Narratives are passed down through myths, where they tell us a story about ourselves. These messages are reenacted and performed through rituals, which embody the narratives we hold tight in a culture, containing the fundamental set of values, morals, and traditions that make a society unique. Through this physical performance, narratives enact changes within us through rites of passage, in particular, that take place in the transition state. Narratives and belief systems both function as tools for organizing a culture and helping its participants make sense of their world. By exploring and appreciating the meaning of narratives in a culture, we are able to learn about a way of life, both our own and an "exotic" or foreign one.