Ritual : What It Is, How It Works, and Why

Designed for both academic and lay audiences, this book identifies the characteristics of ritual and, via multiple examples, details how ritual works on the human body and brain to produce its often profound effects. These include enhancing courage, effecting healing, and generating group cohesion by enacting cultural—or individual—beliefs and values. It also shows what happens when ritual fails. Contents Illustrations Foreword Preface. About the Authors and Their Personal and Academic Engagements with Ritual Acknowledgments Introduction. What Is Ritual? Its Definition and Characteristics Chapter 1 Symbolism in Ritual Chapter 2 The Cognitive Matrix of Ritual: Belief Systems, Myths, and Paradigms Chapter 3 Belief Systems, Myths, Paradigms, Rituals, and the Process of Truing Chapter 4 Ritual Drivers: Generating and Controlling States of Consciousness Chapter 5 Ritual Techniques and Technologies Chapter 6 Ritual Framing, Order, and Formality: How Ritual Generates a Sense of Inevitability and Inviolability Chapter 7 Ritual as Performance: Generating Emotion, Belief, and Transformation Chapter 8 Ritual and the 4 Stages of Cognition Chapter 9 Ritual’s Paradoxical Roles: Preserving the Status Quo and Effecting Social Change Chapter 10 Designing Rituals Conclusion. Ritual: What It Is, How It Works, and Why Appendix 1 How to Create and Perform an Effective Stage 4 Ritual: Things to Remember and Include Appendix 2 List of Documentary Films about Ritual References Index Foreword / Betty Sue Flowers -- Preface. About the authors and their personal and academic engagements with ritual -- Introduction. What is ritual? Its definition and characteristics -- Symbolism in ritual -- The cognitive matrix of ritual : belief systems, myths, and paradigms -- Belief systems, myths, paradigms, rituals, and the process of truing -- Ritual drivers : generating and controlling stages of consciousness -- Ritual techniques and technologies -- Ritual framing, order, and formality : how ritual generates a sense of inevitability and inviolability -- Ritual as performance : generating emotion, belief, and transformation -- Ritual and the 4 stages of cognition -- Ritual's paradoxical roles : preserving the status quo and effecting social change -- Designing rituals -- Conclusion. Ritual : what it is, how it works, and why "Designed for both academic and lay audiences, this book identifies the characteristics of ritual and, via multiple examples, details how ritual works on the human body and brain to produce its often profound effects. These include enhancing courage, effecting healing, and generating group cohesion by enacting cultural-or individual-beliefs and values. It also shows what happens when ritual fails"-- Provided by publisher