Rituals
No matter how strong and self-sufficient you think you may be, you're hard-wired to crave consistency and connection. All humans are. This is why rituals, transcending everyday habits, are still important to us all. Rituals serve as a source of consistency, as a marker, and as an opportunity to center and reorient oneself. From a spiritual standpoint, some rituals even give us an opportunity to connect with a world beyond our own.
What are Rituals?
A ritual is, simply put, a regular and consistent ceremony, act, or procedure. Some people may only associate a ritual with religion, but a ritual may also be done regularly with the passage of a certain amount of time, such as celebrating New Year's Day, a birthday, or it may be done to mark an occasion, like a graduation or a promotion.
A ritual can take many forms. It may be as simple as taking a second to get your mind and body in the right state for the day when you first wake up, such as stretching when you get out of bed. It may also be mental or spiritual. Morning and evening meditation, for example, are rituals. Then, of course, there are grander rituals like, baby showers, office holiday parties, or coronation ceremonies.
Create Your Skincare Ritual
Our Recommended Skincare Ritual
We want to transform the ordinary task of product application into a time to connect with yourself. Get the most out of your experience with our products by taking time to stop, relax, and enjoy the ritual.
The Ritual
Before applying, warm a few dabs of the cream between your fingertips, close your eyes, and place your head between your hands. Take deep breaths, concentrate on your breathing, and picture your utopia. When calm, massage this powerful blend on your lower abdomen for at least two minutes. Support the process by concentrating on each breath. Follow its journey throughout your body to clear your mind.
Why are rituals important?
Rituals have their surface benefits, of course. A celebration may mark an occasion, or a morning ritual may help you clean your teeth or get ready for the day. There are many benefits beyond that, though, and they speak to a deeper part of human nature than mere conscious thought.
One key benefits of ritual are, as stated above, consistency. Some rituals never change, and those are the ones that fulfill our human need for something to put the brakes on the chaos for a minute. Taking a moment to brush your teeth in the morning or turning on your laptop's power saver function before starting the day's work are examples of this kind of ritual.
One key benefits of ritual are, as stated above, consistency. Some rituals never change, and those are the ones that fulfill our human need for something to put the brakes on the chaos for a minute. Taking a moment to brush your teeth in the morning or turning on your laptop's power saver function before starting the day's work are examples of this kind of ritual.
One key benefits of ritual are, as stated above, consistency. Some rituals never change, and those are the ones that fulfill our human need for something to put the brakes on the chaos for a minute. Taking a moment to brush your teeth in the morning or turning on your laptop's power saver function before starting the day's work are examples of this kind of ritual.
Herein, we can connect to thought processes that are normally lost in the hectic cacophony of a normal day. Once something becomes ritual, once something becomes autonomous, or once something becomes normalized, the lack of thought involved in it becomes thoughtful and mindful unto itself.
Building rituals for better living
One of the greatest things about rituals is that they're an aspect of life that we are completely in control of. While some rituals may take time, planning, setting, and even collaboration to pull off, others are incredibly simple and are practically impossible for life to rear up and interrupt. The benefits of rituals are myriad, as listed above, and you can take the reins and harness those benefits for yourself quite easily.
First, put a goal in your mind. If you want to get your creative juices flowing, put your brain into work mode, or simply put out and receive some good vibes, building a ritual can help you do that. With the goal in mind, simply choose a ritual and perform it. It can be really anything, as long as you're consistent about it.
To elaborate on that consistency, it doesn't mean the same time every day. It just means in response to the same stimuli or circumstance each time. If you want to be a more creative writer, for example, and you find that say, cracking your knuckles before hitting the keyboard makes the words flow better, start doing it each time without fail. If you're a nervous driver and you find yourself more centered on the road with a cup of iced tea next to you, grab a cup each time you drive. The list goes on and on, but the point is simple; make up an act, and do it consistently.
Over time, you're going to notice that the ritual is an affirmation of your innermost desire. Just having your original goal in mind each time you perform the ritual will be enough to frame your mind better and help you center yourself around that goal. Any fringe benefits of the ritual, like having limber fingers or a cold drink to drive through a hot day's traffic with, are just a bonus.
