________  ________  ________   
   2021-05-24                                   /        \/        \/    /   \  
                                               /       __/         /_       _/ 
   Recently I have  become hyper-focused  on  /        _/         /         / 
the granularity of ritual.                    \_______/_\___/____/\___/____/_
                                                /        \/        \/    /   \
   I do not  believe in  big-G-God, the idea   /        _/         /_       _/
that we  were created on a whim by something  /-        /        _/         /
all-knowing  and  supernatural,   but  I  do  \________/\________/\___/____/
believe that our lived  experience is only a
small piece of a bigger mechanism. A two dimensional object  living in a three
dimensional world. I  belive if there are  gods they came after or in parallel
with  us, out  of some subconscious  need of  our evolving  species  or cosmic
coincidence.

   It leaves me  in a situation  where I am  spiritual and even  religious but
with no real  doctrine. A  double-edged sword  in a way, it  means when I need
guidance the duty is  on me to seek  it out, but it  affords  me the luxry  of
being able to take it where I  can find it. A  Christian desire  to uplift and
support  those in  need, a Shinto  respect for purity and  nature, a  Buddhist
desire to  be free  from craving and  attachment, a Muslim  belief  that a man
should be judged by their deeds alone.

   It also  means a lot of what I do adheres  to no religion and boils down to
nothing  more than superstition, either  learned or  imagined. That's  the bit
that I've been finding really interesting.

   It's interesting  to me that, even people that  refute the idea of gods and
spirits, that  don't believe in  magic, sometimes still have  a favorite lucky
number  or feel empowered  when they find a  penny lucky  side up. We surround
ourselves  with superstition and  good luck charms whether we want to admit it
or not.

   Friends and family have bits and  pieces of magic laying about or strewn in
the wind, a  stone on a  windowsill for example, or the  blessing  caress of a
thumb along the nose of a loved one.

   Stretching our arms up to the Sun in thanks as we step out of the shade.

   Little christenings and praise in our day-to-day lives.

   Last  night, though, I  was conscious of some  of  those little  quirks  of
worship culmunating in a  larger ritual, a kind of  distributed church  that I
was  able to  participate in. Hymns  were sung and bells were  rung and  for a
moment, by ourselves in our bedrooms, offices or living rooms, celebrating and
singing praise, I could feel the energy of the other people celebrating.

   For a  moment, our  hearts were  joined in celebrating  the ascension of  a
young  goddess. Dotted  around the globe, our  coordinated quiet applause  and
hushed Amens became a joined emotional cacophony.



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