What is the Effect of Rituals on Our Brain?

K. Frederico Lobo
An Idea (by Ingenious Piece)
4 min readNov 14, 2020
Foto von sergio souza von Pexels

Every day, from the moment a person gets out of bed, he begins his relationship with his own rituals. Essentially, rituals are more often associated with religious sources. However, it is obvious that human beings are suitable for ritualization by nature.

Yes, we have many daily rituals. The person who drinks the coffee cup in the same place or who performs this act, the act of drinking coffee — usually, is the owner of such a ritual. Each of these rituals does not necessarily mean something. It can be good for him to disturb one’s comfort and sometimes to deal with radical things. Scientists who study brain functions now frequently point out this. But should everything that is done routinely be completely abandoned in order to obtain new activations in our brain?

The answer is simple, no you don’t need it!

Routines allow us to fulfill some of our basic needs without wasting great mental energy. For example, personal care. You don’t have to constantly think about it. You straighten your bed and brush your teeth. There is no very complex situation in sight. What else does this gain us?

-To collect energy for possible actions that will tire our minds much more later in the day.

So, are we going to give up wisdom or some kind of extraordinary life by downplaying routines and increasing the complexity of the brain?

No, there is no only one aspect of this problem. It has a lot to do with what we put into ritual patterns. So let’s get to the basic problem:

What rituals should be important to me, physically or spiritually?

Pragmatic wishes can come in handy at this point. If we examine the routines we have applied for a whole year one by one, we can see very different results. On the one hand, we can see that the alteration of some rituals harms us, while others can help. Yes, some routines have to break. But some are not. To suffer for a lifetime because of the life-damaging effects of addictions cannot be the product of healthy thinking. At this point, some may seek a way to get rid of their addiction such as smoking, alcohol or drugs, following the advice of their doctor.

And, is it a condition to break down religious rituals?

The purpose of religious rituals essentially involves the development of a goal within itself — that is, to bring it closer to the creator-god. At the point where his contribution starts to decrease, it is understood that a problem has begun with the person singing the ritual they performed. Actually, this is an unphysical journey like a student who finds answers to the questions he is looking for. However, it should not be forgotten that these rituals may be useless as long as they lose their context.

It may be prudent to discuss more people’s inclinations than in the direction of the ritual. Because most of the religious rituals lead to a more spiritual satisfaction.

Some hygiene rituals should be well thought out, professional help should be sought if necessary.

Brushing the severely traumatized gum does not bring along hygiene. This only creates a need for new teeth at an early age. Therefore, it is necessary to be more sensitive especially in the field of hygiene so that the ritual does not turn into an obsessive complex.

Sometimes “yes, it’s time to put my rituals on the table!” should say. “This and this is useful then things are going well. But I have to change that a little bit. And it’s time to get rid of you.”

So, why should these be done?

Because rituals are useful

Because man is a kind of ritual creature.

The main problem is to approach it in a conscious way.

Perhaps we should start by asking ourselves the following questions.

Question 1: What rituals are driving our personal performance up during the day?

Walking, giving a coffee break, texting an acquaintance, helping someone with something, doing little exercises, etc. In order for the coordination of brain and physical activity to be carried out in a healthy way, this should be planned well.

Question 2: So how can you assemble the most joyful subject of your life on the brightest meal of your day?

First of all, this needs to be well defined. Am I a sharing person or do I not want to spend this special moment with anyone other than my own ritual? Yes, after you determine your conditions, you can make it more colorful with your colleagues, perhaps at the same table. Of course, those who work fondly and enjoy their work will be more likely to do so.

Question 3: What should I combine with what?

When you combine a beautiful subject with a ritual that adds beauty to that subject, you will have a dynamic look that adds color to life.

Instead of the last word

In order for the brain to be efficient, it does not create a vicious circle when activities are routine. A well-defined goal is a good source of motivation. It is not surprising that life has great results thanks to fruitful rituals.

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K. Frederico Lobo
An Idea (by Ingenious Piece)

Likes to think deep inside — Maybe because he needs too much light