It's easy to be ambivalent about rituals, a whiff of the past, of it's muddy complexity, and at the same time, something to hold you through important times. We watched the Coronation of Charles III and while I kept having Monty Python voices running through my head, I was also moved by this strange event that had it's roots deep in medieval times. And the music was sublime.
Weddings, funerals, choreographed events with small moments that mean everything and large ones that can mean nothing. I've been a few of them recently and I'm struck at how the familiar can feel comforting during stressful times. Going to funerals, never sure of what to do or what to say, the ritual gives you the steps of the dance, and you can move with more confidence.
There are rituals around the tarot - I always wrap my decks in silk scarves and they live in small carved wooden boxes between readings. Does it matter? Does it make a difference to the reading? I don't think so, but handling them with respect makes it easier to bring a respectful attitude to the reading, clearing the space for the discussion to come. That's where ritual helps, in creating and sustaining the atmosphere, giving you the confidence to move forward.
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