Ritual has its genesis in the movements of the soul and in our need to express ourselves through story, symbol, and action. In this volume in the Omega Institute Mind, Body, Spirit Book Series, Rachel Pollack defines these ceremonies as something done "to connect us with the world around us and with the energy that flows through all existence. They can be as simple as lighting a candle alongside a photo of a sick relative, or as elaborate as a hundred people in bright costumes dancing, drumming, and singing on the longest day of the year."
We are experiencing a ritual revival around the world and this illuminating work by a poet and Tarot scholar reveals many facets of this phenomenon. Pollack begins with a look at rituals in various religions: baptism in Christianity, visualizations in Buddhism, blessings in Judaism, and the giveaway in American Indian communities. Rituals touch all the senses and are very physical. Pollack writes about chanting, drumming, and dances. She ponders the many meanings of sacred time and sacred sites. Both of these assume heightened importance during periods of great stress and widespread soul searching.
An excellent chapter on the special uses of ritual contains ceremonies for use in a hospital, for the blessing of a new home, and at a girl's coming of age. Rituals release and honor our primal feelings and emotions. They honor our intuitions, and they are nourished by the same sources as our dreams.
