Rituals are not only religious mysteries; in the modern world, rituals are also called everyday useful practices that help us feel better and work through difficult emotions. Let’s find out what rituals are and how to use them to our benefit.
What a Ritual Is
The boundary between ritual and non-ritual lies in the inner experience. Erik Erikson defined ritual as “repeated actions that have meaning for all participants in an interaction.” If an action is endowed with symbolism for you, it can be called a ritual in the everyday sense.
There are several classifications of rituals:
- Individual, small group, and large group.
- Unique and repetitive.
- Domestic, business, social (the various social scripts we observe), religious, etc.
Properties of Rituals
One of the main features of ritual is that it isn’t always rational; we don’t think about why exactly we repeat it. For example, why do we decorate the tree on Christmas and blow out the candles on the birthday cake? These actions used to have a certain meaning, but now we continue to do them more out of inertia.
Some rituals are close to superstition. They are common in those spheres of life where there is a lot of uncertainty: for example, among artists, athletes, those who regularly play free slots online, and sailors. For example, the singer Beyoncé and her team, before each performance, stand in a circle and say a prayer.
In any ritual, there is a symbolic form that represents our fears, dreams, or desires in material form. For example, throwing rice at a newlywed couple is a symbolic wish for prosperity and fertility.
If a family has a tradition of gathering around the same table once a week, there is not only a practical meaning but also a symbol of unity. In the ritual, the imaginary, mystical, and spiritual worlds merge with the real world.
Rituals have a playful character. In ritual, a person can recreate past experiences in a playful way, anticipate future events, and reach the highest point of emotional experience of the event, catharsis. One example of such rituals is the carnival celebrations before Lent, which exist in many countries around the world. This annual ritual has been interpreted by researchers as a way to renew the world and society through play and relieve social tension.
Rituals are usually related to the transition from one state to another: for example, initiation rites such as baptism or quinceañera, that is, the celebration of adulthood in Latin America. Such rituals generally occur only once in a lifetime.
However, most rituals are repetitive, and many are associated with specific dates and seasons. Take Christmas celebrations as an example. From year to year, we dress up the Christmas tree, but each time the same actions are perceived in a new way. The repetition of familiar rituals in this case gives our lives structure, and also allows us to work through the emotions of what is happening and prepare for the future.
How Rituals Help Bring People Together
A ritual is usually something we do together with other people, even if it’s a simple family ritual like going to the bathhouse every week. A study published by the American Psychological Association shows that having a family routine and rituals leads to stronger bonds within the family and strengthens the sense of identity of everyone involved in the ritual.
Ritual is one possible way to strengthen the bonds that are important to us. To do this, it’s worth thinking about what kind of group you want to be connected to and what kind of rituals you can have. These can be either trips to the countryside together or celebrations linked to specific events.
Even if the ritual is individualized, it can still reinforce your shared values with a group. Doing yoga and meditation in the morning is not only good for you, but it also reinforces for you the value of health and mindfulness, and these beliefs can be shared with others.
Rituals have several psychological aspects, one of which is anxiety reduction. In a situation of high uncertainty, the fact that each day is different can cause additional anxiety. So, psychologists often recommend that people with high anxiety, or, for example, those who have recently emigrated, come up with their own rituals and repeat them regularly. This could be practicing yoga, taking a bath, or going for a walk — anything that makes you feel better and becomes a regular part of your routine.
Rituals help you live through and let go of necessary emotions in a symbolic and dramatic way. The loss of a loved one is an event that cannot be prepared for. When experiencing grief, it’s important for us to know what to do. Funerals or memorial services are rituals of transition, and they have their own guides to guide the course of the ritual movement. Going through this ritual to the end allows us to live through feelings that are difficult to live through on our own.
In terms of emotional burden, a seemingly joyous event like a wedding is also a serious source of stress. The rituals surrounding the wedding allow us to prepare for the changes to come and channel those emotions.
Some alternatives are born on their own when previous practices become impossible. During the COVID quarantine, we could see new, mostly online practices taking the place of familiar ones: birthdays at Zoom, yoga classes, and even memorial services. Those days, each online author approved new tools for writing their texts and posting them. Faced with new challenges, humanity finds new answers and new rituals related to our requests.
The Danger of Rituals
When ritual retains its form but loses its content, it becomes ritualism. Erikson called ritualism the most extreme form of ritual. Although any ritual has a formal character, it still retains some meaning for the participants of the ritual: for example, emotions or mutual interest.
What are the criteria for following rituals in a healthy way? It is important that we control rituals, not that they control us. Otherwise, the ritual will be harmful.
The most prominent manifestation of such “ritualized” repetitive action is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD is a serious illness, and any, even excessive, following of ritual isn’t necessarily a symptom of it. If you suspect you have OCD, you should see a specialist for professional diagnosis and treatment). Compulsive behaviors usually have some positive intention behind them, too. Compulsions in OCD relieve anxiety, but if a person doesn’t follow them, they will cause more anxiety. If you feel like something terrible will happen if you don’t follow a ritual, you should probably look for alternative behaviors and gradually change your brain’s mind that certain rituals define your life.
