On Rituals
Rituals are outward expressions of a
hoped for mental transformation.
The purpose of ritual is to inform the mind that you want to change your
mental state. Rituals prepare the mind; help concentration. Concentration and
state of mind determine the effectiveness of prayers and the creation of magic.
So far I don’t feel comfortable with a lot of ritual. Instead, I turn inward
and allow the mind to visualize the desire result.
Before starting a ritual, it is a good idea to create a sacred space by
visualizing a sphere or a circle. The sphere or circle serves to create a holy
area, even if the sphere travels with you. After all, our body is the temple and
an external temple is not really necessary unless you feel the need. I don’t
mean to degrade sites that are considered holy, but I don’t believe it is
necessary to find such a place to communicate with God, Goddess, or your concept
of a higher power.
While the circle is part of pagan rites, the sacred area is older than most
religions and the concept in one form or another is included in most modern
religions. A lot of the rituals common to pagan religions were adopted by newer
religions in the process of trying to win converts from the pagan religions.
Wicca is an updated version of a much older pagan religion and is an example of
the changes a religion goes through in order to communicate properly with each
new generation. A stale religion is a dead religion.
Concentration and effective visualization can be learned without certain
outward rituals but still ritual is involved. Rituals are like habits; they
speed up the process of preparing the mind for praying, working magic, or for
concentrating.
There is, however, one problem with rituals. Performing the ritual can become
the primary objective. When this happens, a person may no longer be living their
beliefs but rather only practicing their beliefs through rituals.
A lot of people have the habit of religion but don’t seem to really be
living their beliefs. They act and live as if the ritual and the practice is the
same as belief. That going to church or lighting a candle is living the religion
not just the practicing of that religion.
I have seen this practice throughout my life and this may be why I am leery
of rituals. As I become more aware, I hope this attitude toward rituals can be
changed. I also hope that I can find a way to perform and use rituals that feel
right. Just because others do it one way doesn’t mean that I must or will.
This is why I studied Wicca. I believe in its basic tenets and because of its
lack of dogma it can be personalized. I know some Wiccans believe that you must
do this or that. I believe they have forgotten the roots of their beliefs. They
have adopted methods and beliefs that undoubtedly work for them and have
assumed, as have other religions, that their beliefs and ideas are universal. In
other words, "I’m right, you’re wrong!"
I believe that to progress spiritually, you must create your own path that
leads beyond established religions. Established religions are only a starting
point and cease to serve their purpose when the practice of religion becomes the
only goal. Gnostics have the right idea, at least in my opinion, religion is a
personal experience not a dogma.
Religious doctrine attempts to simplify the complexity of mysticism. In so
doing doctrine became dogma. Dogma became concrete and made mysticism obsolete.
The failure to recognize mysticism in doctrine indicates the totality of
religion’s loss.
However, the lack of dogma in some religions give rise to a problem. Everyone
can claim to be right, this also happens in dogmatic religions, but without some
basic structure or tenets, people with addictive behavior problems can claim
they are following the teaching. In other words, some people use the lack of
dogma as an excuse for their addictive behavior. While it is true that drugs,
alcohol, and tobacco were and are still used in some religious practices, these
items are not used in every day life but reserved for special religious
occasions and rites. To make them a part of every day life reduces their effect
and deadens the senses so these items weaken their purpose.
Each person is free to practice as he or she sees fit, but don’t excuse
your behavior by trying to make it religious or spiritual in nature. We must
look deep into our hearts and conscience and talk with Goddess or God or to your
own concept of a higher power to verify if what we are doing is best and helpful
to us rather than just easier or more convenient.
There are people who practice a religion so they can live as they want rather
than the way they know they should. Usually they are not even fooling themselves
but are living the lie while mouthing the words and performing the rituals. The
longer they do this the deader they become to the real truth of any religion.
Author: Don Miller
Posted: Aug. 2002
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