Humans are remarkable creatures. Just as birds of paradise each have their own unique courting dance, or blue whales sing to their far-off friends in unique sonic tones, humans have some truly idiosyncratic habits that are not seen anywhere else in nature.
We talk. We scroll. We argue. We build buildings and drive cars and run marathons and shout at the TV when our favorite sports team is losing. But we’re also creatures of habit, creatures of ritual. We thrive in daily structure and we fall into routines that either help us achieve our goals, or hold us back from our full potential.
Hustle culture made morning routines oppressive and obsessive. Do it this way or else your day is lost. But a personalized, empowering morning routine can be the foundation for strong mental health, confidence and an ever-growing list of benefits.
With that in mind, allow us to introduce “Rituals,” a new series from MUD\FILMS.
In these short films, we go full “Planet Earth” and examine some remarkable human creatures as they rise in their natural habitats.
In the first film, we meet the award-winning artist and activist Madame Gandhi, known for her uplifting, percussive electronic music and positive message about gender liberation and personal power. Gandhi began producing music in 2015, after her story of running the London Marathon while free-bleeding to combat menstrual stigma went viral around the world.
In ‘Wake Up and Dance,’ Madame Gandhi shows us that even the simplest rituals can have an enormous impact on our creativity, well-being and mindset.
In ‘The Importance of Ritual: From Prison to Leading a Fulfilling Life,’ we meet Chris Burroughs, the mastermind of Garden 31. After 14 years in prison, Chris now takes a unique approach to sustainable food systems through local farming and environmental conservation.
Chris is killing two birds with one stone: He is helping to rehabilitate other formerly imprisoned people, while also working against the collapse of commercial agriculture that has turned into a chemical frenzy.
Watch the film to see how Chris uses routine and nature to expand his world … instead of making it smaller.
“Rituals” is narrated by some strange and wonderful version of David Attenborough.
Through these films, we hope that by observing the intimate morning rituals of others, you’re inspired to think about how you conduct your own.
Read more: Shane Heath's Morning Ritual
Read more: Eat One Wild Thing Every Day
Read more: The Daily Rituals that Fuel William Padilla-Brown
