Ritual: Your Secret Source of Wellness and Resilience

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During the holiday season, many of us turn our focus away from work and to-do lists and toward time with friends, family, and our religious or spiritual traditions. No matter what and how you celebrate, rituals can be an important part of your spiritual practice.

In my forthcoming book with co-author Dr. Rhonda Wells-Wilbon, we describe principles and practices that help Black women build resilience in the face of racism. One powerful practice that is central to our spiritual wellness is ritual. A simple definition of ritual is a series of acts regularly repeated in a specific manner. Research shows that rituals can enhance our experiences, increase our sense of control, and even reduce anxiety.

Rituals can include meditation, lighting candles, journaling, taking walks in nature, or any regular practice that promotes a sense of calm and stability. One example of someone who embodied spirituality and ritual is the iconic Tina Turner. During her turbulent marriage to Ike Turner, Tina Turner began a practice of chanting—a ritualistic aspect of her decades-long Buddhist practice that she continued years after her divorce and even explored through her music.

Chanting is a grounding ritual that could be incorporated into any spiritual practice. Chanting, including mantras (chants of encouragement or inspiration), engages the neurotransmitters in your brain, helping to reduce stress, improve concentration, and support quality sleep.

Other examples of grounding rituals include prayer, stretching or yoga, and listening to or making music and sounds. Rituals can be performed alone or in community with others. Whatever form they take, rituals that promote stability and peacefulness help us build resilience. They can serve as a foundation for cultivating inner strength, confidence, belief in possibilities, and faith during hard times.

Black women understand ritual. Many of us grew up with the rituals of saying grace before a meal, of attending weekly service at our house of worship, or starting and ending gatherings with the Word. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the hit song by Nigerian singer-songwriter Sinache, “Way Maker,” became the most-played song in churches across America. Leaning into music—uplifting songs and playlists that we turn to again and again—is another example of ritual that replenishes and nourishes.

Ritual is one way that Black women infuse spirituality into what we do and how we go about doing our work. Our spirituality can be a guide and an anchor, offering us calm, stability, and hope. Spirituality is also about connecting with other people who share similar values. In The Spirit of Intimacy, Sobonfu Somé suggests that without spirit, we would have never made it to where we are today.

Grounding Your Spiritual Practice

You may already have rituals incorporated into your daily routine. But if you don’t, it’s never too late to start. In our book, we offer several strategies for how Black women can build resilience through action and reflection. The following is an example of a practice that can become part of your repertoire of rituals.

Energy ritual: Set aside 10 to 15 minutes and find a quiet place. Use a timer so you can focus without thinking about the time. Settle your body and be still. Inhale deeply and exhale fully. Each time you inhale, focus on breathing in positive, healing energy. When you exhale, focus on letting go of negative, taxing energy. In that time and space, reflect and listen for messages from deep within yourself. Consider what is bringing you positive, uplifting energy, and what in your life is tapping and depleting your energy.

When you’re done, take a few more minutes to write down the thoughts and feelings that came up during the ritual, and where you feel them in your body. Also, note any action you might want to take to address any messages that came to you.

Continue this ritual regularly, adding more time as you go. Consider what other rituals you might incorporate to build and enhance your spiritual practice.