Summer leaves change from the bright greens to the muted browns, faded yellows and fiery reds. They fall, lilting in a soft breeze to a bed of grass below. Every year, my neighbors and I pile colorful gourds on our front porches in various stages of cut and dress, dark lanterns lighting the way for the children in their silly, spooky, or cute costumes to shout the same phrase over and over in hopes of good candy, bags of chips, or other assorted treats. Autumn is by far my favorite season and Halloween is my favorite holiday. I look forward to gutting the pumpkins and making pumpkin soup, finding costumes for my children, and passing out candy to the sweet kiddos that live in my neighborhood. The smell of Fall is my favorite, followed closely by the smell of rain. Every year, we bring out the spooky lights, decorate the windows and the porch, and get the house ready for the trick-or-treaters.
One thing that always strikes me around this time of year is the rituals present in our activities. We will continue in yearly cycles to decorate our houses for holidays, cook special seasonal foods, give and receive gifts in a manner that is very ritualistic in nature. Forgetting someone’s birthday or anniversary can feel like the worst mistake, relief coming in the form of forgiveness over a panicked phone call. Mustn’t forget a birthday. Mustn’t forget a gift for the party host. Rituals. Routines. Traditions.
These activities are present in writing as well. I see writing as a part of ritual in three different ways: as a component, a routine, and an inspiration.
Writing as a Component of Rituals
Rituals are repetitive sets of actions with a greater sense of purpose than a routine. From the Bible, to pagan spellbooks, to holistic therapy, writing is used as a tool for expressing intent and purpose through rituals carried out in both spiritual and secular actions. Many folks who find that writing itself is a matter of therapeutic relief and seek out opportunities to keep journals, daily diaries or blogs to satiate their emotions in a healthy manner. Therapists dealing with patients suffering from abuse or trauma sometimes advise patients to write letters to people or their past selves as a measure to relieve mental anguish, sometimes directing them to burn the letters as a symbolic gesture intended to allow the patient to “let it go”. Pagan practitioners sometimes draft spells in spellbooks, Coven journals or possibly in a Book of Shadows to help focus energy direction and intent into the rituals used during sacred holidays, such as the upcoming Samhain. There is a great deal of power in the ability to convey intent in writing, and its purpose within the context of rituals makes it one of the most important (and accessible) components.
Writing Rituals: Pre-writing Routines
As many writers as there are in the world at any given time, there are just as many rituals that preface the writing! I know for myself, I like to make sure my desk is clear, laundry is rotated (or done), music is playing, I have a drink nearby and I’m comfortable. This way, my mind can operate clearly and I can get those fingers churning out the words. If I have to deviate, then my ritualistic requirements are music and comfort. I hear some writers prefer to get their endorphins pumping by getting in a brisk walk or run before writing while others prefer the peace that meditation brings. I find that I prefer consistency with my pre-writing rituals, so I tend to focus on getting cleaning and minor household tasks completed prior to sitting down for a stretch of writing. What sort of rituals do you prefer to engage in prior to writing? Have any rituals that get you in the mood to write?
Writing Rituals: Inspiration Hunting
Just as writers find ways to grease the wheels to get the fingers typing, having surefire rituals to divine inspiration can make writing hurdles much easier to manage. These maybe the very same rituals used to get the fingers typing, or maybe inspiration comes for you better when you are surrounded by calm, or chaos, or new sights, or old friends? I’ve written about ways to find inspiration in a previous blog post, so check it out if you are looking for some new rituals to incorporate into your routine to spark inspiration into your writing.
I hope everyone is staying sane in these trying times. I’m looking forward to the cooling weather, sleepy descent of the leaves and the graying of the world as this hemisphere slips into slumber. Take care of yourselves out there, where ever you find yourself these days.
–V. Raylean
A Portly Bard's Stage 