Know that within you, beneath all your fears and insecurities and the clamor and pettiness of everyday life, lies the seed of the more perfect Being you are destined to become through the trials and lessons of a myriad of lives. You may think of this Being as “the Divine within you,” your higher or greater self, your guardian angel, your personal God or Goddess or manifestation of Spirit, yourself time-traveled from the future to watch and guide you in this present life, or otherwise as best may fit your beliefs.
Tonight you will dedicate yourself to becoming that Being as fully as possible in this lifetime.
You will need:
- A warm, dark room safe from distraction and intrusion. I suggest doing the ritual late at night to make those less likely. Unplug or turn off your phone!
- A bathroom nearby with a tub or shower.
- A mirror, two feet square or larger.
- A clean towel or mat, comfortable to sit on.
- Two candles in safe holders, and matches to light them.
- A bowl or dish of water.
- A bowl or dish of salt. I suggest sea salt or kosher salt.
- Unless the bathroom directly adjoins the ritual room or the floors are very clean, slippers to wear back from the bath.
- The pledges below (in italics), written or printed out large enough to read by candlelight in case you must refer to them during the ritual. I suggest using a black Sharpie marker on 5”x8” index cards.
- A pen and paper or, better, your journal to record any results.
- And, important: NOBODY ELSE PRESENT. That includes pets.
Read over the pledges until they feel familiar. Memorize them if you can.
Set up the room with the mirror standing upright on the floor and a clear space in front of it. Find a spot in that space where you can sit cross-legged and see your whole body in the mirror. Adjust the mirror as needed. Then place the bowl of water and the container of salt in front of you, with the salt on the side of your dominant hand (the one you write with).
Set one candle in its holder beside you, an arm’s length away on the same side as the water. Get up and spread out the towel or mat where you were sitting. Place the second candle on the same side as the salt, but as far off behind you and to the side as you feel is safe. Do not light the candles yet.
Go and bathe in any manner you wish. Take a little extra time and effort to get as clean as you can. Dry off; then unless the floors between are clean, put on slippers for the walk back. Bathrobe, towel, etc. are optional.
Return to the private room, lock the door, light the candles, then turn out all other lights. Take off the slippers and anything else you wore back from the bath; you must be naked for this ritual. If you have one or two pieces of jewelry or other items you intend always to wear in ritual work, though, do put them on since you will be dedicating them tonight too.
In the candles’ light, sit down cross-legged facing the mirror. If you can manage the Lotus position with the soles of both feet upturned, use it. Otherwise, do the best you can.
Check again that you can see your whole body in the mirror, from crown to toes, and adjust your position if needed. Then pull the bowl of water and container of salt close in front of you, within easy reach.
Sit for a few moments gazing into your own eyes in the mirror. Imagine that the figure before you is that more perfect Being you aspire to become, now present with you in this same time and space. As you gaze into its eyes, feel this becoming true. You will be making your pledges to this Being.
If you can, SAY AND DO ALL OF THE FOLLOWING WITHOUT BREAKING THAT EYE CONTACT! Use the written-out promises on the index cards only if you simply can’t remember what comes next. Your words don’t have to be exact; it’s your thought that counts. You may speak the words aloud or silently, as you may prefer.
As you continue staring into Its eyes, the Being may gradually or suddenly change in some way to reveal new facets of its nature. Don’t be surprised by this; just take note of it mentally so you can record it later.
When you feel the Being is present and looking back at you from the mirror:
TONIGHT I PLEDGE MYSELF TO THE GREAT BECOMING:
MYSELF, TO THE FULL EXTENT POSSIBLE IN THIS PRESENT LIFETIME, BECOMING THE VERY BEST THAT I CAN BE.
Watching only through peripheral vision in the mirror, NEVER BREAKING EYE CONTACT, cup your less-dominant hand and scoop up a small pool of water in your palm:
LET THE CLEANSING TOUCH OF WATER
REMOVE ALL IMPEDIMENTS TO THAT BECOMING…
Then with your dominant hand raise a small handful of the salt and let it sift slowly from your fingers into the water you hold:
WHILE THE CRYSTALLIZING TOUCH OF SALT
MAKES VISIBLE THE POTENTIAL HIDDEN WITHIN.
Lower your fingers into your palm so you touch both salt and water.
I PLEDGE MY HANDS TO THE GREAT BECOMING,
SO ALL MY WORKS MAY BE WORTHY.
Being careful not to spill the salt and water, move your cupped hand to a comfortable position. You will not need to move it again until the ritual’s end, but you will need to dip the fingers of your dominant hand easily into the salt and water it holds.
Before each touch and pledge below, make sure some of the salt and water remains on your fingers so it can transfer to the skin you touch. Dip again as needed. If your cupped hand runs out, simply scoop up more water and sprinkle in more salt.
Touch the soles of both feet.
I PLEDGE MY FEET TO THE GREAT BECOMING,
SO I MAY WALK ALWAYS IN THE PATHS OF TRUTH.
Touch both knees.
I PLEDGE MY KNEES TO THE GREAT BECOMING,
SO WHATEVER MAY COME, I WILL ACT ALWAYS IN HUMILITY.
Touch your perineum, the spot midway between your anus and genitals.
I PLEDGE MY BASE TO THE GREAT BECOMING,
SO I MAY WILLINGLY CAST AWAY WHATEVER IMPEDES IT.
Touch your belly just above the pubic hair.
I PLEDGE MY CREATIVE SPARK TO THE GREAT BECOMING,
SO I MAY HELP BRING TO BIRTH WHATEVER IS NEEDED.
Touch your solar plexus, within the ascending angle of your ribs as shown in the image.
I PLEDGE MY ENERGY TO THE GREAT BECOMING,
SO MY EFFORTS TOWARD IT WILL NEVER FALTER.
Touch your chest at the point where you feel the strongest heartbeat.
I PLEDGE MY EMOTIONS TO THE GREAT BECOMING,
SO WHATEVER COMES, I WILL ACT ALWAYS IN KINDNESS AND COMPASSION.
Touch the front of your throat.
I PLEDGE MY WORDS TO THE GREAT BECOMING,
SO WHEN POSSIBLE THEY WILL BE TRUE AND HONEST;
OTHERWISE, I WILL KEEP SILENT.
Touch your forehead.
I PLEDGE MY THOUGHTS TO THE GREAT BECOMING,
SO THE CLAMOR AND PETTINESS OF EVERYDAY LIFE
WILL NOT DISTRACT ME.
Touch the top of your head.
I PLEDGE MY INTUITION TO THE GREAT BECOMING,
SO WHEN OTHERWISE I MIGHT LOSE MY WAY,
GUIDANCE FROM WITHIN WILL HELP ME MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.
Now bring up your less-dominant hand, letting whatever may be left of the salt and water spill – for they have now served their purpose! – and touch your palms together.
ALL OF THIS, EVERYTHING I AM, I PLEDGE TO THE GREAT BECOMING:
MYSELF, TO THE FULL EXTENT POSSIBLE IN THIS PRESENT LIFETIME, BECOMING THE VERY BEST THAT I CAN BE.
AND I ASK YOUR HELP AND GUIDANCE,
AND THAT OF ALL BENEVOLENT GODS AND SPIRITS EVERYWHERE,
TO AID ME IN THAT BECOMING.
Still without breaking eye contact, reach out with your less-dominant hand, get the candle from beside you, and bring it in front of your face.
SO MOTE IT BE.
With that, blow out the candle.
This concludes the ritual. The second candle is there just to guide you safely on your way to turn the lights back on. Do that, then blow it out too.
Quickly then, before the memories fade, record anything unusual that happened. Did the Being seem to transform…and if so, how? Did thoughts or images seem to come into your mind from outside? If so, what were they and when in the ritual did it happen?
Keep these notes, read them again in the morning, and record any dreams you may remember from the night following the ritual.
Namaste: “I salute the divine within you.”
Miribell Catswhisker.
