Tea ceremony in Shodensanso, Kyoto, Japan, Asia

Tea ceremony in Shodensanso, Kyoto, Japan, Asia

Pilgrims queuing to bathe in the sacred Tampaksiring Spring, Pura Tirta Empul Temple, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Pilgrims queuing to bathe in the sacred Tampaksiring Spring, Pura Tirta Empul Temple, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Yaka tribe practising a ritual dance, Mbandane, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa

Yaka tribe practising a ritual dance, Mbandane, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa

Yaka tribe practising a ritual dance, Mbandane, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa

Yaka tribe practising a ritual dance, Mbandane, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa

Changing of the guards ceremony, Martyrs Shrine, Taipei City, Taiwan, Asia

A group of Franciscan pilgrims wearing ceremonial shawls near the Jaffa Gate during Easter celebrations, Old City, Jerusalem, Israel, Middle East

Local women arriving on the Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Tuaregs on camels, Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Good Friday procession, Enna, Sicily, Italy, Mediterranean, Europe

Sanctuary of St. Michael the Archangel, Monte Sant'Angelo, UNESCO, Foggia, Apulia, Italy

Young girls at the Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Good Friday procession, Enna, Sicily, Italy, Mediterranean, Europe

Good Friday procession entering Cathedral, Enna, Sicily, Italy, Mediterranean, Europe

Buddhist sand Mandala, a spiritual and ritual symbol representing the Universe, Paris, France, Europe

Tibetans dressed for religious shaman's ceremony, Tongren, Qinghai Province, China, Asia

Ritual washing in the Tirta Empul temple, Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Wodaabe-Bororo men with faces painted at the annual Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Man jumping from a bamboo tower, Pentecost land diving, Pentecost, Vanuatu, Pacific

Voodoo ritual with a tourist, Akodessewa fetish market, Lome, Togo, West Africa, Africa

Candomble priest performing a ritual during Lemanja festival in Rio Vermelho, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, South America

Hola Mohalla, martial arts during the Sikh new year, in Bobigny, France, Europe

Chaotic scene at sea, as the Virgen del Carmen from Tarifa is taken on an annual ritual voyage with small boats in attendance, Cadiz, Andalusia, Spain, Europe

Jewish Bar Mitzvah ceremony at the Western Wall (Wailing Wall), Jerusalem, Israel, Middle East

Mau Son Taoist temple, woman at Taoist ceremony, ritual of offerings, Sapa, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

A line of women at a ceremony for the ordination of Buddhist monks, Bagan (Pagan), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Changing of the guard at Palacio Real (Royal Palace), Centro, Madrid, Spain, Europe

Changing of the guards ceremony, Martyrs Shrine, Taipei City, Taiwan, Asia

Men carrying a palaquin with the portrait of one of India's most celebrated 18th century female rulers, Ahilya Bai Holkar, during a Hindu ceremony, Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh state, India, Asia

Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Tibetans dressed for religious shaman's ceremony, Tongren, Qinghai Province, China, Asia

Young girls at the Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Face painting with a mixture of clay, oils and plant pigments, Hamer Jumping of the Bulls initiation ceremony, Turmi, Lower Omo valley, Ethiopia, Africa

Close-up of priests' hands taking the host during Mass in Easter week celebrated by Monseigneur Fouad Boutros Tawal, Coadjutor of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Old City, Jerusalem, Israel, Middle East

Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Tribal ritual dances at the Hornbill Festival, Kohima, Nagaland, India, Asia

Cremation at funeral ceremony, island of Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Musicians at cremation ceremony, island of Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Republican Guard, Parliament, Syntagma, Athens, Greece, Europe

Young girls selling food, Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Colourful dressed girl at the Gerewol festival, courtship ritual competition among the Wodaabe Fula people, Niger, West Africa, Africa

Priest blessing ice picks and ropes, Saint-Gervais traditional mountain guides festival, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Haute Savoie, France, Europe

Koshti, traditional ritual training course for warriors in the Yazd Zourkhaneh, gymnasium or House of Strength, Yazd, Iran, Middle East

Graveyard at St Amand de Coly, Dordogne, France

Hawan (offering to fire god) at Karbi Anglong District Brahma Dharma Jyoti Mondir, Langhin Manikpur, Assam, India, Asia

Republican Guard, Parliament, Syntagma, Athens, Greece, Europe

Hawan (offering to fire god) at Karbi Anglong District Brahma Dharma Jyoti Mondir, Langhin Manikpur, Assam, India, Asia

Tribal ritual dances at the Hornbill Festival, Kohima, Nagaland, India, Asia

Christian men at prayer during Mass in the church at Woolisso, Gourague country, Shoa province, Ethiopia, Africa

Woman pouring water over flowers on an altar as a religious ritual, Kedar Ghat, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh state, India, Asia

Saint-Gervais traditional mountain guides festival, alphorn players, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, Haute Savoie, France, Europe

Child musicians at Odalan ceremony, temple of Bataun, island of Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Ritual washing in the Tirta Empul temple, Bali, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

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

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

Graveyard at St Amand de Coly, Dordogne, France

Grave at cemetery graveyard at St Amand de Coly, Dordogne, France

Guardians of the volcano, Merapi, Yogyakarta region, island of Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

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

Koshti, traditional ritual training course for warriors in the Yazd Zourkhaneh, gymnasium or House of Strength, Yazd, Iran, Middle East

Tribal ritual dances at the Hornbill Festival, Kohima, Nagaland, India, Asia

Guardians of the volcano, Merapi, Yogyakarta region, island of Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Changing of the guard, Amalienborg Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark, Scandinavia, Europe

The biggest Nat ritual, Festival of Spirits, Taungbyon, Mandalay Division, Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Burma), Asia

The Sanctuary, ancient ritual site from about 2500BC, Avebury, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Tibetan, coming of age ritual, Qinghai, China, Asia

Ceremony for archery festival, Tokyo, Japan, Asia

Candomble priestess performing a ritual during Lemanja festival in Rio Vermelho, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, South America

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

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

Mau Son Taoist temple, woman at Taoist ceremony, ritual of offerings, Sapa, Vietnam, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

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

Jews buying Sukhot ritual items, Jerusalem, Israel, Middle East

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

Horse milk is sprinkled into the four directions, as offerings to the nature spirits of the area, the sadak, or ?owners Of the earth.? Sometimes vodka is used instead, or as well. Milk is sacred to the mongol shamans, who believe that life on earth is descended from beings who originally came here on winged horses. Here two young female shamans make the offering in a ritual manner. Countryside mongols make this offering every morning on waking up; they usually also offer smoke, that the wind carries around the world as a prayer for harmony and prosperity. 13th century national park, tov province, mongolia. 13th century national park comprises chinggis khan's giant statue museum and live museum "town from 13 century". The ancient nomadic mini kingdom is located in the distance of 130 km east of ulaanbaatar in area of erdene zuu of tov province. It takes 2 hours driving on paved road. In the live 13th century kingdom one will see and experience the authentic lifestyle of mongols, who were lived in powerful mongol empire?s Period. This place gives you a same feeling that famous traveler marco polo and william rubruck felt once upon time

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

Kava ceremony outside, Daloma village, Yasawa Island, Fiji, Pacific

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

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

Horse milk is sprinkled into the four directions, as offerings to the nature spirits of the area, the sadak, or ?owners Of the earth.? Sometimes vodka is used instead, or as well. Milk is sacred to the mongol shamans, who believe that life on earth is descended from beings who originally came here on winged horses. Here two young female shamans make the offering in a ritual manner. Countryside mongols make this offering every morning on waking up; they usually also offer smoke, that the wind carries around the world as a prayer for harmony and prosperity. 13th century national park, tov province, mongolia. 13th century national park comprises chinggis khan's giant statue museum and live museum "town from 13 century". The ancient nomadic mini kingdom is located in the distance of 130 km east of ulaanbaatar in area of erdene zuu of tov province. It takes 2 hours driving on paved road. In the live 13th century kingdom one will see and experience the authentic lifestyle of mongols, who were lived in powerful mongol empire?s Period. This place gives you a same feeling that famous traveler marco polo and william rubruck felt once upon time

Makuna-colombian shamans,

Monks offer butter lamps. Bodgaya, india. Monks offer butter lamps in front of mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Humla, shamans. shamans central to ceremonial life, with their spirit possession high point of every collective ritual. Their white wool tufted turnans match description of zhangzhung’s priests

Horse milk is sprinkled into the four directions, as offerings to the nature spirits of the area, the sadak, or ?owners Of the earth.? Sometimes vodka is used instead, or as well. Milk is sacred to the mongol shamans, who believe that life on earth is descended from beings who originally came here on winged horses. Here two young female shamans make the offering in a ritual manner. Countryside mongols make this offering every morning on waking up; they usually also offer smoke, that the wind carries around the world as a prayer for harmony and prosperity. 13th century national park, tov province, mongolia. 13th century national park comprises chinggis khan's giant statue museum and live museum "town from 13 century". The ancient nomadic mini kingdom is located in the distance of 130 km east of ulaanbaatar in area of erdene zuu of tov province. It takes 2 hours driving on paved road. In the live 13th century kingdom one will see and experience the authentic lifestyle of mongols, who were lived in powerful mongol empire?s Period. This place gives you a same feeling that famous traveler marco polo and william rubruck felt once upon time

Makuna-colombian shamans,

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

Boys in ritual costume, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe

Xavante warriors prepare to wrestle wooden poles, a of taming or harnessing dark jungle forests. Brazil

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

Wearing tree bark cloth masks and skirts, dancers representing fish spirits are invited during the season of the peach palm harvest to drink the juice. it is a feast and ritual exchange: the host group offers the spirits large quantities of peach palm juice, smoked meat and fish, and shaman-blessed coca and snuff. the visitors are the costumed dancers impersonating animal spirits. people eat the meat and fish, animal spirits receive the fruits of peach palm, which are cultivated, harvested, and processed by humans. this exchange expresses the idea that people and animals depend on each other for survival and reproduction. vaupes basin, eastern colombia amazon, population: 600