Daily ritual. On many levels (I hope) we already have them. The ritual of cleansing, of praying, of cooking, of reading. Most rituals started when we were young. They were rituals our parents taught us and we do them, even now without any thought. They are so engrained that we “just do them”.
My husband was raised Catholic. Altar boy, even slated to become a priest! I remember saying one Christmas, “Honey let’s go to mass”. He picked the local Catholic Church down the street. Watching him, after all these years, fall into the rituals of the church was fascinating! Even more fascinating, watching the entire room do these rituals. Then I realized, most were “just doing them”. Without thought. I don’t think there were many there saying “and peace be with you” that really thought about that statement as they said it.
Ritual. Or is it just routine? I think people enjoy doing things without thought. Routine is just that.
When I started my own personal journey of the 30 day writing challenge I realized that I was creating a ritual. In the beginning it definitely took conscious effort just to write every day. Now, many more than 30 days into it, I am “ritualized” if you will. BUT here is the thing about this challenge. You can’t do it and NOT think. Writing requires that a piece of YOU be actively, consciously involved. (yes, I know, your subconscious, blah, blah, blah)- not the point because even that requires some level of activity. Remember my activity versus movement blog post?
I think the Catholic Church wants its congregation to be actively involved in the ritual. That though requires daily effort, and the willingness to stay in conscious thought. To be actively engaged in ritual, you must participate daily. Hmmmmm…..interesting thought. Some days your praying might not be as powerful as other days, but you actively, and with thought, knelt down to pray. Some days your writing may not be off the chart fabulous but you actively and with thought wrote.
Ritual. Or Routine. Are there places in your life you need to awaken conscious effort?
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
I like the concept of needing to be actively engaged, that there is more than just the “doing” of something that is key. It reminded me of a tip that comes in one of my skincare regimens. You need to be actively aware of how you are washing your face, not thinking about everything but what you are doing or you can over-exfoliate and basically scrub the protective layer of skin off. Or when you are brushing your teeth, you are supposed to think about how you’re doing it, mindful of the pressure, of the little circles, the angle of the brush, etc. Things become habit, or routine, and, as you suggest, need to be conscious rituals. My mind loves to wander to a million different places when it gets the chance, but I’m becoming more focused as I practice my daily writing.
I, too, grew up in the Catholic Church and part of what was so appealing about it was the rituals…there is something comforting and secure about doing the same activities and believing that these rituals are going to make you right with God. A subject I could write pages about! You are so right when you talk about the importance of conscious thought while performing any ritual; it if is not there, then it is just a routine activity that loses its meaning and its power. What I love about writing is the opportunity to take all that I am and uncover it so that I can look at it and feel it and either grieve or rejoice or heal or lift it up or release it. As for other routines in my life, I would say that much of what I do at work has become routine, but it also takes conscious effort in many instances, especially when it comes to answering the phone and talking with potential customers…there are answers to certain questions that I have been trained on, but each person is so unique that it is important to be able to present the answers in a way that person will understand — or know when to pass the phone call to Warren or George!
Active engagement is what brings life to the event, but I think there are some days when the best I can muster is routine! I’ve seen this with my gym workout, which I do daily. Most of the time I’m quite involved, varying the exercises, and striving to improve myself. But some days I just walk through it and it’s the best I can do. I know the same is true of writing. Even on a day when I don’t “have it” (the conscious engagement, the momentum, what focus that brings it all together), I can benefit from carrying through the routine because it sustains the commitment.
Loving the challenge!
Judy Stone-Goldman
The Reflective Writer
http://www.thereflectivewriter.com/blog/
Personal-Professional Balance Through Writing
I think I have both in my life….but as you say conscious thought gets you there. I so hear you about church, and laughed as I read it, guilty as charged I am sure, lol! Doing something for your entire life, not always engaged, some dragged kicking and screaming, and yet when you go back its 2nd nature…..routine. The church would love for us all to be actively engaged daily….and on some level praying at meals and at bedtime might qualify (but this might be memorized)….yet for other things like you said you need to use your brain….conscious thoughts, alike, making the decision to do it. Thanks for making me think about how I am going thru life….I will never see the act of “peace be with you” the same again, lol…which is good thing!
Doing the 30 day writing right with you. Routine, maybe. Ritual, yes. It really can’t be done without thought. It would just be fingers hitting the keys on the keyboard and saying nothing, just letters not making words. No meaning at all. And when I pray a prayer I know by heart and just say it, routinely, is that really any different? I don’t think so. I’m not sure where I need to awaken conscious effort but I need to think about that!
Susan Berland
A Picture’s Worth
http://www.susan-berland.com
I definitely have routines that don’t require much thought – I make sure they are good habits though and watch out for poor habits. Creating ritual has also occurred…this year in particular I’ve created ritual around getting up early in the morning and reading to my daughter every am and pm. Requires conscious thought, must be present and is very rewarding. I’m enjoying the writing challenge…it will take a bit longer for it to become a ritual. Doing it at the same time each day would help 🙂
Brandy
I have always fought against routine but I like ritual – weird huh? I am loving doing the 30 minutes a day, I am also in a group where we are meditating every day, something I never thought I’d get to. I also do my Alexander Technique constructive rest and listen to my life vision. Some days I get a lot out of all three, some days I can’t even remember doing them almost! Mostly all of these things require conscious effort on my behalf as I fight against these things! They are all so good for me though!
Louise Edington
Breaking Through Online Frontiers
http://louiseedington.com
I absolutely love the distinction between routine and ritual, thought and being in auto mode. As I reflect on what you wrote, I think about how much magic is in every moment, even (especially?) those ones that seem hard, or where we face fear (as you describe in your activity/movement blog) and when we bring a consciousness to awareness, possibilites open up. And then you sometimes get writing like this one! Thank you, Ann, for inspiring me again and in so many ways.
Well, I would say meditating, exercising, running and stretching are definitely rituals. I have to be of present mind. My time on social networking is ritual now – because I have to be thoughtful. Driving – routine – not good, should be more aware. Brushing my teeth, routine – walking my dogs – routine. Places where I need more conscious effort – well, driving for sure. I don’t go to synagogue anymore,but when I did I would recite my Hebrew prayers by memory and not really think about what the words meant. If I ever go back, that would change now that I am older.
I’ve always hated (yes, I know that is a strong word, but I have strong feelings) anything that was ritualized to the point of dogma. I don’t like responsive readings in
Church, I don’t like memorized, recited prayers, unless you can actually say them and feel something. I think I’ve expressed, but will again that your 30 day writing challenge has awakened something in me. I guess it was time because I don’t struggle with it at all. I just do it. I guess I’ve been thinking about it for quite awhile and this was just the catalyst to get it going. It has caused me to approach other areas in my life with more effort than I have in the recent past.
I didn’t really think much about rituals until I read your post. I am not one for routine and I am pretty slap dash all around. I do try to get the things done I need to get done though..not usually in the same order and not usually at the same times daily. Probably a conscious effort would help me be more organized and more aware
Sometimes when I am exercising I like for it to become routine and not think about it. I call it “getting outside of my head”. Otherwise I think about how hard this is or how I want to be done. But, the problem with this strategy is when exercising it is important to change things up or else your body gets used to it and you don’t continue to progress. That is where the ritual side comes in. I do need to think about what I’m doing, how I can do it better, and what needs to change. That being said, it’s great to have the routine in place just in case I just need to go through the motions at least I’m getting my exercise in.
I’m working on this with my SoMe stuff. Doing my tweets, blogging, FB (still haven’t done much with youtube). I’m creating the ritual of engaging daily.
I so love the concept of consciousness in our daily lives. And that means bringing awareness to what we do. Participating actively, as you say. Showing up on a daily basis for ourselves. My ritual is to start the day with a long meditation and then to tune into what my higher self would love me to do right now to fulfil my destiny. I am open to whatever arises in the moment. And then I do a gratitude exercise. I start every day like this. Something huge is missing if I don’t do it and that for me is the difference between it being a mental exercise or a ritual. It affects how the rest of the day unfolds. Great question for us to be asking ourselves.
Ann,
I love this post! It is my personal an professional passion to be AWAKE in all of my daily activities. I inspire my clients to give their full presence to their mundane activities to engage the magical aspects of being fully present in the moment.
Blessings of health,
chris arcucci
Who says a woman can’t cultivate her super powers in a dress?!
http://www.MindfulLivingArts.com
I so am not into routines. I’m not sure where that comes from: Catholic schools? Maybe. I don’t remember our household being in a routine. I know we have some routines here like breakfast, daily cleansing rituals. I am doing the writing challenge but I write at different times of the day. I have also started doing a daily meditation and that I am doing first thing in the morning. It hasn’t been 30 days on that yet but I’m hoping it is part of my daily routine and becomes natural with a large degree of mindfulness.
Julieanne Case Always from the heart!
Blog: http://www.julieannecasefromtheheart.com
Reconnecting you to your essence, joy, vitality, youth.| Healing you from the Inside Out |Reconnective Healing | AgeLoc Skin Care | Pharmanex Supplements
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LOVE this! And the photo/caption too. Because coffee in my household is ritual. I often go to bed excited about the morning, just because of our coffee ritual. 🙂
I need take a closer look at some of my “routines” and my default modes. I try to dig around in that territory on a regular basis in order to stay more conscious and be present, rather than simply being on “automatic pilot”… like those moments you arrive at your location having no recollection of the drive? Frightening!
I have sacred me time that could be called a spiritual ritual I guess and I make a conscious effort to do this every morning before I start my day. I am beginning to consciously create my 30×2 daily SoMe activity and I am excited about doing it.
Both rituals and routines are important in my life, but they’re fluid. That is, a particular routine today might be tomorrow’s ritual, and back to a routine next week. It depends on whether my mind is engaged or whether I’m “just phoning it in”. I think our lives have too many activities to allow us to be fully aware of everything we do, so routines let us carry on without having to focus on every detail. A good routine is like a good reflex — automatic, usually conservative, and protective. It’s cautious and keeps us safe. And a good ritual enables us to soar thoughtfully, beyond simply going through the motions. It lets us transcend the day-to-day.
My wife was raised a Catholic, too, and she tells me years ago she’d occasionally hear people mumble “Surely good Mrs Murphy shall follow me… “.
I have several morning rituals to begin my day. During our work together, my clients are incorporating many success skills into their life over our time period together. I encourage them to create a daily ritual that will help to lock in the learning. This ritual should remind them to be aware and in command of their mindset and also should enforce the good habits that they are working on. Of course, the ritual needs to be uniquely theirs–what works for them.
Rachel Lavern | http://www.rachellavern.com
Personal Transformation, Enlightenment and Development Coach
“Live without limits because nothing is impossible to you.”
I happen to love ritual. And I love making spaces to have rituals happen. Ritual is like an invitation. An invitation to sink deeper into the meaning of what we are doing. Its an invitation also, when done consciously, to allow Spirit deeper into our lives and invite our joy in our Hearts to move us through our work, play or whatever it happens to be.
I have never been a ritual person but have just begun to really appreciate them and seek out those that positively contribute to my life. I believe, Ann, that you have really hit on something important and I want to follow your lead here. I will pursue this now.
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– Jenny Thomas
I have been implementing rituals, which I have written down, and it is helping me be more productive.
I found myself writing one down recently that I intended to do at some point, grudgingly.
To my surprise, later in the day I realized when I looked back at my list, as I am using that as a reminder tool, that I had done it already, as if by not even thinking about it, pretty cool!
I learned a morning ritual whic I just can’t keep up. Too lengthy. I’ve since experimented with shorter rituals and nothing has stuck. Still searching for that meaningful ritual that will keep me energized.
Sue Bock
http://couragetoadventurecoaching.wordpress.com
Excellent post Ann. It gives us the opportunity to examine our activities and choose the important ones that we want to incorporate (& unincorporate) into our daily lives. With all we have to do, it’s important to have our priorities straight.
What a great thought-provoking blog. I know when I shower, I do my best thinking, so I can deduce that showering is a ritual (thank goodness for my associates!)…Your blog will now have me weighing out my actions to place on one side of the ritual/routine line.
More consciousness please. My daily ritual is this. Success is varying.