Rituals are our way of telling the universe what we want and which direction we want to see our life go in. It is one of the most powerful things we can do to promote self-discovery and growth. Without rituals we lose motivation, drive and worst off, we lose site of our goals and ambitions.

A ritual can add regularity into your life, give you clarity when it is most needed and serve as an outlet for unwanted emotions and concerns. The thought of creating your own ritual may seem daunting at first but once you become familiar with the necessary tricks and tools, creating a ritual routine will seem like a breeze. It may be hard to believe, but you use rituals every day of your life. Waking up at a particular time for work or school, brushing your teeth and eating a healthy breakfast are all forms of rituals. Celebrating milestones like graduation or a promotion at work are ways to acknowledge and commemorate hard work and a job well done. Rituals are a way to recognise the accomplishments we make, because without that, what is the point of doing any of it at all?

Rituals can also be used to unite the mind-body connection that we sometimes lose with all that overwhelms us in life. Stress works similarly to the feeling of infatuation (especially with love) in the sense that the more you feel, the less you are aware of the factors affecting your internal world and your external surroundings. Sometimes the effects of this protracted behaviour are unclear until it is too late. Of course the feeling of infatuation can be beneficial given the situation, but it is evident that prolonged stress can have major negative impacts on our health. Creating a daily ritual to promote relaxation and self-love can help you maintain a peaceful mindset to continue living a wholesome life.

Creating your own ritual

Determine which areas of your life need a little work. Try your best to be realistic when setting your ritual goals, biting off more than you can chew will only result in stress and anxiety. Identify and acknowledge the areas of your life where you detect repitition. You can then solidify and further develop these ritual building blocks.

Create a rhythm with this pattern. Once you identify the areas in your life that you’d like to build rituals around, the next important step is consistency. Be sure to develop a clear idea of when your rituals should occur and stick to it. Focus on setting an intention before each ritual practice.

Maintain accountability by setting incentives. Acknowledge and protect your sacred time and space, this is your time and nothing should stand in the way of your practice. As you set goals, identify rewards that you can give yourself to motivate yourself to achieve the desired outcome.

Note: Always remember to keep it playful, rituals should never feel like a chore.

Some simple starter rituals

1. Drinking a big glass of water right when you wake up

2. Setting aside 5 minutes a day for meditation/personal reflection

3. Journal every day

4. Read a book before bed, rather than falling asleep to Netflix

5. Agree to not look at your phone until you’ve completed your morning routine, whatever that may be

6. Connect with your loved ones once per week

CCT BOOK CLUB

At CCT we value rituals and believe we are in control of being our own healer. Our women only retreats in Morocco is more than a yoga or fitness retreat. Each focus on a special theme, catered to embody the obstacles we all face as women.