Make the Rituals Great Again

We all do rituals every single day, some of them in our individuality, some others in our communities, and since the arrival at our lives of the digital realm, the cyber space, or the soon to be Metaverse… We also do rituals with our hardware devices, in the best verified faith that they will connect us to a reality effectively made by 1 and 0s (that deeply are just very small electrical pulses, or just the absence of them) that are then manifested in shapes and symbols that our human brain has learn to read, process and even learn and reply back.

Every time we dedicate our attention, and even devotion, to a specific act, we are committing a ritual. Do you roll and smoke a cigarette? Ritual! Do you play PS5, Ritual! Do you gather with your friends to watch the football match on Sundays? Ritual! Do you trade crypto currencies or stocks? Yep, you are still doing… Rituals.

Rituals serve as a means of connection—whether with oneself, a partner, the community, or even the globe. Humanity has used them for this purpose since becoming conscious of our own existence, perhaps even before. Oh… consciousness! Yes, that just little spark that can turn the ritual experience to a whole different level. Think about it! Be aware about it!

How can we cultivate awareness about the habits we form? If even playing GTA can be considered a ritual, why do we not always feel elevated or transformed by such activities? The essence of ritual lies not just in the action itself but in the consciousness and intention we bring to it. It's perplexing how the most mundane activities have the potential to be rituals, yet we often find ourselves feeling disconnected, or like an out-of-place fragment in the grand tapestry of life, rather than experiencing the divine glory and peace that fully embracing ritualistic living can offer.

This dichotomy invites us to explore not just the actions we label as rituals but the depth of engagement and presence we bring to them. It's one thing to mechanically perform an action, even with a superficial label of 'ritual'; it's entirely another to imbue that action with a depth of presence, intention, and consciousness that transforms it into a truly sanctifying experience. The challenge, then, is not in the act itself but in how we approach and internalize it. How do we bridge this gap between the mundane and the sacred, ensuring that our daily rituals truly connect us to the divine peace and belonging we seek?

Attention and Intention: The Alchemy of Rituals

In our day to day life, where actions often blur into the background of habit, the concepts of attention and intention emerge as the alchemists capable of transforming the mundane into the sacred. Attention is the act of directing our focus, our sensory and mental faculties, towards a specific object, action, or thought. It is the spotlight that illuminates what would otherwise remain unseen in the shadows of our awareness. Intention, on the other hand, is the guiding force behind our actions, the 'why' that imbues them with purpose and direction. Together, attention and intention are the twin pillars that elevate our daily routines into rituals, infusing them with meaning, connection, and a touch of the divine.

Consider the act of rolling and smoking a cigarette, a seemingly mundane activity. When performed absentmindedly, it is merely a habit, perhaps even a harmful one. However, when approached with attention and intention, the same act can become a moment of pause, reflection, or even meditation. The focus on the rolling paper, the tobacco's aroma, the flame's flicker, and the first inhalation can serve as a ritual of grounding, a brief connection to the present moment and to one's sensory experiences. This doesn't negate the health implications but highlights how consciousness can transform the nature of our actions.

This principle applies equally to our digital interactions. The ritual of checking social media, for example, can easily become a mindless scroll, disconnecting us from our surroundings and ourselves. Yet, with attention and intention, this same activity can be a ritual of connection, allowing us to consciously engage with communities, share meaningful moments, and even support causes we care about. The key lies in our approach: Are we lost in the act, or are we fully present, aware of our motivations and the impact of our engagement?

It all start with a breath

René Descartes said “I think, therefore I am”, but… for real? I mean, can’t we “be” even without thinking? Not sure about you, who’s reading this piece, but the greatest experiences I’ve had in my life has been completely free of thought! From the most deep of meditations in which I could feel myself merged into the Universe, to the most sublime act of making love to a beloved woman, where I experienced not only the “I am” but the “We are”, not single thought passed through my mind; instead, the common denominator was the (you can follow the experience right now!) air breathing in… (still going in) and breathing out (and now releasing it…) to and from my lungs, connecting and intertwining my individual being with the environment surrounding me. I breath, therefore we are….

That’s connection, that means to be, to live, to belong, to recognize your individuality as part of everything surrounding you, as part of everything surrounding your environment, The Earth, as part of The Whole Cosmos.

But of course, we are complex beings, we have further needs than just breathing… we eat, we work, we like the beauty of things, we relate to others, we dress up, we party, we dance, we connect. If you wonder how to make a ritual out of your day to day activities, just take a deep breath and call out the intention and attention you are giving it.

The challenges within Rituals

We all have an energy within ourself that’s just love the comfort zone that disconnection from others can bring, right? Have you ever feel bored by other people’s words, offended by their lack of empathy or attention to you? Would you feel silly in making a ritual around blessing your food before eat and thanking the whole supply-chain that allowed you to have that meal at your table? Have you ever feel shy in a party, not willing to dance because you worry about what other people would think or say about you?

Although it is fair to have some sense of protection so we can preserve our energies, and avoid being impacted by external elements that might impact our inner calm and emotional wellbeing, it is also true that all these negative feelings might come from an unconscious over protective shell that is just preventing us to grow, to expand our consciousness and connection to ourself or the community around us.

Our mind can be tricky, our mind tends to be very skilled in manipulating us to diminish ourself, and it’s natural, every time we break down that over protective shield (we might find infinite of those in our lifetime), a part of our personality dies, and the whole function of our ego is to prevent us from that death. But as an old shaman once said: “How would I reborn, if firstI don’t die”. Please, take these quote easy, it’s all metaphorical, and it’s referring actually to the ego (or some of its psychological components).

A general prompt to overcome these challenges, is first to be in a listening state about your thoughts and emotions, yes, they might be challenging, painful, and we might even be willing to leave, to stop doing the ritual, and that’s ok, we must accept that feeling or thought, but we shall not obey it. If we want to consecrate that ritual, we shall reconnect with our breath, breathe, the intention and the level of attention we give to the act we are doing, connect with the eternity of the present moment and forget about any other disturbance.

The Shadow Side of Rituals

However, not all rituals serve our well-being. Some, especially those performed without conscious intention or those that become compulsive, can indeed connect us to our shadows. These are the rituals that, instead of elevating us, tether us to cycles of behavior that drain our vitality and dim our inner light. The ritual of consuming news obsessively, for instance, can keep us informed but also sow seeds of fear and anxiety, connecting us to a world of shadows where hope struggles to find its footing.

The cost of such rituals to our well-being cannot be overstated. They can lead to stress, disconnection, and a pervasive sense of being lost to our own lives. The antidote? Consciousness. By bringing awareness to our rituals, questioning their purpose, and realigning them with positive intentions, we can transform even our shadows into sources of strength. It is not about discarding our rituals but about choosing them wisely and performing them with full awareness of their impact on our inner landscape.

Making Rituals Great Again

To 'Make the Rituals Great Again,' we must start with ourselves. We must sift through our daily actions, identifying those that serve us and those that do not. This process is not about judgment but about recognition and realignment. By infusing our rituals with attention and intention, we can ensure they connect us not only to the deeper parts of ourselves but also to the wider world in meaningful, enriching ways.

In conclusion, every act can be a ritual, and every ritual holds the power to connect or disconnect, to heal or to harm. The choice lies in our hands, or more precisely, in our minds and hearts. As we navigate the complexities of modern life, let us choose to engage in rituals that bring light, connection, and consciousness into our world. Let us make our rituals great again, not by returning to some idealized past but by moving forward with intention, attention, and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of ourselves and our global community.

For a next Blog entry:

• Individual and Community Rituals
• Incentivizing Rituals in Religio with Hypercerts