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Spiritual

Rituals and Practices

Rituals and practices are repeated, structured actions, from worship and prayer to weddings and greetings, that mark and shape human life.

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The idea

A ritual is a repeated, structured sequence of actions that changes the inner or outer state of a person, a group or a place. Rituals are often linked with special gestures, words or objects that people treat as sacred. They may be handed down by tradition, including religious tradition, and they tend to follow set forms and rules. Rituals are a feature of all known human societies, and some animals show ritual-like behavior too, such as elephants mourning their dead.

Rituals reach into many parts of life. They include worship services and sacraments, rites of passage, weddings and funerals, oaths, dedication ceremonies and inaugurations. Even everyday actions like shaking hands or saying hello can be called rituals. Spiritual practices are the regular habits that keep a spiritual life going, and prayer is among the most common. Prayer can follow a set liturgy or ritual, or it can be spontaneous, and people may pray alone or in groups.

Most major religions involve prayer in some way. Some set a strict sequence of actions for it, while others teach that anyone may pray at any time. In psychology, the word ritual can also mean a repeated behavior that a person uses to calm or prevent anxiety, which can be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Check yourself

Question 1 of 2

How far back is prayer recorded in written sources?

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Composition

what it's made of

  • Repetition and structure — A ritual is a repeated, structured sequence of actions.
  • Gestures, words and objects — Rituals are traditionally tied to special gestures, words or revered objects.
  • Tradition and rules — Rituals are often handed down by tradition and follow set forms and rules.
  • Prayer — Communication with an object of worship, done alone or in groups, set or spontaneous.
  • Rites of passage — Ceremonies such as marriages and funerals that mark major changes in life.

Connection

how it relates

Under Spiritual

Related

  1. Meditationstrength 70 of 100

    Prayer and meditation are closely linked practices, and both are often done as daily rituals.

  2. Fear and Anxietystrength 50 of 100

    In psychology, a ritual can mean a repeated behavior that a person uses to hold off anxiety.

  3. Altered Statesstrength 40 of 100

    Some rituals use chanting, drumming or dance to bring on trance-like altered states.

Felt

  1. Sadness and Griefstrength 50 of 100

    Funerals are rituals that give people a shared way to mourn and express grief.

Change

how and why it evolves

Past
Prayer is recorded in written sources from as early as five thousand years ago, showing how long people have practiced set forms of worship.
Now
Today scholars in the field of ritual studies still offer conflicting definitions of the word. Scientists have tested whether prayer helps sick people heal, with contradictory results, and many well-controlled trials have found no effect.
Next
As more people practice spirituality outside organized religion, new personal and community rituals will likely keep appearing alongside older traditions.

Knowledge you can walk. Read the idea, then step up, across or down.

Rituals and Practices

Rituals and practices are repeated, structured actions, from worship and prayer to weddings and greetings, that mark and shape human life.

Learn, discuss, create, buy or invest

The idea

A ritual is a repeated, structured sequence of actions that changes the inner or outer state of a person, a group or a place. Rituals are often linked with special gestures, words or objects that people treat as sacred. They may be handed down by tradition, including religious tradition, and they tend to follow set forms and rules. Rituals are a feature of all known human societies, and some animals show ritual-like behavior too, such as elephants mourning their dead.

Rituals reach into many parts of life. They include worship services and sacraments, rites of passage, weddings and funerals, oaths, dedication ceremonies and inaugurations. Even everyday actions like shaking hands or saying hello can be called rituals. Spiritual practices are the regular habits that keep a spiritual life going, and prayer is among the most common. Prayer can follow a set liturgy or ritual, or it can be spontaneous, and people may pray alone or in groups.

Most major religions involve prayer in some way. Some set a strict sequence of actions for it, while others teach that anyone may pray at any time. In psychology, the word ritual can also mean a repeated behavior that a person uses to calm or prevent anxiety, which can be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Check yourself

2 quick questions, instant feedback.