What rituals do you have in your life? Have you developed any new rituals in the past year or so (since COVID)? Research from both anthropology, psychology, and neuroscience shows that rituals are an integral part of human life.
Rituals are most often produced in times of uncertainty, danger, and loss. Despite there being no direct causal link for how a ritual may improve these conditions, research shows that these rituals are effective in doing so. I won’t go deep into the reasons why here, as they are multifaceted. In short, performing a ritual allows us to take control of certain aspects of our life. Rituals are highly structured by definition, a perfect antidote to the unstructured lives we live. They are also predictable. Combined, they provide an increased sense of control that ultimately reduces anxiety, and improves well-being and performance. When performed in a group setting, the effect is multiplied, giving us a sense of shared connection towards one goal.
While many rituals can be mundane, or perhaps a little neurotic, others may be dangerous. For example, the Kavadi Aattam, which involves fire walking. When researchers followed participants of this ritual, they found that the pain from the rituals was not lasting, however, the benefits were. The ritual-goers felt and exhibited better health and well-being outcomes. Does this imply that we should adopt rituals with some degree of discomfort? This is what Daniel Schmachtenberger suggested in a recent conversation with Lex Fridman. Suggesting that we should have what he calls ‘ritualized discomfort’. I’ve been thinking about what this can or should look like.
Ritualized discomfort can take many forms. It can be as simple as a cold shower in the morning, or a tough workout in the evening. Again, adding a social component is highly beneficial. For example, training for a marathon together, or enduring difficult practice sessions as a sports team. I figure that a combination of both individual and social rituals are needed for a healthy lifestyle.
How can this knowledge be used to help others? Can rituals be prescribed? While most existing services focus on individual monitoring of ritual frequency, in my view, adding a social component would greatly increase the felt benefits. Imagine visualizing that all of your group completed the same ritual in synchrony. What a great way to start the morning or go to bed!