Rituals take an extraordinary array of shapes and forms. At times performed in communal or religious settings, at times performed in solitude; at times involving fixed, repeated sequences of actions, at other times not. People engage in rituals with the intention of achieving a wide set of desired outcomes, from reducing their anxiety to boosting their confidence, alleviating their grief to performing well in a competition – or even making it rain. Rituals play very important functions in human societies. They help individuals through their anxieties, connect to one another. They help people find meaning in their lives.
Rituals occur surprisingly often within our everyday lives. It’s believed that we form rituals based on our values. One of the most important features of rituals is that they do not only mark time; they create time. By defining beginnings and ends to developmental or social phases, rituals structure our social worlds and how we understand time, relationships, and change. Personally I love all the rituals with candles; I adore the sent, the shape, the flame, just everything. Candle meditation, also known as candle gazing, is a wonderfully peaceful and soulful way to meditate. For anyone that struggles with meditation and doesn’t want to be plugged into an app, this is a lo-fi but incredibly effective way to relax. Candle meditation, much like other forms, has some incredible benefits. Often with meditation you’re expected to focus and silently repeat a mantra or conjure up a vision in your mind, but with candle meditation you simply rest your gaze on the gentle flicker of the flame. Simple.
Historically, candles have been used to pay respect, as a beacon to signal the way home, and to help create a homely environment. The act of lighting a candle at the start of a meditation session, that can help to ground you in the moment. Symbolically, the flame represents enlightenment, and that is especially fitting when thinking about candle meditation. I love incense as well; for centuries, people have burned incense to mark important occasions and celebrations, and as a way to pray for and remember their ancestors. The oldest use of incense recorded dates back to 2000 BC China, but archeologists have unearthed incense burners from ancient Egyptians as far back as 7 BC. We can definitely conclude that civilization has known for a while that scent is a powerful thing. It has the ability to evoke all kinds of positive emotions and has frequently been linked to many health benefits. The combination of meditation and aromatherapy is also a well-known way to help give the effects of your meditation a boost.
Religious leaders have contended for millennia that burning incense is good for the soul. Now, biologists have learned that it is good for our brains too. A ritual is also a good chance for me time; me time are those moments you choose you — go inward, reflect and experience something you internally need and enjoy. It encourages you to put yourself first, take care of you, and give your body and mind whatever it may need at that moment to help you recharge and show up as your best self in your environment. Me Time is the act of checking in with yourself, listening to your body’s cues (it speaks to us, we just need to listen a little closer).
When we get in the habit of continuously checking in throughout the day we are able to take small moments of intentional rest, movement, compassion and love in whatever unique shape or form that is required for you.
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