What the heck do you mean by “Ritual” anyway?!?

The etymology of the word ritual is of Latin origin for “Ritus” or “Ritualis” and is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as:

1. a set of actions or words performed in a regular way, often as part of a religious ceremony

2. a ritual is also any act done regularly, usually without thinking about it:

3. a set of fixed actions and sometimes words performed regularly, especially as part of a ceremony.

When gathering my thoughts to write on this topic, I couldn't ignore the very strong association with religion not only through the definition itself, but in my own life experience. I strive to keep an open mind so I had to keep digging, which turned into quite a transformative experience clearing out old beliefs, and probably ancient baggage around the meaning of ritual itself. If you will allow me the gift of time, I would very much like to take you through the thought process, because I love ritual. For me, the creative process is very much a ritual, so it feels relevant to share with friends of Shakti Movers, because it’s how we work.

First, let's play with words a bit because we can benefit from examining what we associate with words. If we take out the word "religious" or "ceremony" from the Cambridge definition, I mean with complete discipline, strike all the words with religious connotation (religious, rite, worship etc.), we see that ritual is an observance or series of actions performed in a prescribed order or customary way with an attitude of sacrifice, devotion, or celebration. Underneath that is a vibration of giving, an offering, if you will. If we get too focused on who or what that offering is for, we get pulled right back to the original Latin "Ritus" which I realize is hardwired for many of us.

In a spirit of play, could it mean that any action we perform in a regular and repetitive way has the potential to become a Ritual?  Please refer back to definition #2: A ritual is also any act done regularly, usually without thinking about it. Now, if I follow that definition, I can confidently share that today I regularly see people performing ritual while washing their cars or doing groceries. I also see people performing ritual when they step onto a yoga mat, or approach a canvas…how about washing dishes or cleaning the toilet…

 Are you still with me? Good. Let’s keep digging.

The ancient cultures of the world were built around ritual. Our ancestors knew the potential of a focused mind. They recorded series of actions that were then handed down over time for us to discover and repeat. Why? So we too could come to know the power of a focused mind.  Our ancestors were not bombarded by the constant buzz of technology, traffic, and competition. I am referring to the people who were so receptive that the universe gave them the keys to neuroscience BEFORE it was a field of study. The people who understood quantum physics BEFORE Niels Bohr and Max Planck or those who could map the stars and the planets BEFORE Nicolaus Copernicus. My guess is the rituals they were involved in were very different from rituals we see in our modern day culture that often involve stand up, sit down...kneel….circumnavigate, kneel, stand up...and sit back down. Perhaps the only difference from ancient to contemporary ritual is that our thinking has changed.

 I don't mean any disrespect. Believe me, I have spent the better part of the last 15 years exploring, investigating, and studying from teachers dedicated to passing on the tradition of ritual with integrity.

 As a very modern and (let’s be honest) rebellious Aquarian woman in an age of shifting paradigms, I have made myself a full time position of practicing, experiencing, breaking it down, totally stripping the rules, coming back to basics, and re-discovering what the heck is the point of ritual any way. I am by no means an expert, and welcome any of your thoughts on this matter as well.

What defines ritual? For me what defines a ritual is LOVE. AWE. REPSECT. Simply put, emotional expression.

Why is it important to practice ritual? Wait. What if we first replace the word ritual with action.

Think about it, if you repeat a sequence of actions enough, and it becomes so automatic you can do it with your eyes closed, without thinking about it, what are you aware of?

 I am willing to wager you become aware of your thoughts, the chatter of things you need to do before work tomorrow, the hurt still lingering in the pit of your stomach from that terrible thing that happened "x" number of years ago. You become aware of your mind, which is essentially composed of thoughts, emotions, and memories. If you are brave---or maybe a little bit crazy---you don't run from your mind. Instead you turn towards it. When you turn towards it, you pick up the sword of discernment to consciously choose your thoughts, actions and reactions with purpose. The sticky truth is, most of us are more focused on the image of the physical aspect of our experience. So when our thoughts or feelings become dominant, it’s a game changer.

That being said, we have to examine the purpose behind performing action.

 Let me give you an example:

Before any plane takes off, the flight attendants go through a routine series of actions to describe the safety information necessary for sustaining life in the event of an emergency. They have memorized the script and rehearsed the dance. It’s automatic. So too is 98 percent of the passengers sitting apathetically in their seat ignoring the flight attendant. But what if we look at this through the lens of definition #2 and call this series of action a ritual.

The physical equipment of the ritual here is the flight attendants body and speech showing us what to do. The purpose of the ritual is preservation of life. What would it be like if every single human on the plane was aware of the exchange of information as an emotional expression or reverence for human life? Meaning, there was no question of liability or insurance as the motivation for this routine series of action. Why not call it a Ritual? 

What if our ritual practices were more about preparing and creating a subtle and receptive mind, like the minds of our ancestors?

Let’s think about the "equipment" of our ancestors. They were not versed in books...because they didn’t exist, but they were deeply rooted in the patterns found in nature. They had a deep reverence for the earth and how She provided for their every survival need. They could sense the pulse of life under their feet and smell the changes in weather.  They were sensitive and fierce when they needed to be. They were creative. They valued each other because they knew their chances for survival were greater if they cooperated.

So we come full circle. It is my hypothesis that ritual is meant to prepare our mind to become receptive and subtle. If the mind is subtle, that means it is in a higher state of consciousness and the body becomes the vehicle or container for that consciousness. In states of higher consciousness, we are capable of effortless freedom of expression. And because it is a higher state of consciousness, there is no fear or violence. Athletes, artists, engineers, to name a few, call it “The zone.”  These people know the value of regular practice and the resulting mental freedom it creates. They crave the zone. The zone is not an escape. It’s a place of heightened perception and efficiency. If we capture that zone during mundane activities, aren’t we evolving into a version of ourselves that whispers of our ancestors WHILE bringing the progress, knowledge, science and technology of the modern age with us? Ritual is not a frivolous matter, if one can marry the repetitive physical action with a focused mind it’s truly a game changer!!!!!

If you've come this far by now you understand that I am not talking about ritual in the sense religion. I am speaking of ritual in the sense of repetitive action that becomes a vehicle for me to cultivate the presence of mind that sharpens the faculty of discernment necessary to evolve to a place where I can embody the “zone” weather I am washing dishes or performing in a dance I created.

Ritual is a practice. It doesn’t happen over night. It takes effort and constant application to change the mind from mindlessness to mindfulness. Ritual is the gift that keeps on giving.

Ritual is an art. Ritual becomes a structure that leads to freedom of expression. As long as the discipline to be with our own mind and move towards subtlety and receptivity is there, any action can become reverent and pregnant with purpose.

What is your purpose?

What matters most to you?

What would it be like if you could design your own ritual that was guided by tradition but not bound to tradition? How would it feel to perform that ritual with an attitude infused with that which matters most to you every day?

I imagine an unstoppable creative force would be unleashed… This is why I created Shakti Moves Dance Company and its community offerings. I believe it is important to find ways to practice ritual that are inspiring and fulfilling. What better way than to explore creativity as the container for healing and community building? It’s my mission to facilitate a deeper understanding of art as a form of ritual and provide opportunities for all humans regardless of vocation to practice art making as ritual for self and community healing.