Ritual Versus Routine.

December is such a powerful month. It’s a time when we focus on giving to others. It’s a time when we’re allowed and encouraged to make-believe. It’s a time to come together for reflection and celebration. The catalyst for this is ritual. 

It’s the one time of the year that we throw our routine out the window in favour of ritual. The ritual of how we decorate our tree. The ritual of how we wrap our presents for loved ones. The ritual of how we count down the days. We all do these things but in our own special way. Every family has their favourite Christmas movie that they watch every year. We listen to the same Christmas songs and reminisce over the memories they conjure, stoking the fire of ritual. 

Then January arrives and the boxes come out and we pack it all away but not just the decorations, the practice of ritual gets tangled up amongst all that glitter and shine and gets shoved back up in the loft until next December. 

I’ve decided this year not to pack ritual away but to let her stay and I am introducing her to a friend called routine. You see, routine is in desperate need of a makeover. Routine is mundane, expected, when routine is around I tend to be a little more thoughtless, a little less present. I’m hoping by introducing ritual to routine that a little magic may occur. 

Ritual has meaning, she demands (in a nice way) your full attention and focus. She wants you to truly understand and feel her purpose. Ritual is nourishing and soothing. She’s a reminder of the bigger picture - of what’s important. 

So my yoga practice is helping me get still and notice where routine in my life could flourish with a little sprinkle of ritual magic. 

To create a ritual all we need to do is be fully in the moment and appreciate the task at hand. We need to bring our awareness to the present and notice what is special. When we give it our focus the smallest act can become a ritual. Our morning cup of tea. The walk from the station to the office. Folding laundry. The opportunities are all around us. Then we need to get the diary out and make a date. Same time. Same place. The frequency is up to you - daily, weekly, monthly - the key is to commit and honour the practice. 

So why do we need ritual? Many moons ago humans looked to nature for guidance and we had many rituals in place creating a strong connection between ourselves and our environment. Rituals that tracked the seasons, the lunar cycle, the animal kingdom. But over time we dropped these rituals in favour of routine and we lost our connection to what’s important. I believe that the lack of ritual could be adding to the turmoil we are witnessing on our planet now - the disconnection from our environment and each other. 

I think adding more ritual into our lives could wake us up from our foggy routines and open our eyes to all the beauty and opportunity that surrounds us. Quite simply, ritual adds value to our lives and the upgrade is on offer to everyone, free of charge. 

I would love to hear if you have a ritual that has enhanced your life. Sometimes it’s the smallest of changes that make the biggest impact. 

Namaste,

Laura x