Burning Bowl: A Ritual for Release

 

It wasn't until I was in my thirties that I heard the term "burning bowl." Someone invited me to participate in one and I was immediately nervous. This was something new I had never encountered. I felt like this was something I should have at least heard of. As it turns out, I have been practicing burning bowl rituals since I was a child; I just didn't call it that. 

The biggest secret to moving forward is release of the past. When we hold stagnant energy, we keep ourselves from moving forward into our true joy. As a little witchling, my mother would sit with me in front of our big, brick fireplace with our cauldron and we would write the things we didn't want to keep in our lives on little slops of colored paper, the color depending on what we wrote down. I had no idea this was a burning bowl ritual, or that we were using color magick. It was just what we did. 

To do a burning bowl ritual, all you will need is a fire safe vessel (this can be as simple as a votive candle holder or as extravagant as a large cast iron cauldron), small pieces of paper, a pen, and fire (this can be a big fire, a candle, or a lighter).

Set your intention that you are burning away the old to welcome the new. When we release an old energy, we need to let the Universe know what energy we want to replace it with; otherwise, the old energy will just boomerang right back to fill the void.Write the thing you want to release, as well as the energy you want to bring into your life, on the paper. Example: I release anxiety about my job. I make room for new job opportunities.

Take a breath, light your paper on fire, and drop it into your bowl. As you exhale, envision that which you have released burning away with the smoke and fire in your burning bowl. Allow any feelings that may come with this, and honor them, even if they don't make sense to your logical mind. As you inhale, welcome the new energy you wish for into your body, mind, and spirit. I always thank the Ancestors and the Universe as I bring the ritual to an end. Take as long as you need to process your loss and grieve if needed. 

I would love to hear about your burning bowl experiences, thoughts, and feelings! If you are so called, please share in the comments! Blessed be!