I am pretty sure this topic does not have its own thread. So I was wondering what people here thought of rituals. I have a bit of background in the subject. My mother tried to raise me in an environment that was full of rituals and a religion which had even more rituals. Throughout my childhood I wavered between struggling against or conforming to these rituals.
I thought to post this under the motivation thread, but I think it warrants a thread to itself.
I feel that I have oscillated in my life between a life prone to rules and structures and a life designed to maximize the enjoyment of the moment. (yes I know this is a redundancy with a larz thread but there is more to rituals than planning)
That is to say a life filled with ritual is unlikely to enjoy spontaneity and visa versa. Or is that really true? Perhaps someone who is used to planning everything out, might enjoy (planning) something spontaneous more than someone who does everything spontaneously.
Then my concern becomes, are we really talking about spontaneity and organization or are we talking about personality predispositions?
But there is a lot more to the topic of rituals which I have not addressed. What is to be said for praying or meditating every day? For eating three meals a day and always finishing your work a day early? Or hitting yourself whenever you spell a word wrong? Is it a willpower story?
And there a rituals which are over a much larger time frame. Muslims pray five times a day at fixed times and make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in a life. Does anybody here share in such rituals?
Rituals implies a certain level of devotion. What are you devoted to?
I thought to post this under the motivation thread, but I think it warrants a thread to itself.
I feel that I have oscillated in my life between a life prone to rules and structures and a life designed to maximize the enjoyment of the moment. (yes I know this is a redundancy with a larz thread but there is more to rituals than planning)
That is to say a life filled with ritual is unlikely to enjoy spontaneity and visa versa. Or is that really true? Perhaps someone who is used to planning everything out, might enjoy (planning) something spontaneous more than someone who does everything spontaneously.
Then my concern becomes, are we really talking about spontaneity and organization or are we talking about personality predispositions?
But there is a lot more to the topic of rituals which I have not addressed. What is to be said for praying or meditating every day? For eating three meals a day and always finishing your work a day early? Or hitting yourself whenever you spell a word wrong? Is it a willpower story?
And there a rituals which are over a much larger time frame. Muslims pray five times a day at fixed times and make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in a life. Does anybody here share in such rituals?
Rituals implies a certain level of devotion. What are you devoted to?
is your thread title proper R syntax? :P
sometimes I have rituals that last for about a month or two, but usually they're silly things like getting the same thing at the same place for breakfast everyday.
I guess I'm not really devoted to much of anything. nothing that warrants rituals anyway. I can respect someone who sticks to a religious or spiritual ritual; I have trouble brushing my teeth before bed every night.
I guess I'm not really devoted to much of anything. nothing that warrants rituals anyway. I can respect someone who sticks to a religious or spiritual ritual; I have trouble brushing my teeth before bed every night.
I love religious rituals, I just don't believe the stuff behind them
Rituals come and go for me in general.
I used to wash the dishes every night mostly because it bugged me if the kitchen was a wreck. So it is probably more of a housekeeping issue than an "if I don't do this I'm going to be unhappy with myself". I have broken the ritual a lot since I have been living alone. I guess it helps a lot to have some support to inspire you or help out.
I guess I can consider getting tattoos a ritual.. maybe.
For every tattoo I get it is sort of after I reach a certain understanding or a mental vision of being comfortable with something new. maybe the pain of the tattoo is a factor in considering it a ritual in that you have to bear it to wear it (sounds retarded, hah). I sort of associate the word 'ritual' with some sort of pain, physical mental, or some struggle to accomplish something with regular interval. I find that sometimes after getting through something profound in my life, it is sort of hard to move on until I can get it tattooed on my skin.
perhaps i was a hells angel in my past life.
I used to wash the dishes every night mostly because it bugged me if the kitchen was a wreck. So it is probably more of a housekeeping issue than an "if I don't do this I'm going to be unhappy with myself". I have broken the ritual a lot since I have been living alone. I guess it helps a lot to have some support to inspire you or help out.
I guess I can consider getting tattoos a ritual.. maybe.
For every tattoo I get it is sort of after I reach a certain understanding or a mental vision of being comfortable with something new. maybe the pain of the tattoo is a factor in considering it a ritual in that you have to bear it to wear it (sounds retarded, hah). I sort of associate the word 'ritual' with some sort of pain, physical mental, or some struggle to accomplish something with regular interval. I find that sometimes after getting through something profound in my life, it is sort of hard to move on until I can get it tattooed on my skin.
perhaps i was a hells angel in my past life.
wow, i was planning on starting this thread
i've got lots of walking rituals (number of steps, paths). if i walk through somewhere and don't walk just right, i have to walk back again and try again
i also can't do two things in a row (like posting to ttf) 1, 3, 5, 9, 10, 15, 21 things in a row is fine though
damn :P intense.
maybe that belongs in the ocd thread :)
so how many shitty posts to ttf have you made when you're already two deep and need an escape route?
yeah i really don't have any rituals, about everything i do would be considered ocd. like on my car stereo, the volume has to be in increments of 2.
i have an old ritual i used to do. every time i would think of it if i was in the shower i would turn the water to as cold as it gets then wait till my heart rate slowed and my body to became comfortable, then i would turn the hot water back on. i started that ritual again today. mind over body. i will find more soon. i want rituals in my life right now.
I like that, a lot.
my volume has to be in increments of 5
was just about to turn down the shower but then i realized how cold i was