Ritual Matters

Ritual Matters PDF

Author: Ute Hüsken

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 417

ISBN-13: 0415553784

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This text explores the interaction of rituals and ritualised practices in a range of different cultural, local and historical settings. It discusses whether and why rituals are important today, and why they are possibly even more relevant than before.

Ritual Matters

Ritual Matters PDF

Author: Claudia Moser

Publisher: University of Michigan Press

Published: 2017-11-14

Total Pages: 161

ISBN-13: 0472130579

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An international, cross-disciplinary investigation of ancient religious practices and their material remains yields fresh insights and poses new questions

Ritual Matters

Ritual Matters PDF

Author: Ute Husken

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2012-08-21

Total Pages: 417

ISBN-13: 1136517936

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This book explores the interaction of rituals and ritualised practices utilising a cross-cultural approach. It discusses whether and why rituals are important today, and why they are possibly even more relevant than before.

Ritual Matters

Ritual Matters PDF

Author: Ute Husken

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2012-08-21

Total Pages: 380

ISBN-13: 1136517944

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This book explores the interaction of rituals and ritualised practices utilising a cross-cultural approach. It discusses whether and why rituals are important today, and why they are possibly even more relevant than before.

Ritual Failure

Ritual Failure PDF

Author: Vasiliki G. Koutrafouri

Publisher: Sidestone Press

Published: 2013-12-31

Total Pages: 174

ISBN-13: 9088902208

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‘Ritual Failure’ is a new concept in archaeology adopted from the discipline of anthropology. Resilient religious systems disappearing, strict believers and faithful practitioners not performing their rites, entire societies changing their customs: how does a religious ritual system transform, change or disappear, leaving only traces of its past glory? Do societies change and then their ritual? Or do customs change first, in turn provoking wider cultural shifts in society? Archaeology possesses the tools and methodologies to explore these questions over the long term; from the emergence of a system, to its peak, and then its decay and disappearance, and in relation to wider social and chronological developments. The collected papers in this book introduce the concept of ‘ritual failure’ to archaeology. The analysis explores ways in which ritual may have been instrumental in sustaining cultural continuity during demanding social conditions, or how its functionality might have failed – resulting in discontinuity, change or collapse. The collected papers draw attention to those turbulent social times of change for which ritual practices are a sensitive indicator within the archaeological record. The book reviews archaeological evidence and theoretical approaches, and suggests models which could explain socio-cultural change through ritual failure. The concept of ‘ritual failure’ is also often used to better understand other themes, such as identity and wider social, economic and political transformations, shedding light on the social conditions that forced or introduced change. This book will engage those interested in ritual theory and practices, but will also appeal to those interested in exploring new avenues to understanding cultural change. From transformations in the use of ritual objects to the risks inherent in practicing ritual, from ritual continuity in customs to sudden and profound change, from the Neolithic Near East to Roman Europe and Iron Age Africa, this book explores what happens when ritual fails.

Ritual in Narrative

Ritual in Narrative PDF

Author: David Pearson Wright

Publisher: Eisenbrauns

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 1575060469

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Ugaritic ritual texts are varied and, by nature, problematic. But another source for ritual understanding is found in the narrative writings of Ugarit--namely, its myths and legends. Ritual texts in myths were not simply textual inserts but an integral part of the narrative. This present study is devoted to the examination of the way that ritual functions within the context of these stories.

The Problem of Ritual Efficacy

The Problem of Ritual Efficacy PDF

Author: William Sax

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2010-02-25

Total Pages: 204

ISBN-13: 0195394402

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This collection of 10 contributed essays is the first to explicitly address the question of ritual efficacy. The authors do not aspire to answer the question 'how do rituals work?' in a simplistic fashion, but rather to show how complex the question is. While some contributors do indeed advance a particular theory of ritual efficacy, others ask whether the question makes any sense at all, and most show how complex it is by referring to the sociocultural environment in which it is posed, since the answer depends on who is asking the question, and what criteria they use to evaluate the efficacy of ritual.

The Power of Ritual

The Power of Ritual PDF

Author: Casper ter Kuile

Publisher: HarperCollins

Published: 2020-06-23

Total Pages: 183

ISBN-13: 0062882066

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Casper ter Kuile, a Harvard Divinity School fellow and cohost of the popular Harry Potter and the Sacred Text podcast, explores how we can nourish our souls by transforming common, everyday practices—yoga, reading, walking the dog—into sacred rituals that can heal our crisis of social isolation and struggle to find purpose—a message we need more than ever for our spiritual and emotional well-being in the age of COVID-19. “After half a decade of research and hundreds of conversations with people around the country, I am convinced we are in the midst of a paradigm shift. That what used to hold us in community no longer works, and that the spiritual offerings of yesteryear no longer help us thrive.”–Casper ter Kuile What do Soul Cycle, gratitude journals, and tech breaks have in common? For ter Kuile they offer rituals that create the foundation for our modern spiritual lives. We are in crisis today. Our modern technological society has left too many of us—no matter our ages—feeling isolated and bereft of purpose. Previous frameworks for building community and finding meaning no longer support us. Yet ter Kuile reveals a hopeful new message: we might not be religious, but that doesn’t mean we are any less spiritual. Instead, we are in the midst of a paradigm shift in which we seek belonging and meaning in secular practices. Today, we find connection in: CrossFit and SoulCycle, which offer a sense of belonging rooted in accountability and support much like church groups Harry Potter and other beloved books that offer universal lessons Gratitude journals, which have replaced traditional prayer Tech breaks, which provide mindful moments of calm In The Power of Ritual, ter Kuile invites us to deepen these ordinary practices as intentional rituals that nurture connection and wellbeing. With wisdom and endearing wit, ter Kuile’s call for ritual is ultimately a call to heal our loss of connection to ourselves, to others, and to our spiritual identities. The Power of Ritual reminds us that what we already do every day matters—and has the potential to become a powerful experience of reflection, sanctuary, and meaning.