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The Book of Uncommon Rituals (forthcoming series) is an adventurous collection of original submissions from practitioners from all over the world, spanning a wide range of spiritual paths and no spiritual path. For this series, we are collecting:

  • Rituals that go beyond traditional spiritual or religious practice
  • Rituals that mark life changes
  • Rituals that deepen personal meaning and bring communities together
  • Rituals aimed at cultivating virtues like mindfulness, gratitude, or compassion
  • Rituals around experiences for which we often lack cultural ways to celebrate, connect, or grieve

Designed as a resource for people who find themselves outside of established traditions, The Book of Uncommon Rituals will be a published collection of rituals to mark life’s key moments, from celebrations of love and new life to acknowledgements of profound loss. This series holds an expansive vision of what ritual is and what it can be, and its framework is God-optional. 

We will consider all submissions for publication and all authors will be fully credited. You can find submission instructions below. We look forward to reading your beautiful work!

Submit a Ritual

About

Ritual is a crucial way of framing human activity. From time immemorial, human beings have crafted rituals to mark important occasions, define the boundaryless space of transition, and structure the liminality of endings and new beginnings. Ritual nurtures our relationships, connects us to ourselves, others, and the world at large, and raises our awareness of the sacred qualities of all life. Ritual breaks us out of the mundaneness, numbness, and the forgetfulness of the everyday, and brings us into the immediacy of the here and now.

Ritual reminds us of who and where we are.

Today, many people live in a world bereft of ritual. More and more, we lack meaningful frameworks to draw us through the stages and complexities of life. Of the rituals that we do have, many are tied to institutions that no longer speak to our contemporary moment, and often do not feel potent or relevant. Many are thirsting for relevant ritual. 

The Book of Uncommon Rituals is a collaborative creation in process. We seek submissions from a diverse community of people who long share the life-giving practices they have created or learned. We seek submissions from you: everyday people, artists and entrepreneurs, clergy and chaplains, youths and wise elders.

If you believe there is a need for vibrant ritual in our ever-changing world, please consider making a submission.

Get Updates on this project

Submit

Thank you for your interest in submitting to The Book of Uncommon Rituals!  Please read all instructions before submitting. Each submission will be considered for one of our forthcoming volumes. Thank you in advance for your contribution — we look forward to reviewing it!

— Editors Wesley Wildman, Melody Stanford Martin, and Dave Rohr, on behalf of the entire Wildhouse Publications team 

  1. All ritual submissions must be completely original and must not be replications of another author’s work. Any quoted material must be properly attributed. The editors reserve the right to omit attributed material if contributors cannot secure the proper permissions to print.
  2. We are thrilled to have many contributions to this series, however we cannot guarantee that all submissions will be published. 
  3. Contributors may submit multiple entries, but each entry must have its own form submission. Please do not use the form to submit multiple entries at once.
  4. Interactive components are highly encouraged! 🙂 Please consider including descriptions of physical materials, body movements, and sensory textures to help participants ground their experience.
  5. Feel free to use any specific terms for the divine, Source, spirits, or specific religious figures (e.g. Goddess, Buddha, Jesus, etc.) that resonate with your tradition. With that said, the goal of this project is to create rituals that will be accessible to both religious and non-religious people. For this reason, before publication, the editorial team may choose to substitute a symbol for divine references. The editorial team may also add preliminary marks to help readers interpret your use of such words or names, and may, in some cases, gently edit the ritual for inclusivity (e.g. using nonbinary pronouns for the divine, etc).
  6. Some rituals might refer to a particular type of clergy member (priest, rabbi, pastor, etc.). In such cases, before publication the editorial team may substitute inclusive words like “facilitator” or “leader”. Our goal is to make these rituals accessible to a wide audience from many different backgrounds. 
  7. Please consider writing rituals in such a way that they can be adapted to be used either in a group or solo.
  8. While we are not able to offer monetary compensation or royalties for submissions, each contributor will receive a free copy of the volume in which their contribution is printed and a great big shoutout on our website, social media, and promotional campaigns.

If you have any questions about submission, please feel free to reach out to Melody Stanford Martin, mmartin@wildhousepublishing.com.

1) LEAD CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

The lead contributor is the point of contact for the submitted ritual. The lead contributor may make the submission on behalf of a group of co-contributors, with their consent.
Not listed publicly, for communication purposes only.
Not listed publicly, for communication purposes only.
Please provide 2-3 sentences telling us who you are. While this is optional, we strongly encourage submitting a bio. Bios may appear in the books and on our website if selected.
Please link a personal or professional website you would like us to include in our online contributors list
Checking this box will mean we omit your identifying information in print publications, website, and marketing materials.
Is there anyone else who should be given credit for this ritual? If so, please use this box to provide the information above for each additional person.

2) RITUAL TEXT

Some rituals may have a script of some kind, others will be more narrative in nature. Please give us all the details that someone would need to enact this ritual. This is the main body of your submission.

3) RITUAL INFORMATION

We may choose to publish select stories to accompany some of the rituals in the book. Note: because this may become public information, please do NOT use any personal or identifying information for anyone but yourself and use pseudonyms where appropriate. If you are in doubt about whether to share a story, please obtain written permission from any individuals involved, even if you are changing their names.
Should any materials or objects should be gathered beforehand? Should participants be in a certain location or be wearing certain things? Please provide all preparation instructions here. Instructions may be included in publication and may be edited in some cases.
Select all that apply
Please provide any other additional information about the purpose or use of this ritual, such as specific situations when it would be helpful.
Select all that apply
Please list 3-10 terms describing your ritual, separated by commas. Try to be as detailed and descriptive as possible.
Are there any readings or texts that pair well with this ritual? Please include title and author only (do not copy and paste the text itself as that may run into copyright issues).
Click or drag files to this area to upload. You can upload up to 5 files.
Accepted file types: .png, .jpg, .jpeg, .mp3, .mp4, .heic, .aiff. Max file size: 100 MB. You must have obtained the necessary rights to publish these files and written permission from any people depicted.
Feel free to copy and paste links to audio or video media that show depictions of the ritual. These may be published on our social media accounts and/or website. You must have obtained the necessary rights to publish these files and written permission from any people depicted.

4) OPTIONAL DEMOGRAPHIC INFO

The follow information helps us in our research and aids us in our commitment to diversity and inclusion. Note: This section will have no bearing on which rituals are selected for publication. We may report on cumulative information shared here but no personal information will be disclosed.

5) FINAL REVIEW & SUBMISSION

One book per lead contributor. This information will NOT be made public.
By checking this box, I (on behalf of all co-contributors) hereby verify that the material I am submitting is original to myself, not previously copyrighted, and not previously subject to assignment of any rights, and that I have permission to share all information and stories included. I (on behalf of all co-contributors) understand there is no guarantee that this contribution will be published by Wildhouse Publishing and that it may be published in an edited or significantly edited manner. I (on behalf of all co-contributors) further understand that I retain copyright over any edited version that may be published and therefore I am responsible for giving permission to other people to re-use the contribution in other contexts, subject to any limitations due to assigning rights to publish and distribute to Wildhouse Publishing.
By checking this box, I (on behalf of all co-contributors) hereby authorize Wildhouse Publishing and its partners, subsidiaries, successors, assigns, and editors to adapt and publish this contribution, should it be selected, and to use this contribution in any forthcoming works or publicity campaigns with attribution. I understand that I am not entitled to monetary compensation or royalties and that any revenue from these books will support the mission of the nonprofit parent organization, Just Horizons Alliance.

MEET THE EDITORS

Wesley Wildman

MELODY STANFORD MARTIN

Dave Rohr

What do a transreligious mystical philosopher/data scientist, a druid activist musician/author, and an Alaskan adventurer/recovering theologian have in common?

A deep passion for supporting the spiritual quests of non-religious people and people on the creative fringes of religious organizations – including through innovative and transformative ritual. Wesley, Melody, and Dave are launching this project on behalf of the nonprofit Just Horizons Alliance and its publishing arm, Wildhouse Publishing, to produce resources that address a deep need for more relevant ritual practices in our time.

All royalties from sales of books produced through the Uncommon Rituals project are dedicated to one of Just Horizons’ initiatives of supporting the spirituality of people who are nonreligious or who dwell in the creative borderlands of traditional religious groups. We enjoy the support of a stunningly gifted team of editorial advisors who will help us gather, select, and organize contributions of the rituals that have bubbled up out of the creative genius of our contributors.

You can find out about Wesley, Melody, and Dave on the Wildhouse Publishing website. And you can find out about our amazing editorial advisors right here.

MEET THE BOARD

The Book of Uncommon Rituals benefits from the wisdom and guidance of the advisory board for the Ritual for the NonReligious Project. The board is composed of scholars of religious studies and ritual studies and leaders and practitioners of ritual in non-religious contexts. 

We are exceedingly grateful to the John Templeton Foundation for funding both the Book of Uncommon Rituals and its companion project, Ritual for the Nonreligious which is being conducted by the Center for Mind and Culture. This funding allows us to bridge on-the-ground resources with leading-edge academic research. 

Josh Bullock

Josh Bullock is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Criminology at Kingston University, London. His research has explored the dynamics of organised non-religion, including mobilisation, meaning-making, activism, and belonging, as well as the presence of paranormal, superstitious, magical, and supernatural (PSMS) beliefs among the non-religious. Learn more here.

CaroL White

Carol Wayne White is Professor of Philosophy of Religion at Bucknell University and the award-winning author of many books and articles on poststructuralist philosophies, process philosophy and theism, religious naturalism, science and religion, and critical theory and religion. Learn more here.

CASPER Ter Kuile

Casper ter Kuile is the author of The Power of Ritual, the co-founder of Sacred Design Lab, and the co-creator of the hit podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text. He writes and speaks about the future of spirituality and community. Learn more at sacred.design and caspertk.com.

William david hart

Professor of Religious Studies, Macalester College. Hart is the author of The Blackness of Black: Key Concepts in Critical Discourse (Lexington 2020). His research interests include black studies, social theory, philosophy of race, American philosophy, and the intersections of religion, ethics, and politics.

F. LeRon Schults

Professor at the Institute of Global Development and Planning at the University of Agder and research professor at the NORCE Center for Modeling Social Systems, Kristiansand, Norway. Leron has published over 20 books and 200 scientific articles or book chapters on topics such as philosophy of religion, psychology of religion, and the scientific study of spiritual experiences. Learn more at fleronshults.com.

Debbie Blades

Dr. Blades holds a Masters in Theological Studies, and a Doctorate in Global Feminist Theology. Her interests lie in language and theology and its relation to gender. She uses her eduction for the healing of herself and other women who have suffered spiritual and/or religious abuse.

Anthony B. Pinn

University of South Africa Visiting Scholar, Harvard University Divinity School; Founding Director, Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning; Managing Editor, Religious Studies Review; Director of Research, The Institute for Humanist Studies (Washington, DC). Learn more at anthonypinn.com.

Fio Gede Parma

Fio Gede Parma (they/she) is a Balinese-Australian queer, non-binary witch, initiate, mentor, and award-winning author. They have authored or co-written and edited 8 books including The Witch Belongs to the World, Ecstatic Witchcraft, and Magic of the Pearl Pentacle. She has been initiated into four traditions of Witchcraft and their Craft can be described as intrinsically transgressive, anti-imperialist, love-drenched, justice-oriented, folkloric, and initiatory. Fio has taught the Craft and ecstatic spirit-work in five continents and regularly offers workings and courses online. For more about Fio visit her website: fiogedeparma.com

Harvey Whitehouse

Harvey Whitehouse is an anthropologist whose research focuses on the role of religion, ritual, and group cohesion in the evolution of social complexity. He is the author of numerous books, most recently The Ritual Animal: Imitation and Cohesion in the evolution of social complexity (Oxford University Press, 2021) and Inheritance: The evolutionary origins of the modern world (Penguin Random House, 2024).

Patrice K. Curtis

Rev. Patrice Curtis has served several Unitarian Universalist congregations, is currently a director at denomination headquarters, sits on the board of the interfaith Interim Ministry Network, and serves as a mentor for seminarians. Rev. Patrice is a published author, including contributing meditations to anthologies, and is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Iliff. Beginning with humanitarian work in Africa and Europe prior to ministry, Patrice continues to be inspired by the diversity of traditional and nontraditional rituals that sustain communities.

Kripa Rajshekhar

Founder of Metonymize. An engineer by training and disposition. Kripa’s independent research interests include multiagent intelligent systems analysis and design. He hopes to use Ritual studies and insights from Anthropology to better understand and build scalable and sustainable systems for coordination, communication and prediction. Learn more about The Syncrite Project.

Mary Martha Thiel

Rev. Mary Martha Thiel is an ACPE Certified Educator and Board Certified Chaplain with the Association of Professional Chaplains. Her areas of interest include spiritual care of the nonreligious, spiritual care of LGBTQ+ elders, and teaching healthcare providers to incorporate spiritual generalist care into the practice of their own disciplines. Mary Martha is a UCC minister.

CHristopher Turner

Dr. Christopher Turner is the director of Reflective Learning, and provides professional development for carers who need an understanding of human spirituality that is not determined by religion. Christopher also works in the mental health field, specifically in suicide postvention support. Connect with Dr. Turner on LinkedIn

LINDA MERCADANTE

Distinguished Research Professor, Emerita MTSO, Fellow of The Center of Theological Inquiry and of the Ecumenical Institute. Dr. Mercadante is the founder of  HealthyBeliefs.org.

Lucas Walker

Reverend Walker served for ten years as Pastoral Care Associate at San Francisco Theological Seminary and the University of Redlands. Reverend Walker continues to provide pastoral care with an array of communities through PathWalkerCare. He specializes in Complex Trauma/PTSD, religious trauma, disability, survivors of violence, and neurodivergence. He works primarily with LGBTQ, pagan, Christian, and agnostic/atheist communities. 

adam B. Seligman

Professor of Religion at Boston University and Founding Director of CEDAR – Communities Engaging with Difference and Religion. His many books include (with Robert Weller): Ritual and Its Consequences (2008), Rethinking Pluralism (2012), and How Things Count as the Same (2019). His book Oaths and Vows: Words as  Genesis (together with Maria Schnitter) is appearing August 2024. Learn more at cedarnetwork.org.

Christopher A. Greene

Christopher is currently working as an Educational Policy Analyst and is a dynamic individual deeply invested in exploring the intersections of psychology and spirituality. Chris holds an M.Div in Theological Studies from Boston University and a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is a disciple of Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati and a student of Ramakrishna Seminary. Learn more here.

Konrad Talmont-Kaminski

Prof. UwB, Head of the Society & Cognition Unit, University of Bialystok

Bentley Stewart

Rev. Bentley Stewart serves as the Pediatric Palliative Care Chaplain at Orlando Health’s Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. In addition to his two decades in healthcare, he has spent time as a congregational pastor, a church planter, an Anti-Racism Trainer, a mentor for seminarians, and a street chaplain for people experiencing homelessness. Bentley approaches ritual crafting as a choreographer of embodied language for when words are not enough.

Johnathan Lanman

Professor of Cognitive Anthropology, Queen’s University Belfast. Professor Lanman’s work on atheism and secularization utilizes both cognitive and social anthropology to explore atheism and theism. He has also worked with a number of collaborators to investigate the effects of ritual participation on self-identity, group cohesion, and extreme pro-group action and has written on philosophical challenges in the scientific study of religion. Learn more here.

Contact

info@wildhousepublishing.com

The Book of Uncommon Rituals is a project of the nonprofit Just Horizons Alliance and its publishing arm, Wildhouse Publishing, both based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 

© 2024 Wildhouse Publishing, All Rights Reserved.