We are a cauldron of our land, people and culture. The fabric of life seamlessly weaves language, art, architecture, cuisine, music and ceremonies. This distinct aspect of each culture makes us feel belonged. It helps each member of the culture to find meaning in shared experiences which further enables them to live life without negotiating meaning every moment. Culture is the glue that bonds people in their land and outside.

One of the extracts of culture is rituals. As enablers, they have moved cultures to transcend many civilisations through centuries. In this long handing over process the ceremonies have been watered down. The true significance behind ceremonies has been lost. Most of these have depreciated to superstition, mindless tick in the box or hollow foundation to keep the clan together.

Various cultures, when studied together beam a correlative pattern, for instance burning frankincense in the Egyptian culture and sandalwood in many different religions, walking clockwise-counter clockwise at Hajj, similar movement of the sacred lamp in front of the deity in Hindu temples, kneeling-bowing down, reciting sacred scriptures, use of water to cleanse feet before entering the Sikh temple or sprinkling it on the head during baptism, sound of bells-conches-trumpets and many such symbols of similarity between cultures.

Ancient cultures have roots in the fundamental elements bringing the civilisation together. For instance, the Chinese believe in Wuxing or five phases constituting fire, water, wood, metal and earth. Similarly, Ayurveda and Unani philosophy is based on the five elements of nature-Air, Water, Earth, Fire and Ether. These elements were worshipped in the ancient civilisations and have now seamlessly found their way in rituals as the means of the ceremony.

Today, the rituals are preserved but the significance may have faded. What could be the meaning behind each ceremony? Importance of direction in rituals is prayer to earth and its cardinal directions transmitting specific quality of energy. The toroidal field around and everything on earth goes clockwise and anti-clockwise and this could be one of the reasons behind the rite of circumambulation in sacred places.

Burning palo santo, sandalwood or frankincense have many medicinal benefits, apart from that, the space gets cleansed and it is an ode to the element of air. As the air is a medium it gets blessed with pure thoughts. Candles, lamps, etc are reminders to keep illuminating the mind and raise the consciousness up as fire always ascends. Also, to burn the negative thoughts and emotions.

Enough and more researches on water have proved that it is a medium of carrying memories, both negative and positive. In the rituals, it is used to clean the feet and, in some ceremonies, the consecrated water is packed with higher energies of blessings.

Prayers offered are intentions of goodwill. Postures of kneeling or bowing down help the energy to move, also reinforce virtues of humility and surrender to the highest source.

With flowers we offer ourselves as means of service, love and purity. Music, hymns, bells, conchs, etc call out to the latent consciousness to wake up and bring out various aspects of the personality. Metals are conductors of energy.

For everything there is a season and a time, as they say. Being on earth we are bound by her laws. Time is one of the laws. It is reflected in day and night, seasons, moon cycles. Most of the rituals are governed by this. Much can be absorbed by focusing on the peak time of the ceremonies.

All religions through ceremonies and rituals move towards oneness of consciousness. These are universal, may have different paths but the goal is one. The ritual is just the means to ascend, it is not bigger than the goal. So next time you participate in a ritual, make sure to connect to the highest intention you have set for the ceremony. Bring out the hidden alchemist within you, purifying the thoughts, using the elements to offer oneself to raise the consciousness as high as possible. The divine energy is always present, you go as high as possible to be one with it.

You are in an infinite ocean of light, find it, follow it, radiate it.