooded burial ground every morning, although I do wonder if it is still there. But, more so that  the experience fortified within me an understanding that the potential to be in the presence of the divine lies in every moment between everything. The key word here being potential, for it is up to us to not only clearly see the sacred, but have the courage to meet it, weave it and be in relationship with it as well. This is where the conscious art of spiritual practice enters modern life.

You see, my running to the graveyard wasn’t just a wild child habit; it was a ceremony. It was me choosing to participate with great intention in something that clarified that which I value, the sacred connection I share with life. Being ceremoniously in the forest is still my favorite way to engage with this core value of sacred connection. But it isn’t always possible. So, over time, I have mindfully cultivated rituals that I practice through ceremony, such as lighting my altar with my daughter in the morning, using my moonLIT app and connecting with tribe, giving and receiving with two hands, tea moments with loved ones, my yoga practice, walking barefoot in my back yard and listening to bird song.

Truly, any and every moment of life can be experienced as ceremony. So, let these words be a siren to you, to have the courage to leave habits behind, awaken or enliven your relationship to the divine and live your incredible existence ceremoniously.

Photo by Allison Janssen.

Allison Janssen is the cofounder of the lunar astrology and sacred rituals app, Moonlit, Mama to a toddler, military wife, lifeloogang backpacker, writer and yoga teacher. Obsessed with nature’s inner workings, she spends her days investigating and appreciating the many relationships, the connections, experienced in life — that between breath, body, mountains, the moon and beyond. For more, see her on the Moonlit App, and follow her on Instagram @moonlittribe and @allisonajanssen.

Total
2
Shares
Share 2
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
YOGA + Life® Magazines
YOGA + Life® Magazines

Previous Article
  • Inspiration
  • Storytelling

How I Let Go of Shame Around Starting Over | By Bailey Smith

  • YOGA + Life® Magazines
View Post
Next Article
  • CO YOGA + Life
  • Inspiration

Every Choice Matters | By Angela Gaffney

  • CO YOGA + Life®
View Post
More from Y+L
  • Play + Connect at Everland : Sedalia, Colorado | By Lexi Reich

    • Lexi Reich | Managing Editor
    View Post
  • RiverWonderGrass

    Rafting, Camping + Live Music : The 2021 RiverWonderGrass Expedition Lineup is Here

    • CO YOGA + Life®
    View Post
  • Hanuman Academy Launches Tantra Yoga Psychology Course : September 20 – October 31, 2020

    • YOGA + Life® Magazines
    View Post
  • Meet Two Featured Artists from CRUSH Walls Art Festival in Denver : September 14-20, 2020 | By Brooke Welsh

    • CO YOGA + Life®
    View Post
  • Eat, Drink and Learn During the Flatirons Food Film Festival Fundraiser this August

    • Bobby L'Heureux | Director or Partnerships, Y+L
    View Post
  • Keeping the Yoga Retreat Alive During a Pandemic | By Lisa Blake

    • Bobby L'Heureux | Director or Partnerships, Y+L
    View Post
  • Summer + Fall Adventure with RiverWonderGrass | By Brooke Welsh

    • Bobby L'Heureux | Director or Partnerships, Y+L
    View Post
  • Yoga & Collective Resilience : Hanuman Community Offers Online Event | By Wendy Wilkinson

    • CO YOGA + Life®
    View Post
  • Wellness Retreats – Can I Still Do This? | By Juli Rathke

    • Juli Rathke | Founder, YOGA + Life®
    View Post
  • UCHealth evrē 2020 Self Care Saturday for Women | By Karstee Davis

    • karsteedavis
    View Post
Archived Posts!
  • CO Studio Profile : Bhava Yoga Breckenridge
    • 123
  • Experts Club 2019 with Juli Rathke
    • 65
  • Intentional Mindfulness During the Holiday Season | By Charity Collier
    • 112
  • Lotus House of Yoga : Step Into Your Power
    • 136
  • swimwear
    3 Swimwear Collections We Love For Summer 2020 | By Kim Fuller
    • 196
Instagram
If you are looking to be an integral part of a growing global community of mindful + inspired individuals, we invite you to apply to the YOGA + Life Ambassador Program! Applications are OPEN to everyone and anyone...and we have to admit the benefits are pretty exciting ✨
This special 90-minute workshop combines the elements of yoga and journaling to help guide you in a creative, inspired headspace. Grab a pencil, notebook, yoga mat and your favorite herbal brew!
It’s the first day of February, and that means Valentine’s Day is less than two weeks away! We love to help you celebrate sweethearts and friends every Valentine’s Day ❤️ Our 2021 Gift Guide is live on yogalifelive.com!
When we consider our yoga practice as play, as lila, we can recognize opportunities to see the struggle/fear/frustration as a facade and release it.
We’re well into 2021 — how are your New Years goals holding up?
Focus on your internal well-being. Self-care is not only beneficial to oneself, but for the communal good. Together let’s rise up and rejuvenate with the help of our 2021 self-care essentials. Link in bio for full list of products!
Cheers to the new year! Who’s ready for 2021? ✨
Step into your power 💪🏼
Facebook
Facebook
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
If you are looking to be an integral part of a growing global community of mindful + inspired individuals, we invite you to apply to the YOGA + Life Ambassador Program! Applications are OPEN to everyone and anyone...and we have to admit the benefits are pretty exciting ✨
This special 90-minute workshop combines the elements of yoga and journaling to help guide you in a creative, inspired headspace. Grab a pencil, notebook, yoga mat and your favorite herbal brew!
It’s the first day of February, and that means Valentine’s Day is less than two weeks away! We love to help you celebrate sweethearts and friends every Valentine’s Day ❤️ Our 2021 Gift Guide is live on yogalifelive.com!
When we consider our yoga practice as play, as lila, we can recognize opportunities to see the struggle/fear/frustration as a facade and release it.
We’re well into 2021 — how are your New Years goals holding up?
Focus on your internal well-being. Self-care is not only beneficial to oneself, but for the communal good. Together let’s rise up and rejuvenate with the help of our 2021 self-care essentials. Link in bio for full list of products!

Join the YOGA + Life® Newsletter!

Events, Product Reviews, Promotions and More!

about
YOGA + Life® - an online community and magazine.
Recent Articles
  • Invoking The Divine Feminine in Challenging Times | By Jeanie Manchester
    • CO YOGA + Life®
  • Ho’oponopono : A Hawaiian Mantra to Rise Out of Mental Chaos | By Shenna Jean
    • CO YOGA + Life®
  • 2021 Mindful Travel Essentials
    • YOGA + Life® Magazines
  • Tulum : All Signs Point To Lean In | By Shenna Jean
    • CO YOGA + Life®
  • Editors
  • Online Columnists
  • Contribute
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
YOGA + Life® - All Rights Reserved

Input your search keywords and press Enter.