Spirit + Ritual = Spiritual • In older, tribal cultures, as well as modern secret societies and military groups, a candidate has to go through an initiation before being accepted in the group. Most are difficult, yet possible to accomplish. Some are even more severe, which is a way of weeding out those who are not capable of what is required for membership. Yet no matter how physical and outer these ordeals are, the point is to bring about an inner transformation. By having the person go through a visceral experience - and not just an intellectual exercise - the whole body is involved in such a way that her or she goes beyond what they previously thought were possible. This brings about an inner knowing, on a deeply personal and individual level, that leaves the person forever changed - inside and out. In this talk, I outline the difference between a routine and ritual, and describe how we can make rituals in our everyday lives.