The Ritual Outline
There are many methods of working ritual and the methods depend upon the type of work to be done. However, there is a simple outline that one can follow in constructing one’s own ritual. It is easily followed and complete enough to become the form for almost any ritual.
Establish intention
Construct ritual outline.
Set up temple.
Cast Circle.
Invoke Higher Forces.
Invoke God and Goddess.
Perform work.
Thanksgiving.
Close Circle.
Reconstruct Temple.
1. One must have a reason for any ritual work. This reason can be simple worship, but there must be purpose in everything that one does when contacting the divine forces. The first step must be to establish the reason for the intended work. The intention must be clearcut, with a beginning and ending point.
2. The next step after deciding the work of what you are going to do is to establish the HOW. You must know what beings and forces are to be invoked or evoked. The tables of correspondences listing God names, incense, mantrams, etc., must be used as part of the routine exercises. The color scale of the operation must be determined from the table of correspondences and efficiently used. All of these steps are necessary to contact the desired points within the reference of western occultism.
3. The temple is set up next. This includes vestments, tools, candles, altar, in fact the entire temple. Even if the ritual is to be performed in a closet or the mind, the temple must be prepared. Robing is included in the preparation of the temple.
4. The Circle is next, cast in whatever manner is selected. For sample and deeper explanation see ‘The Circle.”
5. It is necessary to open channels to the Lord God of all the unmanifest existence. Even if we do not comprehend its existence, we must recognize its existence. At the beginning of ritual this is an invocation to the higher self or greater god forces existing in man
6. Next we invoke the God and Goddess, the manifested Godhead.
7. Work is defined as the project to be accomplished by the ritual.
8. We must return that which we have taken. We must balance the forces with which we work. Thanksgiving can be simple “Thank You,” or can establish eucharistic ritual.
9. Close the Circle.
10. Reconstruct the temple by removing the tools used for special work to their usual place of rest. Then unrobe.
There are many variations from this sample, but the basic pattern must remain the same. The Universe exists as a balanced polarity and we who tamper with its existence and use its natural laws, must maintain that balance. The results of unbalanced forces are far reaching, and as students of the occult we must be ever dedicated to their maintenance.
Source
A Book of Pagan Rituals
Herman Slater
Witches Of The Craft® 