The word “ritual” is one that’s not especially well-understood in modern society.
We tend to think of rituals as something primitive or superstitious like natives doing a rain dance or offering a sacrifice to their gods.
But some rituals—especially family rituals—can bring a powerful sense of meaning and purpose to our lives.
It can also help us create lasting bonds while teaching important moral truths.
Weddings and funerals are two good examples of how we ritualize happiness and grief.
Jeff Einstein points out that when we lose meaningful rituals, our spiritual, social, emotional and physical wellbeing can suffer.
A simple ritual that brings stability and understanding to our lives is sitting down as a family and eating together.
For some of us that could be a weekly family dinner.
“This must be time set apart. Somehow, you need to separate this time from normal time: These moments need to be different.
The clamor of the everyday – work, current affairs, gossip and so on – must remain outside.”
This is a time for discussing things of lasting importance.
It’s a place where even children can safely voice their opinions and receive loving clarification for what they are learning.
The biggest challenge most of us face in establishing these types of rituals is overcoming the inertia of getting started.
Our rituals help us to remember who we are and what we stand for.
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