Definition: A ritual is a set of actions, which often have symbolic value. Rituals are most well-known in religious practices.Some of you may know that I follow a more eclectic spiritual path, but I grew up with a more traditional religion. ((Christianty wasn't my thing and I'm not religion bashing)) One thing that lead me to my current lifestyle was the fact that you are in charge of your life and it's repercussions. Another thing that intrigued me was the bells and whistles, the multitude of rituals.
Some 'rituals' we already have, in modern USA, are birthdays, weddings, and funerals. Each are special, but what about other more important individual rituals. For example, coming of age ceremonies, why don't we see any of those?
In our modern society, where jobs and money make up most of our time, we forget the smaller, more important things. We are so bound by work, responsibilities and electronic entertainment, that we forget the the moment, the things that are happening right now.
Rituals bring you into the present moment, they help you with transitions of life, to celebrate important milestones. Some are made up on the spot, while others are more planned out. I feel the more planned out ones make things more special, you took your time to make this happen. it will be better engraved into your memory.
You don't even have to follow any sort of religion to do them!
Here's a list of ritual examples and ideas:
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| Celtic Handfasting |
- Coming of Age ceremony (child to teen)
- Coming of Age 2 (Teen to Adult)
- Becoming an Elder(wise one!, Adult to Elder)
- Motherhood ceremony (similar to baby shower, but not quite)
- Ritualistic Cleansing (of negativity)
- Seasonal changes
- New Friendship
- Loss of (body part) (transition from one to another)
- New Pet
- Moving out
- Death of a loved one anniversary
Most of these Rituals and Ceremonies are more or less celebrating life stages and events. Many times we just go through these stages with out much thought. One day we wake up and we finally realize the change.
What if we had more rituals in our lives to help us transition and celebrate the more intimate parts of growing up and living?
A good question people ask is 'Why do you need one?'. Why does this ceremony need to take place?
Like I said before, it's to celebrate life stages and events, and that pretty much happens on a daily basis all around the world.
How would I know I'd need a ritual or ceremony?
Here are a few questions:
- Are you changing in some way? (whether physical, emotional, mental or spiritual?)
- Is there something new that's coming into your life? (person, place, thing?)
- Is there something that needs to, or is, leaving your life? (person, place, thing?)
- Do you just feel the need to celebrate?!
If you said yes to any of these then yes, you can have a ritual/ceremony. Now, like all celebrations they should be safe and sane. We don't need anyone getting hurt or being sent into a mental institution.
How to go about making a ritual:
Links of love time! Here are a few resources to get you started!
RitualCraft: Creating Rites for Transformation and Celebration,(Highly recommended, despite religion)
Easy Cleansing Ritual Bath, (rituals can be as easy or as hard as you want them to be!)
Create your Ceremony, (a good basic guide, even though it's for weddings, you can change to your liking)
All in all, rituals and ceremonies are an important part of life that much of the modern age has forgotten or doesn't put much emphasis upon. Rituals and ceremonies can be what you make it, each special in it's own way. They can be a simple or as gradose as you want it to be. Single solitary intimate rituals, or grand annual traditions. Anything goes!
So what rituals are you going to incorporate into your life?
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