Fair Trade Purchases as Part of Loving Rituals

Rituals are important in our lives in many ways. The ways we create and use rituals have the potential for profound effects, either positive or negative. The more conscious we are of how we create and act out our rituals, the better off we will be. This is quite clear when we think of rituals we perform with our children and the kinds of rituals we act out in our deeply private times. As both a parent of a young child and as a special education teacher, I have found thinking about rituals very generative and helpful in many ways. I would like to add to this perspective some thoughts on possibilities for making purchases of fair trade items part of one’s loving rituals that operate on both personal and global levels.

When my son was still an infant I read a book discussing a concept of “Love Rituals.” These rituals, the author explained, were the absolutely loving games, traditions, celebrations and simply creative play spaces that we can create with our children. For example, singing a certain song during a bedtime ritual, or playing a game that reinforces love and security for the infant. Such rituals surround the child in a loving world that they can rely on. They know the ritual will consistently occur in their life and they gain a tremendous source of deep security and solidity. As the child grows the rituals change, but the best ones veer away from comparing the child to other children, and focus, instead, on enjoying deep, dynamic, loving, secure experiences together.

Parents who are focused on doing their best with their children seem to understand the importance of such rituals. They sense the deepening sense of security experienced by their child, inspiring the parents to continue to consistently provide the best possible loving rituals. The best teachers also understand this. For teachers, this manifests as providing students intrinsically motivating activities, inside jokes, consistent, well-timed forums to earn praise, and all sorts of activities that show students how much they are appreciated for who they are and how they are growing. The goal is a lively, dynamic learning environment, a space where students feel secure and motivated by many engaging, fun, positive and reliable experiences.

Another kind of loving ritual can occur on a very private level. We frequently create rituals for ourselves, yet we might not notice them unless someone points them out, especially if the ritual is really simply a persistent thought pattern. If we choose to routinely put ourselves down with negative self-talk, we are guaranteed negative experiences; conversely, if our self-talk is loving, compassionate, playful and not harsh in comparisons with others, we can count on deeply fulfilling, fun, engaging experiences.

Now here is the tie-in to our mission at Sevya: we support the creation of positive, sustainable, loving individuals and communities in our world. Artisan communities where our handmade items are produced are secure and loving places, where communities can provide all that is necessary for fulfilling lives for all members. Moreover, we believe that our product offerings provide an opportunity to add positive symbols in our own personal lives. When we invest a little more money in beautiful, fair trade scarves, clothing, jewelry, bedding or other items, we have done something deeply positive for ourselves. When we do this consistently, we have created a loving ritual that can have far-reaching positive effect in our personal and public lives.

Various spiritual traditions emphasize the importance of compassion to those who are searching for a fulfilling, meaningful, happy life. When one’s life is rich in compassionate, loving rituals involving our inner lives, our relationships with children and other adults, it is not hard to see the positive effects.

We at Sevya support the creation of loving, dynamic, creative, playful and insightful spaces in a consistent manner. Whether one is creating such loving rituals as a parent, teacher, spouse, friend, consumer, or in one’s personal habits and self-talk, the positive effects can be truly transformative on various levels.

Sevya invites you to create, loving rituals throughout all facets of life. We also invite you to consider making conscious choices to support ethically-minded production, such as our retail and wholesale fair trade clothing, scarves, jewelry, décor, bedding and gifts.

Jerry Rasch writes articles and blogs for Sevya as a part-time, but full-hearted pursuit.