THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF RITUALS

Rituals might appear as a mere form but one should understand that form symbolizes the inner spirit. If the inner spirit has real value, rituals have symbolic value, and both are equally important. Rituals, the external aspect of the inner spirit, help maintain the inner spirit. Without them the spirit would be reduced to an abstract idea. In such a situation, ritual, or form, serves the role of a compulsory or a regular reminder. There is a scientific relationship between the spirit and form. The spirit, when externalized, is not an entirely detached phenomenon. It is very much attached to inner consciousness. Without inner consciousness, no one can perform external rituals. Both are complementary to each other. It is difficult to understand the inner spirit without external rituals or external rituals without inner consciousness. Religion always begins from consciousness. This consciousness gradually, or sometimes even suddenly, expresses itself in the form of rituals. Consciousness is the real source of rituals. An important role that ritual plays is to give a religion an identity without which religion would remain only an abstract idea. o Keep The Mind Positive Man lives in this world in the midst of problems and negativities. The mind thinks of all these things and stores them up. We cannot prevent the mind from doing this. All we can do is to prevent these things in the mind from being effective. One should stop oneself from bringing these things again and again to the mind. If the inner spirit has real value, then rituals have symbolic value and both are equally important.