There are many ways that we can reach out to divinity: through prayer, meditation, acts of charity, and so forth, but one of the most import and common means is through ritual. In fact, ritual is the foundation of worship and all religions employ rituals as a means to contact the Divine. The Christian Eucharist, the Jewish Seder (passover meal), the Islamic practice of bowing towards Mecca, the Buddhist use of the prayer-wheel and, of course, the Hindu puja are all important uses of ritual that allows a worshipper to communicate with higher powers. The word puja derives from the Sanskrit root puj, to honor or respect.