Ritual, everyday ritual, is incredibly powerful!
Examine the ritual of power, be that in the opening of parliament, royal celebrations, religious ceremony…and you begin to see the importance and power of ritual!
So where does this fit into a sustainable life or a permaculture smallholding?
It is simple to understand in the context of power…
Since the rise of the Age of Technology, our real power as human beings has become diminished.
We have become reliant on technology, without stopping to assess and filter the bits we really need and want.
I was contemplating this as I lit the stove this morning, moving to and fro with paper and wood, collecting fuel from the barn, whilst casting my eyes over the pile of long thin trunks, standing erect ready to be sawn into logs. 
My early morning coffee is predicated on lighting the stove and doing small chores, as I wait for the kettle to boil. This is a ritual I choose to partake of.
I could have kept my electric kettle and simply touched a switch each morning, but chose instead to avail of that great commodity: time!
Rising a little earlier, cleaning the ash-pan, lighting the stove and waiting, allows my morning to begin a sacred quietness.
I walk to the back door and stand by the open portal to Nature, as she heralds the morning in with birdsong.
The power of ritual is our power.
It is what we have forgotten, as technology imbibes us to forget our humanity.
We need both.
We need to be selective and thoughtful about what we wish to keep in our lives.
It is our power to choose.