Rituals

Description

An anthology of poetry and nonfiction exploring the presence and significance of ritual

Grinding beans for a morning cup of coffee, taking your medicine, or reciting a prayer—rituals are the clockwork meditations in our lives. The writers of this anthology explore what it means to participate in this act, which can range from a tuned-out meditation or a deeply thoughtful engagement with your body and mind.

Whether sacred or secular, the stories in Rituals provide a point of connection to the world beyond us, and invite us deeper into ourselves: a poem about greeting an acquaintance at Target while dealing with grief, or an essay about taking testosterone every Sunday. When we take a step back and examine our lives, we find that our existence is woven together by rituals: the simple acts that ground us through the constant flux of being human. 

“I loved this book because with each piece, we deepen our understanding into how unique yet shared the need for rituals are. They are rooted in culture, religion, health, or challenging emotions, connected to the senses, allowing us to pause and reflect on a deeper universal truth.”

 —Kimberly A. Edwards

About the Editor: Brina Patel is a freelance writer based in Sacramento, California. Her work has been published, or is forthcoming in, Brown Girl Magazine, The Mighty, LEVITATE Magazine, and Better Humans. When she’s not putting words to the page, you’ll find her hiking near her Northern California home, curling up with a tear-jerking memoir, or spoiling her sassy Maltese.

Contributors: Iqra Abid, Angela Acosta, Sarah E. Azizi, Kim Bannerman, Tricia Gates Brown, Valerie Anne Burns, Alex Carrigan, Summer A.H. Christiansen, Brianna Cunliffe, Alton Melvar M Dapanas, Eileen Dolan, Linda McCauley Freeman, Gabby Gilliam, J.D. Harlock, Milton Jordan, Jane Rosenberg LaForge, Livia Meneghin, Karuna Mistry, Toti O’Brien, Sawyer Patrick, Paula Rudnick, Stephanie Sesic, J. J. Steinfeld, Mark Thomas, Em Walling, Lauren Wester, Julie Fleming Wickham

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