Harnessing The Power Of Ritual this Summer Solstice
Thoughts on rituals, how you can make your own and the power of making rituals a part of your day to day.
Over the past 2 years the summer and winter solstice are occasions I’ve gone from knowing absolutely nothing about to excitedly counting down the days to. If you’re reading this on the day it’s published, Summer Solstice is a matter of days away (Wednesday the 21st of June), and with this in mind, I wanted to share some thoughts on rituals, how you can make your own and the power of making rituals a part of your day to day and life - and maybe, even making a start on Wednesday…
Slowing down and finding a sense of wonder in life
The part of slow living I’m drawn to most is the intention to find a sense of wonder and be present in the day to day, which is exactly what rituals allow me to do. Having a sense of wonder and excitement is something we’re taught to reserve for new and exciting moments, but you can almost learn and teach yourself to experience that feeling of delight and awe for the things (if you’re anything like me) you’ve probably rushed through before.
Seriously, why have we been taught to reserve these feelings just for special occasions? I think we can all agree we want to experience it daily, not once in a blue moon.
Since discovering rituals in so many forms it has really helped me fill that gap, I’m no longer waiting for exciting life moments and find the same joy, wonder and excitment in the day to day.
The difference between a ritual and routine
The difference between a ritual and a routine is the intention behind it. With a routine, it’s often seen as a necessity as part of the day, with a ritual we come at it with more presence, there’s meaning behind it which can leave us feeling calmer and more connected.
Some of my small daily rituals
The power of scent: This first ritual I actually started doing by accident, and it’s lighting a particular insense when doing a longer Yoga practice. I’ve always found certain scents can take me back to a moment or make me feel a certain way, and this particular scent now has associations with feeling safe, well rested and calm thanks to pairing it with my Yoga practice. It’s a small ritual but one that feels like a little act of self love and nourishment every time I roll out my mat.
Writing a line a day: A more recent ritual for me is writing a line a day 5 year journal. As the name suggests, at the end of each day I’ll write down a couple of lines just summarising what’s happened. It’s the last thing I do before I sleep, and it feels like a nice way to seal off the day and come back to the present. I’ve found it’s a nice way to journal and document moments without feeling overwhelmed which I can sometimes find with a blank space in a regular journal.
Working with the lunar cycle: I also like to track the full moon and new moon and use them as markers to think about things I want to release/ things I want to manifest. I like that this is every two weeks. It gives me a chance to check in and think about my intentions for the week ahead.
Getting the earlier bus or choosing a train over car: This might seem like a random one, but being more intentional with travel and making it an enjoyable experience rather than anxiety inducing has become a ritual to me. I’ll get a takeout decaf cappuccino in my favourite mug from my favourite local coffee shop and get on the train instead of driving. It’s something so seemingly small but by making a ritual out of it it’s become something I’ve come to look forward to.
By no means do I practice all of these every single day, or have a set amount of times I’ll do them per week. I just try to intentionally keep some time reserved for them and see them as small ways I can show up for myself and bring that sense of magic and calm into my day.
Creating your own rituals
When I first starting thinking about rituals, I thought I had to do all of these fancy things every single day (you really don’t). I felt overwhelmed with the concept and didn’t know where to start. The thing to remember is that you already do things every single day that you could make into a ritual.
A few things to consider…
Your intention… Is your ritual to release, feel a sense of connection, to feel calmer or ground or simply come back to the present moment?
Your space… Where will you perform this ritual? Does it feel more sacred to do it in privacy or be part of a community? Is it something you already do as part of your day to day that you could adapt and bring more meaning to?
The timing… Tapping into a cycle such as the lunar cycle, summer/ winter solstice or your menstrual cycle can be a positive and helpful way to keep you on track and give you a set time.
Whether it’s making your breakfast, getting a shower, making a particular drink. The question is how do you bring meaning behind that? Can you make it a moment to be fully present, take time to appreciate what you’re doing or bring an element of gratitude? Simply by bringing an element of love and awareness to your routines, you make them a ritual.
Some ideas you get you started…
Set an intention. At the start of each day, maybe just after you get out of bed. Instead of rushing to the bathroom or downstairs, take a moment to pause and set an intention. It could be anything from being kind to yourself, allowing yourself to rest throughout a busy work day. Setting a small intention can become a grounding daily ritual.
Wash away your worries. If I’m feeling overwhelmed and my mind feels busy, I like to use my morning shower to just imagine I’m washing away those thoughts. I’ll incorporate some deep breaths into this, but I think that sense of physically washing away the old to welcome in the new can be a really powerful ritual.
Create a sacred space. Is there an area of your home where you could have a particular journal, crystal, photograph (anything that has meaning) which could help you create a ritual?
It doesn’t have to be perfect, you don’t have to have everything figured out.
My rituals change season to season. In the winter months they tend to be longer, involve more candles and relaxation. In the summer I’m drawn to practices I can do little and often to help keep the overwhelm that comes with the busyness as small as possible.
Be patient and kind with yourself. It might feel strange at first, some days it may be an amazing experience, other days you might not feel the excitement you were hoping for. See it as an experiment, we’re constantly evolving and changing, give yourself grace and time to experiment with the idea of ritual and how you can incorporate that into your day to day.
Want to practice a ritual and be part of a monthly community? Join the Slower Space monthly ritual. A space to Rest & Connect.