My last blog post was about the power of ritual and how it differs from routine. Now let’s look at how to create and cultivate a personal ritual—one that is uniquely and intimately yours.  

To recap its definition, ritual is steeped in meaning. It requires preparation, focus and full awareness. Symbolism is laced throughout, providing a deep sense of value. Ritual is always thought-provoking and often solemn, sacred and rhythmic in nature. It often provides a connection to others, such as a group of like-minded believers, or God, or both. That cohesiveness offers a sense of belonging, stability and safety. Ritual centers the human soul and helps a person stay focused on the belief that led to its performance in the first place.

There are two types of ritual: community and personal.

Community rituals are in constant existence and their meaning is consistent. For example, humanity gathers to ceremonially worship, to grieve or to be in the presence of those who unite themselves in matrimony. Some gather to study their faith, while others gather to conspire evil. Examples like these involve groups of people with established objectives. These assemblies are ritualistic because preparation and focus are required. They’re rich in meaning, thought-provoking, and provide a cohesive, like-minded connection to others. The subject matter, order and method of communal rituals are predetermined and set by the nature of what they are. Marriages, funerals and church services generally follow their own basic order.

Personal rituals, though, are exclusively yours. You create them just for you.

To create:

1. Consider the characteristics and decide what your ritual will be
2. Determine your objective
3. Establish a set time
4. Commit to the act
5. Before beginning, breathe deeply and relax
6. Just “be” for a few seconds
7. Begin
8. Stay focused
9. If your mind wanders, bring it back to the ritual and continue in peace

To cultivate:

Consider a garden. The gardener tends to it by watering, weeding, fertilizing and pruning plants on a regular basis in order to reap healthy vegetables. Without repetitive care, the vegetation will suffer and wither. The garden doesn’t care if the gardener is tired or having a bad day. It only cares that it is tended to.

Likewise, the same is true for your ritual. In order to reap its benefits, you must consistently nurture it.

“But what if I’m tired and don’t feel like doing it? What if I’m really angry or depressed and want to skip it?” you might ask.

The answer is: Do it anyway.

More often than not, those are the times when you gain the most benefit because ritual redirects your focus and soothes the soul.

Allow the discipline of following through with your commitment to override any excuse to skip. After all, you created this ritual for yourself. It’s exclusively yours, so stay devoted to the purpose that was important enough for you to create it in the first place.

The unwavering dedication of the gardener to the garden produces healthy plants and vegetables.

Likewise, cultivate your ritual and it will also produce your objective, as well as a bounty of balance and tranquility to your mind, body and spirit.