6 WAYS TO ADD RITUALS OF LOVE TO YOUR BUSY DAY, LOVE YOURSELF INTO BLISS

There are many notions about what ritual means.

Rituals are defined by culture and community. The way they are perceived and embraced is down to what is considered "the norm" by each of us.

To be honest this was a difficult topic for me to write about – simply because I found it such a difficult subject to formulate and explain. 

My blog supports “rituals of love for the body and soul” 

I felt I owed an explanation as to why “rituals” – and what that means to me.

There are many views on what ritual means - and I found some people who did a good job of explaining it in a way that resonates with me, so I have liberally sprinkled their views throughout the post.

I tried in vain to find a definition of ritual that really spoke to me. It seems that the dictionary version, and people’s perceptions of ritual, is either about religious dogma or the darker side of worship, i.e. black magic 

In my search for clarification, the explanations were “dry” like Wikipedia’s; "…. sequence of activities involving gestures, words, and objects, performed in a sequestered place, and performed according to set sequence” (I can hear the half-bored intellectual speaking in my head).

Or the definitions got caught up in ceremony, rites of passage, customs etc. etc., and were really, really long because they were part of an anthropological paper.

So -  I did what I do best – I got creative and coined my own definition:

Ritual :- any action that is done with elements of gratitude, love, full presence, and/or in honor of the divine spirit { tweetable}

But why on earth would evolved, modern, trendy, go-getters of this generation need rituals?

Rituals take on many shapes and forms – they can be extravagant and full of ceremony –but they can also be small personal gestures, like those used by sportsmen to put them in the “zone”, or the way someone ties their shoelaces before an interview.

Apparently a scientific study was done  to show how rituals helped people who were grieving a death, or lost a lover - or lost the lottery....

A beautiful  explanation about rituals comes from Donna Henes in her Huffington Post article :

"The need for ritual is a basic human instinct, as real, as urgent and as raw as our need for food, shelter and love. And it is every bit as crucial to our survival. A compelling urge to merge with the infinite, ritual reminds us of a larger, archetypal reality and invokes in us a visceral understanding of such universal paradigms as unity, continuity, connectivity, reverence and awe….. ceremony -- solitary or shared -- offers us a way to relate intimately with the primordial universal force and allows us to embrace that sacred power that informs and fuels all existence. Ritual is our lifeline to the divine." 

And Elizabeth Gilbert had this to say:

"This is what rituals are for. We do spiritual ceremonies as human beings in order to create a safe resting place for our most complicated feelings of joy or trauma, so that we don't have to haul those feelings around with us forever, weighing us down. We all need such places of ritual safekeeping. And I do believe that if your culture or tradition doesn't have the specific ritual you are craving, then you are absolutely permitted to make up a ceremony of your own devising, fixing your own broken-down emotional systems with all the do-it-yourself resourcefulness of a generous plumber/poet." 
― Elizabeth Gilbert – Eat, Pray, Love  

Essentially anything you do - From making that first cup of coffee to brushing your teeth at night - can be ritualized. 

WE NEED RITUAL ….

• Because we need community
• Because we need to honor our grief, our fears and our achievements 
• Because we need to feel connected to spirit
• Because we need to feel a part of something BIGGER than us
• Because our mum told us to (just kidding….. ..kinda)

So how do we add meaningful rituals to our active and already full days?

To my thinking – rituals are about mindfulness and paying homage to something we hold dear.

As  CS Lewis wrote:

"The modern habit of doing ceremonial things unceremoniously is no proof of humility; rather it proves the offender's inability to forget himself in the rite, and his readiness to spoil for every one else the proper pleasure of ritual." 

In other words – many times rituals are done without any thought whatsoever to the value of the ritual, it’s meaning or it's benefit.

In the spirit of this blog - I would recommend using your time to create a simple meaningful ritual for yourself. It can be daily, weekly or monthly.

Whatever you choose to do, it doesn’t have to be a big production or very long – it just needs to be honorable. You can use a short ritual to either start or end your day on a note of peace and love

Here are some ideas that you can use for “ritualizing” your everyday activities.

1.      Starting the day–

I always had a head full of to-do’s or rehashing the day before – and it serves no purpose other than to get me riled up first thing in the morning. So now I wake up, put on my glasses, and read a book of affirmations or prayers as soon as I put my feet over the side of the bed.

2.     Taking a Bath –

When you shower - think of the water pouring down from the shower as blessings -washing away not just the dirt – but any negativity and stress from the day. Give thanks for the gift of access to running water. If you take a bath sprinkle some bath salt with lavender oil and bless the water before stepping in

3.     At your meal time -

Too many people throw a meal in the micro-wave and inhale it while watching TV or their smart phone. Take a little time to set the table with cutlery etc., maybe even a candle (I love these as they connect with the chakras and smell heavenly). Say a blessing over the food and quietly thank all the people who made it possible to bring food to your table.

4.     When you Exercise -

Instead of just attacking exercise as if it is the enemy – see it as an opportunity to meditate. Start by taking deep breaths to connect with your body and do light stretches. Be conscious of what is happening to you and around you. If exercising outside – listen to the birds and sound of the trees. If exercising inside - feel your breath and the beat of your heart. Be aware of how beautiful your body is and how magical the human body is. I started using walking meditations as a way to keep myself motivated and inspired.

5.     Taking a media break –

I made a decision to have a “Sabbath”. I realized that a major contribution to stress is that there is no switch-off from the hustle of life. To be realistic, I dedicate 17 hours a month to a “lock-down”. So when I have the opportunity, from Friday at 7p.m. to Saturday noon – I switch off all media and communication. I can read, write or create. I cannot browse, read emails, make phone calls or send texts. And guess what? I survive just fine and I feel better for it.

6.     Ending your day –

The end-of-day is the best opportunity to create a beautiful ritual of transition from the bustle of a busy day, to preparing for restful sleep. Evening is a wonderful time to make offerings of gratitude. You can write in your journal or read a prayer, set your intentions for the next day, or, just sit in silent meditation to release all the anxiety of the day.

Whatever you choose to do the point is to do it with a full heart and an appreciation of all the blessings you receive – no matter how small.

If you like – please share in the comment section below any of your favorite rituals or ceremonies that you perform on a daily basis

May all your dreams and desires manifest.

Love light and blessings - Lena
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