Casper ter Kuile does many things, chiefly he talks and writes about rituals and sacred practices both in his daily life and in online spaces with others. I had the privilege of reading his new book The Power of Ritual which is categorized as a self help book, I find it more of a memoir into being and the essence of what humans do on a daily basis.

This book can be a way to think about literature in a new way. If you’re a teacher and are looking for a different approach to teaching students to go deeper. Casper’s book will show you ancient ways from theologians and people in history that are hundreds of years old.

For example Casper runs a very successful podcast called Harry Potter and the Sacred Text with his co-host Vanessa Zoltan. They take the text Harry Potter and break it down with these ancient rituals. Why does this matter in Casper’s new book? Well he talks a bit about his podcast in it. It’s fascinating in the fact he breaks down the purpose of why they use “PaRDes” for example on the show in the book.

One of the fascinating pieces of the culture he writes about is how people these days find new ways to create what would be considered a “church”. In his research journey he finds that CrossFit gyms are places where communities thrive in an almost religious nature. The bonds and love of community are so strong literally and figuratively, it’s hard not to want to join a local one.

He portions the book into five sections connecting with self, others, nature, transcendence, and the already connected. A very easy read to delve deeper into the life you are already leading and how you can notice the rituals you already have created.

Here’s my interview with Casper ter Kuile.

Who are you and what do you do?

I'm a writer and like to think of my purpose in life as building a world of joyful belonging. I create projects that help people to connect to one another and what's most important in life. I do that by co-hosting a podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text and co-leading an organization called Sacred Design Lab where we help to shift our dominant culture to be more oriented around belonging and becoming.

How did you come across Crossfit and the community it has created about rituals?

When we started our research for our paper How We Gather, we simply asked friends and friends-of-friends where they found community. Over and over again we heard people talk about fitness communities - which was a surprise! I'm not a very athletic person, so it was a real eye-opener to learn how groups like CrossFit aren't just working out together, but looking after each other's pets, contributing to one another's healthcare fees, sharing talent nights and even getting involved in politics together. At CrossFit they even have workouts that commemorate the dead, and host weddings and funerals. What we came to realize was that in so many respects, CrossFit was doing the same things in the lives of its members as religious congregations do!

What is something that you do that is considered a ritual in your life?

Every Friday night I turn off my phone and laptop. It's become a tech-sabbath for me, a time when I can enjoy the feeling of rest and sanctuary. Inspired by the great Jewish theologian Abraham Joshua Heschel's writing on the Sabbath, rather than thinking of this time as preparation for the work week, it has become the apex, the joyful reward at the end of the week where my creativity and joy is unlocked. I light a little candle and sing a song after shutting down all the tech and then it feels like I've entered a sort of cathedral in time.

How long did you research? Then how long did it take to write this book?

Often when people ask me how long it took to write the book I joke and say, "All my life!" because in so many ways the stories and inspirations in the book have taken a lifetime to experience. But perhaps more accurately I've been working on it in some form since the summer of 2014.

What are some of the books that you read that you feel like a piece of you was left in it and as you write "a sensation tells us something important"?

Oh goodness, so many! I am always inspired and haunted by the writing of John O'Donohue, the Irish poet and former Catholic priest. I was also inspired as a young adult by the work of Naomi Klein, especially her book No Logo. It was a political awakening for me.

Why do you think sacred reading is important?

So often we move from task to task, from day-to-day, without having a moment to pause and reflect. I love that sacred reading - especially when we do it together - offers us a structured way to think about big questions in life. And with sacred reading, you don't feel like you have to start with a blank page! The text we choose to read offers us a way into the questions and into those times of reflection.

Why do you think gathering around a table for food is a sacred ritualistic experience? (I too was in LA in 2015 and experienced a Dinner Party Gathering and felt immediately connected to strangers for a period)

Sharing food is something we've done as human beings since the dawn of our existence. So many of the great religious festivals are built around a shared meal - think of Passover, Iftars, and the Eucharist. Rituals always embody a story or a set of values - and so meals offer a chance to represent those stories and values through particular foods. And this holds true outside of traditional religion, too. Think of favorite family recipes that remind you of a loved one. Whole new communities are gathering around shared meals as a way of sharing stories - The Dinner Party is one example. It's a community for folks in their 20s and 30s who have experienced significant loss, and helps people share stories of their experience that helps move them from a situation of isolation into one of connection.

Why is a commitment to a goal/reason/idea important? You speak about recording 200 episodes with HPST

We become what we practice. So if we practice generosity over and over again - even if it isn't our natural inclination - we become a generous person. This is what makes ritual much more than just a nice celebration or a marker of time. Rituals form us! So committing to a practice is really important because its one way we get to become the person we want to be in the world.

Fun questions

If you were stranded on an abandoned island what five items would you want with you?

A never-ending supply of Lindt milk chocolate

A teapot

Lady Grey teabags

The complete backlog of the London Review of Books

A piano

If you could travel back in time for a vacation where would you go?

Ah, Paris in the summer of 2018 - for sure!

Picture header by: Photo by Joshua Eckstein on Unsplash