In May 2020 we asked you on Facebook and Instagram to send us a photo, an illustration, a short video, a GIF or a sentence about your new ritual, together with your first name and the city you live in. Which new ritual have you integrated into or rediscovered in your everyday life? Intensive hand washing, the gym app, talking to plants, baking bread rolls, walking around the block…?
This is the creative, collaborative reaction brought to us by Shruti Naik (illustrations) and Adèle Moriconi (text), Berlin
“The sun rises in the East and sets in the West.”
-Mmmh, even the sun has a ritual then. Does everybody have a ritual?
Is drinking tea or coffee every morning a ritual? Or is it just a habit? Is it ridiculous to have a ritual, will it kill any freedom of creativity? Or is it just trendy? Does it have anything to do with the recommended lockdown in Berlin? Or does everybody have a ritual but never share it?
Since January I stopped meditating. I always came up with excuses: yeah later, tomorrow, I am too tired, I just turned off the light, I am too motivated to work, I don’t wanna take the time.
During the lockdown due to the pandemic-situation, everybody seems to struggle to a-bso-lu-te-ly find a ritual, because ”We shall not lose any time during this freedom” – said some.
Well then in my situation, besides some set meetings, I had no definite structure: even the registration of my new flat at the Bürgeramt was allowed to be postponed. My roommates had also left town and so I was all alone in my huge apartment and was very free. Alone and free to MEDITATE.
Free & Home Alone
I downloaded the app “Petit Bambou’’ and started the first audio lessons in order to learn again from scratch how to meditate. I listened to the app and meditated twice a day.
It’s been three weeks now.
Uhh! This isn’t working! This has been so unsuccessful! Even if I feel good to have 10 minutes per day for myself in total silence and even if I am actually happy and proud to take this time for me, well…
There is still this voice which joins me in my small trip. It makes me aware of my heavy mind full of thoughts and I fail to see any progress towards improvement.
So why do we start a ritual when everything is wrong and stop it when everything is right?
Does a ritual allow and help us to keep a positive balance without us knowing about it?
But I guess this is fine because small details make gradual big changes. Step by step. So, I am just trusting, I don’t know exactly what or who but I am still meditating.
Again: The sun rises in the East and sets in the West