Mi'sen

Contemplative fieldnotes: (Ritual, symbol, waffling for kicks) Ritual theory & practice is a big, nuanced area of study. How, why, where ritual works is not obvious. After a brief chat with another practitioner, I thought I’d share some of my limited thoughts - very briefly.

Ritual is use of symbol (which would include narratives, memes, etc). Unskilful use of symbol tends to reify/solidify the symbol - such that we forget that the symbol is empty in essence. Skilful use of symbol can do various things. Eg: a Dharmic ritual concerned with vidya.

In the case of economic models it is perhaps about more efficient allocation of resources. Social rituals are maybe concerned with social cohesion, psycho-social resonance, signalling to the cohort, etc. Important not to essentialise here - the ecology of ritual is rich

I like offering rituals because it was helpful once explained. As ritual offering becomes more subtle, the simple play of experience becomes an offering to itself. Enjoying coffee, the sound of the wind, instead of being formally offered, is simply offered and simply received

I used to be anti-ritual, because like many people I was confused about what was going on. I confused ritual as necessarily being woo silliness and rigid ideology. It can be woo and silly, but doesn’t have to be. Ritual aspects are everywhere, eg: handshakes, sitting posture.

I learnt to appreciate ritual with the help of beer. No surprise there. A teacher taught me how to offer beer to the nature of mind “To support awareness practice, one can have routines which work as triggers of awareness. When you’re in the pub, offer the three sips of beer...”

Symbols are very strange, and we are very confused. Skilful use of symbol is possible, I think, but we forget so quickly and end up completely absorbed in symbolic worlds (thoughts, emotions, cognitive frameworks, social norms, and so on). Solidification of symbol is avidya

Symbol, used well, can work. Eg: as gateways to simplicity (nishprapanca). Singing a syllable can do this. Our imagination is very powerful indeed. Alas, we get lost in the stories about that syllable, we confuse our warm fuzzies for confidence, and we strengthen confusion, etc.