Social practices, rituals and festive events are habitual activities that structure the lives of communities and groups and that are shared by and relevant to many of their members. They are significant because they reaffirm the identity of those who practise them as a group or a society and, whether performed in public or private, are closely linked to important events. For most people, religious practices are special activities that happen on the weekend or during the holidays. However, religious rituals have also involved incredible feats of endurance and challenges to test human limits. This list includes ten of the most challenging forms of religious practices found in traditions from across the globe.
Traditions and rituals help us to express our deepest thoughts about life’s most significant events. Special ceremonies like graduations, weddings, and baby dedications involve traditions and rituals that help us mark important milestones in life. When a loved one dies, rituals and traditions can also help us mark a significant event and spend time remembering and finding healing.
What makes a ritual so effective? First, rituals are symbolic. When we lose a loved one, we can use symbolic acts such as lighting a candle for the one we love, releasing a balloon or a lantern, or setting a place at the table on a birthday or anniversary. These symbols help us to remember that our loved one is always with us in our hearts.
Second, rituals help us express emotion. Dr. Alan Wolfelt, renowned grief counselor and educator, is often quoted as saying, “When words are inadequate, have a ritual.” Sometimes, we need an outlet for expressing our deepest emotions, and words are not enough. When a loss occurs, the wound is often so deep that the pain goes beyond our ability to process with language. In times of great distress, a ritual can be more comforting and healing than 1000 eloquent words.
Finally, rituals unite people in a common, shared experience. Funerals, visitations, candlelight services, memorial events, and celebration of life ceremonies help us feel a certain solidarity with others who are sharing our grief and loss. We have a unique sense of comfort from knowing that we are not alone and that others are supporting us on our journey through grief.
We know that rituals and traditions can bring healing to the wounded heart. We know that ceremonies and gatherings help us feel connected to others and supported by the presence of loved ones. We know that rituals help us express our deepest emotions as we search for healing and reconciliation with grief. Below are a few examples of how you can incorporate the power of rituals into your healing journey.
Light a candle – Set a place at the table or set up a memorial display area at home and light a candle when you want to honor the memory of a loved one. You can light a candle every day or on special occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays. Lighting a candle symbolizes the light that your loved one brought to you and the memory of the person who lives on in your heart.
Release balloons, doves, butterflies, or paper lanterns – Releasing a balloon or lantern is a ritual that symbolizes releasing a lost loved one or sending loving thoughts to their spirit. Some people write notes and attach them to balloons or lanterns. Some people release doves or butterflies to symbolize a loved one’s ascension to heaven or transition into a new spiritual form.
Recall memories – Family and friends may choose to gather on special occasions to share memories and honor a loved one. This may occur on the first anniversary of the death, at family reunions, or on significant days like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.
Go to the graveside – Some people who grieve find comfort in visiting the grave of their loved one, leaving fresh flowers, or simply spending time reflecting on the loss. Mourners often visit the grave on special days or on any day that they want to feel close to their loved one.
Attend a support group or special memorial event– Certain community events such as support groups, grief workshops, or remembrance events such as candlelight vigils can also bring comfort and healing. Such events help us connect with others who are also feeling the pain of a loss, which can bring a greater sense of peace.
Carry a remembrance item – Sometimes a small keepsake, like a handkerchief, a watch, a piece of jewelry, or a small heirloom can serve as a reminder of a lost loved one. If you don’t have a keepsake, you can choose memorial jewelry that is designed to carry cremation ashes or a lock of hair or that is imprinted with the fingerprint of a person who has died. You can even have a diamond made from the ashes of a loved one! Heirlooms and keepsakes also serve as a daily reminder that often brings comfort to those who mourn.
Christian churches are known to have many rituals, ceremonies, and practices in the conduct of Christianity. This Bible list provides a listing of key Christian practices to include a short definition and key scripture references that elaborate on the meaning and purpose of these rituals and practices. This Bible list of Christian practices and rituals include baptism, communion, worship services, prayer, Bible study, evangelism, ordination, marriage, and healing. See below for the first part of the definition and meaning of key Christian practices, rituals, and ceremonies. Click Here for part two of this Bible list.
The Last Supper |
1. Baptism.
Definition: a ceremony in which someone is touched or covered with water to welcome them into the Christian religion.
Bible References: The Baptism of Jesus (Mathew 3:13-16); Jesus tells Nicodemus in John 3:1-5, ”…Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”; Jesus tells the disciples in Matthew 28:19, ”… teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”.
2. Communion.
Definition: a Christian ceremony in which people eat bread and drink wine in order to remember the last supper of Jesus Christ.
Bible References: During the Last Supper, Matthew 26:26-28 says, “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”; In John 6:51, Jesus tells us that he is the ”living bread”.
3. Worship Services.
Definition: a Christian ceremony where believers gather to worship God , pray, and hear a sermon.
Bible References: Early Christians worshiped in the Jewish synagogues (Acts 13:14, Acts 2:46, Acts 3:1); Acts 2:42 tells us that early Christians met regularly to learn “… the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
4. Prayer.
Definition: the act or practice of speaking to God.
Bible References: Jesus tells us how to pray to God in Matthew 6:6-7: “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”; He then provide an example of prayer by reciting the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13); The Holy Spirit will assist us in what to pray for (Romans 8:26-27).
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