The Chinese philosopher Confucius believed that his country was in a state of moral decline owing to a general lack of ritual at all levels of society. Although no book of rites exists from Confucius's time, guidance is provided on ancestor worship, mourning rules and sacrificial ceremonies in the later Li Ji. Ritual was believed to preserve harmony between heaven and Earth, and the emperor was invested with the unique responsibility for ensuring the success of the empire by making sacrifices in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. Confucius believed that aspects of ritual could be applied to everyday situations to strengthen individuals and their families.

Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, placed less emphasis on ritual than most other spiritual traditions, believing it could impede communication with God. Sikhs do, however, recognize and celebrate five rites of passage: the birth of a child, the bestowing of a child's name, the coming of age, marriage and death.

As well as the ritual observances of prayer, fasting, alms-giving and pilgrimage, Islam recognizes two "official" Holy Days. 'Id al-Fitr, the Feast of the Breaking of the Fast, ends Ramadan. The most important day in the calendar, however, is 'Id al-Adha, the Great Feast, which celebrates Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael. On this day, every Muslim should ritually sacrifice a halal (lawful) animal such as a sheep, goat, cow or camel.

Many Jewish rituals originated with the 613 precepts of the Torah. Each of these divine commandments is known as a mitzvah. The obligation to keep the precepts begins when a boy reaches the age of 13 and a girl the age of 12, hence the terms bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah for the Jewish coming-of-age ceremonies. The Sabbath and Passover, two of the most important Jewish rituals, are acts of thanksgiving. Each week, the Sabbath essentially celebrates the creation of the Earth and remembers that God is present in everything. During the annual spring festival of Passover, Jews give thanks for their safe delivery from Egypt. A ritual meal and service are held in the home on the first night of the Passover. Known as the Seder, it uses symbolic foods to remind Jews of their ancestors' ordeal, including unleavened bread, eaten by the Israelites on their journey; bitter herbs as a remembrance of slavery; a bowl of salt water standing for the tears of the oppressed; and a roasted bone symbolizing the sacrificial lamb.

The Christian Gospels all suggest that the Jewish Passover was associated in some way with the first Lord's Supper, when Christ directed his followers to commemorate him by eating bread and drinking wine. Since then, Christians have ritually consumed these ancient symbols of body and spirit in the Communion.

Ritual answers a deep-seated human need and provides an opportunity to express the many complex longings and emotions that are part of the psyche. Ritual can ultimately convey devotion to the gods or gratitude for the pleasures of life; it may serve to acknowledge transgression or to articulate an overwhelming pain. Most importantly, it provides an awareness within us that our lives are part of a wider, more profound covenant: ritual is truly an occasion when the human and divine realms are perceived to meet.




From The Secret Language of the Soul by Jane Hope (San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1997).
Copyright © 1997 by Jane Hope

Used by arrangement with Chronicle Books.