If there's something that makes my world go 'round a little more smoothly and nourishingly, it's having some ritual in it. I am care-ful with my days and try to infuse them with ritual rather than habit. For me, that's the difference between stagnation and livelihood.
Sometimes I forget about ritual, but then my spirit cries out, or worse yet, becomes very, very quiet. It's apparent very quickly when I've forgotten it.
Structure is cool too. The structure is for my brain and body, ritual is food for the spirit.
- Open eyes, step down some stairs, turn on the kettle, warm glass of water, grind some seeds.
- Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale, savasana.
- Coat+boots. Leash. Excited dog. Adventure along river, trudge through snow, under sky, smelling things. Home, tired, sleep in pile.
- Walk down the back lane, walk up stairs-one breath per step, unlock yoga room, light a candle, humbly bow to the Buddha's equanimity, and jai to Ganesh.
- Replace clothing with more comfortable clothing. Brush teeth. Floss teeth. Brush dog's teeth (for real.) Open bed with a sweep of covers. Get in. Feel sheets warm around me. Turn off light. Goodnight moon. Sleep.
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