The distinction between a “ritual” and a “routine” can oftentimes be blurred, given that both types of action share the descriptive commonality of regularity. Does a ritual have to include traces of spirituality or elements of one’s own cultural lineage? Can the same action be a ritual one day, and a routine the next? It’s easy to put our noses up at what other people call their “personal rituals, ” particularly on social media where people seem to be seeking outward validation for what you might logically imagine to be their most private habits. But Karen’s mug of coffee with a splash of hazelnut creamer on the porch every Sunday could be a ritual just as much as Celeste’s daily three-card tarot pulls and monthly brew of herbal medicine, passed down to her This story is from Kinfolk Issue Thirty-Eight Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 38 Set Intention How to distinguish ritual from routine. Arts & Culture Issue 38 Forever Friends New rituals for old friendships. Arts & Culture Issue 38 Show Respect On appreciation, not appropriation. Arts & Culture Issue 38 Go Online Etiquette for making rituals digital. Arts & Culture Issue 38 Move On How to retire a ritual. Arts & Culture Issue 19 Going Incognito We all secretly wonder what mischief we’d make if invisible: When our identity is hidden, everything seems possible.
Arts & Culture Issue 19 Going Incognito We all secretly wonder what mischief we’d make if invisible: When our identity is hidden, everything seems possible.