The Culture of Ritual and the Quest for Enlightenment
Since prehistoric
times, ritual has been perhaps the most important human
activity. Throughout the world there has existed an ancient
and ongoing tradition of sacred action performed with the
aim of improving not only our condition in the universe,
but the condition of the universe itself. Indeed, the further
back we look, the more we examine traditional and indigenous
cultures, the more we find that human life has been primarily
a ritual or set of sacred actions. Whether we consider
the aborigines of Australia, the Native Americans, the
ancient Hindus and Egyptians, or our own European ancestors,
we find a world-wide preoccupation with ritual action that
cuts across all races, religions, and cultures. We could
even say that human culture is primarily a culture of ritual.
Yet ritual has been rejected by the modern mind as irrational,
superstitious, or primitive.
The church had
already stifled and sterilized ritual, and the Western
enlightenments--a materialistic, not spiritual, enlightenment--has
largely stripped our lives of ritual. The idea that our
actions could affect the mental or spiritual realm, or
be linked with cosmic powers like the stars and planets,
appeared contrary to the mechanistic scientific view that
all things are matter, and that what is not evident through
the senses must not exist. However, twentieth century science
has revealed a universe consisting of interrelated energy
fields and transcending ordinary time/space limitations.
This is a world
view that runs counter to ordinary sensory ideas of physical
reality, but is not so different from the ritualistic view
of a universe as an organic intelligence in which human
beings play an integral part and purpose. There is a revival
of interest in ritual today that is part of our culture's
reexamination of mythology. In the academic world, ritual
is now viewed as an art form or a means of social bonding,
not merely a curious superstition. But such an intellectual
view of ritual does not consider its spiritual meaning.
Academics find ritual interesting, like an antique or relic,
but do not see a need to incorporate ritual in our daily
lives. Nor does this viewpoint regard ritual as necessary
for either personal or collective well-being.
Is ritual
just some exotic or superstitious form of action, requiring
strange paraphernalia like fires or feathers, or is it
any action done with conscious purpose, attention, and
power? Any action that is repeatedly energized with thought
and intention gains power, thereby becoming a ritual of
sorts. In fact, all our actions have a ritualistic orientation,
because action tends toward repetition and reinforcement,
thereby projecting a particular energy to link us with certain
forces in the world in which we live. In this regard, even
basic vital functions like eating and breathing are rituals,
that is, rhythmic actions drawing into us various cosmic
energies. Yet it is our most meaningful actions that approach
ritual. Artists and scientists project energy and intent
in action, performing with a certain regularity and purposefulness
which renders their actions into a kind of ritual. Indeed,
the creative individual experiences his or her work in a
meaningful way that can be called ritualistic. The highest
ritual is meditation, wherein everything we do becomes imbued
with attention and awareness.
RITUAL AND KARMA
The Sanskrit
word karma, which usually refers to the effects of our
actions through various lives, originally meant "ritual." Action
or karma is always a ritual; that is, whatever action we do
sets in motion certain forces, not only of a personal but of
a collective and cosmic nature. All action, we could say, is
like jumping into a stream. We can choose the stream to jump
into, but once in the stream we come under the stream's forces,
which are no longer a matter of choice. Whatever we do places
us in a stream of action which has a momentum that will carry
us in a particular direction. Conscious actions reinforce the
energy of consciousness, which causes us to grow in awareness.
Unconscious actions reinforce habit, inertia, and the energy
of ignorance, which places us under the domination of the external
world. Once we recognize that action is karma, we will approach
our actions with an awareness that makes them sacred. We will
then give even simple and everyday actions an attention so
that we do not let ourselves drift in the stream of unconscious
action into greater darkness and sorrow. However, most of us
seldom recognize the karmic or ritualistic nature of our actions.
This is because effects of our action manifest only through
time. Some of our actions do not bear fruit at all in the present
incarnation. Unless we look at the really long-term consequences
of what we do, it is difficult to take control of our actions.
For example, if we could put our hands in a fire and not get
burned until some months or years later, we might carelessly
throw our whole body into a fire. Yet this is the type of delay
that often exists between destructive mental actions and their
outer consequences.
RITUAL AND REINTEGRATION
We have eliminated
from our lives the rituals that sustain traditional cultures.
This process began with the triumph of Christianity, which
reduced the abundance of pagan rituals that permeated all
of life to but a few rituals, like Mass on Sunday. Protestant
Christianity in turn rejected most Catholic rituals, tending
to view all ritual as idolatrous. science in its crude
realism removed us still further from ritual, questioning
the very existence of God. Stripped of meaningful rituals,
our lives have become meaningless, and our action lacks
any real purpose other than personal enjoyment.
Our action is
denied any cosmic significance, becoming merely a personal
affair in which we project personal achievement and gratification
as the true meaning of our lives. However much we may achieve
personally, our action will remain limited and will bring
inevitable sorrow. In our emphasis on the separate self,
our actions fail to connect us with the cosmos and the
deeper reality beyond our conditioned life. To fill the
void created by a lack of true ritual, or sacred action,
we have created, perhaps unconsciously, an entire set of
false rituals. These are rituals of entertainment, sports,
politics, and even crime. We have not eliminated ritual
from life, but have only succeeded in removing any dimension
of transcendence from our actions. Our rituals have become
mundane and sensate, with no spiritual goal; they have
become a repetition of sensation, and at worst, of negative
emotions. We have invested the heroes of sports events
and violent movies with a kind of sacred reality and given
them prestige, honor, and adoration. It is as if they were
not mere mortals, but gods and goddesses, glamour images
of a higher reality. Even much of our religion, in which
ritual survives at a reduced level, is dominated by false
rituals promoting conflict and division between people,
rather than uniting us with the universe. Church services
are largely mechanical, a kind of social duty, or, if lively,
a kind of drama and entertainment. The main messages of
religion have become negative: sin, guilt, the devil, hell,
Armageddon, and the need to convert "unbelievers. Such religion is
rarely part of a living and creative opening to the great powers
of the cosmic mind.
Much of our modern
malaise, characterized by crime, drugs, and promiscuity,
appears to stem from a lack of meaningful ritual. True
ritual does not consist in reinforcing conditioned patterns
of separate identity (us vs them). Actions which do this
are false rituals, which project a kind of hypnosis that
blinds us to the unity of life. True ritual acts in harmony
with the rhythms of the universe, uniting us with the great
current of time and transformation leading to the eternal.
True ritual gives a universal meaning to all that we do and
to all with whom we come in contact, including all of nature.
It requires being cognizant of the divine presence in the
world and the cosmic power and interplay of all the forces
in our lives. Ritual, moreover, is not illogical or unscientific.
Ritual is perhaps the ultimate science of action, with its
own logic, structure, and order. It is often a detailed and
precise activity, in which even minor deviations can distort
the ritual, even turning it into a negative action. We have
lost our sense of the philosophy behind the science of ritual.
Ritual teaches us that what we do on a personal or microcosmic
level corresponds to what occurs on a universal or macrocosmic
level. It shows the way to achieve harmony in life by connecting
our personal actions with their cosmic equivalents, uniting
the human and the cosmic in the awareness of the cosmic being.
Until we rediscover this inner truth of ritual, our lives
are likely to remain confused and superficial.
RITUAL AND SPIRITUALITY
In the spiritual
realm, we also find that ritual has often been devalued.
Many forms of mind-oriented or psychological spirituality
--like the direct awareness paths of Vedanta and Buddhism--appear
to reject ritual. It is frequently stated that no action
can lead us to enlightenment, that only knowledge--not
any rite--can dispel the darkness. Yet the rationale for
this spiritual rejection of ritual is quite different from
that of the materialistic mind. Direct awareness paths
ultimately regard ritual as a lower level of spiritual
practice, appropriate to outer or lesser goals of life
like health or mental harmony, but not sufficient for Self-realization.
This is because ritual is bound by time and relies on material
substances, which keeps us in the relative realm. These
spiritual systems regard ritual as maintaining harmony
in the relative realm, and so reject ritual along with
the realm of relativity. Those trained in logical materialism
may be inclined to adopt the logic of mind-oriented spirituality,
rejecting ritual without having ever practiced any, and
not grant ritual even the efficacy which mind- oriented
teachings recognize. Mind-oriented teachings may not regard
ritual as the highest path, but this does not mean that
they reject ritual as useless or that the followers of
these paths never perform any rituals. Indeed, many yogis
on direct awareness paths do perform rituals, not for enlightenment
as such but for purification, protection, or the giving
of blessings.
OUR
PSYCHIC ENVIRONMENT
Ritual provides
a meaningful way to deal with our subtle, or psychic, environment,
which consists of the various mental and emotional forces
which energize our lives. Though these forces are not visible,
like the health or disease promoting bacteria found in
the air we breathe, nevertheless they do have specific
effects. Like the physical environment, so too our subtle
or psychic environment requires attention. We clean our
house, do the dishes, and clean our body daily, but how
many of us give similar care to our psychic environment?
We may be cautious and drive carefully in the visible world,
but how many of us give the same care to our journeying
in the subtle world? An unclean physical environment breeds
diseases, and the same is true of an unclean psychic environment.
If we don't air our house out, stagnation can breed diseases.
A stagnant emotional or psychological field has the same
effect on an inner level. Most of what have been
regarded as demons or ghosts in traditional cultures are simply
negative energy patterns within our subtle environment or astral
field. They are like the molds, bacteria, and viruses that
attack us on a physical level. Just as cleaning our physical
environment helps eliminate such toxins, so clearing our psychic
environment does the same thing on its level. This is the basis
of the work of various yogis, shamans, and psychic healers,
and was also the original role of priests and magicians. The
great yogis and sages have always been aware of the subtle
environment. To those of inner vision, these inner influences
are as evident as the forces of the outer world, like sunshine
or rain. To be unaware of the forces of the subtle environment
can be as dangerous as to be blind to those in the physical
world. Yet if we recognize these subtle forces and adjust to
them--like putting on a raincoat to go out on a rainy day--we
will find that most of our difficulties in life are avoidable,
and that a new dimension of spiritual growth will open to us.
MODALITIES OF
PSYCHIC PERCEPTION
There are several
ways to read our inner environment. Intuition is perhaps
the best thing. True intuition is a form of perception,
not mere imagination or emotion, nor is it the product
of wishful thinking. Unfortunately, much of what we may
think is a real perception of our psychic field may be
imaginary, or may be a true intuition mixed with false
imagination. To develop such a real intuition requires
training in concentration, visualization, mantra, and meditation.
There are persons who possess degrees of psychic perception.
Yet such psychics may not be truly helpful, even when their
knowledge in some respects is correct. Many psychics possess
a light which, like a flashlight, can illuminate some aspect
of our lives. But a limited light can be misleading. Though
a flashlight might reveal something, one cannot rely upon
it for full illumination. One cannot use it, for example,
to drive a car at night. Psychic perception must be integrated
into a full spiritual vision, an openness to enlightenment
or Self-realization as the goal of life.
There are various
subtle or occult sciences which help develop and structure
our intuition. Astrology, for example, most specifically
shows the subtle forces in operation in our lives, as transmitted
via the stars and planets. The astrological birth chart
shows the subtle energies which govern our life as a whole.
It is like a map of our subtle environment and its forces
through the current incarnation. The astrological chart
done for any particular day and place reveals the general
or collective subtle environment. Natural healing systems
aligned with various yogic and spiritual practices--like
the Ayurvedic medicine of India, or Tibetan medicine --contain
an entire science of diagnosing and treating the subtle
body. Subtle body disorders are mirrored in mental and
emotional conditions, in dreams, and in nervous system
and sensory derangements. Treatments for the subtle body
include subtle sensory modalities like aromas, colors,
and gems, the use of breath (pranayama), mantra, and meditation.
Certain foods and herbs also have their benefit. Such treatments
usually occur as part of various rituals. Meditation, which
helps us to observe and understand the workings of the
mind, is central to any clear psychic insight. It removes
the limitations of the ego which tend to distort our perception
and cloud it with desire.
FORMS OF RITUAL
The best way
to change our subtle environment is through various rituals,
which produce a subtle energy that can clear or alter the
psychic realm. We can learn to harness the latent subtle
forces that exist within the physical world. Most rituals
involve invoking and offering various essences or precious
items from the world of nature. In typical Hindu puja (ritual
offering), these involve the essences of the five elements
and their corresponding sensory qualities.
Earth--A fragrant
oil (like sandalwood)
Water--Sweet food or pure water
Fire--The
flame of a ghee lamp
Air--Incense
Ether--A flower
Of these five,
incense is perhaps most important as well as easiest to
use. Incense creates a subtle aroma which removes stagnant
energy from our psychic environment. Different types of
incense have their respective properties and can be used
for specific effects. For example, sandalwood is cooling
and calming, and reduces fever, agitation, and anger. Jasmine
is invigorating and purifying to the heart. Fragrant oils
can similarly be used, either for anointing parts of the
body (like the third eye) or for anointing the altar or
sacred space that we use. The use of light or fire is another
universal way to affect the subtle realm of light around
us. According to yogic science, it is best to use a nutritive
oil as fuel for the lamp. This helps nourish the positive
energies and entities of our subtle environment. Ghee (clarified
butter) is considered to be the best oil for lamps, but
other vegetable oils also may be used. Candles are helpful
but do not have the same effect as the nutritive oil in
a lamp. Wood fires are still more powerful, but should
be limited to special events. A special Vedic fire offering
called Agnilotra, in which cow dung is burned at precise
moments of sunrise and sunset, is considered the most powerful
of Hindu rituals.
Many rituals
involve the use of images, which may be the picture or
statue of a guru, avatar, or deity. Such forms help redirect
our mental energy, which in life is usually concentrated
on a personal form (family or friends), toward the forces
of the subtle realm and their benefic influences. Stone
or metal statues are particularly strong for carrying psychic
energy. Through them, various Devas or beings of the subtle
world can be brought into our psychic environment. The
images themselves are not worshipped, but used as conduits
for higher forces. We could compare them to a picture of
our spouse that we keep at the work place to maintain a
mental harmony.
Ritual generally
requires an altar or sacred room. Like any action, it requires
the appropriate field for it to be done properly. A ritual
is a way of maintaining a garden of helpful astral forces,
and like any garden it must be tended on a regular basis.
By creating a sacred space, ritual cleanses and spiritualizes
the subtle environment. The main way of empowering ritual
is through the use of mantra or the repetition of sacred
sounds. Mantra helps us to participate mentally in a ritual,
which is necessary to giving the ritual real power. This
is so because ritual is a way of inner action or knowledge,
not merely a mechanical procedure. There are various mantras
which relate to different ritual actions. These may be
single seed syllables like OM, words of praise to the deity
words of offering, or other propitiatory measures. Through
mantra alone, which is the internal ritual or ritual of
the mind and does not require any external substance, we
can turn all of our actions into ritual.
RITUAL AND DISEASE
Most physical
and psychological disorders begin with a derangement of
our psychic or emotional environment. For a disease to
manifest on the physical plane, it must first take root
on the psychic plane. There must be some stagnation in
the aural field or some degree of psychic vulnerability.
Hence, clearing our psychic environment on a daily basis
is an important key to physical and mental health, as well
as an aid to spiritual practice. Each part of our environment
has its special requirements. The kitchen, as the place
where food is prepared and eaten, must be rendered sacred.
This is done primarily by preparing our food with an attitude
of love and respect. The bedroom, where we sleep and leave
our bodies daily to return to our souls, also requires
beauty or sanctification. The rooms of children, whose
partially developed minds and bodies are more vulnerable
to negative psychic influences, must also be protected.
Our workplace, where we connect to the external world with
its destructive influences, also requires protection. While
it is best to create an altar or meditation room, we must
consider needs of the various spheres in which
we live and perform appropriate rituals. This does not mean
that we must spend our entire day doing rituals. It is no more
necessary to do so than it is to brush our teeth or sweep the
floor all day long. But a certain period of ritual action,
about one hour a day, can be helpful.
Most societies
have developed special classes of ritualists, such as priests,
yogis, shamans, or magicians. Even artists and doctors
have been given such roles in some cultures. Such knowers
of ritual are important for primary sacraments or special
events such as birth, death, marriage, or moving into a
new house. Society needs such a class of individuals and
should give them proper compensation for their invaluable
service. That such classes have at times degenerated and
promoted exploitation is no reason to reject them altogether.
All fields of human life can be abused by the human ego,
but this does not deny the value of the action itself.
Even in the modern world we invest our doctors, psychologists,
and lawyers with a special religious aura, and regard their
actions with ritualistic awe. This only indicates an ongoing
social need for ritual and for those who are trained in its
proper performance. From the yogic standpoint, what is important
is to learn to master the subtle forces. It is of little
use to analyze them. Modern psychology often emphasizes
analysis of the psyche, especially relative to personal
patterns of a particular incarnation. Yoga emphasizes changing
this energetic pattern by learning how to use the subtle
forces. Yogic practice is a process in which ritual, posture,
breath, mantra, and meditation are used to enable us to
recreate our own reality.
RITUAL AND SOCIETY
Ritual is of
special importance for the collective life, for the benefit
of society as a whole. Collective rituals help clear the
collective mental field of its negative karma, and help
create peace and harmony in society, preventing war and
other social disorders. One of the most simple of all rituals
is a collective prayer for peace. Such prayers should always
be directed toward peace for all beings, for all creation,
and should not be prayers on behalf of particular countries,
religions, or groups. The divisive interest created by "particularist" prayer
actually breeds further conflict. One of the great problems
in the modern world is that we no longer have spiritually
meaningful collective rituals. Our collective rituals have
become negative rituals of drama and sensation, sex and violence,
or political action aimed at defeating an enemy. Our mass
media generally projects a negative psychic field because
it is the product of inorganic forces and of commercial and
political motivations. TV, radio, and other media devices
also emit vibrations that tend to lower the energy of our
psychic field. Unless we counter these influences with positive
rituals, the state of the world cannot improve. Rituals are
of special importance for young people, who need not only
social bonding but bonding with the world of nature and spiritual
reality in order to discover who they really are. Otherwise,
young people feel alienated and out of harmony with life.
Lack of meaningful ritual is surely a factor in the high
rate of crime, depression, and suicide among the young.
RITUAL
AND MEDITATION
Some great spiritual
thinkers, notably J. Krishnamurti, have appeared to object
to the use of any ritual. Such critics say that ritual
binds us to the realm of action and that ritual, being
an outer action, is useless for the pursuit of enlightenment
or Self- realization. Though such objections may reflect
a lofty state of awareness, they do not address the real
purpose of ritual. Ritual binds us to the realm of action
only if it is done out of personal desire. If it is done
with the same intention that we keep the rest of our lives
in order, then it has its importance for all of us, even
those who may be enlightened. In the true sense, ritual
means right action, and any action done rightly, with wisdom
and compassion, is a ritual. We cannot avoid action as
long as we live. For action not to bind us, it must be
a ritual not in the personal sense but as a means of connecting
with cosmic being and its movement. In this regard, meditation
itself is the highest form of ritual or right action. Few
of us can go into a state of spontaneous meditation whenever
we choose to, but we can carry out rituals that help prepare
the mental field or create the sacred space in which meditation
can occur. As long as we are doing such actions in a preparatory
manner, they cannot harm us. From outer rituals, like fire
offerings, we move to inner rituals, like mantra, to arrive
finally at the inmost ritual, which is meditation. This is
the true way of action for human beings. Ultimately all of
our action is a ritual, and each action sets in motion certain
forces which further either enlightenment or ignorance. There
is no neutral action. To become conscious of our actions
and to connect them with the benefit forces of the universe
is the essence of all ritual. To restore the science of ritual
is thus a spiritual and psychological endeavor of the highest
order. It is one of the challenges of the coming millennia.
Ritual creates the structure that sustains our personal and
collective lives.
| Authors
Details: David
Frawley |
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