Michael Davis was one of the founders of Illuminations, a chain of stores devoted to home décor and living by candlelight. As he points out in the introduction, rituals are given short-shrift in our busy culture. Most people are barely conscious of such everyday rites as the first cup of coffee of the day, greeting people, or the necessary transition from work to home.
Another fact which may explain why rituals no longer play a central role in our lives is the widespread aversion to repetition. Davis writes:
"Rituals gain power from repetition. The true value in doing the same act over and over is that, with intentional practice, one sees into the depths. Repetition holds the mind's focus, keeping it busy while a deeper awareness is awakened."
In this winning little book, Davis divides the material into three sections:
1. Daily Rituals (bedtime, cooking, walking, chores, etc.)
2. Honoring Sacred Days (birth, marriage, birthday, graduation, reunion)
3. Personal Transformation (forgiveness, courage, wisdom, thankfulness, and healing).
