Life cycle ritual

Birth • In India, the birth of a male is announced by the beating of a thali (a sort of bronze utensil) by friends or relatives while a female child is announced by the beating of a fan used for winnowing. • In most Muslim cultures, it is customary for the father or general patriarch of the family to whisper the adhan, the Muslim call to prayer, into the child's ear as soon as possible after birth. Adolescence • In the Navajo tribe, the Kinaaldá ceremony marks the advent of womanhood for a girl when she experiences her first menstrual cycle. The ceremony lasts several days and is composed of several discrete rituals. • The bar mitzvah is a coming of age ceremony for Jewish boys at the age of 13, where they read scripture from the Torah in the synagogue and a celebration is held in the boy's honor afterwards. Marriage • Marriage in Renaissance Florence was usually marked by the delivery of an intricately decorated chest with the wedding procession. This chest contained the bride's dowry and would later be added to the furniture in the newlyweds' bedroom. • In the Garo community of Bangladesh, an essential pre-wedding ceremony involves the compulsory gifting of betel leaf, nuts and sweets to the groom from the bride's family. Death • In the Akan culture of Ghana, the widow of a recently deceased man wears a charm necklace for the entire 40-day period of the funeral rites, so that her husband may not return to haunt her from the afterlife as believed. • In Japanese Buddhist culture, after the cremation of the deceased, family and close friends use special chopsticks to pick up bone fragments and place them in an urn, which in turn must be placed in a family grave within 49 days of the funeral. == Classification ==

While no scheme of classification of passage rites has been universally accepted, there is a general trend with names being given to distinguishable types and some corresponding examples: • Purification practices – prepare the individual for communication with the supernatural, or erasing an old status in preparation for a new one. • Social transformation – initiation, induction, change in status. • Religious transformation – sacrifice rituals, acceptance of a belief, functions related to changing life stages, circumcision. • Biological development – pregnancy, childbirth, birth, puberty, menopause. • Marital ceremonies. • Death – burial, cremation, prayers (include all stages of separation, transition and reincorporation). == Psychological impact ==

Possessing religious and cultural significance, rituals and ceremonies are noted to provide one with a sense of belonging and a deeper meaning and the understanding of their being. Conversely, extremely severe initiation rituals have been found to induce a sense of cognitive dissonance within the psyche of the initiate. Individuals who undergo severe rites before joining a specific group tend to find that group more attractive due to a perceived pride and justification of effort. This fosters an inbuilt belief of superiority, as well as dissociation from personal ideals, which transform into those adopted by the group as a whole. A baby's identity for its family and community after birth, reminding an individual of their newly adopted responsibilities and expectations upon reaching adolescence, officiating a couple's love by transforming them from lovers to committed partners in a marriage, and the preparation of a person's body as per cultural or religious standards after their death are all examples of such reflection. In addition to that, rituals have also been found to be a way for individuals to familiarize themselves with social norms, some suggesting that the primary purpose of any ritual is to impart that informal learning to the individual and to increase his or her social awareness. == Cultural impact ==

The use of rituals and traditions such as weddings, bar mitzvahs, funerals and baptisms to celebrate and denote the life cycle transitions have been found to offer the members of a family to reaffirm their status and identity within the household. Lancy also offers a unique perspective on the impact that the performance of life cycle rituals may have on an individual's role in society. He notes that in indigenous populations, children who undergo specific rites to denote a transition from phase of life to another are usually self-sufficient not long after puberty. In contrast, he observes that in modern bourgeoisie societies where rituals and milestones are foregone in favor of comparison to standardized development milestones, children often have a prolonged period of adolescence lasting into their twenties before they become self-sufficient, something he defines as a form of "learned helplessness". Following cultural standards, life cycle rituals are practiced based on specific beliefs and rites. One's acceptance of their culture, and involvement with society, is associated with their implementation of these practices. The structural functionalism is seen to maintain societies in a "steady state" and preserve a specific status quo. Such practices relieve the stress individuals may be exposed to as a result of the significant changes and restructure they must undergo as a natural progression of growth. The rituals can assist in providing instruction and approval of the new roles that must subsequently be adopted. The resulting feeling of belonging also provides encouragement to not be disturbed or displaced by these changes, and instead welcome them as a part of life and affirm the social and moral values expressed. Hence, these sociocultural practices foster unity through communal actions. == Modern-day changes ==

In developed countries, as people live longer and become more affluent, there has been a shift in the practices of life cycle rituals. Newly conceptualized stages have emerged, such as "bridal shower", "baby shower", "bachelor/bachelorette party", "mid-life" and "empty nest". These celebrations are derived from evolving stages in a life and signify progression and change. They can be culminated and categorized under traditional classifications of the life cycle rituals, and represent the dynamic growth of society and culture in today's modern and technologically advanced world. Traditional rites have also been revived and expanded, specifically due to the influence and development of the women's movement demanding equal rights. Geffen states that this has resulted in mothers, as well as fathers, demanding inclusion in birth, adolescent and marriage rituals for themselves and for their sons and daughters. Such practices encourage unity and equality within society. They also shun previously held beliefs of the male sex being dominant and superior, and instead encourage more practices that celebrate the female sex on equal footing. ==References==