“When you do common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.” George Washington Carver.

 

Ritual has always been an important part of every human society. The first rituals were seasonal celebrations, recognizing the changing cycles of the moon and the sun. For societies that depended on hunting and agriculture for their very survival, these changes often meant the different between life and death. At the Winter Solstice, for instance, when the days grew short and the nights grew long, the return of the sun was of vital importance. Sacrifices were made to help ensure that it came back, and ritual fires burned to symbolize its energy.

 

            As our social life became more complex with the growth of towns and cities, religious rituals became more and more formal. These were less obviously based on natural cycles, but often took place at the same time as those that preceded them. In Western society, for instance, Christmas rituals replaced the Winter Solstice rituals.

 

            With industrialization, and a move away from the traditional roots of the church, our connection with rituals was also lost. Although people kept loose family or personal rituals, large-scale rituals became less and less common. When the time comes for a wedding or a funeral, many people feel alienated and uncomfortable.

 

            The coming together of such diverse strands as Wicca, the women’s movement, the ecology movement, and personal growth and self discovery workshops have led to a rediscovery of the importance of ritual. More and more, people are beginning to reconnect with the cycles of the seasons, and to recognize the need to celebrate their triumphs and transitions.

 

            Rituals serve several purposes. They afford us an opportunity to give thanks for that which we have been blessed with. They affirm our value, and our place within our families and communities. But above all they afford us an opportunity to reflect on, to take stock of, and to plan our life paths.

 

            The more rituals we introduce into our busy lives, the more they are given shape and purpose. There is comfort and beauty in the familiar and routine. Whether we take the traditional religious rituals of our society and transform them to suit our own purposes, or invent rituals of our own, the same principle applies. We have first to decide the purpose of the ritual – and this is where the true value of ritual lies. Because it is not in the observance, so much as in the planning and manifesting that the energy is concentrated.

 

            Here are some suggestions for introducing more ritual into your own life:

 

  1. Designate one night of the week “family meal” night. Make it a night when everyone is expected to be present, when the TV is turned off, and everyone sits down to eat, with candles lighted, flowers on the table, and a blessing spoken over the food.
  2. Celebrate the seasonal rituals – the Solstice, the Equinox and the Full Moon – by decorating a simple altar in appropriate colours, with flowers and fruits for offerings. Acknowledge the elements and the directions. Play appropriate music and give thanks for your accomplishments. Plan the next steps in your life journey, and dedicate or rededicate yourself to your path.
  3. Make personal transitions such as birthdays, starting and finishing school, or achieving success at work or college more of a feature. Have a special meal. Award certificates. Take photographs for display on a family notice board. Let the special person wear a garment – perhaps a hat or cloak - kept for the occasion. Emphasize the handmade rather than the commercial.

Ritual is worth bringing back!