Inventing rituals, carving creative time, dabbling in new crafts

Sugar glazed foliag

The importance of ritual for creativity often goes overlooked. We find ourselves constantly racing against time, striving to meet deadlines, achieve goals, tick off pressing tasks. Yet, ritual nurture and enhance our creative practices.

I remember always being drawn by Jo March's ritual for writing. This character of Little Women, a fiery and independent writer, created a sanctuary for her creative endeavours in the attic, a space imbued with the rituals of solitude, ink-stained pages, and the steady rhythm of her pen against paper. And her writing cap!

Every few weeks she would shut herself up in her room, put on her scribbling suit, and "fall into a vortex" as she expressed it, writing away at her novel with all her heart and soul, for till that was finished she could find no peace. Her "scribbling suit" consisted of a black woollen pinafore on which she could wipe her pen at will, and a cap of the same material, adorned with a cheerful red bow, into which she bundled her hair when the decks were cleared for action. This cap was a beacon to the inquiring eyes of her family, who during these periods kept their distance, merely popping in their heads semi-occasionally, to ask, with interest, "Does genius burn, Jo?" They did not always venture even to ask this question, but took an observation of the cap, and judged accordingly. If this expressive article of dress was drawn low upon the forehead, it was a sign that hard work was going on; in exciting moments it was pushed rakishly askew; and when despair seized the author it was plucked wholly off, and cast upon the floor. At such times the intruder silently withdrew; and not until the red bow was seen gayly erect upon the gifted brow, did any one dare address Jo.

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888)

Jo's ritual created a refuge, a sacred space and block of time, in which she could be creative and undisturbed. This, even 5 minutes of this, can be impossible for many of us. I still think it's worth the pursuit of it and maybe, with the complicity of those who love us, it could become possible.

Ritual, need not be limited to structured ceremonies or religious practices; it can be as simple as the act of taking a moment to breathe and ground oneself. Ritual helps us to slow down and be present.

With ritual, we can step off the hamster wheel into a mindful space we’ve created for ourselves, where we can reconnect with our thoughts and feelings and unlock our inspiration and fresh ideas.

Yes, it can be a luxury to have creative time, to include space for ritual in it, yet this time we carve for ourselves can do us — and the ones around us, so much good.

Is there any better form of self-care than allowing ourselves to be creative?

What I am making

I am making very slow progress on my Satellite shawl, some frogging happened, so new knitting is barely visible, new mistakes were introduced and a decision to keep going was taken. Yet, the pattern is easy, rhythmic, and enjoyable to knit, and I think I will love this shawl.

A new craft for me is weaving. I recently purchased an Ashford table loom, and I am using my yarn scraps to practice. As you can see, it's not going terribly smooth, but I will persevere.

Book of the week

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Published in 1868, and written by Louisa May Alcott, "Little Women" unfurls its narrative within the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts. With inspiration drawn from the pages of Louisa May Alcott's own childhood, the novel invites us into the home and the lives of the four March sisters, inspired by Alcott's own family and her three sisters.

Alcott's life was as captivating tale of its own. An abolitionist and a feminist in a world where such convictions were revolutionary, she eschewed the conventions of matrimony and lived a life of her own design.

Even though this book was written more than 150 years ago, it connects us with the lives of people like us, who living in a very different world, yet shared very similar dreams and challenges.

The four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, live in Civil War era New England. They face various challenges, including financial difficulties, societal expectations, and the absence of their father, who is away serving in the war. Despite their limited resources, the sisters learn valuable life lessons, cultivate their talents and ambitions, and support one another through thick and thin.

If you didn’t read the book yet, I suggest you gift it to yourself. And if you already did, maybe do revisit it.

May your days be filled with mindful moments. Until next time, be present.

Sky