These days, life often seems frayed and hurried, with so much going on around you. However, you can soak up this chaos by taking a break and following cultural practices rooted in intentionality and designed to honor gratitude, love, and spirituality. They make you feel that you’re part of something far deeper. Here’s more about a couple of popular cultural traditions that offer unique pathways to deepen gratitude, nurture your spiritual side, and strengthen family ties at the same time.
Shabbat: The Jewish Tradition of Holy Rest and Reunion
Shabbat, or the Jewish day of rest, observed from Friday evening through Saturday evening, is one of the most ancient ways to celebrate love and spirituality. The practice revolves around staying away from work, technology, and other stressful activities of the mortal world.
The practice begins by lighting two candles, usually by the eldest lady in the family. They signify the two commandments: to remember and observe the day. A blessing over wine, Kiddush, marks the transition into sacred time to consecrate the meal. Sharing the braided bread, challah, is another important part of the whole practice that emphasizes the themes of community and sustenance.
The rest of the evening and the next day are usually busy as families gather for multiple meals and have a great time singing, reflecting, and sharing their unique experiences. Another ceremony is held at the end of the week, called Havdalah, which signals the return to the ordinary world. It involves using spices, wine, and light to anchor this transition.
The beauty of Shabbat is in its structural flexibility. While traditional observance involves following set patterns, modern families often improvise, making sure the practice fits everyone’s individual dynamics.
For instance, some families now use a Shabbat box, a carefully curated collection of religious artifacts, candle-holding objects, blessing cards, and other symbolic objects. However, it doesn’t matter how you practice it, it serves as an opportunity to honor relationships and spiritual presence.
Diwali: The Festival of Lights
The Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists celebrate Diwali, a visually radiant festival observed to express gratitude and promote spiritual renewal. A five-day festivity, with the main day fixed as the new moon in the Hindu month of Kartik, Diwali symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, or you can also take it as the conquest of good over evil. However, at a much broader level, the festival symbolizes renewal and transformation.
The traditional Diwali celebrations revolve around lighting diyas, or small oil lamps. People place them throughout their homes and communities, as the light signifies a powerful force pushing away external and internal darkness. The practice also involves cleaning and purifying your space before lighting those lamps.
To develop a spiritual connection, you must decorate your space with purpose. If you’re so inclined, you can even try making a rangoli; the mere action of researching rangoli designs can be a meditative process in itself. Be sure to have oil lamps and candles ready and pick a space to light them safely. Encourage others to join you and bring things they want to illuminate or let go of.
Endnote
These practices are a clear indication that gratitude, love, and spiritual connection are far more than mere ideas. They’re real experiences you have through intentions, rituals, and community. Every tradition works differently but ultimately, they all satisfy the same basic human need: to slow down, understand what matters most in life, and change the way we see the world.