The Encyclopedia of Crystals, Herbs, and New Age Elements: An A to Z Guide to New Age Elements and How to Use Them - Adams Media 2016

Ritual Movements
The Power of Movement

ORIGINS

Ritual movements are any movements or gestures that are performed as part of a ritual or ceremony, such as bowing one’s head or pressing one’s hands together during prayer. These movements may express a person’s intention in performing the ritual, such as atonement, or they may serve as preparation, such as striking a certain pose or preparing the body in some way. The word ritual comes from the Latin ritus, meaning “rite.”

HISTORY/LORE

Ritual movements are a component of many ancient religious and spiritual practices. A common ritual movement performed in Catholicism is making the sign of the cross with one’s hand. The fingertips first touch the forehead, then the lower middle of the chest, then the left shoulder, and finally the right shoulder. In Islam, a series of movements accompanies daily prayers, which are performed five times a day at specific times. These movements include kneeling on a prayer rug, facing the direction of Mecca, the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad. The worshiper bends down to place his head and hands on the floor.

USES

Ritual movements are included in most religious practices, usually in combination with prayer. If you were raised with or currently practice a religion, chances are you are familiar with several ritual movements already. If not, you may have learned ritual movements through practices such as meditation or performing magic. For example, incense is often used in combination with movements to waft the smoke toward oneself or throughout a space in preparation for meditation or to cleanse a space of negative influences. Whatever ritual movements you choose to try, you will probably find that they add another dimension to your practice, and over time you may feel that they have become a necessary part of your ritual or routine.