Narratives help us to make sense of the world. This is behavior that is repetitive, and distinct from everyday life. Some rituals blend the secular and the religious, as in certain memorial gatherings for those killed in war. Many rituals are conducted by religious specialists, whose ability to perform complex ritual acts is one of their identifying characteristics. The priest, the complex ritual, and the structural beliefs reinforce each other.
Some rituals serve as rites of passage, punctuating critical events in the lives of individuals.
Prayer provides the individual the opportunity to communicate directly with his or her deity. It is a principal channel for meeting the need for a sense of companionship discussed above. Sometimes reinforced by sacrifice, it gives the individual some sense of control over events. Sacrifice, in turn, can serve social ends as well, when it involves a display of wealth or piety that can enhance the individual's standing in the group. Most religious systems include a listing of do's and don'ts, a code of behavior defining that which is right versus that which is wrong, which is absorbed early in life as part of the socialization process.