While practices and beliefs regarding religion continue to change, the need for ceremony, ritual, and meaning has not. 

Ritual and ceremony have been practiced by all known societies throughout history. Although we’ve encountered them most commonly in religious institutions and at formal events like weddings and funerals, they appear in many other contexts. 

Rituals guide us through life, providing symbols and meaning as we make sense of the world around us, as well as the world within. Without these markers at life's major turning points, we may experience isolation and confusion. Ceremony and ritual create a space for conscious transition by providing the context and container for transition to do its work.