Since the dawn of time, humans have sought recurring gestures that create order, meaning, and connection. Whether in ancient temples, around campfires, or today between emails and espresso: rituals have always adapted – to culture, beliefs, and the rhythm of life. And yet, they still fulfill the same function: they make the invisible tangible.
A brief look back – where rituals come from
Long before therapies, clocks, or self-care existed, there were rituals. They marked transitions, honored life, and accompanied healing and loss. Anthropologists like Victor Turner described them as "liminal spaces"—threshold states between "no longer" and "not yet." Places where transformation occurs.
Whether it's cleansing rituals in Japan, tea ceremonies in China, or harvest festivals in Europe: everywhere we encounter variations of the same idea – humans need rhythm to orient themselves. Regular repetition provides security, community, and meaning. This was vital for survival in the past – and, in a different form, it still is.
Why rituals are healthy
Modern science is only just beginning to understand their effects. Research in psychology and neuroscience shows that rituals regulate emotions, strengthen focus, and create a sense of belonging.
A study from Harvard Business School (Don't Stop Believing: Rituals Improve Performance by Decreasing Anxiety) found that people who perform small rituals before challenging tasks remain calmer and more focused. Other research shows that rituals help regain control during periods of grief. Even if they don't serve a direct purpose, they provide support in moments when the world seems unpredictable. They also leave physical traces: more regular breathing, lower cortisol levels, and activated parasympathetic nervous system activity. In short, rituals act like an internal reset button.
And they are the opposite of routine. Routine happens automatically, ritual is conscious. Their power lies in this conscious moment.
Rituals then – and now reimagined
Rituals used to often serve religion, community, or the seasons. Today, they are increasingly becoming personal, individual anchors. They are not an obligation, but an invitation. Not an escape, but a return—to oneself. An evening candle ritual. A walk after the rain. A hand gesture before starting work. Such small gestures, properly understood, can become everyday self-care. They open up spaces where we don't have to perform, but are simply allowed to be.
Rituals thus serve as a counterweight to a life that constantly demands acceleration. They are our conscious response to the perpetual state of functioning. And this is precisely where our Daily Ritual products come in: carefully designed companions that make small moments of peace tangible – and transform everyday actions back into genuine rituals.
Different perspectives – and why they complement each other
Philosophers have long viewed rituals as the foundation of culture: Durkheim understood them as social glue, Turner as a place of transition, and Mary Douglas as a system of purity and order. Today, these interpretations merge with findings from psychology and stress research: rituals create coherence—an inner sense of harmony. This explains why they are used in therapy, coaching, and sports alike. A small preparatory ritual can boost self-confidence; an evening ritual can help promote sleep and regeneration.
And: Rituals can be learned. Anyone can create them – without dogma, without esotericism. It is enough to give meaning, instead of just doing them.
“Routine is what you forget. Ritual is what you remember.” – Sojourn |
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Sojourn's view of rituals – ancient forms, reinterpreted
At Sojourn, we don't see rituals as an escape from everyday life, but as a conscious way of shaping it. Our rituals combine sensuality and structure – the scent of a candle with conscious breathing, the cool surface of a gemstone with a moment of stillness.
We believe that health begins not with deprivation, but with attention.
If a ritual reminds you to feel again, then it has already fulfilled its purpose.
That's why we're talking about rituals reimagined: not as rigid routines, but as fluid forms of presence. As small, quiet acts of self-care that can easily be integrated into everyday life – morning, evening, or anywhere in between.
Looking ahead – rituals as a path through the year
Rituals are not a passing fad, but a return to something primal. Perhaps this also explains why they are currently experiencing a new renaissance – in coaching, wellness, architecture, and even in business.
Since the beginning of November, Sojourn has been offering its first Digital Wellbeing Calendar – a year-round companion with daily ritual prompts for more peace, energy, and inner nourishment. It begins in December as a conscious prelude to the quieter season – and serves as a reminder that well-being doesn't begin with major changes, but with a single moment of genuine presence. Not an advent calendar, but an invitation to shape your year more consciously, step by step – inspired by nature, the seasons, and the Sojourn philosophy: small breaks as daily preventative care for body, mind, and soul.
Rituals are not an escape. They are a reminder. A reminder that we are human beings – rhythmic beings who need meaning, connection, and awareness.
Perhaps that is precisely their secret: they make us whole.