On the Meaning of Ritual

What is the definition of ritual? Ritual, at its core, is a set of actions performed in a specific sequence, within a defined container, that carries symbolic or sacred significance beyond the actions themselves. To define ritual accurately is to distinguish it from habit or routine, and that distinction lives in the orientation of the person performing it. Ritual is consciously directed toward something outside the ordinary, whether that is a deity, a spirit, a natural force, or a state of heightened attention. The ritual meaning of any practice is not located in the action itself but in the coherence of the container it is held within, and the awareness brought to the threshold each time it is crossed.