The Ocean Ritual

No doubt about it, this year is a water year.  In case you've missed the run up, the last few years have brought many water omens around the globe, but especially in the US.  We are being asked to look at our relationship to water and reconcile-- and thus far as a society we've been ignoring the call.  Across the country water is asserting its power in many forms: ice and snow where it is unusual, an unprecedented drought in the west, poisoned waterways throughout the country and our two bordering oceans falling ill.

Although the problems are massive and the solutions seem to be beyond our grasp, the truth is that there is a clear first step, and it is the same first step that you take in the healing of any relationship: acknowledgement.  Further solutions and actions come out of the conversations that emerge from the first step, but no movement happens until that conversation begins.

The Ocean Ritual is very, very simple.  Go to the beach (if you're inland go to the highest point you can reasonably access, if you're also in a flat land simply create a makeshift body of water-- it could be as simple as a painting or a water fountain or just a bowl of water with salt sprinkled in it), face the ocean and say:

"I come to you as a representative of humanity and as an individual.  I'm sorry for the pain and agony you are enduring.  Because you hurt, I hurt.  I love you and I want to see your waters run clean and beautiful.  I present myself to you and offer my love.  I ask only that you help me to help you."

Then close your eyes and think of all your most beautiful memories of the ocean and send all that love into its water.  Hold hands with whomever is with you in this offering to unite and strengthen the offering.

Do this on Saturday and/or Sunday mornings, and bring as many people as you can.  The goal is to fill the beaches with people offering their love-- shoulder to shoulder all up and down the coast.

Please note: this is NOT a protest movement.  That is the opposite of the energy we are offering.  We are offering love and reconciliation to the waters, not anger or blame.  Should you feel the need for such a conversation please adjourn to another location, as that energy will severely disrupt the Ocean Ritual.

Following the offering of love, please engage the people around you in conversation.  We need to connect with one another and doing so in the presence of the ocean will strongly augment the power of the next steps that arise.

See you on the beach!