People hunger for ritual. As children, we create complex rituals of play and interaction. As adolescents, we engage in awkward social rituals to test and define our identities. As adults, we pass certain milestones such as marriage, first house, and first child, yet these traditional milestones reflect only a small portion of the moments we feel ought to be marked in some fashion.

      In the twenty-first century, many people feel spiritually adrift as the world moves ever faster. Important events seem to go by, unnoticed and unremarked. You can, however, mark these events when you create your own rituals. You can celebrate the successes, mourn the losses, and shout out the accomplishments. You can design a ritual for family, a community, or just yourself.

      Ritual provides a sense of connection and a sense of comfort. It strips away the barriers we raise to shield ourselves in everyday life. Performing ritual with someone dear to you for the first time is an incredibly moving experience, as I discovered years ago when my husband and I came together to do ritual instead of each of us practicing alone. I recently learned the lesson again when my mother asked us to perform a waxing moon ritual in her backyard when we visited. It was her first nontraditional ritual experience with others, and it was an honor to be there with her as she allowed the beauty and simplicity of the ritual to touch her.

      A large part of ritual through the ages has revolved around lowering the defensive barriers we raise and reaching out to one another and to something greater than ourselves. Whether you choose to call that something greater than ourselves God, Goddess, Spirit, Cosmic Light, or the Universe, uniting with that something greater than the sum of its parts is an essential element of ritual. Ritual strengthens our own identity, purifies our energies, and brings us into harmony with the energies flowing through our lives.

      As a priestess, I facilitate ritual for others. As a teacher, I teach them how to create their own rituals, lead others in rituals they create, and fully experience them. People who attend my workshops are surprised to learn that when they light a candle in gratitude or supplication to a higher power, they are in fact performing a ritual. Rituals may be complex and dramatic, or they may be as simple as floating a single blossom on the surface of a bowl of water. What matters is your intention as you perform your action. Being aware of your intentions and the meaning behind your practice brings a deeper meaning to your actions. This is what creates ritual it is a way to discover the self, to discover the world around you.