The ancient sages used ritual as a way to engage the sacred and create balance in life. In a world governed by seemingly unpredictable and mysterious forces, ritual became the means to recognize, honor, and organize an unfathomable universe. It was a prescription for living that elevated mundane, everyday activities into purposeful, harmonious, and consciously chosen actions. Care, patience, and planning became cornerstones of conduct. All over the world, every culture and religion expresses its spirituality and its sense of what is sacred through its unique rituals. The Native Americans find purification and connection to their source through the sweat; Jewish people, through the cessation of work, blessings for food and wine, and the invocation of God's name on the Sabbath; some Christians, through receiving the sacrament of Communion; the Chinese, through the celebration of the New Year, which includes replacing misdeeds with positive virtues and eating their food before the Kitchen God; and the Japanese, through chanoyu.