Jenn Tardif elevates existence through ritual.

After years of teaching and studying yoga, meditation and aromatherapy in New York City, the mindful thinker began leading ritual-based workshops and creating custom blends for friends and family, who lovingly demanded more. Ultimately, in 2016, Tardif founded 3rd Ritual, a company that’s dedicated to bringing heightened meaning to people’s lives through in-person events, online content and ritual objects. Their inaugural product, the BEL, just launched, indicating the balance of beauty and utility that will underscore each creation. 

Here, Tardif describes how joy hinges on finding life’s blessings—even in times of hardship:

Live The Process: Has the concept of “rituals” always been meaningful to you? 

Jenn Tardif: I’ve always believed that simple rituals can inspire sacred experiences. As a kid, I developed a special reverence towards repetition and pattern. Simple acts, like arranging the objects in my room, helped me cultivate a sense of control despite the chaos that surrounded me. Rituals give way to a new perspective by making the invisible visible and anchoring us to the present moment.

LTP: What inspired you to start 3rd Ritual?

 JT: After experiencing firsthand the healing effects that these practices can have on our mental and emotional well-being, I was motivated to share them. I left a very comfortable, corporate job to explore the reality of creating a holistic offering that combined my passion for mindfulness with my skill set for building innovative products.

I delved deeper into my studies of yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, Taoism and sacred geometry with the unique community of teachers and healers in and around New York. I traveled to India to study Vedic ritual, Vastu Shastra and yoga with some of the greatest living masters. All the while, I was formulating custom apothecary blends for friends and family, designing and developing ritual tools and leading in-person workshops. The response was overwhelmingly positive and, from there, 3rd Ritual was born.

LTP: For newcomers to your brand, can you talk a bit about the workshops you lead and the objects that you create? 

JT: 3rd Ritual is about adding meaning to the everyday and cultivating a more connected way of life with mindful objects, intimate events and esoteric content. 

Our workshops pair ancient philosophies with modern techniques. They began organically: I’d been leading yoga and meditation in New York for some time, but wanted to offer more techniques for manifesting a peaceful state of being beyond the mat. Each workshop is different since we tailor them to the space and season with rituals spanning aromatherapy, painting, meditation and so much more.

I believe that objects should be as useful as they are beautiful and hope this comes across in our debut product, the BEL, which uses fire, gravity and sound to measure time. Left alone, the BEL is a beautiful object for your home, but when the candle is lit, the wax will melt and, eventually, a pin will fall, releasing a soft bell sound to signify the passage of time.

Jenn Tardif wears our wonderful Corset Bodysuit.

LTP: Aside from practicing yoga and performing rituals, what are some wellness practices that currently keep you feeling balanced and healthy?

JT: I’m pregnant and due in a month, so, right now, I’m pretty focused on mentally and emotionally preparing to give birth. Although meditation has always played an important role in my practice, I was surprised by how effective it has been as a grounding technique throughout pregnancy. I’ve completely shifted my approach and, instead of sitting upright and attempting to still my mind, I’ve been lying on my side, propped up on pillows and working with different methods like visualizing labor. I think it’s important to remember that these practices are amenable and can always meet us where we are with new insights on whatever it is we’re working through.

LTP: What does happiness look like to you?

JT: I think of happiness as grace which can’t be embodied without gratitude. When we start to recognize everything as a blessing, especially the unexpected hardships, we’re better positioned to find joy. 

LTP: What does it mean to you to “Live The Process” and how can we all do that more each day?

JT: When we remain focused on the process—the small things—and the day-to-day, instead of the always elusive “what’s next?” we’re more likely to feel satisfied or, better yet, enamored by the beauty that surrounds us.