Introduction
The concept of customary practices has been around since the first attempts at creating not even a religion, but mere superstitions were undertaken. People need routine actions so that they could enjoy some form of certainty since the repetitiveness of group actions performed regularly allows for feeling safe.
However, the effects of such habitual actions in which the entire group is involved in the need for artistic outlets for creativity is quite questionable.
Despite the idea that is partaking in a group customary practice kills, the need for artistic expressivity exists, the actual introduction of group sense into the process of a habitual action, as well as the fact that these customary practices presuppose taking a journey to an individual spiritual revelation under the guidance of the group, clearly proves these practices being a source for creativity.
Traditions And Customs As The Outlets For Creativity: Significance And Value
Defining the value of traditions and customs in the society where religious issues have mostly been tossed aside, one will have to admit that, for the most part, customary actions are not supposed to lead to creative outcomes – they should inspire one for creativity and for the search of one’s self, as the example of the Hajj rite does. Instead of merely signifying a traditional coming-of-age event, it does set one onto a journey for very spiritual discovery.
Hajj is not about celebration of reaching a particular age, which is by no means the merit of the person in question; quite on the contrary, it is about proving to the community in general and one’s self in particular that one deserves being granted the duties and responsibilities that people reaching the given stage do.
What It All Boils Down To Group Sense Of Cohesion As An Integral Part Of Customary Practices
Therefore, the question is whether the group sense of cohesion, which people claim to experience when they engage in customary practices associated with a particular religion are irreplaceable, or for that matter, whether the given sense of cohesion can be induced by any other activity. To answer this question, it is necessary to take a closer look at the nature of the given feeling.
Cohesion, or the feeling of belonging to a particular society as a group of people, is traditionally experienced once the given group of people is engaged in a certain activity, where every single member has his/her particular role. Hence, in a broader meaning of the word, the given activity can take practically any form and happen within any environment.
The given observation, however, begs the question whether rites of passage, as well as other customs that supposedly bring the members of a particular society together or signify a change in one’s social status have anything to do with creativity. Getting down to the basics of what creativity is, one must admit that, for the most part, a creative process is meant for a single artist, not for an entire team.
Customs and rites, on the other hand, involve the participation of every single member. Consequently, it would be quite a stretch to claim that the group sense of cohesion, which comes as a result of customary practices and rites, seems to have little to do with the actual artistic expressivity and can hardly be defined as an outlet for creativity.
Taking an active part in customs and rites may even kill an individual’s desire to visualize his ideas through various art media, seeing how in various rituals, the role of an individual is in many ways predetermined by the goals of the ritual in question.
Nonetheless, some rituals and customs to serve as an artistic and expressive outlet for one’s creativity in that they provide one with guidance regarding one’s search for one’s self. For instance, in the Hajj ritual, the process of Pilgrimage to Mecca does not lead to any particular result; instead, it helps one find one’s place in the realm of the present-day world and the context of the Muslim society.
The given ritual is rather a tool than a “thing in itself,” since it provides the means to reach spiritual evolution, yet presupposes that the path to this evolution, as well as the process of revelation, is going to be unique for every person that decides to take it.
Thus, it would be wrong to assume that customs and customary practices block an individual’s way to creativity and self-expression because of the group sense that these practices have. While one might argue that, when guided by a group of people instead of choosing one’s way, a person is deprived of the right to make his/her own artistic decisions.
That being said, getting to the bottom of it, one must admit that the introduction of the group sense into the process of the creative search for one’s own identity needs group support and encouragement from the authoritative people from the given group.
Conclusion: Learning The True Meaning Of Traditions And Customs
Judging by the definition of cohesion as an aftereffect of partaking in a certain customary action, at present, it is practically impossible to come up with the means to trigger the same emotion in the members of a certain society without resorting to introducing some sort of religious elements into the customary practices.
Regardless of the target of the given practices, though, they are aimed at helping their participants to define their place within the context of not only the society in question but also the world in a broader sense, i.e., the social, economical, political and cultural space.
While the introduction of the group sense may somewhat hinder the process of individual reconsideration of the world and the process of shaping an individual vision of the universe, group sense still presupposes some form of guidance, which a young and inexperienced mind needs once starting on a journey to a personal revelation.
Therefore, it can be concluded that, once the role of the group sense is not overly emphasized, and the participants of the rite under discussion have as much voice in defining their journey as the rest of the group members, customary practices can possibly lead to the discovery of very important facts about one’s personality, as well as guide one onto a very fascinating journey and, therefore, help one defines one’s place in the world.
An integral part of people’s development, customary practices bear too much significance to be considered irrelevant even in the environment where the power of religion has been reduced nearly to zero.