“Ritual is the act of sanctifying action – even ordinary actions – so that it has meaning: I can light a candle because I need the light or because the candle represents the light I need.”
~ Christina Baldwin, Life’s Companion
It is not that our lives lack ritual but rather that most rituals have lost their meaning and shifted into the realm of the ordinary. Without the thoughtfulness of purpose, a ritual becomes mere habit. We trivialize so many opportunities for depth and connection by performing our actions out of habit rather than conviction and reverence – everything from birthday cards and gifts to religious rituals and personal celebrations performed by rote lose their meaning and their magic.
Ritual is a way of making potent and powerful what would otherwise be nothing more than everyday activity. It delineates a shift in consciousness and imbues our actions with a special kind of energy.
In our technically brilliant modern society, there are too few places where we are encouraged, or even allowed, to plumb our deepest selves and honor our multi-dimensionality with intention and grace. Yet women have used rituals to mark the cycles of the moon, the passage of the seasons, and the rhythms of our bodies. The enactment of empowering and inspiring rituals, performed alone or in groups, can provided a different perspective from which to view and celebrate the fullness of our lives.