From Routine to Ritual

Ever since I was a teenager in the 1990’s who loved to visit The Body Shop and buy Bath Pearls, I have had a routine to have a Bath or Shower on a Sunday evening with a facemask to reset for the week.

It just became a routine which I have carried on into my forties.

We may all have routines such as clearing up after dinner and then changing into bedclothes and brushing our teeth. We generally do these things to be organised and practical.

Once I had qualified as a Yoga Teacher and needed to plan classes, I made a ritual to get me in the zone of creating.

I would make a cup of herbal tea.

I would then light some incense to change from my work mode into focusing on Yoga.

I would spend 5 minutes laying on my mat and close my eyes observing my breath. Often my mind would be distracted but I took the time to settle my mind.

I would then pick a theme such as a body part and then brainstorm ideas of poses.

Moving on my mat I would choose how the class would begin whether standing, laying down or seated and then go from there.

I would practice the class, and then write it out on a piece of paper before going off to teach the class afterwards.

Instead of being just a routine I purposely chose to do all those things in an order. It was my intention to change my state to one of focus by changing the scent around me and by meditating to help clear my mind. 

Rituals are different to routines as they are not just for performing necessary tasks. They are not something to just get done quickly to get on to the next thing but to really be present in what is going on. When I meditate and burn incense I'm not doing it because I have to, but because I am taking great care in what I’m doing and I want to distinguish it as special.

Rituals are meaningful because they are chosen with intention.

Another ritual I have at nighttime is a space for reflection of the day. After changing into pyjamas, doing my facial skincare routine and brushing my teeth I get into bed and turn the light off. I then think back over the day and think of at least three things I'm grateful for. Sometimes I have about 10, but I have to have a minimum of 3. Due to this ritual I am always seeing the positives in life and even on a very difficult day I may be glad I had a hot shower, a good coffee in the morning and I am now able to rest at night. I did originally start writing them down but it has evolved to thinking about them.

If you would like to add more rituals to your life I would recommend beginning by making one daily one, one weekly, and then one monthly.

You could commit to one month and then take some time to reflect and journal on your experiences.

How did the ritual make a difference to your life?

Do you feel any differently now from before the ritual?

Can I change the ritual to make it more powerful?

Build up slowly and if you are unsure of what to do, work backwards from your desired outcome.

 For example if your mornings are stressful and you want to feel calmer, you could get up 20 minutes earlier, make a cup of warm water, sit and think about how you want your day to be for 10 minutes. You could then follow up with 10 minutes of Yoga.

This 20 minute ritual may not be seen as essential compared to showering and getting dressed but could be the difference in how you feel overall throughout the whole day.

Rituals are very powerful and I hope if you have them they contribute to you feeling empowered to live your best life.