What's a Ritual?

What is a ritual exactly? Merriam Webster defined it  as, "something that is always done in a particular situation and in the same way each time." 

Rituals are everywhere in our daily lives. They are evident in everything from social customs such as handshakes and greetings to celebrations and what they entail, such as birthdays and holidays. Some have daily rituals to prepare for the day while others only partake for religious or social customs.

Some rituals are spiritual in nature like lighting candles for prayers or spells, ceremonies such as honoring our dead, honoring the cycles of nature and seasons or cyclical events like solstices, stellar events, and lunar cycles.
 

 Some rituals are more religious like baptisms, sacrament, certain holidays and feasts, and some weddings.
                            

Some rituals are more common, life events - learned behaviors such as how one gardens, sets a table for holiday guests, shares stories around a camp fire, interacts in certain social settings like graduations, weddings or memorials, etc.

 

Whatever the intent or purpose, rituals are a part of everyone's life to one degree or another. They are not to be afraid of or ashamed of. They are how we interact with the world we are in and how we relate to the events of our lives. Rituals are both personal and social aspects of our existence and help us put meaning in the things that we do.

For me rituals grant me a means to make changes and affect growth in my life. They provide me a way to celebrate the simple things and allow a spiritual aspect to the mundane. Rituals give me a way to daily, monthly, quarterly, yearly - take stock in the life I am living and allow me to continually work toward being a better version of myself. 

Next time someone mentions a ritual they need to do or have done, understand that it one way or another is an important part of who they are. Feel honored that they shared this information with you. If it is not something you understand, perhaps you can ask them to explain it to you.(Keep an open mind if you do.) There might just be something that you yourself can find useful and implement it into your own routines to add quality and depth to your own life. 

If you are still unsure what rituals can do to help you and would like to learn more there are many websites that list different types of rituals and even give examples of how to carry them out. Do some research, find what suits you in your present situation. Decide for yourself if you need to implement them into your life. Either way, I wish you a blessed, enriched life.
 

 
Be good to yourselves - Blessings!