MEGHANA ANAND explores the intentions behind time-honored traditions and rituals.
Bonne Année!
Frohes Neues Jahr!
Xīnnián Kuàilè!
Saal Mubarak!
Happy New Year!
Old memories cherished. New resolutions made. It’s the start of another year that brings in its tide changes that we may look forward to with hope in our hearts.
Welcoming the New Year is a popular tradition, and a quick search on the Internet will reveal to you the diversity of celebrations all over the world. The origin of this tradition can be traced back to ancient Babylon, and over time different regions and communities adapted it adding new zeal and flavor.
That’s how most traditions evolve.
Nobody can make a tradition; it takes a century to
make it.
-Nathaniel Hawthorne
Traditions are probably as old as humans. Today, New Year happens on 1 January, an arbitrary day in the Gregorian calendar with no cosmic significance, but it reflects the need for a renewal of life in the darkest part of the year in the northern hemisphere. The reference to this tradition introduces the concept of the roots of various beliefs and practices that have been handed down from generation to generation. How do these age-old rituals and ceremonies reflect the culture and upbringing of a particular group of people? What was their purpose?
Over time, many traditions and rituals have lost their original meaning. Delving into that significance reveals much about bygone eras and the knowledge of the people who developed them. Keeping the essence alive in present times may radically contribute towards the making of a better tomorrow. As we as a species evolve, so do our beliefs and practices.
Michael Puett and Christine Gross-Loh, in their international bestseller, The Path, give a very innovative perspective on the simple activity of playing hide-and-seek with a four-year-old:
“When you play this game – when you crouch with your foot sticking out of a closet door so that she can find you easily, when she laughs with glee upon discovering you, and when you enthusiastically repeat the game with her again and again – you are not just engaging in lighthearted play. The two of you are participating in a ritual by taking on roles that diverge from your usual ones – a ritual that allows you to construct a new reality. “… We tend to think of ritual as something that tells us what to do, not as something transformative.”
For the rational human being of today, ‘tradition’ may be synonymous with superstition. So we need a spirit of inquiry to delve into the original purpose of any tradition. For example, why does a meal in most traditions end with a sweet dish? What is the rationale behind fasting on specific days of the month? Why do people of some cultures bow, some bring their hands together, and some others shake hands with each other as a form of greeting? Why is the drumbeat an integral part of African rituals? How did the tea-drinking ceremonies evolve in oriental countries? What is the relevance of ancient Indian and Native American rituals in today’s times?
The spiritual and scientific purpose behind many of them, if not all, can be quite fascinating. It opens our minds to the benefit of these traditional practices in our daily lives. And not only do they impact our lives as individuals, but they have a broader effect on the society at large. Today many scholars are conducting research in the field of indigenous science, traditional knowledge and the study of nature. Rosalyn R. LaPier, a Research Associate from Harvard University states, “Let us remember that long before western science came to these shores, there were scientists here…. Western science is a powerful approach, but it is not the only one. Indigenous science provides a wealth of knowledge and a powerful alternative paradigm.”
Do you have a longstanding tradition or custom followed in your family or community? If you would like to share it with our readers, please write to us at contributions@heartfulnessmagazine.com.
References
Puett, M. & C. Gross-Loh. 2016. The Path: What Chinese Philosophers Can Teach Us About the Good Life,
p. 23, Simon & Schuster, New York.
https://theconversation.com/why-native-americans-do-not-separate- religion-from-science
Article by MEGHANA ANAND
