Page 4 - Creating New Rituals
P. 4
our Approach
Human beings mark important events with rituals
Just like our distant ancestors, we need rituals to mark the
special moments of life and to support us in an increasingly
unpredictable world.
As our societies became more urbanized, responsibility for
creating rituals shifted from small groups to institutions. When
institutional rituals are seen to be of little or no relevance,
people often look elsewhere for meaningful words and gestures.
One of the current trends is to look to other cultures and times.
Nevertheless, people who want a shopping cart filled with ready-
to-use rituals risk disappointment. Copy-pasting other people's
rituals is rarely satisfactory; the elements of these ready-made
rituals do correspond to our reality.
In a society characterized by consumerism, where over-
consumption of disposable items is the norm, partnerships and
even friendships are notoriously short-lived. People aspire to
rituals with which they can identify and which encourage long-
term relationships. Commitment is equally important when
welcoming a newcomer and taking leave of a deceased loved one.
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