by Phil Ryder
It is perhaps playing with words but for myself, and of course this is a personal view, there is a distinction between a ritual and a rite.
The term ritual seems to imply a repetitive task that has been performed many times with no deviation in structure. In general religious terms I would associate ritual with liturgy; within Druidry, though, I associate it with something far deeper. There is a level of comfort in performing a task that is familiar, there is less room for missing some vital ingredient, but there is also little room for creativity. However, it must be said that the familiarity can also aid focus. Having removed the anxiety of performing something new and unfamiliar, the act of holding a ritual that has been performed many times, either individually, by a small group, or by many people many times, with the same focus of will and intent, can be in itself very powerful. A ritual then is a formal, familiar method of achieving deep focus for your intended purpose.
The danger of course is that it can easily become the simple intoning of words or performing of actions with little or no focus. A comforting placebo!
There are other definitions of ritual, but for myself they are more akin to acting for an audience.
A rite on the other hand can be tailored to the event. It is intended as a one-off celebration of a particular set of circumstances and the more creativity that is poured into it the better. Yes, it might have a familiar structure, parts may be ritualised, but the focus and intent is unique to that place and time. It is a celebration of life.