www.ias.berkeley.edu/orias/visuals/japan_visuals/shintoB.HTM

Teaching Comparative Religion Through Art and Architecture: Sacred Space in Shinto. Shinto means “the way of the divine power.” Shinto is a group of Japanese traditions and values that Japanese people follow in their daily life. This web site shows and describes different ceremonial settings, like entrance, landscape, pathway with sacred bridges (which represent the purification of the mind), sanctuary, worship hall, and a music space of a Shinto shrine. Every Shinto shrine has water fountains, where the ritual of purification is performed. In the web site you will find photographs and descriptions of each ritual landscape and structure, myths associated with the ritual of purification,  food offering ritual , communion meals, and agricultural festival. It is interesting how architecture and spaces became symbolic and sacred playing an important role and shaping ritual in most religions around the world. This web site is developed by the Office of Resources for International and Area Studies (ORIAS) from the University of California. CA

As the reading progessses ,so is the vividity of rituals .Let me begin by exposing that this website article is about the Maori  migration into New zealand in the 1800th and the 1976 formation of a second generation committee in Auckland to find some means of renewing the family links and of reuniting the older generation with the younger generation .It is ,in an other word, an attempt of reconciling the old Maori way of the country with the new ways of the city.
    The call to rituals came trough the requirement that the family should go back to their meeting house,to their ancestors. Of course when they (the Maori family)met, they took off their shoes and  walked into the meeting house. The maori’s ancestor pictures dating back five generations were hung on the house wall and they were mentioned and addressed in every speech there. In addition ,the Maori family had  times set such as half-an-hour on Thursday evening  for prayers and services; for Good Friday ,a full hour in the morning and half an hour at night; for Holy Saturday ,two hours in the morning; and again two hours on Easter Sunday morning.
    Furthermore , the Maori thinking permits only the minister present to take down the crucifix from the house wall so it could be greeted and kissed before it is taken back into the house. Also ,on Good Friday afternoon ,Jesus is received into the Maori world by welcoming the crucified Jesus onto the house.Lastly ,The Maori places Jesus and his crucifixion into the centre of the creativity by throwing a stone into the heart of a
whirlpool.
    This is an interesting website because it scales the walls of rituals and tumbles on a very important issue that the Maori dealt with which is the unification of  denominations.One can take a close look at the different rituals of the Maori family and compare some of them with the rituals that are performed today either by the individual or the community to come to the realization that we have not traveled too far spiritually regardless of the faith. I personally credit the information posted on this website because it reveals the date and some names making it less difficult to research further.  I would therefore declare it to be historical versus words or the writings of a narrator.The data on this website is valid because of the references made particularly to Percy Smith’s Maori wars of the nineteenth century. It is an ideal website for objective and academic research since it goes so far back and allows the student or researcher to work with a group that nourishes itself with the desire of keeping its culture, faith and tradition while at the same time reaching out to all other religious groups. It is, in my opinion, above all because religious  wars have caused more fatalities than all world wars combined. It is not to be ignored that , at times, major wars are rooted in religious disputes.  WL

Cooking for the Gods web site, which is an exhibition of instruments and images used by Hindu people in their home worship rituals  specifically in Bengal (the northeast part of India). This web site complements Puja web sites. This one was developed by Professor Michael W. Meister from the History Art Department of the University of Pennsylvania, was selected beacuse there you can see shrines, deities, rituals implements, utensils, architecture and ornament, votive objects and toys, and etnographic pictures.

  As I was on my hunt for websites, I came across this interesting yet not uncommon form of ritual: spells.  This website offers information on how to conduct different types of spells for different purposes such as healing a physical pain, breaking up a marriage (I do not recommend you try that one!!!), a kissing spell, and many more.  These spells not only tell what ingredients to use, what to do, but they also give you the source of the spell so that if you have questions, you can ask the person who constructed it.  I personally do not know anyone who practices spell, but there are many people out there who do, and for those of us who are curios, this may be a helpful guide.  I do not know how accurate these spells are because I have not tried one myself.  I think that this website would be an interesting venture for those of us who may have some extra time on our hands.   Along with the spell website I have also given a link to a spell shop where items such as cloaks, robes, singulums, Books of Shadows, primer, pens, ink, ritual bath salts, witchchests, wall plaques, and much, much more can be purchased to help along with the spells. Enjoy and try not to get into too much trouble!!!!  NK

www.cannabisculture.com/
 

I love this Website. I found this site while searching for the ritualistic aspects ofmarijuana use.  I encountered this article written by Terry Necco on Cannabis Culture magazine.  This magazine is published every twomonths. This particular article begins by explaining the content of THC in marijuana, and proceeds to give detail information on rituals based on this drug. Again, it explains many Hindu uses that link marijuana to sexual rituals.  Pay special attention to the intense cannabis rituals that worship beauty. The more you read, the more you want to be part of this "forbidden fruit".  I really cannot say enough about this subject.  READ IT! G.U.

www.beliefnet.com/frameset.asp?boardlD=3317&pageloc=story/28/story_2805_1.html

This webpage is part of the larger beliefnet website, which claims to be a website for people of all religious beliefs, but tends to have a Christian slant.  This particular webpage deals with adoption rituals to welcome an adopted child into a home and family.  It includes ten different rituals, mostly religious or spiritual in nature; however, there are one or two that tend more to the secular.  Each ritual includes detailed instructions on the participants (which sometimes include the birth parents), the materials necessary, how to perform the ritual act itself, and the meaning behind it.  Each ritual also includes, when necessary, the sources from which the ritual quotes or prayers were taken, along with links to websites and books that might be useful.  Another
interesting feature was that each ritual had an section for outside posts, so that other families could give their opinions on whether they thought the ritual was beneficial, what they would change, or how they welcomed their own adopted child.  Although I would not necessarily use this web page for research, because it is not very scholarly in nature, the rituals have been developed based on published works, and can be very useful for those wanting a ceremony to commemorate their adopting of a child.  DL

  landow.stg.brown.edu/post/nigeria/yorubarel.html

This website provides a clear and complete picture of its topic, Yoruba Religion and Myth.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that they had provided so much detail for every one of their parts.  This website is actually part of a more general website on the Yoruba, http://landow.stg.brown.edu/post/nigeria /yorubaov.html.
The information is presented in an easy to read form that invites the reader to engage in it and presents many of the ideas in comparison to Christianity making it easier to understand. It provides information on each of its topics to answer all possible questions, as well as, links throughout the reading that provide particular and in-depth information on specific parts.  It is formatted in a sequential and orderly way.  A group among which we find University of Indiana and University of Chicago created this site.
     In this site, we can find numerous details on “the faiths of the Yoruba peoples of Western Nigeria.”  We learn about “diffused Monotheism” and about the incorporation of facets from other religions.  As well as, the fact that the Yoruba have no written records of their past, hence the great importance placed on the elders.  They have one almighty god yet; it is to the hundreds of other lower gods that they offer tribute to.  Yoruba peoples are overwhelmed with the idea of one all-powerful god.
     It is a difficult task to understand their complicated faith, but since we are provided with information on their thinking we are able to understand, and even admire it. This is a great site to learn about Yoruba Religion and Myth.  MC-P

  www.rmplc.co.uk/eduweb/sites/manorlh/hinduism/puja.html

The Puja or Worship web site describes the Puja ritual in Hinduism. Puja is a daily cleansing ceremonial worship ritual. The web site mentions the elements used in the ceremony and explains their meaning. You find two photographs that illustrates a puja shrine. This web site shows an everyday ritual from an Eastern perspective. I selected this web site because Hinduism attractes me very much, since it is has a complex mythological stories, images, meanings, and definitions. I found this site simple, clear, objective, illustrative. It was developed by Hanborough Manor CE School in UK. CA

There is no doubt that the this website offers more than the specific information that I  expected to find on rituals. It is different from most website that I had visited before. To begin with, although it came up under the search for rituals in Christianity it takes a less direct approach to the subject .In addition, Jeroslav Pelican ,the contributor to the website did an excellent job by walking the reader through some of the paths that led to rituals, the history of some churches such as the founder of the Methodist movement who is  John Wesley and even the issue of the unification and of disunification of the church ,the separation of church and state .It is a website that I would recommend to any student of Religious studies because it has the content of the history of humanity in a nut shell. It is a very serious website that deals with the realities of the foundation of the church and even the contemporary issues such as science and phylosophy from which the church had to defend itself.Jeroslav Pelican is not bias in his report and that renders the website to be more educative than most. He did a good job exposing the truth and preserved himself from being critical. One of the ritual cited there is the one of baptism .Baptism “ in the name of the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”, or sometimes perhaps more simply “in the name   of Christ”, has been from the beginning the means of initiation into Chritianity.At first it seems to have been administered chiefly to adults after they had professed their faith and promised to amend their lives ,but this turned into a more inclusive practice with the baptism of infants.  Further,. he mentioned the Eucharist, or Lord’s super ,in which Christians share in bread and wine and ,through them ,express and acknowledge the reality of the presence of Christ as they commemorate him in the communion of believers with on another. The Eucharist became an elaborate ceremony of consecration and adoration, the text of which have been set to music by numerous composers of masses.
The website also tackled worship as ritual this way : ‘since New Testament times ,the stated day for the communal worship of Christians has been the first day of the week” Sunday, in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ, like the Jewish Sabbath, Sunday is traditionally a day of rest. It is also the time when believers gather to hear the reading and the preaching of the word of God in the Bible ,to participate in the sacraments ,and to pray ,praise ,and give thanks.  ---W.L.

"It is solved by walking." -St. Augustine.  We have majestic images of labyrinths, either from Great Britain, Scandinavia,Mexican, or Indian, but I was impressed to find from the plethora of web sites that walking a labyrinth has become a prominent,powerful tool for spiritual and psychological growth.  I chose this particular web site even though it is based out of Connecticut,because it is more direct and simple in disseminating information than the rest.  It is divided into a few sections.  The first is a concise history on labyrinths--how they mysteriously originated as sacred symbols about 3,700 years ago.  It describes its univursal path which, unlike a maze, is not intended to confuse you into losing your way.  What a metaphor for life, with its perpetual different paths always (and hopefully) leading you to its center.
    Dr. Lauren Artress from Grace Cathedral in San Francisco was the first to introduce the labyrinth as a walking meditation when she copied the design of the Chartres Cathedral onto portable canvas floor covering.  The next section describes the ritual opportunities that can be incorporated into the labyrinth, such as a wedding where couples can walk through together, divorce,rites of passage, holiday rituals, or your own creation.  It can also be used for retreats, workshops, conferences where problem solving, leadership development, and team building are cultivated.
    There are quotes from people who have experienced a ritual or meditative walk through it, reflecting, as in life, that each walk is different for each person.  It details the goals and purpose of the project which is basically a non-profit corporation for inner growth to educate others in the use of a labyrinth or creating their own.  There is a schedule of events and how to attend a workshop, but unless you're living or visiting Connecticut this section only serves to give you an idea as to when they hold these rituals.  Some of the listed dates are on Equinoxes, Solstices, for families, for love, Earth Day, etc.
    The author of the web site is also a non-binary ether author--there is a section on her book, The Way of the Labyrinth, which Jean Houston wrote the foreword for, singing her praises.  Dr. Lauren Artress adds her high regards as well.  Helen Curry is Founder and Executive Director of the Labyrinth Project of Connecticut, the President of the Labyrinth Society, an ordained inter-faith minister and Reiki therapist.  I think that renders this safe material to read and believe if you so choose.  However, it is definitely written from a faith perspective, and it is not very extensive or academic.  It is useful if you want a clear and concise overview of the basic facts regarding the possibilities of a labyrinth experience--it does so with a grass roots feel and polaroids scanned in at the nearest Equered Drugs.  Ironically, it is the main reason I liked it.
    The last section has links with more information dealing with therapeutic elements or how to do-labyrinths-yourself.  I am not a walker, or a runner for that matter, but this is one walk I wouldn't mind taking.  It seems to hold that metaphorical, and in turn, literal key to connecting with your self, with others, and on a larger plane, even humankind, like rituals can and usually do.

  www.stormloader.com/sanctuary/index2.html
 

This was an extremely interesting website.  I have read a few things on Necronomicon, but I have never fealt what I did just by reading one ritual.  It was a strange eerie feeling I can't describe.  I was thinking that if I can feel this way just by reading it,imagine what would happen if I was performing it.  I do not believe this website to be bogus, because I know that this exists. This website designed by Akzinor is elaborately detailed and gives many options to choose from.  It is also very informative and offers good materials for research, I think. This is an awesome site for just leisure searching as well because it has some feaky links and also portrays a communial connection. NK

A ritual that draws over 27 million people from all over the world?  Yes.  Ironically, it is not advertised, invitations are not handed out, and our media shows little interest in it.  I thought it would be appropriate then to investigate it for ourselves.  This is the official website of the Kumbh Mela 2001, organized by the Government of Uttar Pradesh, India--a pilgrimage at Allahabad and bathing ritual at the confluence of rivers Ganges (or Ganga), and Yamuna.  It takes place every 12 years in conjunction with certain planetary combinations.  Pilgrims of all sex, age, class, region, and religion converge to take part in it.  They express thanks to government officials of executive and judicial branches, religious officials, and journalists for contributing to the site.  I think we can deem the information trustworthy, especially since they don’t seem to be luring you to India with animated travel icons or promising a quick religious fix on an exotic land.  In fact, that is what I found to be the best quality of this website:  I ended up more enlightened and intrigued than when I began, but not because they proselytized or tried to do that.   Extensive information is provided regarding the mythology behind this ritual, the importance of the ritual bathing, it’s history, and it’s astrological significance.  There are links with further information on particulars if you are interested.  In addition, one gets the sense of what it must be like to actually be a participant and/or observer.  Of course, the pictures don’t hurt, but I think they did a commendable job encapsulating the essence of what the pilgrimage and ritual is all about for those of us who have never experienced it.  The fact that it attracts so many from all walks of life, and that it is carried out with little or no casualties, speaks volumes about the power and unity ritual can invoke.  It began Jan. 9, 2001 and ends Feb. 21, 2001. Meet you there in 12 years?  IM

crystalsands.wiccan.net/rspw-index.html
 

    I found another Wicca website which gives a detailed description of their rituals.  Although the list is not very extensive, it also includes a section of frequently asked questions, and some (limited) background nformation about when these spells should be conducted, etc.    For those who are serious about these spells and who would conduct them, there are links to different sites where the supplies can be found.  There are also links to a few pagan articles which could be of interest.  Once again, I found that this website is more "fun" it is "serious,"  but only because of the fact it doesn't show any research, nor is it objective.  Yet its rituals are useful to anyone who does practice paganism, and I think that rituals described are much like the ones I've found elsewhere on the internet.  The Chage of the God and Goddess spells as well as Casting the Sacred Circle are spells that I have encountered more than once.  This site would be uselful if they wanted to conduct the spells without having to go to Barnes and Noble to buy a spell book.  NH

This website is by Rabbi Yehuda Lebovics and its about the bris ceremonies that the Jewish community performances.  The bris ceremony is the actual circumcision and the naming that is given to the baby.  It also tells you why it is usually performed on the eighth day.  The web site also has a section where you can send him any questions or comments you might have towards the subject.  To me the best section is the one called questions.  Rabbi Yehuda Lebovics gives good answers to the questions that people like you and I might have.  For example, do medical doctors use better equipment or techniques for circumcision than Mohelim use?  Then in the last section he talks about the naming of the baby.  What I liked the most about this website was that in the home page it gives you a bris preparation checklist. I found this section rather interesting because you the supplies that are used in the procedure and who is honored at the ceremony.  At the end of the checklist you will see a certificate that is needed at the day of the ceremony.  LM

I've always been fascinated by Egypt and all the mysteries that go along with it.  I found this really good website which contains lots of information on the different Gods that Egyptians believe in, and rituals that they practiced.  This website has been created by Dr. Corey Bantik, who has spend many years of his life studying and practicing the Egyptians' rituals and Egyptian Magik.   What I like about this site, is the fact that it gives you a list of different rituals and why and when they were used. It also gives you the different incantations from the Book of Dead and the Coffin Text performed during the rituals.  Those incantations are written in hieroglyphs to Hebrew and translated in English for a better understanding.   There are a list of different rituals such as the "opening of the mouth" which was recited to the mummy so that it could have a voice in the underworld.  The author of this website Dr. Bantik  performed also some of those rituals such as the "wedding ceremony" and "Blessing and naming of a child"  All those rituals are performed to get blessings from a God or Goddess.  Egyptians believe in both Gods and Goddess such as Nuit the "Lady of the Stars", Isis "Lady of Heaven", Osiris "God of our fathers" and many others.  By clicking on a name of a God or Goddess, you get a historical background and how they came to be.
    I found this website very interesting and a good support for people interested in doing research on Egyptian magic.  I liked it because in class we haven't talked about Egypt at all and they do have a lot of rituals which are very old.  It would be interesting to know if they still do perform any of those rituals nowadays.  I'm sure they are things missing from the websites but Dr. Bantik is well aware of that and is improving the site every day.   Hope you enjoy visiting the website! CC

     I especially liked this web site for the fact that it was different from a lot of the other ritual sites I encountered. The reason being that it describes ancient cultures, their belief systems, and touches on the subject of their rituals (i.e. symbolism, the use of herbs in magic, etc.). Some of the cultures it describes are the Sumerians of Mesopotamia, Eliki, Ancient Rome, Pompeii, and general medieval civilization.  This web site does not offer a lot of information on the different culture’s rituals, but only a glance into their intricate religious system. I would not recommend this site only for a research project, but I would recommend it as a starting point. The descriptions of the different rituals and magic are brief. The web site is very readable and interesting. It also offers very good visuals like medieval paintings of archangels, temples, the coliseum, and many other things the web site describes.
    One interesting portion of the web site is its brief mentioning of church and magic. It describes how the church has used forms of magic dating back to medieval times. The way they describe this topic is why I liked the web site. It was very brief, and would be a great topic for a paper that someone could write on. That is why I said this web site would be a great starting point for research on medieval and lost culture’s rituals and religious system.
    When doing web research the best way to know if you are dealing with an authentic web site is to do some preliminary research. You should be somewhat familiar with what you are researching since the web is filled with a lot of misleading and incorrect information. If you have a background in what you are researching, it allows you to filter out the nonsense information that you may cross. MCo

    This web site is established in the name of the Christian Witch.  The site under consideration is a link to future introspection.  Its’ main goal appears to be to entice and question the roles of Christianity within the Wiccan realm.  Its display consists of alluring questions for the curious spectator.  As a vice for Wicca, this site acted as a catalyst for debate, defending the inherent evils of Satan found within Christianity.  Having been drawn into acknowledgment of Wiccan Christianity, I followed in questioning the bible, as well as the suspected evils of sorcery.  The Sacred Rituals web site is a link to quite a few interesting sites.  These sites range from the Journey of a Catholic Witch to Mary as Goddess: Virgin Mother Queen.  I found this to be a very interesting site that has a lot to offer any and all who has interest in Witchcraft and Religion, in particular Christianity.
     This sacred space doesn’t offer much of a ritual in and of itself, but it fosters a personal spirituality through ritual philosophy and introspection.  The element of ritual as being self-induced thought, a desire to understand in the broadest of means, intrigues and promotes further investigation.  One of the easiest ways to get someone to hear your point of view is to distort it on impact to encompass their ways of thinking.
    The writing is easy to feel filled with debate and does not give any answers; it just fuels the fire of possibilities.
 Devout Christians would submit the bible as proof of magic’s’ evil.  I have been told by a Wiccan friend that Christianity was born from Wicca, does that make it true?  If it were, though, the bible would be in question of its accuracy.  Maybe “evil” was made up, a Christian scheme to convert the masses.  The information within this site offers further research resources and to an inquiring scholar could serve much use.  Some of the links are silly, and some are absolutely fascinating.  The author set up an interesting site, well written and well presented.  Miss Rawna Moon’s page is definitely one I will go back to neither as a Christian or as a Witch.  AL

I found this Website under National Geographic Magazine.  Of course, they would have wonderful and educational information on the rituals performed on mummies.  As you continue browsing the site, it takes you to another screen where the ritual is explained step by step.  They also have many suggestions on similar links that are related to mummies.  I find this topic fascinating, and it really is informative since this sight encourages other information of similar topics such as the pyramids and other Egyptian rituals associated with mummies. I recommend this site since it is full of information explained in a very simple tone. GU

This website has been quite different from the majority that I have been researching because it covers the rituals and philosophy behind the group in depth.  The website includes the ideas and reasons behind this religion and their ideology.  It gives you a thorough view of the religion with the intent to educate rather than need for approval.  This website is about the Wicca religion. The Wicca religion is an earth religion.  It re-links the life force of nature from this planet and in the stars and planets beyond ours.  This religion is very much influenced by the stages of the moon and the forces and energies of the animals and nature around us.  The practitioners of this religion believe that anyone can reach the ONENESS WITH ALL LIFE. Wiccans congregate at their small churches they call convens.  Each individual must participate and contribute to the group. This website also offers a section which addresses the commonly asked questions and misconceptions.  They answer the most controversial questions and try to be as objective as possible.  The most important part of the site is their practices.  They hold rituals according to the changing of the seasons, the tides of the moon, and personal needs.  Most rituals are performed in a ritual space marked by a circle.  This could be outdoors or indoors it does not matter because they believe that all Earth is sacred.  The site is useful because it tells you what is needed and the tools that are used in their rituals.  After explaining the necessary tools and space needed, the site offers a section where they describe each ritual and the reasons behind it.  It also talks about the symbolism behind the rituals and ritual elements.  A couple of the most important holidays are the SAMHAIN (Oct. 31); the WINTER SOLSTICE (Dec. 21); and the VERNAL EQUINOX (Mar. 21).
    The information in this website seems to be accurate and reliable.  I believe so because of the kind of information that it provides and it historical accounts about how the religion arose and where the roots lie.  This website is created by SHEMAH who is a practitioner of the wiccan religion.  Shemah makes a couple of notes on the first page that include that this website is a ";compendium" of various websites of the Convenant of the Goddess, our national Wiccan organization, and other sites, with a few of her own additions.  She states that all Wiccan communities generally accept the information described in the site.    A very important note that Shemah makes is that this information comes from the "British Traditional" Wicca, not the "fluff bunny" wicca.  This website is a site where academic research can be done as well as a fun site if you just want to learn not only the rituals but the history and evolvement of the Wiccan religion. VL

    This website deals with various sex rituals and explanations of tantric methodology, which is the idea that chemicals brought about during sex cause higher energy levels in the body, and how these increased energy levels can be achieved and used to one's benefit in everyday life.  The main theme throughout the website's essays is that sex is not degrading or evil, as taught by Western religions, but a pure, beautiful, natural act.  Purity is highly stressed (two essays are dedicated to the ideas and tenets of tantric purity); however, it isnot purity in the Biblical sense.  Tantra requires purity of body, attitude and emotions, and this purity can be obtained through focus, either of one's mind or body.  There is a very good essay on the website about the tenets of and how to perform tantric sex rituals.
   The maithuna ritual essay is very detailed in its explanation on how it is to be performed, but fails to mention the purpose of the ritual.  This ritual may seem silly to some, because it tends to be very "new age" and earth based (example: you are told to avoid all red meat and eat only raw vegetables and fruits; the ritual takes place outdoors and involves gathering energy from trees).  However, it includes an informative paragraph on how we are affected by magnetic fields, and its incorporation in the ritual. The floating ritual is more of a form of meditation involving visualization.  Again, the purpose of this ritual is not explained, but it does sound peaceful and relaxing, and a ritual more people would be comfortable with, as opposed to maithuna.  I believe this may be used as a technique to relax one's mind to lead into other rituals.
   The Dionism ritual essay is excellent, with clear explanations as to its purpose.  Dionism deals with sexual activity that is free of emission during orgasm.  The lack of emission sets off a chemical reaction in the brain which causes the increased levels of energy.    Another ritual described is the chitrina kanda.  The goal of the ritual is to energize the kanda, the egg in which the kundalini rests.  Although the explanation of how to perform the ritual is detailed and precise, the author fails to mention what the kundalini is, which left me rather confused.
   There are also explanations regarding shabdabrahmin, which is the ritual use of sound in meditation; pranayama, breathing exercizes which aid in the rituals; and alphaism, the practice of abstaining thoughts about sex.  There is also a link to a site which is a highly sexually oriented description of ritual sex that one must be 18 or older to enter; a password is necessary that may be obtained by emailing the website.
   I do not know who sponsors the site, or whether they are truly knowledgeable about tantric principles. The website offers no credentials, or sources from which they derived their information, therefore I don't think I would recommend this for research purposes.  The website's essays are a bit lengthy, and would probably be better understood if one had some prior knowledge concerning tantric sex.  However, there are links to books and cd's that are related to the topics discussed on the site.  Although at times a bit difficult to understand, this website makes for interesting reading.  DL

     This website contains a long list of pagan and wicca rituals and spells.  It is informative because it gives step by step details and directions of how to perform each one.  Ranging from basic love spells and "find a job" spells to a whole wedding ceremony (which is very similar to the modern day wedding), there is a huge selection of prayers, blessings, and spells. There is an introductory reference to explain the contents to those who are new to paganism, as well as a "disclaimer" on the home introduction stating that paganism has nothing to do with satanism.    This website is different from some of the others I have encountered because it seems to be set up for the purpose of letting others conduct the rituals themselves.  Many that I have seen have been set up to make a profit ("order now" or "for your free trial" etc.), however this site is not.     I think that this website would be useful to anyone who was interested in learning about these types of rituals, however, it is not clear whether the information can really be trusted.  There is a link to who the "librarian" is, but the site lists the authors for each spell individually.  It is not scholarly, nor is it likely to be used for academic research.  However, for someone who wanted to read about these rituals because they truly do believe in paganism and wicca, then I believe it does have a lot to contribute.  NH

We all have our own choices in what we prefer to practice.  Some choose Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc, but others choose a way that not many people recognize and that is the Pagan way.  Pagans have their own community and sets of rituals that they practice in the same way that you and I have our own community and rituals that we practice.  This website portrays a Pagan community that functions similar to the way a community we are used to funcitioning in.  The reason that I chose this particular website was not only for its ritualistic purpose, but to show how important a community is to those who perform these types of rituals.  Usually Pagans practice rituals together although some may prefer to do it themselves.  We had discussed in class how rituals help create a relationship and this is one of their ways of creating one.  By becoming a member of this group other Pagans can share ideas with each other and learn from each other.  I also feel that being a part of a community and how we interact with  each other is a form of ritual.  Besides being a community-based site, there are links on how to perform different types of rituals for different occasions.  This site is different from the first one in that this one, as I said before, is more community-based and the first one was more informational and individual.  I hope you also enjoy this site and are able to find the information you need.  NK

    This website has been created by the citizens of NOVA ROMA which is an organization dedicated to the study and restoration of ancient Roman culture.  "Founded 2,750 years after the Eternal City itself, NOVA ROMA seeks to bring back those golden years. But where our ancestors imposed their will through the sword and the Legions, we intend the same result through the spread of knowledge and through our own virtuous example."    The centerpiece of the activities of NOVA ROMA is the Religio Romana; the ancient faith of the people of Rome. Both the household religion and the so-called State religion are vital to the Religio Romana, and both are represented in the practices of NOVA ROMA.  "NOVA ROMA is more than a historical recreation society, although we are that. We are more than a pagan religious organization, although we are that, too. We are more than a classical studies group, but that falls within our purview as well. We are nothing less than a sovereign nation; an attempt to re-create the best of classical pagan Rome (with a few compromises to modern times)."    "The Religio Romana began as the simple earth-based faith of the farmers of the village of Rome. Influenced by their Etruscan (and later Greek) neighbors, the Romans developed a complex State Religion that emphasised duty to the Gods (pietas) and serving them through exactly prescribed rituals."     Compared to the other two websites that I posted earlier, this one is by far the best.  It contains tons of informations about the Roman rituals.  It tells you how and where those rituals were performed.  It also tells you how you can yourself perform some of those rituals in your own home with the right tools.  Those articles are written by some members of Nova Roma.  They are easy to read and understand.       In my opinion it is a very good website for people interested in ancient Rome.  It contains lots of links to other related websites.  This website is very complete it gives you the history of the Roman religion, their Gods and Goddesses, what they think happens in the after life, and lots of other very interesting concepts.  CC

geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/5319
 

 At first this website caught my attention because of the graphics, but it is also very informative.  This website is very useful because it gives the browser a description of what voodoo is and explains its rituals.  It lists many different types of voodoo dances and it even has audio for the dances so that you can hare it yourself.  With the audio for the dances it tell us what kind of drums are being used and why the dances are conducted.  This site also talks about the songs that are used in the voodoo rituals and their purposes. In the bottom of every page there are words written in yellow that gives you further knowledge about the subject, which makes it easy for you to learn.  There are highlighted words through out the text that you might be interested in, and you can look further into the subject.  An e-mail address is provided for question you may have and for more information.  This website is fun due to the audio clips and the graphics and it can also be used for research on voodoo and its rituals.

O.K., I found something that I am not really sure if I should say. It is really, really out there. At first, I was interested in it because they had suicide suspensions similar to the ones that the Native Americans perform. You could go on to see genitalia piercings, on video, actually being performed! I have to warn you this is extremely adult. The site offers available space for anybody who has questions about piercings, tattoos, implants (and that is not what we all think when we hear that), and facial sculpting. The implants were probably the most psychologically damaging site that I saw. It is placing things in any open space in your body. Even if it is the size of a needle’s point. The site offers interviews with people who have done these mod surgeries, like treppanning, which is drilling a hole in your head to let the blood flow evenly. I have heard of stranger things in medicine, but the idea of your friend doing it in his bedroom, is just kind of surprising. The people on the site actually seem fine, it is just what they do. They are looking for a deeper level of consciousness, it is just a little freaky when it is shown in such an intimate manner. And besides that, I opened the site in the school lab without knowing really what I had on it, and whew, I got some looks when I got to the ritual parts.
 This site introduces real live eunichs. I had no idea what it was, and I am still a little confused, or maybe disgusted. There is a wide list of scarifications, which is like a tattoo, but they do not use ink. They cut or burn deeply into your skin until it scars permanently like that.  The site also offers extensive lists of articles that you can read without the in your face photos. Somehow, that was just alot easier for me. The articles talk about upcoming events and arguments for the sites philosophies. I think that is interesting because if you are not sure you want to be a part of this world, you could read about alternatives. Or you could just listen to your common sense. I am just joking, I think that these people are totally valid in what they want to do and do. It could almost be compared to primitive cultures and religions. It is not that I think it is wrong, it is just shocking. The site offers cultural ritual pictures from Malaysia, just like the video we saw in class. Those people that walk with all of the hooks attached to them are like the pioneers of this site.-- CS

The Winter Solstice Ritual.   First I would like to define the word Solstice. Solstice is  when the sun is at a stand still. It is celebrated on December 21 of  each year. On this day the sun is at its lowest arc and the light of  the day is the shortest it will be for the whole year. It is said that  the Mesotoamians started this holiday, but no one is really sure of  the origin of this holiday. The accuracy of the way it was celebrated  in ancient times. Now it is celebrated for twelve days as a renewal  ritual to tame the monster of chaos Manduk. They celebrate by doing  fertility rites, fire festivals, and offerings and prayers to thier  gods, and goddesses. I found this site to be very informative.  Not only did it give a listing of the different rituals that are  performed on this Winter Solstice (Yule), it also provided information  on where the rituals were performed and a complete slide show of many  mystical places all over the world. The slide show was provided by the  Discovery Channel which is a credible source for academic research.  They provide a history of the holiday and of each place that they  introduce. This is done by giving different links such as Easter  Island, The Nazca lines, and the Stonehenges. On top of everything it  is a really fun website. You can learn about the different dieties  that they worship in different parts of the world and how they are  worshiped. This is something that is outside of our culture and should  be fun for anyone to explore. Manotony is so boring and if one has the  chance to travel mentally and explore this is a fun and informative website to become familliar with the observation of the Winter  Solstice.   PT

The Qadash Kinahnu is an actual online Canaanite Phoenician Temple dedicated to the worship of the ancient deities of Canaan and Phoenicia and is hosted by the head priestess Lilinah biti-Anat, a dedicant of the goddess Anat. The land of Canaan, for those of you who don’t know, is Judaism (and therefore Christianity and Islam started) and is present day Israel/Palestine area. This web site is not only serious (meaning not fake but for real) but it is absolutely full of really cool information packed in to over 85 rooms with an easy to use directory to browse the site. You can learn about the history of these people and the story of their gods and it is all very accurate, as I have used this site before in my own research and cross-referenced it to other archaeological information. It has also won the “Pagan Best of the Web” award and the “Mystic Site of the Web Award of Excellence.” This is a trustworthy site in my opinion.
 That stated, it is also one of the neatest things I have come across on-line. First of, there is a room called the outer courtyard, which is a place to pause and meditate at the sacred pool of spring water and fire altar with a virtually eternal flame. There is a complete (yet not boring) history of the myths and a brief history of the people, contemporary poems, links to other cool sites, pictures to see, a sacred calendar with all the feast holidays and a section completely devoted to neo-Canaanite  reconstructed rituals. On the welcome page, click to view the 85 rooms, and then scroll down the directory till you get to the reconstructed rituals. You can then learn about the basic Canaanite ritual necessities and learn a basic Canaanite-Phoenician Ritual and how to do it yourself.  MC

This site is totally wow.  That is the only way I can describe it.   It is packed full of so much information you could spend hours looking at all of the different ceremonies that it describes.  All of these rituals are described as Christian rituals.  It even has a section on the Christian Divorce ritual.   I had attended a wedding recently that was made up of some of the elements that this site speaks of to be very important to set the mood during the ceremony.   This site offers beautiful poems and ideas for anyone about to participate or conduct anyone of these ceremonies.  It contains Love poems that will make your heart water.I think this is a great site that shows people that the Christian community is one that does not lack rituals and beauty that is so often attributed to other cultures and religions.  TA

  home1.gte.net/rattan/wedding.htm

This website provides an easy and quick overview of the rituals performed during a Hindu marriage.  The website informs the reader of all the steps and what the rituals performed during these steps symbolize.  According to the website, a Hindu marriage is divided into different rituals.  The first ritual is "Misri", the ring ceremony.  During this ritual the couple exchange their wedding rings.  The man puts the ring on his fourth finger of his right hand and the woman puts her ring on her fourth finger of her left.  They use opposite fingers to place their rings because they believe when their hands are united, the rings form the shape of a heart.
    Another important ritual is the "Sagri", the acquaintance ceremony.  This ritual is performed to welcome the bride into her groom's family and vice versa.  The groom's family gives the bride gifts of fruit, clothes, and cosmetics to show how much they accept into their family.  They also give a verbal promise of marriage and feed sugar, "misri", to the girl's family to confirm the engagement.    The Mehndi ritual is another ritual of great importance.  During this ceremony the bride has her hand and feet painted.  The type of paint used is called "mehndi", which is made of henna, oil, lemon juice, and tea.  Mehndi signifies the strength of love in a marriage.  The darker the mehndi, the stronger the love.    Throughout the ceremony there are blessings bestowed upon the couple from their families.  The ceremony is performed in a festive atmosphere where all
the family members are involved.  The sing, dance, and pray to show their happiness for the newly weds.  MC

religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/profiles/

     This is probably the most informative web site I found. It covers over two hundred different religions in detail. It also has links for religions they did not include in the site. I would not say this web site is the most attention grabbing, but it is interesting because of the many different religions they included. There is not much visually stimulating material, which I think harms any web site.
    Some of the religions covered in this web site are Amish, Druids, Heaven’s Gate, Jesus Army, Osho, Promise Keepers, UFO Cults, and so many more. Once you click on the religion of your choice you are given a profile, which is just a run down of who is the founder, the sacred texts, things of that nature; then there is a practices and beliefs section; some have current issues and controversies; and the last thing are links, which they included about five or more for each religion.
    This web site is definitely a good reference for a research project. Not only does this site include very detailed information about each religion, but it also has links to different web sites with even more information. This web site could also be used for one’s own information. There are so many interesting religions that many people have not heard of, so this would be a great place just to increase one’s knowledge about world religions.
    With the help of a teacher, students in a sociology class at the University of Virginia created this web site. It is very informative and I recommend anyone doing a paper on any religion should check this web site out. MCo

www.religioustolerance.org/voodoo.htm

 Although this website is short it gives you a good on voodoo.  It starts out giving you a little background on voodoo and tells you how voodoo is a type of religion.  It gives you the history of voodoo and its beliefs.  The website gives you the meaning of the names of the minor spirits.  The website finally tells you what the purpose of the ritual is and it will list some of the rituals in voodoo.  One of the reasons I liked this web site was because it is not that old.  Many of the sites I found were not that new.  This website was updated last December.  I would not say it’s a fun web site but it is informative and what I liked the most was that it listed other internet resources that can be used if you had to write a paper on voodoo.  This web site is by a man called B.A. Robinson.  LM

All this time I’ve partaken in the drinking of tea with my British friends, I assumed its primary role in life is to merely compliment those cream cheese and cucumber finger sandwiches.  Here’s a completely different (and sacred) perspective on the simple act of drinking tea, or “the way of tea”, rather.  For the Chinese and especially the Japanese, tea drinking is meant as a ritual to harmonize the body and soul.  This ritual is an art, a social event, rich in decorum, aesthetics, and religious meaning.  It’s religious meaning is derived from the concepts of Tao and Zen, though depending on the practitioner, this aspect may or may not be prevalent.
    I found this web-site particularly useful and unique because it provides information that ranges from academic to endemic in the streets of New York.  It’s authenticity is what struck me most.  You have the option of choosing the information in English or Japanese. It didn’t surprise me that the authors are Atsumi Hara, Miho, and Sokei Kimura (without listed credits), simply claiming their goal is to introduce Japanese culture through “Chanoyu”.  Sounding so lofty, I didn’t trust it immediately, but after proper investigation, their information and resources are legitimate.  It’s a well-structured, creative, informative web-site to which they seem highly devoted, yet it is not overtly biased.  There is an excellent  essay I enjoyed by Brother Joseph Keenan, Ph.D. from La Salle University who offers keen insight into the meaning and way it is practiced.  He answers questions we as silly Westerners would ask and likens this to the first Jesuits who arrived in Japan in the 16th century when Christianity first came into contact with Chanoyu.  There is another essay by a fifteenth generation Tea Master of the Urasenke Tradition that has previously been published in Tanko Magazine discussing relevant topics about the Way of Tea.  Thorough information is provided on the history of Chanoyu from its beginnings in China and Japan. It traces its development and how it strengthened into a spiritual discipline with the philosophy of Tao and Zen, then through different Emperors, and Tea Masters Sokyu, Jo-o, until its turning point with the accomplishment of the Way of Tea by Rikyu.  Not to be forgotten is the 13th generation Grand Tea Master who established tea courses in schools, thus enabling women to participate.  Many other elements are showcased, such as the tea room--its aesthetics and the Feng Shui aspect, fabrics that are often used by Tea Masters to express or represent certain feelings, poetry by Sen Rikyu, and the Yin/Yang philosophy from which the ritual emerges.
    There is an endearing “how-to-do a Chaji (or tea room)” personal story shared by one who practices out of her New York studio apartment.  It’s an illustrated demonstration of the step-by-step process when faced with having to modernize this ritual in exile.  This is obviously a helpful model, not only to enlighten us with a peek at the evolved ritual, but for those in similar situations. Under “info” there are over 20 links with more information about history, books, museums, events, products needed for a ceremony, links to obtain and know more about the products (i.e.; Japanese incense), and tea schools.
    All in all, I recommend this page to anyone interested in Japanese culture, anyone who enjoyed Memoirs of a Geisha, but moreover, a person who would like to garner appreciation for a ritual that uses tea as a symbol for unity with the transcendent, your self, and/or with one another.  According to the prodigious Japanese Tea Master of the 16th century, Rikyu, it is a vessel of Tao to attain harmony, respect, purity, and tranquillity.  This sounds a bit different from our robotic consumption and consequent jolt after morning java. IM (3/13)

    The website describes the Japanese tea ceremony, also known as Chado, the way of tea.  It approaches the description of the tea ceremony in three ways: 1) what are people doing when they do tea 2) why should anyone in the world want to do such a difficult thing and 3) how can people from different religions and cultural backgrounds benefit from the way of tea?  These three approaches are discussed at length, but not before a brief history of the practice is introduced.
    Through these three approaches, we learn firstly that the tea ceremony has three dimensions: 1) social 2) aesthetics 3) religious. The ceremony is originally Japanese and can be described as a chakai or chaji depending on duration and number of guest. Traditionally, the purpose of both the chakai and chaji is to serve food and drinks.  This service is aesthetically carried out in the way of choreographed movement of the body, utensils and fine linen used.  The manner in which the ceremony is performed has been referred to as an art form by the Japanese, which explains their belief that “food must be tasted with the eyes before it is tasted with the mouth”.  The art form of the ceremony and other art forms incorporated (architecture, flower rrangement) will also explain why it takes years of study and practice to master it.  In the third approach to tea – religion – the author pays careful consideration to pointing out that tea is for everyone and can be shared by all nations, cultures, and in particular religious traditions.  Tea is frequently correlated with the religion of Zen Buddhism.
     Why would anyone want to do something as difficult as tea?  Tea is not as difficult as it is intricate.  Once the practice is mastered it would prove soothing in the way of tension relief to the performer or tea person.  Further, as alluded to before, the act is a social one.  Art comes to life in the presence of others relaying a message of concern.  People of different cultures and religions can benefit from the way of tea because of its basic premise.  Firstly the way of tea is not a replacement for religious spirituality, but ‘a way’ through which spirituality can be richly experienced.  Tea focuses on the trivialization of moments in life and the meaning of nonverbal zed experiences.
    The website is both useful and informative because of the many symbolisms depicted in the way of tea.  Chado dish ups more than food and tea, therefore is high above a utilitarian purpose.   A simple action of folding a cloth is interpreted as embracing the whole universe.  The way of tea itself is structured around the meaning given to things and the experience of deeper understanding.  It is different from other websites in the degree of information that it offered.  Paradoxically, I felt that the website could have offered more and less information.  In this I mean that more information could have been included about the actual tea ceremony, and less elucidation on trivialization and visualization.  However, I do recognize the usage of the explanation in its linkage to understanding and appreciating the ways of tea.
       The way of tea is a cultural ritual, which seeks meaning on the level of companionship.  It is a perfomative relationship with others in an expression of love and concern through service. It also serves as a relationship with oneself as it enriches ones spirituality in terms of inner peace and religion.  Undoubtedly this can be useful for anyone who seeks serenity in their life, and can be paralleled to the effects of yoga or meditation.
    I consider the website to be good for objective academic research, although maybe not without its biases.  It can serve as in introduction to the Japanese tea ceremony to those who are unaware.  The website was authored by Brother Joseph Keenan, PhD an associate professor in the department of religion at La Salle University.  Therefore it can safely be assumed that the information contained in this website is valid, and further can be validated.  LL

This website was written by a married Wiccan couple, known as Amanacus and Spring Wolf (their "magic" names bestowed upon them during a naming ceremony).  Do not be fooled, however.  This is an excellent web site, dedicated to magic, celtic shamanism (Amanacus is of Celtic and Cherokee heritage), and Wiccan beliefs.  It also includes sections on karma, meditation, holistic healing, and Reiki, to name a few.  The site is highly detailed and very well written, with extensive information and clear, concise explanations.  It was professionally done, with a decent variety of graphics.  This site was better than most I visited, mainly because the entire site was dedicated to religion, ritual, and ceremony, as opposed to other sites I visited, which only featured one or two pages on the topic.  The FAQ's page was excellent, with an extensive list of books and websites to aid one in their research, along with a separate books and resources page.  The home page features special notices, informing one of the next Sabbat, which are Wiccan holy days.  It provides an explanation as to the meaning behind the celebration, it's history, purpose, and how to ritually celebrate the occasion.  The Wiccan section includes the couple's own personal ceremonies and rituals for protection, healing, coming of age, handfasting, and rites of initiation, among others, as well as outlines on how to perform traditional established Wiccan ceremonies and rituals including spell construction and creation of sacred space.  There is also a subsection with recipes for potions and elixirs.  The Celtic Shamanism section includes a phenomenal glossary of magical terms.  All pages include links to the resources from which they derived their information.  The only drawback to the site is that their links page, while very broad, has not been updated since 1999.  DL

This website was about, as the title suggest ‘The significance of rituals performed in a Hindu marriage’.  The first point that one would notice is that there are many rituals performed in a Hindu marriage, and these go beyond the actual ceremony.  There are rituals regarding the ring ceremony (misri), musical party  (sangeet party), salt ceremony (datar), joining of the hands (hathialo) and others.  The significance, and they all do have said significance is outlined in the website.What sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb is how different the Hindu marriage is from marriages in the western culture. Firstly, many aspects of the entire marriage tradition are not included in western marriages.  Secondly if there is significance to anything that is done, many people do not recognize them for their symbolism, instead as ceremonial habit. For example, in the Hindu Marriage the ring is placed on the fourth finger because it is believed that there is a vein that leads from that finger directly to the heart [left hand for females, and right hand for male to create a full circle].  These acts in the Hindu marriage all have ultimate importance for everyone – the families, bride and groom.  Different segments of the ceremony perform relationships with the self (mehndi, datar), transcendent (nav-graha puja) and the community  (datar, sagri).
    The website is both objective and unbiased as it simply offers information about the Hindu marriage ceremony.  In that,  this website was different from others. The site is about as serious as a marriage is, but if you’re thinking in terms of western cultures, times that by ten.  The author of the site is unknown, however I believe the information here to be valid.  The only way we can determine whether it is valid or not is by further research. LL

 This web site is a link from my other web site religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/profiles/. This web site takes an in-depth view into the history, practices, symbolism, and philosophy of Rastafarianism. It specifically describes the ritual of marijuana smoking within Rastafarianism. It looks at why marijuana is smoked, and its movement throughout the years. It also briefly talks about Reggie music. There are some pictures, but it is mostly written text about the religion. The web site also contains descriptions about Kwanzaa and Voodoo. It describes Kwanzaa’s origins and how the ritual is celebrated. The Voodoo section is lacking information so I would not recommend it if you were trying to research it, only if you wanted to read about it quickly.
 Another great aspect of this web site is how it explains the symbolism of Rastafarianism. It gives a brief description of the different symbols and where they came from. This could also help eliminate the bad views of Rastas by letting people look at why they do the things they do. This way people will understand that Rastas are not just “rebellious”, pot smoking people.
This web site could be used as a very solid starting point for writing a paper on Rastafarianism and the controversial rituals of marijuana smoking. The home page of this web site also has many different “Afrocentric” subjects to get information on. It is not limited to the topic of religions; it contains current controversial subjects, black inventors, African Kings and Queens, and other miscellaneous black history information. A lot of the material on the web site is objective even though one person maintains it.   MCo

Last updated:  August 2002