Rituals I Return To: Grounding Practices for a World in Flux

In times of uncertainty and global transformation and a world in flux marked by environmental, social, and political upheavals, maintaining a sense of stability and hope becomes essential. Grounding rituals help restore mental, emotional, and intellectual balance, allowing us to engage with our work and communities more thoughtfully and compassionately.

Why Rituals Matter in Academic Life

Rituals, as in repeated, intentional practices, are far from trivial. They are powerful mechanisms for meaning-making and self-regulation. In academic life, where we often confront complex knowledge and an often relentless pace of demands, rituals provide a vital space to reset, reflect, and reorient. They help me navigate uncertainty, reduce anxiety, cultivate self-awareness and reconnect with purpose.

Grounding Practices I Return To

1. Nature as Sanctuary

Returning to nature, whether through a walk in a nearby park, tending a garden, or simply sitting beneath a tree reconnects us with rhythms that stretch far beyond the academic calendar or digital screens. Practices like shinrin yoku (forest bathing) invite us to immerse our senses in the atmosphere of the forest, activating mindfulness, reducing stress, and nurturing a feeling of interconnection that counters isolation.

For me, these moments outside are a chance to breathe deeply and feel fully present, away from the noise of deadlines and emails.

2. Intentional Journaling

Writing with intention, whether processing emotions, reflecting on professional challenges, or exploring the world through the written word, serves as both catharsis and critical inquiry. For me, the very act of writing this blog is a grounding ritual. It offers a space to slow down, gather my thoughts, and make sense of the world around me. Through writing, I reconnect with my values, clarify my purpose, and find steadiness amid uncertainty.

3. Mindful Movement

Incorporating gentle physical practices such as yoga, stretching, or slow walking into daily routines serves as an anchor in turbulent times. Such embodied rituals restore bodily awareness, release tension, and integrate mind and body. This practice prevents the dissociation that can arise from intellectual labor alone.

4. Digital Boundaries

In an era of perpetual connectivity, setting clear boundaries around technology use has become a radical ritual. Designating “offline” periods protects mental space from the constant influx of news, notifications, and academic demands. This practice preserves our capacity for deep thinking and genuine human connection. It’s something I constantly have to work on and I’ve starter bricking my phone some weekends just to enforce a digital boundary. The struggle is real, but so is the relief that comes with even small moments of disconnection.

5. Communal Sharing

Rituals need not be solitary. Some of the most grounding rituals in my life happen in the gentle, unstructured space of a shared coffee. When two people sit together without agenda or time pressure, something alchemical happens.

With one particular colleague (and good friend) our conversations always begin somewhere simple and then spirals organically from art and creativity to brain health, climate change and the state of the world, to the strange and beautiful curiosities of being human. These meandering, wholehearted exchanges create an intellectual and emotional spaciousness rare in tightly scheduled academic life. They offer room to laugh, to wonder, to question, to imagine. And they remind me that knowledge is not only produced in formal settings, but also in the free play of dialogue, the kind that unfolds when we’re not rushing or performing.

This ritual of communal sharing nurtures connection, trust, and the kind of relational grounding that sustains us in uncertain times. In a world in flux, these wandering conversations anchor me - offering sparks of clarity and inspiration precisely when I need them most.

6. Art Bathing

I was recently introduced to the concept of art bathing. It as a practice of immersing myself in art with the same attentive presence I bring to nature. Instead of moving quickly through a gallery, art bathing invites a slower, sensory engagement: standing before a single artwork, noticing colour, texture, emotion, and the subtle shifts it evokes. This idea, comparable to forest bathing, positions engaging with art as a core facilitator of personal wellness and mental clarity. It reframes how we interact with creative works, not merely as observers, but as participants in a restorative experience. Art becomes something we step into, breathe with, and allow to shift us.

And, coincidentally, the upcoming exhibition Presence by Olafur Eliasson at GOMA offers exactly this kind of multi-sensory immersion. Designed to envelop visitors in colour, light, and atmosphere, it feels like the perfect environment to try an “art bath” in practice. The exhibition opens December 6, 2025 and is an ideal moment to step out of the end-of-year frenzy and into something expansive, grounding, and quietly transformative. Need a break? Take an art bath!

7. Seeing the World Through a Child’s Eyes

When everything feels like too much, I find grounding in the simple act of slowing down and stepping into the world through my child’s eyes. Getting down on the floor to build Lego, make crafts, and dive into the magical, curious questions that only childhood can inspire helps me find calm and perspective. One of the best questions my son has asked is: Would I rather spend a week in the Ice Age or snorkel in a prehistoric sea? These playful moments remind me that creativity and wonder can offer a much-needed refuge and a spark of hope when the world feels uncertain. (Oh, and I chose to snorkel just for the option to see a plesiosaur in action)

Toward Hope and Action

Rituals do not make the world less chaotic, but they help us meet that chaos with steadiness and intention. Whether rooted in nature, community, creativity, movement, or the imaginative world of children and art, these grounding practices offer ways to stay connected to ourselves, to others, and to something larger than the noise around us.

In a world in flux, rituals remind us that meaning is not found in certainty, but in presence. In returning to these practices, again and again, I find resilience, clarity, and a quiet but enduring hope.

By leaning into these rituals, I’m better able to hold the hard truths I encounter while still moving toward real change. Grounding becomes more than just self-care, it’s a way to take responsibility and show up with clear purpose, courage, and care.