Rediscovering Ritual: A Open Question
As I was sorting through some books donated to our used book project, The Dusty Cover, I came across “From Beginning to End: The Rituals Of Our Lives” by Robert Fulghum. Flipping through the book, I came across some basic ideas he puts forth about rituals:
The propositions
- To be human is to be religious
- To be religious is to be mindful
- To be mindful is to pay attention
- To pay attention is to sanctify existence
- Rituals are one way in which attention is paid.
- Rituals arise from the stages and ages of life.
- Rituals transform the ordinary into the holy.
- Rituals may be public, private, or secret.
- Rituals may be spontaneous or arranged.
- Rituals are in constant evolution and reformation.
- Rituals create sacred time.
- Sacred time is the dwelling place of the Eternal.
- Haste and ambition are the adversaries of sacred time.
Is this so?
What do you think about these “propositions”? What role does ritual play in your life, whether they be public (weddings), private (birthdays) or secret (puberty/menapause)? Have we lost something of ritual in our life here in Western Christianity outside of the sacraments? How can we embrace them once again?
