Intentional Society: Ritual design
Next season is peeking around the corner — click here to register for our next info/orientation video call on Saturday, June 17th at 1:00-1:55pm Pacific Time (4pm Eastern, 8pm UTC).
I've surprisingly both created and experienced a ritual today, in a confluence that points me at the upcoming IS season transition. I and a small group (not IS) crafted a mutual-aid pass-the-hat money practice/game for ourselves to play (but I can point to this Money Game if you're interested in similar dynamics). And on the receiving side, I experienced the closing ritual of the MiSo Practice Program which enacted a transferal of ownership, of sorts — like a "the magic is now in you, to spread" message. Not those exact words, but it was a granting of ownership, of status, of permission, of encouragement to contribution.
I quite liked that, and my thoughts turned naturally back to Intentional Society and the similarities. We have a seasonal cadence, a repeating three-month arc of community sessions, a week off, and a renewal/restart with a fresh opt-in that's evolved over the last, well 10 seasons now but the last 3 in particular. This season, now, we have crews that are cruising (crew-zing? hah boo) across the season border even as the cohort effect is as strong now as it's ever been for us.
We don't currently have any particular rights or privileges that are conferred by any particular amount of longevity/experience in IS — which is not to say that social influence accrual doesn't exist at all, we just don't have anything structurally hooked to it. Nevertheless, it feels to me like there's something meaningful about becoming a veteran of a full season of IS: something worth recognizing, celebrating, and yes a message of ownership and empowerment would fit very appropriately there.
A message, a moment, a memento, what should it be? Rituals (are meant to) encode meaning, they are cultural art, transmission supported by repetition and intention. Formality is not necessary, though sometimes it comes as a byproduct of reverence. In our meta-post-modern world, they can (should?) be self-referential and hopefully more open-to-evolution because of that. Center the intention; build naturally from that. Focus on the meaning, not the flourish.
We'll see what arises by next week. Looking past that, July 9th will be the start of our next season.
Cheers,
James