The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices

by Casper ter Kuile

The first is the setting of a purpose or intention. This might be healing, marking a loss, asking for forgiveness, exploring a new life phase or transition, or simply reconnecting with joy. It might even be simply the intention of adventure—creating space in which unexpected new thoughts, friendships, or experiences might emerge. The second phase is the journey itself. The hours spent walking, the blisters, the stunning views, the incessant rain or burning sun. The drudgery and then startling moments of magic. The conversations with fellow travelers along the road. In the final phase, the arrival and return, we integrate what we’ve experienced on the road back into our own lives. We frame a photograph from the journey, we tell stories about the adventures we had. Maybe we seek out a regular chance to be outside, having spent time among the elements.