Don’t underestimate the power of rituals. What seems small, and at first glance insignificant, is in fact a vital part of our creative expression. On any single day, these efforts might not appear to carry much weight. But it is the compilation of these days and these repeated acts that paves the way for our creative ideas to be born.
This morning I am reminded again of the value of my daily writing ritual. It usually starts with a cup of tea. This gives me time to settle, to be still. To let the noise in my head dissipate. I sit by my window and sip slowly, letting my eyes gaze at the flowering vine growing outside. As my head clears, I can begin to listen. I can explore a new direction or revisit where I left off yesterday, pulling out my ideas once more. I see what needs to be added, what needs to be removed.
These divine moments of stillness allow me to create. They are a necessary container for the gift to be released. And they most certainly are divine. Ironically, as I write this, I can hear local townspeople singing hymns in Spanish from the chapel a few doors down. It is Sunday morning, and the church bell has been ringing to call them to worship. I know that my sacred act of stillness, of letting words pour forth, is no different than what is happening in the chapel. It is just a different expression and a different container. The Spirit is the same.
We must remind ourselves often of the power of our rituals. For they have the capacity to transform not only others, through what we create, but ourselves. What may seem small on any given day, and very easily passed over, must instead be resolutely prioritized. It is from these small, still moments that the seeds of the gift begin to blossom.