The Freedom of Ritual: Reducing Stress Through Ritual

When you hear the word, "ritual," the word "freedom" probably doesn't also spring to mind. Instead, you might imagine hooded people in a dark room lit only by candles, or perhaps a religious ceremony; maybe even a superstitious habit like those in that Super Bowl commercial for...what was it? Beer? But today I'd like to invite you to consider the amalgamation of ritual and freedom, because I think it's an important part of what we often miss in our busy lives.

Rituals don't have to happen in a church, or in a secret society, or at a sporting event. In fact, many of us partake of rituals daily, even if we don't notice them. You probably have a certain way that you make your coffee every morning, or a series of steps that you go through to apply make-up, or a set of warm-up exercises you engage in before your daily run. You may have a particular way of chopping the vegetables for dinner. You might have a certain route you take through the house at night before bed, turning off lights, locking doors, getting water for the bedside table.

Now what, you may be asking, is the difference between ritual and routine? The difference is intention. Routine is doing something the same way each time you do it, without any consideration for what the process is. It can be boring, mind-numbing. It can become just something to get done in the quickest, easiest way possible. Ritual is embracing a routine with purpose and gratitude. Ritual creates holy space.

There are two ways that ritual creates holy space. Let's use the coffee making example to demonstrate. You fill the kettle with water and set the kettle on the stove, turning the dial to high. You reach for the coffee beans, measure them into the grinder, and whirl the beans into grounds. You dump the grounds into the French press and wait for the water to boil. You pour the water from the kettle into the press, replacing the top and waiting the required time until you can press the grounds down through the hot water and pour the coffee into your waiting mug. Now, if you go through all these motions automatically and smoothly, they can create mental space in which you can wander - not think or self-analyze, but wander. It provides a place to meditate, in a way, as you go about your daily tasks. This is the first kind of holy space. The second kind of holy space is created when you go about the same tasks, in the same way, but take special notice of the sound of the water boiling, the scent of the coffee beans, the feel of the warmth of your mug filled with coffee. This holy space is marked not by mental absence, or transcendence, as it were, but by mental presence and intentional attention to detail.

Ok, fine, so holy space. What's the big deal? Why would I even want something so crazy sounding? Simple: holy space reduces stress. Think about it. When was the last time you stepped into a beautiful garden and let yourself relax in the space? When was the last time you stepped into a cathedral and allowed yourself to marvel at the splendor? When was the last time you "lost yourself" in a yoga flow? How did you feel at any of those times? Stressed? Worn out? Anxious? Probably not.

There are many clinical studies about how mindfulness and meditation can reduce stress and anxiety. You may not have time to sit for several minutes a day to actually meditate (if you do, good for you!), but you can utilize your daily routines in a mindful way that creates the same meditative qualities that reduce stress, and who couldn't use that? If you're the type who likes to be alone in your mind, the first example above of holy space will work well for you. If you're the type who prefers not to get too metaphysical, and would rather keenly observe and feel the world around you, the second example of holy space within ritual will probably suit you better.

Whichever way of practicing ritual you prefer will ground you. The first will allow you to feel weightless, free, and at one with all, much like traditional meditation does. You will feel less anxious and more related to the world in a spiritual sense. The second will open your senses and get you out of your head, reducing your stress and creating a sense of gratitude for your being and your surroundings. The more often you are able to create holy space during your day via ritual, the less stress you will carry around with you, and the less stress you carry, the more freedom you enjoy.

What are some of your daily routines that you can turn into ritual? Which holy space do you think you would prefer most? And if you practice ritual, please share your experience. We all could use extra inspiration on stress-reduction and gratitude, I'm sure!