Basic Ritual Outline
I've seen several outlines for rituals, but this is by far my favorite. I've used the "Basic Outline of a Ritual for a Solitary Witch" by Silver RavenWolf, and provided my own explainations to flesh it out. I've also added a few steps here and there that I've come accross in other miscellaneous texts.
!! IMPORTANT NOTE !!
Concerning "Love" Spells:
Never be direct with any love spell. Love spells are meant to attract someone to you, or to make you more attractive, but not to mess with someone's free will. If you were meant to be with them, then they will come to you. You can put a spell on yourself to become more attractive, self confident, or whatever, but never EVER play around with a person's mind and free will.
A Note about "Hexing":
"Hexing" is an act of someone judging another, and attempting to punish them through fear, attempts at bodily harm, etc. BUT, and this is the important part, you don't know everything - no one does. And unless you have all the facts, you can't judge someone. Consider the fact that whoever mad you mad my have a bad home life, a mental illness, or a million other reasons to do what they are doing. The best thing you can do is to work past your initial negative feelings and try to be understanding. I know from personal experience that this works quite well in most cases. Sometimes people aren't ready for help just now, but that doesn't give you the right to scare or attempt to punish them using magick. If you find yourself in a situation where someone is harassing you, by all means tell the proper authority.
Outline
A. Ritual Preparation:
1. Clearly Define Purpose B. Open Circle: C. Invocation of Natural Energies: D. Statement of Purpose:
E. Actual Working or Act of Honor: F. Meditation: G. Thanking the Deities:
- Spell type, honoring Spirit, lunar celebration, sabbat celebration, etc.
2. Write the ritual
Rituals are often more meaningful and useful if you write them yourself, or at least fill in many of the details. A 300 year old ritual that means nothing to you will be much less effective than one you wrote yourself. Also, if the ritual is confusing to you or does not feel right, it may interfere with your magickal working.
3. Gather desired tools
The only necessary tools are your Spirit, Heart, and Will!
However, some people choose physical objects whose use help to put them "in the mood". Many practioners bring to their pentacle/circle: cingulum, sweeping broom, salt (to delineate the boundaries and cleanse tools), candles, incense, matches, fire extinguisher (you can never be too careful), wand to aid in directing power, chalice and athame, tape player and tape for music, and whatever else you think you might need.
4. Prepare area
-Sweep the circle area with your broom to clease it of negative energy
5.Prepare body.
-breathe deeply until relaxed and focused on the goal of the spell
2. Set up Door Between the Worlds.
3 Greet with respect the energies found in the East(Air), South(Fire), West(West), and North(Earth).
(often recognized as Spirit or Dieties)
-a. Complete preliminary manual or visual tasks.
-b. Raise power/energy-this is sometimes done by walking or dancing doesil (clockwise) around the circle.
-c. Focus power/energy-focus the energy toward the desired goal.
-d. Ground power/energy-this can be done by dedicating and then consuming food and drink.
2. Honoring
-a. Complete preliminary manual or visual tasks.
-b. Dedicate food and drink-fresh fruit and good clean water is the best! However, you may use anything you wish and may adjust this Magickal Meal to the Energy you are aligning with. Remember that everyone has individual preferences! Bread, cakes, or cookies and juice or wine may also be acceptable; and, are often used.
-c. Partake of cakes and wine-if you decided to give some to the Goddess/God, make sure to set it to the side now.
H. Closing the Circle:
1. Mentally and verbally close the circle: