Article / Updated 03-26-2016
When a loved one dies, you might feel devoid of life, hope, or happiness. Expressing grief through personal rituals can ease the pain. A ritual is any ceremony that progresses in established steps. Although people generally think of ritual in the context of formalized religion, it need not be. You can (and probably do) make a ritual out of the smallest and most mundane acts in your everyday life, such as getting ready for work in the morning, preparing the evening meal, or getting ready for bed at night.