The Power of Rituals for Resilience

Harnessing the Power of Ritual to Find Stability in Uncertain Times

Photo by Rebecca Peterson-Hall on Unsplash

"Now is the time to know that all that you do is sacred." ~ Hafiz

Sometimes, waking up feels like I’ve crash-landed in my body. Blinking awake, I feel momentarily disoriented. What time is it? What day? Then the thoughts flood in: I need to pay that bill. What food do I have in the fridge? What’s the weather like today? – and on it goes.

Before I get pulled irrevocably into the day, I pause. I notice my breath—where is it? High in my chest or deep in my belly? Rather than letting my thoughts flood in, I shift attention to my breath, then my hands, settling into self-Reiki. I focus on the sensations arising, noticing any tightness or tension, asking my body what areas need attention most. By the time I finish, I feel a bit more at ease, more present—ready to step into the day.

This daily self-Reiki practice has been an anchor for me for years, in both good times and bad. It’s one of the few things I can count on. A ritual that creates stability, no matter what’s happening in my life or the world at large. And there’s scientific support for this: research suggests that ritual helps buffer against uncertainty and anxiety by regulating the brain’s response to personal failure.¹ Studies have shown that engaging in structured, repetitive actions can reduce stress by activating the brain’s reward and emotion-regulation systems, creating a sense of control even in unpredictable circumstances.²

Rituals are structured, intentional sequences of actions, performed on a regular basis or for specific occasions. Often imbued with symbolic meaning, they can be spiritual or secular, personal or communal. We perform rituals to mark transitions, reinforce values, or cultivate stability and meaning.

An integral part of life, rituals are performed before important tasks, performances, sporting events, presentations, celebrations, high-stakes competitions, and when under stress. They provide a framework for navigating uncertainty, grounding us in the familiar when the unknown looms large.