I had an engrossing and philosophical discussion with the founders of Tea Leaves, a really beautiful tea company that abides from the principles of “Education, Enlightenment and Enchantment.” Their company has purpose beyond selling its high-quality teas that include thinking about the impact of design on the world, from biodiversity to climate change. I was introduced to them via Albert Shum, CVP of Design at Microsoft.

During our discussion, we talked about the role of ceremonies in design thinking. Let me explain what I mean by “ceremonies.” I’ll use Japanese examples but ceremonies appear in all cultures.

Simply put, in my definition:

Ceremonies are rituals that allow you to transition from the worldly to the profound.