Magickal Circle

I did not do Imbolc rite on Friday. Actually I understand that should be done the night before the holiday. I found a different book that has put a new perspective on ritual and has made it seem quite a bit more straightforward. Either that or I have been re-reading this stuff enough that it is sinking in. The book I found is Wiccan Beliefs and Practices by  Gary Cantrell. I think this will be a good resource to help get me started. The other books might be a bit more involved- a different point of view as well.

He present the book in such a way that I think I will find it easy to write my own ritual which is really the goal.  I feel that I am not adequatly honoring the God and Goddess. It’s no better than I was as a Christian who when to church on Christmas and Easter.  That bothers me. I guess that is something to work on then isn’t it.

Please tell me what books you have found to be helpful. I love a good book and I am always looking or new books.

Tools are the items used in the conduct of Ritual. Personally, I don’t think you should have to “need” any tool to honor the Lord and Lady. But I suppose you do need certain things to call the quarters and form the protective circle. So I guess, a candle for fire, water, and two other items to represent the elements. Candles to represent the Lord and Lady. There are more tools than just this that most people will use, I guess. For those that do ritual at all. Pentangle, athame, chalice, robe or other ritual attire, a bell. A more detailed list can be found in most witchcraft books so I won’t go into more detail.

That is just the basics. The basics can be simple or ornate. Is it to be placed on an Altar? How simple or ornate is your chalice? Your athame? Is it perhaps part of our way of bring ourselves closer to the god and goddess? Something that carries our energy to give us more power. Maybe just because we like it and it make us feel good.

I think the tools you need are the ones that allow you to honor the god and goddess. Maybe that is just as basic as your being. What you you think? What kind of tools do you use? Do you have an altar? Please let me hear your thoughts

I have a certain amount of anxiety over ritual at this point as I have not become comfortable with it yet. So as a help to myself, I am going to review the basic steps of ritual here.  According to Silver Raven Wolf, the basic Ritual outline is as follows:

A. Ritual Preparation

1. Define Purpose; 2. Write Ritual; 3: Gather Necessary Tools; 4. Prepare Area: 5. Prepare Body.

B. Open Circle

1. Find compass North: 2. Set up a door between worlds 3: Call the watchtowers or elemental quarters.

C. Invocation to the Dieties

1. Align self with Diety ; 2: Involk Dieties

D. Statement of Purpose

E. Actual Working or Act of Honor

1. Working

a. complete preliminary manual or visual tasks; b. raise power/energy; c. focus power/energy; d. Ground Power Energy

2. Honoring

a. complete preliminary manual or visual tasks; b. dedicate cakes and wine; c. partake of cakes and wine.

F. Meditation

G. Thanking the dieties

H. Closing the Circle

1. Mentally and verbally close the circle; 2. physically close the circle; 3. clean up

a. Disposal; b. washing of plates and glasses; c. Putting away of tools impliments.

 I’d like to discuss each part of the ritual. I would be interested to hear how others perform their rituals. 

We have discussed the basic outline for performing Ritual, but why perform Ritual in the first place?  It is a tool to help focus the mind and energies of the body. It can be done for honor or celebrations that coincide with holidays. Rituals that are used around acts of magick, to bring healing,  are working rituals.  There is also a self-dedication ritual which is a combination of both. You are dedicating yourself in honor of the dieties but are also working to better your way of life.