Once you have become comfortable regularly working on Ritual V with mindfulness and introspection, you can then begin to add Ritual VI to your practice. Ritual VI is another part of the "maintenance ritual" which is designed to be a continual process to further enhance your practice. The goal is to stay connected to the work we have accomplished in all the previous Rituals, and to strive to live by the Seven Tenets . The time working on this Ritual may be challenging since there may be a lot of emotional weight that needs to be addressed. It is important for us to check in with ourselves regularly to reflect on how we are feeling and what actions we have been taking. Process: After completing your meditation practice, reflect on the Seven Tenets and answer these questions in your Recovery Tome. This should accompany your regular gratitude list and meditation from Ritual V.

1. One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason.
   1. [+] Have I acted with compassion towards myself today?
   2. [+] Have I acted compassionately towards others today?
2. The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.
   1. [+] Have I continued to strive for justice against my adversary of addiction? What actions have I taken today to stay on track?
   2. [+] How many days have I been sober? Remember each new day is a triumph and should be celebrated!
3. One's body is inviolable, subject to one's own will alone.
   1. [+] Have I been living the way I want to by taking actions towards self-improvement and my own goals? (Use your vision board from Ritual V as guidance.)
4. The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one's own.
   1. [+] Have I respected the freedom of others today even if I found it disagreeable? Have I encroached upon the freedoms of another? Have I allowed someone else to encroach upon my freedoms?
5. Beliefs should conform to one's best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one's beliefs.
   1. [+] Are my beliefs towards myself and others rational right now? Am I holding on to distorted irrational beliefs/fears? (You can look over the process from Ritual III for guidance.)
6. People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one's best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused.
   
   Working on Tenet VI will likely be a larger task the first time you do it. When looking over Ritual III, we may have caused a lot of harm in our past. As we continue living in accordance with the Seven Tenets and Seven Rituals this list will naturally get smaller, and taking responsibility for our actions will slowly become second nature. We shouldn't expect to be able to go back and fix every mistake that we have ever made or to hunt down every person from our past. It is important, however, for us to live free from shame and guilt from our past and for us to take responsibility for our actions. We should do our best to rectify and resolve any harm that has been done to people that we care about who are in reach. If there is someone from your past that you have harmed that you cannot get in touch with anymore, or it may cause more harm to yourself or others to engage with that person, the best thing to do is to simply strive to learn from those mistakes and work on self-improvement. You may not be ready to work towards rectifying all of your past harmful actions, and that is ok. Just start with one at a time. Remember, this isn't about seeking approval from others. Sometimes some damages cannot be repaired or someone doesn't want to accept your apology. What's important is you did what you could and you no longer have to live with any of that accumulated guilt. This is about personal growth and progress, not perfection. Use your best judgement and discuss each one with an Ally in recovery. Your Ally can help you decide what the healthy choice is if you are unsure.
   1. [+] Have I made a mistake that has caused harm? What actions can I take to best rectify and resolve any harm that has been caused?
   2. [+] Am I harboring any resentments? Can I recognize that everyone is fallible and not let someone else's actions control my life today?
7. After answering the questions for Tenets I-VI, say Tenet VII to yourself.
   Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.

Strive to reflect on and answer these questions regularly with your practice of meditation and introspection.

Ritual Tools:

• Pen and paper
• A carving tool to carve into a candle
• Large / medium sized red candle (or a candle of your favorite color)
• Salt
• Sandalwood, basil, or lemon essential oil (or any fragrance that you prefer)

Location:
A quiet space

Preparation:

If you are not able to acquire an essential oil, you can make your own by heating a bit of vegetable oil with the zest of a lemon peel. Strain the oil and let cool in a small container. To begin the ritual say to yourself, Now create a circle of salt that you will place the candle in the center of. Once the circle is ready, it is time to take the candle and engrave your new sigil on it. After the symbol is engraved into your candle, begin anointing it with the essential oil. Start from the top and go to the bottom of the candle. While anointing the candle, close your eyes and visualize yourself as your own god. Imagine all of the incredible things that you wish to accomplish. Recognize yourself as your own powerful deity with limitless potential. Once the candle is ready place it in the center of the salt circle. Anoint yourself with the essential oil by marking an upside down cross on your forehead. Light the candle and then say aloud, Take pause to appreciate yourself in this exact moment and everything you've accomplished in sobriety. Reflect on how you feel physically and mentally. Feel free to write down these sensations and feelings in your Recovery Tome after the Ritual. To finish the Ritual, extinguish the candle with the help of your fingers moistened with your saliva. You now have your own candle for self-worship. You can wrap the candle in a cloth and keep it in a safe space. Whenever you need to instill confidence and self-compassion, light this candle. This can be a helpful tool added to your regular meditation practice.