Sikh priest and holy book at Sikh wedding, London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Batara Turum Kabeh ceremony, Hindu temple of Besakih, island of Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Diwali Puja, Jalaram Prathna Hindu temple, Leicester, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Novice monk ceremony, Wat Xieng Jai, Maung Sing, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Novice monk ceremony, Maung Sing, Laos, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Ceremony at Hindu Temple, Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh state, India, Asia

Diwali Puja, Jalaram Prathna Hindu temple, Leicester, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Ceremony at Hindu Temple, Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh state, India, Asia

Sikh temple ritual, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Middle East

Boy about to become a monk, Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Myanmar, Asia

Woman participating in voodoo ceremony, Abomey, Benin (Dahomey), Africa

O-mikuji, fortune telling papers, Sapporo Shrine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan, Asia

Sang sang rimpoche uses the dorje, a sacred ritual object to make the first decisive cut into the sand mandala on the last day of the mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal. solu khumbu, nepal

Ceremony of the Whirling Dervishes, founded in Konya by Mevalana Celaleddin Rumi, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Man in trance during voodoo ceremony, Abomey, Benin (Dahomey), Africa

Woman participating in voodoo ceremony, Abomey, Benin (Dahomey), Africa

Fire ritual at chiwang monastery during the mani rimdu festival. these monks circumambulate the pyre after its ignition. one holds a long book wrapped in a felicitous scarf. the purifying fire takes the offering and raises them towards the sky in smoke. the circumambulatory ritual also recalls the way disciples showed respect for the buddhas body. solu khumbu, nepal

Nepal. Sonam & boom praying at charnel grounds. Humla. Vajrayana is tantric mahasiddha, lives fearlessly in terrifying places like remote jungles charnel grounds. nyingma lamas perform ritual at cremation grounds. lama rattles damaru, a small ritual drum to have origins in - shamanism. damaru, used as a tantric device to summon gods ward evil spirits, once made from human skull bones dried human skin as a reminder of impermanence of body. other lama, boom blows a kangling, a human thigh-bone horn. kangling is used in exorcism is capable of gods demons. Traditionally, best bones a kangling come from brahmans, particularly sixteen-year- brahman girls-or from tigers

Yoruba women dance in trance at a sacred water festival to honor their animistic spirits. nigeria, africa

A solitary mask dancer appears wearing a frightening mask and silk brocade. they circle the courtyard with sprightly leaps. called protectors of faith, or dharmapdla, the origins of figures like these can be traced back to the pre-aryan peoples of india. originally known as yaksas (literally, a wondrous thing), they were tree spirits, who were accepted by the buddhists as defenders of the faith. in nepal and tibet, as in india, local deities were converted into protectors. a devotee of an alien sect devised a means to humiliate the buddha and his disciples. the buddha discovered it and succeeded in converting him to his teaching. due to lack of wisdom, the buddha remarked, some could not realize the goodness of his disciples and he compared the ignorant to the blind and the wise to those who have eyes.nobody is condemned in buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. -the dhammapada. solu khumbu, nepal

In month of november before full moon a sacred ceremony is held in various monasteries throughout himalayas by traditional healers known as amchis. They call down spiritual deities to bless medicine. Amchis making torma, a ritual food offering. India

Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims prostrating at the Jokhang temple, Barkhor, Lhasa, Tibet, China, Asia

N month of november 7 days before full moon a sacred ceremony is held in various monasteries throughout himalayas by traditional healers known as amchis. They bring their precious herbs, minerals special animal glands to be blessed. A selected amount of herbs is placed in a copper vessel placed on monastery alter. 7 days amchis go through an elaborate potenization of these medicines through prayer other practices. Seen here is of amchis holding a dorje (sacred object used cutting through obscurations) which is lined from a vessel containing various herbs sitting on monastery alter to heart chakra. Chang tang nyee, ladakh, indi

In month of november before full moon a sacred ceremony is held in various monasteries throughout himalayas by traditional healers known as amchis. They call down spiritual deities to bless medicine. Amchis making torma, a ritual food offering. India

In month of november before full moon a sacred ceremony is held in various monasteries throughout himalayas by traditional healers known as amchis. They call down spiritual deities to bless medicine. Amchis performing puja at potenization ceremony. Amchis performing rituals during potenization ceremony. India

Cremation at pashupati nath temple, kathmandu,nepal

East timor. Sunday mass at the catholic church in aileu

Priest holding chalice in bowl

Priest blessing baby boy in church

Couple wearing crowns in church

Father holding baby son in church

Priest clipping hair of baby girl

Priest baptizing baby girl with water

Priest and couple joining hands in wedding

Couples waiting in church

Caucasian baby boy being baptized

Priest in church

Wedding ceremony on stone staircase

Wedding ceremony on stone staircase

Wedding ceremony on stone staircase

Wedding ceremony on stone staircase

Priest holding baby girl in church

Caucasian baby girl being baptized

Couple and priest standing in church

Hands of priest on pulpit

Couple and priest standing in church

Torii gates at Fushimi Inari-Taisha sanctuary,Kyoto, Japan

Monk blessing a woman, in Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

The Daibutsu (bronze Great Buddha). Kotoku-in Temple, Kamakura, Japan

The Daibutsu (bronze Great Buddha). Kotoku-in Temple, Kamakura, Japan

The Daibutsu (bronze Great Buddha). Kotoku-in Temple, Kamakura, Japan

Invocations to the fortune at Fushimi Inari-Taisha sanctuary,Kyoto, Japan

Pilgrims making a ritual offering, and praying, ghats in Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

pilgrim bathing in the sacred pool Amrit Sarovar, Golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

Wat Phan Tao temple, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Donation to monks, Wat Suan Dok temple, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Barber shaving the head and beard of a pilgrim, Dashashwamedh ghat (main ghat), in Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Pilgrims praying and bathing, in the ghats of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Person who recovers wood used in cremation, which has not burned completely, in Manikarnika Ghat, the burning ghat, on the banks of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Monk praying, in Wat Mahathat, Sukhothai Historical Park, Sukhothai, Thailand

pilgrim bathing in the sacred pool Amrit Sarovar, Golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

pilgrim and sacred pool Amrit Sarovar, Golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

Interior of golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

Pilgrims praying, golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

Interior of golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

pilgrims and sacred pool Amrit Sarovar, Golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

Torii gates at Fushimi Inari-Taisha sanctuary,Kyoto, Japan

Sadhu meditating, in the ghats of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Pilgrims praying and bathing, in the ghats of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

pilgrim and sacred pool Amrit Sarovar, Golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

Pilgrims making a ritual offering, and praying, ghats in Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Torii gates at Fushimi Inari-Taisha sanctuary,Kyoto, Japan

Pilgrims praying and bathing, in the ghats of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Cremation of bodies, in Manikarnika Ghat, the burning ghat, on the banks of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Sadhu meditating, in the ghats of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Every night, Nightly puja on Dashaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Men praying and bathing, in the ghats of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Cremation of a body, in Manikarnika Ghat, the burning ghat, on the banks of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Torii gates at Fushimi Inari-Taisha sanctuary,Kyoto, Japan

Offerings, in Wat Suan Dok, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Every night, Nightly puja on Dashaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Baeber shaving the head and beard of a pilgrim, Dashashwamedh ghat (main ghat), in Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Pilgrims praying and bathing, in the ghats of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Men praying, in the Ghat of Yamuna river, Vrindavan, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India

Persons praying, Monks statue, in Wat Phra Singh temple, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Torii gates at Fushimi Inari-Taisha sanctuary,Kyoto, Japan

Woman making offering, in the ghats of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Pilgrims praying and bathing, in the ghats of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Fushimi Inari-Taisha sanctuary,Kyoto, Japan

Pilgrims in a boat sailing and praying, Ganges river, in background the ghats, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Wishing plates at Fushimi Inari-Taisha sanctuary,Kyoto, Japan

Pilgrims making a ritual offering and praying, ghats of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Torii gates at Fushimi Inari-Taisha sanctuary,Kyoto, Japan

pilgrims and sacred pool Amrit Sarovar, Golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

Manikarnika Ghat, the burning ghat, on the banks of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Pilgrims praying and bathing, in the ghats of Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Dashashwamedh ghat (main ghat), in Ganges river, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

pilgrim and sacred pool Amrit Sarovar, Golden temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India

Every night, Nightly puja on Dashaswamedh Ghat, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Torii gates at Fushimi Inari-Taisha sanctuary,Kyoto, Japan