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A '''ritual''' is a set of actions, often thought to have [[symbols|symbolic]] [[value]], the performance of which is usually prescribed by a [[religion]] or by the traditions of a [[community]] by religious or political [[law]]s because of the perceived efficacy of those actions.[http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/ritual?view=uk|title=AskOxford.com][http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ritual|title=Dictionary.com]

A '''ritual''' is a prescribed set of [[actions]], often thought to have [[symbols|symbolic]] [[value]], the performance of which is usually prescribed by a [[religion]] or by the [[tradition]]s of a [[community]] by religious or [[political]] [[law]]s because of the perceived efficacy of those actions.[https://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/ritual?view=uk|title=AskOxford.com][https://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ritual|title=Dictionary.com]

A ritual may be performed at regular intervals, or on specific occasions, or at the discretion of [[individual]]s or communities. It may be performed by a single individual, by a [[group]], or by the entire [[community]]; in arbitrary places, or in places especially reserved for it; either in [[public]], in [[private]], or before specific people.  A ritual may be restricted to a certain subset of the community, and may enable or underscore the passage between religious or social states.

The [[purposes]] of rituals are varied; they include compliance with religious obligations or [[ideals]], satisfaction of [[spiritual]] or [[emotion]]al needs of the practitioners, strengthening of social bonds, demonstration of respect or submission, stating one's affiliation, obtaining social acceptance or approval for some event — or, sometimes, just for the pleasure of the ritual itself.

The purposes of rituals are varied; they include compliance with religious obligations or ideals, satisfaction of spiritual or emotional needs of the practitioners, strengthening of social bonds, demonstration of respect or submission, stating one's affiliation, obtaining social acceptance or approval for some event — or, sometimes, just for the pleasure of the ritual itself.

Rituals of various kinds are a feature of almost all known [[human]] societies, past or present. They include not only the various [[worship]] rites and sacraments of organized religions and [[cult]]s, but also the rites of passage of certain societies, oaths of allegiance, coronations, and presidential inaugurations, marriages and funerals, school "rush" traditions and graduations, club meetings, sports events, Halloween parties, veteran parades, Christmas shopping and more. Many activities that are ostensibly performed for concrete purposes, such as jury trials, execution of criminals, and scientific [[symposia]], are loaded with purely [[symbols|symbolic]] actions prescribed by regulations or tradition, and thus partly ritualistic in [[nature]]. Even common actions like hand-shaking and saying "hello" are rituals.

In any case, an essential feature of a ritual is that the actions and their [[symbols|symbolism]] are not arbitrarily chosen by the performers, nor dictated by [[logic]] or necessity, but either are prescribed and imposed upon the performers by some external source or are inherited unconsciously from social [[tradition]]s.

 

In any case, an essential feature of a ritual is that the actions and their [[symbols|symbolism]] are not arbitrarily chosen by the performers, nor dictated by [[logic]] or necessity, but either are prescribed and imposed upon the performers by some external source or are inherited unconsciously from social traditions.

==Ritual actions==

==Ritual actions==

Due to their symbolic nature, there are hardly any limits to the kind of actions that may be incorporated in a ritual.  The rites of past and present societies have typically involved special gestures and [[words]], recitation of fixed [[text]]s, performance of special [[music]], songs or [[dance]]s, processions, manipulation of certain objects, use of special dresses, consumption of special food, drink, or drugs, and much more. Religious rituals have also included animal sacrifice, human sacrifice, ritual suicide, and ritual murder. Ritual lamentation -- song performed with weeping --  in many societies was regarded as required to ritually carry the departed soul to a safe afterlife (Tolbert 1990a, 1990b; Wilce 2006).

Due to their symbolic nature, there are hardly any limits to the kind of actions that may be incorporated in a ritual.  The rites of past and present societies have typically involved special [[gestures]] and [[words]], recitation of fixed [[text]]s, performance of special [[music]], [[songs]] or [[dance]]s, processions, manipulation of certain objects, use of special dresses, consumption of special food, drink, or drugs, and much more. Religious rituals have also included [[animal]] [[sacrifice]], human sacrifice, ritual suicide, and ritual murder. Ritual lamentation -- song performed with weeping --  in many societies was regarded as required to ritually carry the departed [[soul]] to a safe [[afterlife]] (Tolbert 1990a, 1990b; Wilce 2006).

==Purposes==

==Purposes==

Ritual serves diverse purposes including, but not limited to:

Ritual serves diverse purposes including, but not limited to:

*Worship

*[[Worship]]

*Purification

*[[Education]]

*Education

==Religious==

==Religious==

#D'Aquili, Eugene G., Charles D. Laughlin and John McManus. (1979) ''The Spectrum of Ritual: A Biogenetic Structural Analysis''. New York: Columbia University Press.

#D'Aquili, Eugene G., Charles D. Laughlin and John McManus. (1979) ''The Spectrum of Ritual: A Biogenetic Structural Analysis''. New York: Columbia University Press.

#Douglas, Mary. (1966) ''Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concepts of Pollution and Taboo". London: Routledge.

#Douglas, Mary. (1966) ''Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concepts of Pollution and Taboo". London: Routledge.

#Durkheim, Emile. (1912) ''The Elementary Forms Of The Religious Life''.

#[[Emile Durkheim]]. (1912) ''The Elementary Forms Of The Religious Life''.

#Erik Erikson. (1977) ''Toys and Reasons: Stages in the Ritualization of Experience''. New York: Norton.

#[[Erik Erikson]]. (1977) ''Toys and Reasons: Stages in the Ritualization of Experience''. New York: Norton.

#Arnold van Gennep.  (1960) ''The Rites of Passage''.  Chicago: Chicago University Press.

#Arnold van Gennep.  (1960) ''The Rites of Passage''.  Chicago: Chicago University Press.

#Grimes, Ronald L. (1994) ''The Beginnings of Ritual Studies''. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press.

#Grimes, Ronald L. (1994) ''The Beginnings of Ritual Studies''. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press.