5 Small Rituals That are Magic for Your Mental Health

Imagine waking up each morning, knowing you have a series of small rituals to see you through the day.

If you’re like many of my clients, you long for simple ways to ground and center yourself, to calm your nervous system, to feel more hopeful. And while you might be drawn to the idea of creating some personal rituals to support your sense of emotional well-being and balance, what you see offered online or elsewhere may seem too complicated or hard to do.

Today I’m sharing five ways to tap into your inner resources through the magic of simple small rituals.

Personal rituals are particularly helpful when you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or disheartened. But first, it’s important to define your own needs and boundaries around the place of simple, small rituals in your life by considering questions like these:

• How often do I want to do this ritual?
• Do I prefer to make deliberate plans or prefer a more spontaneous approach?
• What do I hope to feel or move toward by bringing this ritual into my life?

You might consider what makes a small ritual different from an ongoing practice.

This is a very personal question. For some people the most effective rituals are simple and spontaneous, while others prefer rituals that are infused with some sort of symbolism, depth, or personal meaning. You may already know what symbols or experiences hold personal meaning for you. But if you need a slight assist, one of the easiest ways to hone in on that is to look to the reliable elements that are all around us: 

Air • Water • Fire • Earth

These elements exist within you, within all humans, and one way to stay present to this truth is to remember we have a lot in common with them…

When we remember how embedded we are in the Earth, how we are literally made of the same stuff as rivers, rocks and roots, we can see how separating from this beautiful, fecund world might be damaging to our psyches.

-Mary Reynolds Thompson, Reclaiming the Wild Soul

An elements based ritual can definitely bring you into deeper connection with this lush and fertile world that also lives within you. And the good news is that a simple actions or rituals done over time can produce significant psychological benefits.

Recently I attended a seminar with a Jungian psychologist who spoke of how rituals benefit therapy.

He encouraged therapists to ask clients this question: 

What simple action or ritual can you take with the intention to change something in your life on a greater scale? 

While the idea of changing something on a “greater scale” might seem daunting, you don’t need to choose something big and unwieldy or feel pressured to “go all in” with your rituals.

In fact, small simple rituals can offer gentle support and still create significant healing and forward movement. 

For instance, your ideas for changing things on a greater scale in your life could be as simple as:

• moving away from ongoing fatigue while moving toward small increases in rest
• moving away from repetitive thoughts while moving toward more space between the thoughts
• moving away from taking on more than you can handle while moving toward a deeper understanding your capacity

In the long run, the most important thing is that you feel held in the ritual rather than feeling like you have to measure up. In fact, you can simplify each of these rituals to suit your mood and energy. You can even frame them as a form of simple, spontaneous self-care with no expectations or judgment attached.

Five Simple Rituals That are Magic for Your Mental Health

(1) Air Ritual…

We rarely think about it, but humans can’t live without air; most of us automatically breathe it 24/7. We extend our gaze up to the sky and clouds, birds and tall trees, continuous reminders that air provides oxygen for many living things.

Simple Ritual: Soon after waking, open the door and step outside (or alternately open the window). Give yourself a hug as you look up and fill your lungs with air. Imagine how this air (and atmospheric pressure) hold you in place and ground you to the earth. If you can, spend about five minutes slowing down and breathing, and know that even one minute is enough.

(2) Water Ritual…

Humans can’t survive without water either, and water takes many forms: oceans, rivers, lakes, ice, and snow, to name a few. And probably, on most days, you bathe in water: a shower or perhaps a bath. Or you wash your hands or do the dishes. 

Simple Ritual: The next time you’re bathing take a few moments to place your hand on your heart and ask the flowing waters to tell you what your heart needs right now. Alternately, clasp your hands together under the faucet when you’re doing dishes and let the water tell you what you need to hold onto right now.

(3) Fire Ritual…

Like many, you may have sat with others around campfires or beach fires, mesmerized by the flames. Perhaps you’ve released something by throwing it into a fire and watching it become ashes. 

Simple Ritual: Fire is often a key part of “letting go” rituals. But it can also help you center, simply by lighting a candle and focusing on the flame for a few minutes while you breathe. You contemplate your intentions and imagine moving toward them, or you can do this with no expectations at al . Take as long as you need to, and when you’re done blow out the candle.

(4) Earth Ritual…

Earth is literally under our feet most of the time, in one way or another. It’s soil, meadow, mountain, sand, grass, rocks. We experience earth as a substance to root into, where trees and plants grow. It’s also where humans grow, and while we may not root into the earth in the same way other growing things do, you can use imaginal sensing to feel your own roots anchored into the ground, whenever you want and wherever you are. 

Simple Ritual: Take a pause anytime (standing or sitting), then imagine your own roots slowly growing down into the earth, passing through any layers between you and the ground. Feel your feet solid on the ground, feel the strength of your roots and the welcoming of the earth that holds them. Imagine that your inner roots will stay there even after you move away from the spot you’re in.

The final, and fifth small ritual, is a little different.

While you’re already familiar with air, earth, fire, and water, the ancients proposed there was also a fifth hypothetical element called “Aether.” 

What makes it different from the first four elements is that it was thought to be a magical and mystical substance.

When I think of magic, I automatically go to all the many things that people perceive to be magical. Obviously, there are so many that I can’t possibly name more than a few:

nature, relationships, animals, faith, children, gardens, moon, stars, math, the universe, science, creativity, humans, the collective unconscious…

My point is that no matter what you believe is magical, hold it tight.

Don’t worry what anyone else thinks of it. And then, carry it with you as you practice these simple, small rituals. It will help them make a difference in your life.

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If you’re a woman who’s approaching (or in) your midlife and beyond years and it feels like something’s missing (including small rituals)…you’re who I created the Wisdom Tending Circle for.

JOIN THE WAITLIST and find out more about this creative and supportive women’s group that journeys through the archetypal energies and archetypal landscapes of midlife and beyond.