Sacrifice

Essentially that part of a religious ritual in which gifts are offered to a deity or spirit, sacrifice ranges variously from the dedication of an action or a song of praise, to the shedding of blood of animals or humans to propitiate some god. Typically, a person authorized to represent a group of worshippers dedicates a material offering by changing it in such a way as to withdraw it from profane use and bring it within the sacred sphere. Sacrifice and belief in the magical power of that which is sacrificed are closely linked, primitive belief being that the gods fed on what was sacrificed to them. Although this may no longer be believed in the sense of physically devouring food, the spiritual aspect of a god feeding on worship offered with devotion is not so far-fetched. The ritual of offering food may be said to demonstrate at the physical level an action which is taking place spiritually. Many such rituals include a communion in which participants join in consuming the food ritually offered. According to some systems of thought, every action is an offering to some "god", depending on the intention behind the action.

In line with a common use of the word sacrifice, a sacrificial act normally includes an aspect of renouncing or forgoing as well as making sacred. What is offered is ritually forfeited, and may be destroyed, in order to establish relations with a source of spiritual strength for the benefit of one in need of such strength. It is an expression of adoring self-surrender and a sign of God's willingness to enter communion with man. The act of sacrifice is thus, according to Jung, one of renunciation to a principle supraordinate to present consciousness. At some point every individual has to give up some psychological attitude, whether or not neurotic. In order to go on to a more meaningful or significant ego position a lesser one has to be renounced. This transition occurs when conscious contents present themselves and there is a conflict of opposites; and sacrifice is the price paid for consciousness. Again, just as religious and ritual sacrifice means the giving of something as though it were to be destroyed, so the transition requires giving up part of one's personality and self esteem, the price paid for being human.