Ritual

Where words fail, rituals and symbols speak volumes. It seems the secular and corporate world understands the power of rituals and symbols better than the Church. Companies rely to a large degree on logos, for instance, to sell their particular brand. Nations too use symbols like currency to symbolize national wealth. Democratically elected heads of state go through the ritual of swearing an oath before officially assuming office. Indeed, throughout the world, people who share a common history…

scarification or marks were common in the ancient world too. In some regions every ethnic or tribal group have their unique marks. Sometimes the marks can tell you who a person is or where they come from or belong. Some marks are accompanied with religious rituals that may involve animal sacrifice. In some communities their leaders, chiefs and kings are inaugurated in high level religious…

The villagers are doing this ritual that they aren’t even sure of what the meaning behind it is: “…So much of the ritual had been forgotten or discarded… (136)”, but the villagers continue to move along with keeping it. In some attempts to getting rid of the tradition, the villagers would mention how the northern village was…

Worship and ritual can be some of the most effective ways for someone to experience God. In each of these religions, worship is used not only as a means to communicate with God personally, but also as a cultural representation of the faith-believing body itself. Worship is said to “sustain(s) tradition and serve(s) as a medium in which evolving self-understandings of community can be expressed” (JCM 157). Though these monotheistic religions are unified under this common objective, rituals and…

The Repercussions of Tradition Throughout history, many different traditions and prejudices have been passed down from generation to generation. The consequences of failing to question and criticize rituals can lead to the primitive downfall of human nature. In Shirley Jackson’s short story, “The Lottery,” villagers gather around to participate in the annual town lottery. An air of nervousness and distress surrounds the villagers as the young boys run to collect stones in one corner of the town…

Anointing of oil has sometimes been understood as a spiritual aid and was joined with other sacramental acts in a larger process of ritual preparation for death. The same council that reminded bishops to perform the blessings of the oil on Holy Thursday passed the following decree concerning the treatment of the sick: "If anyone is borne down by sickness, he should not lack, through priestly negligence, either confession and the sacerdotal prayer or anointing with the sanctified oil. And…

able to become priestesses but were only selected if they were virgins or have reached beyond menopause, similarly to the Vestal Virgins of the Roman religion. Unlike the Greek religion, the Roman religion was a state religion which included more rituals and ceremonies. Greek and Roman gods had similar roles and duties but different names. For example, in the Greek religion the God of love is named Eros while in the Roman religion he is referred to as Cupid, but they both represent the god of…

The Ayahuasca is the hallucinogenic drink made from two separate plants in the Amazon. In the Ayahuasca, is the psychoactive drug DMT, which is the reason for the psychedelic effects. The shaman is an important presence within the ritual and is someone, “who mediate between people and supernatural beings and forces” (201). In the case of the natives from the amazon, their shaman is the one who can both make, and administer the Ayahuasca. These shamans drink the Ayahuasca with others…

the teaching aspect of religious rites. Myths provide background and insight into the meaning of rites and behind these rites lie the realities of past struggles and events and the myths recount these events. Without these myths to help support the rituals and rites, the people will eventually let it die out or lose its true essence over years and years of interpretation. These rites help transfer the religious tradition from one generation to the next in a fluid way so there is a definite…

self-immolation as an inhuman and barbaric act and the other one as a ritual that will bring balance to the world. Considering Soyinka’s play in light of Ted Hughes’ essay, “Myth and Education”, the ideology of death reflects as an “ancient story” (Hughes 41) that is meaningful to Elesin and the other Yoruba worshippers. Referring to Hughes’ essay, people who lack knowledge about this myth will not apprehend the value of this religious ritual. This conflict leads to the death of Olunde, Elesin’s…