The conceptual discrimination Freud’s between latent and manifest dream is transferred to rituals. It shows up, that ritual is calming an existential worry rather than it is wish fulfillment. The same is true for the visions of the saints and their subsequent behavior. The art of the mental patients allows the same conceptual discrimination. In art therapy ritual can be used, if it centers on coping behaviors. The conceptual instrument of Freud grants a deeper understanding of ritual and at the same time of the paintings of mental patients and finally has possible applications in art therapy.
