ritual versus routine

Something becomes a ritual through repetition and meaning being given to it beyond the norm. If you must always put on your left shoe, then the right, and then tie both; that's ritualized behavior (OCD). If you happen to put on both shoes before tying them; that's your routine. The language used to describe the actions will show it's matter of fact in a routine. I hope this helps.

I'd say a routine is a habit and a ritual is a ceremony or formality.

What do you mean by 'where do you draw the line'?

You obviously know the difference between the two words.

One is only going to interpret the action as a ritual if you write it that way.

catian said:

Where do you draw the line between routine and ritual?
I am trying to present a course of action and want to be sound and look like a routine/normality without having to think one might interpret it as a ritual.

Thanks!!

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Rituals are non-functional routines.

For example, doing the laundry on Wednesday is a routine. Doing the laundry by washing all the blues, then all the reds, so on and so forth, is a ritual.

Going to the bank every Tuesday is a routine. Getting to the bank via one specific route can be routine, but if something prevents your from taking that route and you can't go to the bank because it's not exactly right, then it's a ritual.

I don't quite get what you're after? The words have much the same primary meaning, but I suspect most people think of a "ritual" as some sort of formal, probably religious practice. The Masons have rituals. The church has rituals. People just have routines.

HoneyBadger said:

Rituals are non-functional routines.

For example, doing the laundry on Wednesday is a routine. Doing the laundry by washing all the blues, then all the reds, so on and so forth, is a ritual.

Going to the bank every Tuesday is a routine. Getting to the bank via one specific route can be routine, but if something prevents your from taking that route and you can't go to the bank because it's not exactly right, then it's a ritual.

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Great response.

For a writer a good routine is to set aside a certain amount of time to write - and to read - every day.

Another good routine is to turn off the internet before you write or read.

'Ritual', to me, implies some kind of magical thinking. You're doing it a certain way because it will have some kind of metaphysical effect. You curse someone, or you wear your lucky pants, or you avert some disaster, or you praise a god of some kind. You don't alter a ritual or it won't work. Worse, it may invite some proportionate disaster.

'Ceremony' would be a step down - you do things a certain way because it's a social, cultural or legal convention that you do. You may or may not have some latitude to change or improvise, but you know why you're doing what you do - it's most likely to do with some outside pressure, possibly quite mundane. You're getting married, or crowning the Queen, launching a ship or making tea, and it's important to you in whichever way that you do it correctly.

'Routine' would be another step down. You're doing things a certain way because it's comfortable, convenient or expedient for you. You drive a certain way to work, buy the same three sandwiches in rotation, attend the pub quiz on Mondays. You could alter a routine if you wanted, and the only real consequence would be that your life might become more irksome or less productive in some way. The act of altering the routine would not, in itself, bring you into disrepute, or break the law, etc.

A habit is something you do a certain way because you've inadvertently become programmed that way.

Every morning I drink three cups of coffee while I visit the same websites. Somewhere during that time I eat a trail mix bar. I call it may morning routine. You can call it a ritual if you want to. My son calls it one of my little habits. My husband never remarks on it.

Why must a line be drawn?

For me, routine is something that is done often enough that becomes simple and quick. It's a habitual thing.

Ritual has two meanings for me, similar but also very different.

The first is something that has become so habitual that it is done without thought or meaning. It is something you do all the time, regardless. It no longer requires thought. It is therefore empty of deeper meaning.

On the other hand, there is the more standard meaning of ritual, which is something that has a deeper meaning than the motions or actions themselves. Usually religious, but also magical if you have such a world view or are in such a world.

Ritual in this sense is different from ceremony in its goal. A ritual is done to attain some goal or affect*. (I always mess up affect/effect, forgive me if I did it here.) A ceremony is done for the purpose of sharing the activity itself. It is a bringing together of participants. So I don't imagine a solitary person performing a ceremony.

All this is just my gut feeling and I haven't looked anything up. But I think this is what the OP was thinking about. Or not.

Layla Nahar said:

I'd say a routine is a habit and a ritual is a ceremony or formality.

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Yes. When I kneel to the coffee pot before pouring a cup, I cross the line that divides routine from ritual.

WriteMinded said:

Yes. When I kneel to the coffee pot before pouring a cup, I cross the line that divides routine from ritual.

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He he - I just talk to it...