05 - Interview With Jean Sutton - Using Rituals to Enhance Vitality

Have you ever wondered how to bring greater vitality into your life? What if rituals offer a sacred space to pause and invite greater energy into your daily life? Jean Sutton is a retired counselor and minister. Jean used the power of ritual both in the Presbyterian Church as a minister and then in counseling to offer greater dimension, depth, and acknowledgement for her clients’ healing in their times of transformation. This conversation began with exploring Jean’s connection with rituals in her life. Jean talked about her upbringing in the church and her love of ritual that grew from her life within the church as a child. She described the simplicity of ritual that can offer connections directly to the heart. Jean described ritual using tangible objects in our world as tools to connect with the sacred and spirit. This conversation explored the importance of items in the material world that we feel connection with (such as a candle) that can serve as powerful symbols for us in our lives and offer space for reflection and connection. Jean shared that because of the ritual, the item then holds the sacredness of the symbolism it represents for us. This conversation also reflected on the way that ritual offers the space to pause and reflect. This pause and slowing down that the ritual offers provides the possibility of replenishment and a connection to our own vitality, our sacredness, and our light. Jean shared her experience of ritual in parenting and how this offered her comfort and support both for her children and herself as a parent. She discussed the value of building alters in times of transformation or milestones as a family, or to navigate relationships with friends. A significant part of this dialogue revolved around the many simple and very accessible ways we can invite the sacred into our lives to deepen our connection with ourselves, with the present moment, and with our life source. Key Takeaways: We can reconnect with a deeper sense of presence and purpose in our lives by pausing and engaging in accessible rituals that have meaning for us and acknowledge passages we are moving through in life. Rituals can happen with any item or object; even though quite simple, they can be very meaningful and powerful. Rituals can infuse the mundane with spirit and offer a connection to energy and a reconnection to ourselves, our life, and our vitality. Resources: Gestalt Institute of Cleveland: https://www.gestaltcleveland.org/