Bespoke Ritual Design

Our work together begins with the feeling that something needs to happen, and that it deserves to be met with care

something important might be shifting

The need for ritual is felt but the shape isn't known yet

A beginning of something new
An intentional moment of letting go
A major change in a relationship

You’re hosting something meaningful

A moment carries weight and you want to get it right

A programme, retreat, or event with transformative potential
A gathering to mark something significant
A moment that calls for presence and emotional attunement

Or something feels missing in the day-to-day

There’s a sense that ritual could support a deeper way of relating to your work

A longing for presence and rhythm
A desire to move towards a more embodied practice
A wish for meaningful connection

If this speaks to you, you might want to explore Four Rituals for Work - a structured journey to develop rituals that support a meaningful relationship with work.

Client portrait of Laurence and Carlos, used alongside testimonial.

Viktor has been a pleasure to work with. His patience and prodding helped us seamlessly integrate ritual work into our coaching program.

The program was delivered 100% online and so Viktor helped us create more engagement during our Zoom calls and design real world rituals to help participants embody their intentions. These rituals really helped them create more commitment and clarity for their learning journey together.

Laurence and Carlos, Entrepreneurial coaches

Vision 20/20

Four people preparing for a ritual in a big open space.

How Ritual Design Can Help

Rituals shape how we show up. To ourselves, to others, and to the work we do.

They help us stay connected to what matters and respond to change with the fullness of our being.

How do we design one?

Good ritual design is simple. It is about meeting a real need with a form that fits the context.

When we design a ritual, we shape something that responds directly to your situation, your way of working, and your sense of what matters.

We draw on actions and symbols that already carry meaning for you, and align them with established frameworks and tested insights into what makes rituals work.

Curious to learn how do it yourself? Consider booking my workshops Understanding Rituals & How To Design Rituals for your team.

Moments that called for ritual

Rituals designed through this process are always unique, shaped by the situation, the people, and what the moment is asking for

Amsterdam

Closing the Door Together

After years of building a beloved community-led co-working space, the team - hit by the impact of Covid - faced the difficult decision to close, and wanted to honour their shared journey.

The founder reflected that their role had always been about "holding a door open" for others, leading us to center the ritual on closing that door for the last time.

A freestanding door was placed at the centre of a former church and kept open by different members throughout the ritual.

As the acts of closure and remembrance came to an end, the final, reverberating closing of the door offered a shared moment of release, marking the end of their time together with intentionality and care.

Man stepping out of the creative field as part of a ritual.

Stockholm

Tending to Authorship with Care

When two companions decided to part ways after more than 30 years of building a respected consultancy - acknowledged as one of Europe’s best workplaces - the impact was going to be felt by many.

Our work together centered on navigating and giving shape to the transition: exploring where the energy of authorship had lived and helping the creative field adjust to the change.

The main ritual we designed took place under an old oak tree, symbolising the strength and growth of their creation. In the presence of family, colleagues, and friends, one founder consciously stepped out of the shared creative field, leaving the other to carry it forward.

There was room for tears, gratitude, and genuine transformation, making it a moment of both closure and new beginnings.

London

Creating the Permission to Just Be

Allowing ourselves to do nothing can be difficult!

For a retreat called A Week of Nothing, I was asked to co-design the opening and closing ceremonies: anchoring the experience in a strong sense of permission to be, and to let go.

Through carefully designed threshold spaces, we infused the liminal zones at the beginning and end of the retreat with awareness and a deep sense of allowance.

The opening helped participants let go and attune to what the retreat was offering, while the closing brought their now-matured permission to just be into everyday life: held symbolically in a small glass sphere.

Portrait of Viktor Lysell, ritual designer, smiling in a park setting.

REady to begin?

Together, we’ll get clear on what's needed and shape a ritual that is attuned to your context.

Arrange an introductory call

Learn more about my practice

Client portrait of Kristoffer, used alongside testimonial.

I wanted my client meetups to move beyond the usual shallowness of meeting culture and become meaningful, memorable experiences. Working with Viktor gave me clarity, a strong concept, and the confidence to try something new.

At first I wasn’t sure how participants would respond, but their positive feedback showed me the real power of ritual.

Viktor supported me beautifully with presence, structure, and creativity - and the way he asked the right questions where it mattered most really stood out to me.

On a personal level, I find Viktor simply excellent - he brings integrity, ethical clarity, and a thoughtful approach to creating experiences that fit. His work is powerful and creates results that genuinely move people.

Kristoffer Trautmann, Advisor

https://kristoffertrautmann.de/

How we work together

Every ritual design begins with your situation. Your experience, your story, your way of relating to what’s happening.

We draw on design principles, frameworks, and lived experience while meeting each moment on its own terms.

Collaboration Overview

Approach

This is your ritual - Through connecting with your sense of what needs to happen we can design something real.

We work with what is there - Not with cultural expressions or symbols that aren’t your own, but with what already holds meaning for you.

We move when the moment is ripe - A ritual only works when the conditions are right. Part of the process is making sure the timing, setting, and your inner readiness are in place.

Method

We get clear – Before designing the ritual, we spend time with what’s present. Through applied clarity practice, we explore what you need and what the ritual must hold.

We design – Once the purpose of the process is clear, we shape the ritual. We work with flow, setting, and key interactions in a well structured design process.

We make it happen – I stay with you until your ritual is enacted. Making sure all the elements come together for a powerful experience.

Practicalities

Most rituals take shape over 2–4 sessions, with space between conversations for prototyping and small assignments.

Between meetings, I’ll share reflections, outlines, and drafts of specific components to help us stay close to the heart of the ritual as it takes form.

When the ritual design is complete, we’ll make sure you have everything you need to enact or host it.

Pricing begins at €900, depending on the depth and level of support involved.

We’ll agree on a scope that feels right for your situation after our initial conversation.

Arrange an introductory call

FAQ

What is ritual design?

Ritual design is the process of creating a custom ritual that responds directly to your needs, context, and way of working. It can support responding to change, creating meaningful moments, and developing your ongoing practice.

Do I need to know what the ritual is for before we begin?

No. Many people come to me with only a sense that something important is shifting or needs attention. Together, we explore what is emerging and shape a ritual that speaks to it.

How long does a ritual design process take?

Most rituals come together over 2 to 4 sessions, spaced to allow reflection and small assignments between meetings. The overall process typically unfolds over a few weeks.

Do you facilitate the ritual, or just design it?

I mainly co-create rituals for you to deliver or participate in yourself. My focus is on making sure you feel prepared, supported, and ready to bring the ritual to life, and I can be present for delivery if called for.

Can we design a ritual that I will host for others?

Yes. I often work with coaches, consultants, and leaders who are guiding others through meaningful experiences. This might include designing a ritual for a team process, a retreat, or a leadership programme.

Are you working with clients in times of change?

If you're a coach, consultant, or facilitator, ritual design can deepen the way you support transformation, meaning-making, and connection.

Ritual coaching can help you refine a specific ritual you're working on, or support you in integrating ritual design into your wider practice.

If you're leading a leadership programme, you might want to explore my 8-week design journey - a collaborative process for strengthening the flow and impact of your offer.

Send me a message