Our daily rituals

In putting myself together to get my ceramics back out there in the big bad world, I’ve given a lot of thought to what I want my pieces to offer— and the word ritual kept coming to mind. Which, of course, got me parsing threads in my brain.

What IS a ritual exactly? How does it differ from any other activity? And how are ceramics involved? I’m so incredibly attached to drinking coffee out of particular mugs in the morning, but that doesn’t feel like a ritual- more like a routine, something I do on auto-pilot, in a dazed state somewhere between conscious and sleep.

But the tea I steep at the end of the night? THAT feels like a ritual. I pay attention to the sound of the hot water hitting the mug, the optics of the tea leaves swelling and changing in shape. I notice the color of the finished brew, the steam coming off the top telling me that it’s not quite cool yet. So… the big conclusion; here it comes.

Rituals involve presence and intention. When we bring our full present awareness to an activity, it takes us out of the robot grind and into a place of alignment with our senses- thus, or bodies- and, if we’re interested, the rhythms of the world around us. Rituals connect us to our surroundings and to a deeper sense of purpose. We can infuse a ritual with a specific intention— for example, may this cup of tea settle and calm me, and prepare me for sleep— and find that we are then open to receive that offering given back to us in circular dance.

Because clay comes from the earth, and is formed into a vessel by a human’s hands, filling it with intention, energy, and aesthetic, it can be a beautiful invitation to deepen your connection to ritual. Notice how your senses speak to you when holding a piece of handmade pottery and whatever you decide to fill it with. It is through this paying attention that your daily routine becomes a source of grounding, peace, and presence.