Refining Rituals

Ritual, when coupled with beauty, makes for a very adequate mooring.

Cole Arthur Riley, Black Liturgies

We are creatures of habit. I was first told this statement in a sixth grade science class. Since then, I have come to see its truth over and over again within myself. I go the same places, repeat certain phrases, do the same things, again and again. Once I accepted how tied to habit I really was, I tried to then harness the power of setting habits. I realized that if I ever wanted to change something in my life – course correct, or establish a goal, or grow in some way – I would need to examine my habits and subtract or add accordingly.

Practice makes ritual…

Alex Elle.

It was not until later, that I looked beyond the more rigid habit setting as a method for goal achievement to ritualizing practices as a method for living, of creating a life. A number of my habits became practices for me, things that I repeated imperfectly, and grew within. With enough of them together in certain ways, I have begun to craft more ritualistically my morning routine, my writing, my photography.

I think the difference between the new ritual and the old habit is intention and purpose. There is meaning here, and the meaning makes it all the more powerful. I am not perfect at ritualizing the important practices I want to build my life upon, not yet anyways. But I do not think perfection is truly the point. I am not even perfect at the original stage of habit setting. But I am growing in this perspective. And I think the last true step will be to take each ritual and make it beautiful – special moments tailored just to who I am and what I need., to be the anchors for living my best and truest life.

I am grateful for having been able to expand my perspective and look forward to the life I may build.