Class Six: Beginning Ritual Magick
Types of Magick
There are two different types of magick. They are theurgy, which is low magick that we practice every day to influence wants, needs and desires; and thaumaturgy, which is high magick that we do for spiritual growth and Divine connection. Depending on the type of spell or ritual you want to do helps to place them in one of these categories.
Ritual Etiquette
Ritual etiquette is a very important matter. You must be curteous to those who are giving the circle, even if you don't agree with their practices. Before the circle, make sure you are grounded and centered. If you feel that you are emotionally disturbed, you may want to sit out or possibly excuse yourself and go home. It is considered rude to take part in a circle if you are not as balanced as possible. Next, ask if you are to remove your shoes. In some circles, this is mandatory. If you should remove them, sit them outside the circle in an area that no one will trip over them. Also, ask if this is a skyclad (naked) circle. If they do practice naked and you wish not to do so, ask them if this is alright. If it isn't, politely thank them for the invitation and excuse yourself. If you do choose to be skyclad in a circle that participates naked, please do not stare or gawk at others or make fun of their body. This is extremely rude to all present.
During the circle itself, do not chit chat or giggle during the invocations, blessings, or communion with the Dieties. Also, please make sure all cell phones, pagers, and home phones off during the circle itself. It is also important to show respect for the person who is giving or leading the circle. This shows them that you appreciate their efforts, even if you don't agree with the things they did in the circle. Another important point to make is that you should never touch anything on another person's altar or others instruments, even if you are friends or relatives, without the permission of its owner. There are people who consider these things sacred and for them to be touched by others desicrates and contaminates them with another energy. During the libation, it is proper for you to wait until you see the Priest and Priestess drink or eat before you take part in drinking or eating. If you need to leave a circle in progress, make sure you use either the doorway method or the bubble method. This keeps unwanted things from entering into the circle.After the circle, make sure you thank those who put the circle on. It takes work to put these together and you should let them know that their efforts are appreciated. As for general circle etiquette, you should always respect others beliefs and have respect for the Dieties and elements. Also, the Priest and Priestess should always respect those in their circle because they represent the Goddess and God. It's not just about you being respectful, they must be respectful as well. Also keep in mind that there are two things that can pass freely in and out of a circle, children and pets.
Ritual Leadership
Leading a ritual is a very large task. It takes time to write them out and memorize them. Due to this, most of the rituals you attend will be performed by those who have had guidance and training. In a coven setting, the Priestess is the highest person on the heirarchy. She is then followed by the Priest, who is followed by the Maiden and the Summoner. These are the four important positions in a coven (NOTE: some names of coven positions may differ). If the Priestess isn't available to do a circle, then the Priest would take over. If he doesn't take over, then the Maiden would take over. The Maiden and the Summoner are those who are right underneath the Priest and Priestess and they are getting the training necessary to start and lead their own coven. This is why they are next in the order of coven positions. Always follow the leadership order unless otherwise told. Sometimes, someone else may do a ritual. There is nothing wrong with this as long as everyone is in agreement. You can also have a guest leader from another group. This would enable you to get a new perspective on how another group does their ritual.
Ritual Tools
Ritual tools are very commonplace. These are used as aids to your subconscious to prepare you for ritual and the ritual functions. This is a way to send a message to your inner self to what you are about to do. Ritual tools are nothing but visual aids to help you focus on the task at hand. You do not need ritual tools but you can choose to use them. You hold all the power inside yourself. The only reason why these tools have power is because you put it there. You can use your finger to direct just as much energy as your wand or athame. This is not to say, however that you shouldn't or can't use them. If using tools makes you more comfortable, feel free to do so. Do not judge those who use tools if you don't, and don't let them judge you if you decide to use them.
There are lots of tools that can be used. Some of them are the wand, which directs power and represents east and the element of air; the athame, which directs power and cuts doorways and represents the male phallus, also represents the south and the element of fire; the chalice, which holds libation and represents the womb of the female and represents the west and the element of water; the pentacle, which represents earth and is a symbol of power; the cauldron, which is also a representation of the womb and the female and represents the west and element of water; the bell, which attracts fairies and wards off evil spirits and represents east and the element air; the water bowl, which holds the blessed water and represents the west and element of water; the libation bowl, which holds the libation and represents the west and the element of water; the salt bowl, which holds the blessed salt and represents the north and the element of earth; and candles, which are used to represent Deity or as a spell aid, and represent the South and the element of fire. Your book of shadow is also a part of the ritual tools. This isn't as obsolete as some of the ones mentioned above.
A book of shadows is a way to keep track of the things that you have learned and a way to keep record of what has worked and hasn't worked. In it you can put journal entries, rituals and spells you have written, meditations, and anything else you find to be important. This is a great way to pass information on to others if you wish. Most books of shadows are not to be viewed by others, and that is okay if you wish to keep it a secret. Some of them will be written in another script, such as Theban, to keep people from reading them. These books are sacred and should be kept that way as much as possible. It is your choice whether or not you want others to read what you have written in the book. Most people write a book of shadows blessing to place in the front of the book. This is a good idea to keep the book safe and sacred. The book of shadows can be anything from an expensive leather-bound book to a notebook from Wal-Mart. You can use whatever personally fits you
Before the Ritual
Here are just a few tips before doing the ritual:
- when calling in the element, visualize the corresponding color or animal above your head
- remember that the elements are called in, but the Goddess and God are INVITED in
- any time you invite the God or Goddess in, you should always have a libation in their honor
- on dismissal, elements are dismissed, but NEVER dismiss the Goddess or God, give them the option to leave or stay if they wish
- Whomever sets up a circle should take it down
- Whomever calls in the elements dismisses them
- Whomever calls in the Goddess and God asks them to leave or stay if they wish
- spellwork is an important aspect of ritual
- the main purpose of ritual is either/all of the following: magick, esbat, sabbat,etc--worship is always included
- you should have a specific reason for purpose---to include all avenues-who/what effects, doing it to change, not to effect others, etc.
- you can use focal points and props
- you need to do homework regarding properties for each item used for ritual or spell
- need to make sure everything you will need is handy
- check timing: phase of moon, time of day to add power
Altar set-up
- focal point or working table for altar
- always face North or East
- place in middle of circle so people can gather around
- estimate around 9 feet per person for circle, but there are no specifications to size needed
- altars are generally wood, stone, or other natural substance, but can be anything that works for you
- generally, God and athame and incense and salt are on the right
- generally, Goddess, cauldron, chalice are on left
Components of Ritual
There are several components to a ritual. It is a general rule that all of these are followed. The first thing to do for a ritual is to purify yourself. This can be done several ways. You can take a pre-ritual bath with herbs, or you can smudge yourself with a sage stick. This depends on what kind of ritual you are doing and how much time you have to do it in. Then, you should take some time to ground and center yourself. This can be done by touching the earth or by doing a quick meditation or some meditative breathing.
Next, it is time to purify your sacred space. It is up to you whether you start in the North or the East, but you do walk clockwise. The direction is personal preference and neither is an incorrect way to do it. You can do this by first taking around the sage stick and walking the outline of your circle. Then you take your blessed water and sprinkle it around the perimeter of the circle. You may say something like "may the waters wash away all negativity from this sacred space, so mote it be." Then, you take your incense or sage wand and walk the perimeter of the circle and say something like "may the smoke that rises take with it all negativity from this sacred space,so mote it be." Next, you take your wand or your finger and then you cast the circle itself, seeing a blue light as you do so. You can say something like "I cast this circle a third and final time, declaring it sacred and free from negativity. So mote it be!"
Then, you go to each quarter with your athame to call it in, and you draw an invoking pentagram at your head level, and after you have called it in, you light the quarter candle. You can say something like "Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, creatures of Earth. We call to thee and ask thee that you bless us with your presence in this sacred circle. Hail and Welcome creatures of Earth." After this is done, you return to the altar.
Then with your arms raised in a V (this represents a chalice, which represents the Goddess) you call in the Goddess. You could say something like "Hail to thee Great Goddess Brigid. Goddess of the Hearth and of Imbolc. We ask that you grant us with your presence on this night in which we celebrate and honor you. Hail and Welcome Great Goddess Brigid." Continue standing at altar and cross your arms around your chest to call in the God. (this is the God pose that represents death and mumification) You could say something like "Hail to thee Great God Lugh! God of the Wild Hunt and the lover of Brigid. We call to thee and ask that you bless us with your presence on this night in which we honor you. Hail and Welcome Great God Lugh!"
After you have welcomed the Divine into the circle, it is then time for the observance. This can be just a simple set of words in celebration of a sabbat or an esbat, or it can be spell work already laid out. This may not be very long, and that is okay. There are no set number of words that are needed in any ritual. A short ritual can be just as meaningful as one that is two hours long! If you are doing spell work, this is the time to raise and direct power. You can raise power by dancing, singing, chanting, playing instruments, having sex, or writing, just to name a few. You do these activities until you feel the power rasing to the breaking point. Once you feel like you cannot raise any more power, you send the power off, either into the universe, a poppet, a picture or special item, a talisman, or so on. After you have sent the power off, then you can sit down and relax. Make sure you put your hands on the floor, palms down, to help ground the residual energy.
Next comes the cakes and wine or libation. This is a very important part. As you stand in front of the altar, say something like "Now is the time that we give thanks for that which sustains us throughout the year. These are all gifts from the Goddess and God in order for us to continue to thrive on in their name. This is a blessing from their union of love and happiness!" Take your athame and place it into the chalice to show the union of male and female. You can say something like "as male joins female for the benefit of both, we are blessed by their union. Blessed be!" You take your wine or juice in your hands and hold it above your head and say something like "may the Lord and Lady bless this juice, that which comes from their union." Then you take your cakes or cookies and raise them above your head and say something like "may the Lord and Lady bless these cakes, that which comes from their union." Then you pass out the juice to each member and say "may you never know thirst" to each. Then you pass out the cookiesand say "may you never know hunger" to each. After everyone has a cookie and juice, each person raises them up and the Priestess or leader says something like "We honor you great Lady and Lord for that which sustains us. For your union we are thankful. We offer these in reverence!" Then the Preistess or leader pours out a small amount of juice and says, "one for the Goddess", then another small amount and says "one for the God" and then another small amount and says "and one for the Ancient Ones. Those who walked the path before us and could not be with us here tonight." She then sits down the glass and picks up the cookie and breaks it into three pieces and says the same thing. Then the Priestess or leader says "We are greatful for all that you give us Great Lord and Great Lady! We honor you! So Mote it Be!" Everyone now eats and drinks, and they save a little bit of drink and food to offer to the Goddess and the God.
After a few moments of feasting, it is then time to farewell the Divine. To do this, you assume the Goddess position from above in front of the altar and say something like "Hail to thee, Great Goddess. We thank you for attending this circle in which we honored you. Leave if you must, stay if you wish, and may there be love and light between us always. Hail and Farewell, Great Goddess." After this, and still standing in front of the altar, assume the God position from above and say something like "Hail to thee, Great God. We thank you for attending this circle in which we honored you. Leave if you must, stay if you wish, and may there be love and light between us always. Hail and Farewell Great God!"
After this is done, you go to the quarter you started at and dismiss each quarter, draw a banishing pentagram at the quarter at head level, and extinguish the candle. You can say something like "Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, Creatures of Earth. We thank you for attending our circle and lending to it your energies. May there be love and light between us always. Hail and Farewell, Creatures of Earth!"
After you have dismissed each quarter, you then go the the starting point of the circle again and this time, going widdershins (anti-clockwise) use your wand or finger and see the blue light of the circle coming back into you. Then, once you return to the beginning point, you say "the Circle is open but unbroken. Merry Meet and Merry Part and Merry Meet again! Blessed Be!"
You want to make sure you have purified yourself, purified your space, cast your circle, light your quarter candles, call the elementals, welcome the Divine, conduct whatever observance you are doing, raise, direct and ground power if needed, have the libation and cakes and wine, farewell the Divine, farewell the elementals, and open the circle. This should make your ritual complete!
HOMEWORK: After reading this, now it is time for you to write your own Esbat or Sabbat ritual. This is due two weeks from recieving these notes.
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