My Thoughts On Ritual

"Clarity of mind is God manifested" lyrics from Divine Communication by Kashmere

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhPQs8CWGmk

Ritual is about creating space. A sacred space, which is an intentional space in which focusing tools are present and often manipulated to resonate and communicate with deeper parts of the psyche that we are not usually aware of. These are often powerful forces of Nature- essential qualities that govern our minds, such as Judgement and Mercy, which are the polarities of the soul triangle with the equilibrium being Beauty, the heart in the kabbalistic tree of life. These deeper parts of the psyche are also universally represented as deities, Gods and Goddesses. These are seen as higher states of being as when one embodies one of these qualities they are acting from beyond the animalistic traits of the ego-self.
 Ritual is an invitation to Meditation, which is the Art of focussing on Space to gain this ultimate clarity of mind in which the mind becomes purified so that each action is concious and intentional, so when the mind is focussing on space, it is Spacious and therefore present in the moment. Therefore aware of the chain of cause and effect and so the patterns of action. The past and the future are one. The awareness of this is awareness of the Higher Truth, the only real truth, the Laws of Nature. When this becomes ones everyday reality, when the chatter of the mind and all whimsical relative truths are transcended, then one is living in concious harmony with the Laws of Nature, and ones will is aligned with these Laws, therefore able to conciously create.
 Creating Ritual Space to 'open the door' into deeper relms involves purification. Cleaning of the outside and the body to signify and aid the clearing of the mind. Purification of the body is often done with water, burning sage and fasting. These means of purification are mostly kept to certain times in line with the seasons, and menstruation is a natural rhythm of purification. Some Holy men and women this is part of an everyday spiritual life (such as breatharianism).
 When ritual Space becomes more part of an everyday reality then a sustainable purification is necessary. Light food in its purest form.
 Food is a universal ritual tool, and often the first pickings of the harvest are offered as a sacrifice to the deities to show their respect, honor and rememberance- and ultimatley the submission of thier egos, to the higher forces of nature. To eat the food is a rememberance that we are all One.