Writen by Isa Moon
A ritual, like anything else in magick, can be as formal or simple as you wish. It follows a very simple format: {don’t forget to ground and center}
Creating Sacred Space:
{see lesson 9} If you have a permanent space you shouldn’t have to do this every time but if you have a "sometimes" space or an outdoors space you may want to do it everytime. Do what feels right!
Drawing the Circle:
Drawing the circle is the same as shielding just usually in a larger sense. Therefore, you would draw a circle very similarly to how you would shield. If you are working in a small area you could probably do it the exact same way. If you chose to work in a larger area you may with to walk the area in which you plan on working in. Take you wand or atheme or, if you chose, you can just use your hand. Moving clockwise visualize the area you are working in being surrounded in something, a bubble of light, a cedar hedge, a brick wall. It is all around you, above you, and below you; a solid circle. When done point your {atheme, wand, hand} up, "As above," point {atheme, wand, hand} down, "so below. This circle is sealed."
Calling the Corners:
Calling the corners and drawing the circle are inter-changeable, but which ever you decide to do first must be the one you end with. Each of the four directions is affiliated with one of the four elements. Earth = North, Water = West, Fire = South, Air = East. Normal corners to start with are East, were the sun comes from, or North, where life comes from. North is also where the alter is normally facing. The calling can simply be the lighting of corner candles or a formal calling. A calling would go something like: "I call upon the powers of the East, the power of air. I welcome you into my circle," and so on for each corner. Whether you chose to start with North, East, or one of the others you must remember to start with the last one you welcome when you bid farewell.
Welcoming the God and Goddess:
After your circle is up and the corners have been called you’ll want to take a minute to invite the God and Goddess to be with you. If you are doing the ritual for a specific reason, say for a sick friend, you may want to call upon a healing god/goddess. Or, if doing a Sabbat ritual, invite the God and/or Goddess of the holiday. Again, it may be as formal or as simple as you chose.
Raising Power:
This is the time you would do your spell. Raise energy by chanting, dancing, singing, playing an instrument, meditation, whatever you feel comfortable doing. State the reason for your ritual or spell very clearly. If you have a fear that you may forget something read it from your book of shadows. Trust me, the God and Goddess don’t care if you read it out loud from a book, I’ve done it many times. Remember that the strongest spells are the ones you write yourself though if you need help or ideas other people may be able to help.
Take some time to meditate, feast, dinivinate, etc. before you begin you take things apart. It is very nice to sit within the protection of your circle and spend some time. Write down what happened to you in your journal. What did you see, hear, and feel? What were the spells you did? What were the words you said? These things may come in very handy for future rituals.
Thanking the God and Goddess:
Thank the God and/or Goddess for listening to your words and being with you in your circle.
Thanking the Corners:
Thank each of the corners starting with the last one you did. So if you started in the East you would have ended in the North, so now, begin in the North. "Hail and farewell to the powers of the North," etc.
Closing the Circle:
Moving counter clockwise using {atheme, wand, hand} draw in the energy that you had put into the circle. Make sure to ground the energy as you recieve it or you could have problems later on. End with something like, "This circle is closed but not broken."
Ground and Center!!!!! I can’t stress this enough if you don’t it is quite possible that you could end up at one of two extremes: a hyperactive insomniac or a very sick, weak person. I’m not kidding, I’ve had them both happen to me and neither one is very fun.
