The Psychology of Ritual

We all perform rituals of one kind or another during the course of our daily lives. These range from the purely practical routines of home life, to the social, political, religious and magical observances which vary according to our personal ideals and persuasions. The rites we choose to perform are highly revealing, as they act as an unconscious statement of our real intentions and transpersonal aspirations – they are keys to the hidden Self.Morphic resonance as applied to ritual role-playing reveal both the therapeutic benefits of the rite and its potential as a conditioning agent have been realised by mankind over the ages. Here, Murry Hope examines the birth, growth, history and heritage of the rite, and its influence on cultural development over the centuries.