Can Cultural Heritage Have Psychological Benefits?

At some point in our lives while growing up or becoming self-conscious of our identity, we have probably all thought to ourselves; why are we as children or adults asked to perform certain acts or behaviors, considered "useful" or "beneficial" by those closest to us? This raises the larger question; why do communities around the world expect their members to follow a set of rules, practices, and traditions, laid by them?

It is easy to label this as a result of cultural diversity and claim that every culture has evolved, shaped by the environment, climate, geography, and history specific to them. Maybe even seem obvious to most. But then "Rituals" by Dimitris Xygalatas takes this cultural discourse to a primordial level by probing deep into the psychological and behavioral roots of rituals, especially those performed by communities for generations. These are rituals not merely of religious, cultural, or symbolic importance; they have deep psychological, cognitive, and emotional significance. On a collective level, they represent shared responses to environmental and social challenges, while on an individual level coping mechanisms to overcome uncertainties, face spiritual and mental challenges, and build self-confidence.

Starting with the most harmless, mundane, and commonly practiced to those which severely disfigure the body and test the mind, Xygalatas explores the diverse and often bizarre rituals performed by cultures around the world. Xygalatas takes his readers through his journey of living and working with communities across the world. Participants' responses are recorded through monographs and FMRI Scans before and after the performance of the rituals to monitor their neurological and emotional states. From the agonizing Fire-Walking Ceremonies performed in Southern Europe to the disfiguring ceremonies performed by Tamils of Southern India and Mauritius, the book details the profound and often fascinating impact that rituals have on individuals and communities. Many of the rituals represent acts of religious and cultural devotion, sacrifice, and acts done in auspicious events with the expectation of divine reward or absolution. But beyond that lies something greater; they help build intra-group loyalty amongst members. They orient members towards a shared social purpose that helps promote group unity. When interviewing participants performing the Fire Walk in Spain, the author recounts how despite the pain they endured, upon completion of the rituals, they experienced a vivid sense of “resonance” with the rest of the group. When participants took part in the Thaipusam festival, the more pain they endured during the ceremony, the more validated they felt in the eyes of the community. It was in a way a rite of passage.

Besides serving social purposes, rituals also perform a very important psychological function. Participants reported a great increase in subjective well-being after the performance of the rituals, despite the physical pain they endured. Rituals that tested the body and mind, made participants feel stronger, more self-confident, and assured of themselves. Many individuals took to the rituals at a time of great personal crisis in their lives. The belief that the ritual would grant them relief and performing it at a great personal cost helped them cope with the anxieties and stresses of life. According to this argument, rituals serve as an evolutionary response to challenging and uncertain situations in life.

But perhaps, the most intriguing question the book raises is the very purpose of human culture itself. If there is a proven benefit to performing shared rituals for reasons independent of religion and culture, what implications could this have for society on the whole? How can we harness such a tool to advance our happiness as individuals and society? Will myths and rituals always be integral to our functioning as societies? The performance of rituals also exists independent of religious contexts; in schools, colleges, courts, governments, and offices. In the 19th Century the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche put it the following way “Every culture that has lost myth has lost, by the same token, its natural healthy creativity. Only a horizon ringed about with myths can unify a culture”. While Nietzsche’s time and era were certainly different it definitely leaves much to ponder on the importance of rituals for humanity. Perhaps myths and rituals will always be fundamental to our functioning as a species.