Tag: Altar

Dragon Rituals

Dragon Rituals

 
 
After one or two visits to a dragon place, you can try a ritual. I rarely invite dragons into my indoor altar as they are so potent and the energies diffuse and so are best encountered in their natural environment. You can, however, cast a dragon ritual in your garden Equally, when working with dragon magick, I don’t cast a formal circle because dragon energies need lots of space to avoid spiritual overheating.
 
Dragon rituals should be carried out no more frequently than bi-monthly though there is nothing to stop you visiting a dragon place and absorbing the power weekly. I have a local dragon cave. When the tide is very low I sometimes sit here and work. Inside the cave is too small an area for spellcasting as the dragon energies need to be free.
 
Create chants or drum to tune in with the dragon energies. You can chant spontaneously during a ritual or write one that you use to call your dragon or to connect with a particular dragon site that you visit regularly.
 
If you wish, you can use a crystalline dragon’s egg in dragon spells as a focus for power, courage or abundance, and afterwards keep it on your garden altar or in the heart of your home. Light a red candle next to it once a week to keep the dragon power flowing.
 
A dragon’s egg is a white, opaque, very solid kind of rock crystal that resembles an egg. Alternatively, you can use two matching halves of a stone egg with tiny crystal embedded inside like a geode. Any agate egg or oval white stone can be substituted.
 
If you are lighting incense in the dragon place, use dragon’s blood. Use tarragon, the dragon’s herb of courage and power, to sprinkle as the earth element. This is also a good offering to leave for your dragon in her place. If there is a suitable spot near the rocks, you can plant a tiny tarragon seedling and add a new one whenever you visit.
 
Empower a dragon charm, ring or pendant by setting it in the centre of a spell. Re-empower it by wearing or carrying it when you visit your dragon place.
 
Face south for dragon spells and rituals. East will then be on your left instead of right hand though the actual direction does not change.
 
After a dragon spell or ritual, leave an offering of thanks. Dragons love gold, perhaps in the forms of a small earring or a small carnelian or bright red flowers.

Pets in Ritual: Some Basics

Pets in Ritual: Some Basics

Author: Bronwen Forbes

For the purpose of this article, I’m going to assume that you want your pet in ritual with you, and not that he or she has wandered in by accident. That being the case, here are some things you need to consider and plan for.

If you normally cast a circle as part of your magickal workings, and if you have issues with pets casually crossing that magical barrier, you need to figure out in advance how to keep your furry friend from leaving once you’ve started. A dog can be leashed and kept in your circle. So, in some instances, can a ferret, a rabbit, or an iguana. But a cat isn’t likely to take too kindly to a harness or collar and a leash. And if your cat is anything like mine, he will yowl like he’s dying if you put him in a carrier.

What are you going to do? Frankly, you’ve got two choices: either resign yourself to the idea that a cat is going to cross the energy barrier you’ve erected but not affect it, or shut your cat away so he or she can’t participate.

Our cat likes to patrol the perimeter of the circle, but he never comes near the altar. Maybe he’s keeping an eye out for unwelcome entities. I really don’t know. His predecessor used to lie in the center of ritual space with the attitude, “You may all now commence adoring me.”

By the way, if you plan to have your dog in ritual, it’s a good idea to let him or her go outside and do his business beforehand. Nothing interrupts a good ritual like one of the participants barking because he needs to potty!

Something else to consider on this same topic: for obvious reasons, small puppies aren’t the best participants in long rituals, say, longer than thirty minutes. For lengthy sabbats or esbats, take your puppy out beforehand, and then crate him or her (or whatever you do at night) during the ritual. Post-ritual pee and poop cleanups when you’re trying to dismantle the altar and get the ritual feast ready just aren’t fun.

Speaking of altars, if you like to have an altar or shrine set up at all times, you might want to consider setting it up where an inquisitive cat or teething puppy can’t get to it. Cats love to knock things off altars. Puppies like to chew things – and they don’t care if it’s your $70 wand, your favorite Buddha statue (true story) , or a chew toy.

When I first started doing ritual, my cat at the time loved nothing better than to yukk up a hairball on my altar. Needless to say, a hairball was so not the kind of offering I wanted to make to my Gods! If your pets are doing your altar more harm than good, consider moving it to a pet-free room or large closet with a firmly latching door, or to a wall shelf strategically placed where Kitty can’t comfortably jump to.

If you frequently invite newcomers, especially people who are new to Paganism, to your ritual, you may notice that your pet chooses to sit on or next to that person while you all ground and center. This frequently happens in my group, and the newcomer always reports that the pet’s presence helped them feel less nervous, and they were better able to follow the grounding and centering meditation.

Another note about newcomers to your ritual: inform them at the time of invitation that you have pets, and what kind. That way, if they have serious allergies or major phobias, they know ahead of time and can choose for themselves how they want to deal with it, i.e. take antihistamines or not accept the invite.

We share our home with a shaggy, extra large old-fashioned German shepherd, and we always warn people that there’s a HUGE, LONG-HAIRED dog in the house! Karl is a complete goofball who wouldn’t hurt a soul (and in fact, is totally, utterly, and completely devoted to our four-year-old) , but he sheds constantly and weighs approximately 120 pounds. That way, people who don’t think dog hair counts as a condiment (despite the fact that we regularly dust and vacuum) or who might be too scared to concentrate on ritual with a humongous wolf-looking creature in the house can choose in advance not to come.

For safety’s sake, consider making some adjustments to the placement of Cakes and Wine during your ritual. Most of us are used to setting the cakes and drink on the altar – or under it, if the altar is too small. Let me tell you: with pets actively participating in ritual, that doesn’t work! Remember that alcohol, grapes (including grape juice) , raisins, any sort citrus fruit or juice, and chocolate are extremely toxic to cats and dogs.

Besides, do you really want to drink out of a chalice after your toilet-drinking, butt-sniffing dog had a sip? Or eat a cookie she’s licked? I didn’t think so! Put the stuff somewhere your furry friend can’t reach, like a nearby bookshelf or table. That way, all the humans can partake without grossing out – or poisoning the pet.

Maybe you could also have some water and dog and cat treats for your furry participants to enjoy during Cakes and Wine! I have heard that people who invite their ferrets or rabbits into ritual provide a small plate with a couple of raisins or lettuce on it.

With a little pre-planning, adult pets and carefully supervised kittens and puppies can be delightful, useful, and meaningful participants in your rituals. But always leave yourself the option of letting them out – and keeping them out – if they get too rowdy or otherwise disruptive.

Our ritual room is also where we keep our dogs’ crates, and for the most part they’re voluntarily hanging out in their crates (with the doors open) when we do ritual. We know the ritual is a success if the dogs are snoring!

Ritual Tools Dedication Rite

Ritual Tools Dedication Rite

 
This is fairly simple ritual for the consecration and dedication of your ritual tools. Use it as a basic guideline for the creation of a rite that is uniquely suited to you and your path. Trust your intuition and feel free to adapt this to meet your needs. You will need: the altar of your choosing, set with symbols of your spirit allies and deities, smudge or incense; pure water that has been left in sunlight and moonlight for twenty-four hours:; sea salt; essential oil of myrrh, frankincense, lemongrass or rosemary.
 
1. Smudge or cense your altar, yourself, your ritual space, and your new tool. Visualize any unwanted energies breaking up and releasing from your tool. Say, “By fire and air do I cleanse and consecrate this space.”
 
2. Add a pinch of salt to the water, then sprinkle your altar, yourself, your ritual space and your new tool. Say, “By water and earth do I cleanse and consecrate this space.”
 
3. Call upon your spirit guides, patron deities and any other beings you wish to have present. Invite them to share in this ritual and ask for their guidance and protection. State the purpose of this rite: that you have come before these honored spirits to present your new tool for their blessings. Tell them that you dedicate this tool to the highest good and ask that only the most beneficial energies might flow through the tool and through you when you use it.
 
4. Holding the tool in both hands, feel your energy filling it and forming a connection between you, so you might use it to its greatest benefits.
 
5. Replace the tool on the altar and pick up the essential oil. Offer the oil to those invoked and ask again for their blessings. Anoint yourself with the oil, inviting into yourself the qualities you want to bring to your path. Then anoint the tool, blessing it with the intent for a few moments to allow any spirit messages to come through.
 
6. Thank and release all spirits you invited to join in this ritual.
 
7. Close sacred space and keep your tool in a safe and special place.
 
It has been said that ritual tools and other magickal equipment must be crafted by the user to be truly effective. It is true that making your own working tools imbues them with a rare focus and attune them to your energy like nothing else. The process of crafting your own tools involves you, from the start to finish, in the journey from idea all the way through manifestation. It’s an experience that is not to be missed. However, sometimes our tools are already out there somewhere, and will find the way to us when we are ready to receive them. Some people find tools that connect instantly and directly to their hearts and souls at garage sales or metaphysical stores. Others receive the ideal tool from their spirit allies in a vision and the enlist the aid of magickal craftspeople. The tools they now work with have been accepted by their gods and are a physical manifestation of the tools they were given in these powerful vision.
 
Whether you find your magickal object on the seashore or in a yard sale, power objects and ritual tools can be significant partners and potent conduits for your spiritual development. These unique items bring great mystery and allure to ritual magick and meditation, thereby increasing the energy of those very sacred times. As gifts from the spirits we are blessed to received such treasures, whether they come to us in simple of elaborate forms.

Inviting in your Ancestors

A good time to pay homage to you ancestors is just before Samhain. For this spell, gather at your altar or sacred space some black cloth, a black candle, a bowl of water, a feather, a citrine, amethyst or lapis lazuli crystal, and photos and mementos from your loved ones who have passed beyond. Place the black cloth on your altar or on the floor. Position the feather in the east, the candle in the south, the bowl of water in the west, and the crystal in the north. Arrange the photos and other objects in the middle as you chant or whisper: “May my loved ones touch me again—in the kiss of a breeze, in the light of candle flame, in the laughter of the rain, in the ground beneath my feet. Spirits of air, fire, water, earth, bring my loved ones close again.” You may want to hold a photo or object and take time to feel the spirit of your loved one.

 

By: Sedwin

Set Up an Ancestor Shrine – Ancestor Altar

Set Up an Ancestor Shrine – Ancestor Altar

In many Pagan and Wiccan traditions, the ancestors are honored, especially at Samhain. This Sabbat, after all, is the night when the veil between our world and the spirit world is at its most fragile. By setting up an ancestor shrine or altar, you can honor the people of your bloodline — your kinfolk and clansmen who have helped to shape the person you are. This altar or shrine can be set up just for the Samhain season, or you can leave it up all year long for meditation and rituals.

If you’ve got the room, it’s nice to use an entire table for this shrine, but if space is an issue, you can create it in a corner of your dresser top, on a shelf, or on the mantle over your fireplace. Regardless, put it in a place where it can be left undisturbed, so that the spirits of your ancestors may gather there, and you can take time to meditate and honor them without having to move stuff around every time someone needs to use the table.

Also, bear in mind that you can honor anyone you like in this shrine. If you have a deceased pet or friend, go ahead and include them. Someone doesn’t have to be a blood relative to be part of our spiritual ancestry.

Make the Space Special

First, do a physical cleaning of the space. After all, you wouldn’t invite Aunt Gertrude to sit in a dirty chair, would you? Dust the table top or shelf and clear it of any items that are not related to your shrine. If you like, you can consecrate the space as sacred, by saying something like:

I dedicate this space to those
whose blood runs through me.
My fathers and mothers,
my guides and guardians,
and those whose spirits
helped to shape me. 

As you do this, smudge the area with sage or sweetgrass, or asperge with consecrated water. If your tradition requires it, you may wish to consecrate the space with all four elements.

Finally, add an altar cloth of some sort to help welcome the ancestors. In some Eastern religions, a red cloth is always used. In some Celtic-based paths, it is believed that a fringe on the altar cloth helps tie your spirit to those of your ancestors.

Welcome Your Fathers and Mothers

There are different types of ancestors, and which ones you choose to include are up to you. There are our blood ancestors, who are the people from whom we directly descend — parents, grandparents, etc. There are also archetypical ancestors, who represent the place that our clan and family came from. Some people also choose to honor the ancestors of the land — the spirits of the place you are now — as a way of thanking them. Finally, there are our spiritual ancestors — those who we may not be tied to by blood or marriage, but who we claim as family nonetheless.

Start by selecting photos of your ancestors. Choose pictures that have meaning for you — and if the photos happen to have the living in them as well as the dead, that’s okay. Arrange the photos on your altar so that you can see all of them at once.

If you don’t have a photo to represent an ancestor, you can use an item that belonged to him or her. If you’re placing someone on your altar who lived prior to the mid-1800s, chances are good there’s no photograph existing. Instead, use an item that may have been the person’s — a piece of jewelry, a dish that’s part of your family heirloom set, a family Bible, etc.

You can also use symbols of your ancestors. If your family is from Scotland, you can use a kilt pin or a length of plaid to represent your clan. If you come from a family of craftsmen, use an item designed or created to symbolize your family’s artisanship.

Finally, you can add a genealogy sheet or family tree to the shrine. If you have in your possesssion the ashes of a departed loved one, add those as well.

Tying It All Together

Once you have everything in your shrine that represents your ancestors, consider adding a few other items. Some people like to add votive candles, so they can light them while meditating. You may wish to add a cauldron or cup to symbolize the womb of the Earth Mother. You can also add a symbol of your spirituality — a pentagram, ankh, or some other representation of your beliefs.

Some people leave food offerings on their altars as well, so that their ancestors can partake of a meal with the family.

Use the altar when you perform a Samhain ancestor meditation or a ritual to honor the ancestors.

Honoring Ancestors

Honoring Ancestors
By Arteal
.
Leaves
Swirling and twirling
On the pavement
Dancing and prancing
On the ground
Could it be
What did I see
Was it leaves
Or faeries
Tricking me

Many of my loved ones have passed over the years. Some of the dearest people to me found it time to cross over and process what it is they learned in this life. I think of them often. Memories of them often bring a smile to my face. Any time of year I can see them or feel them, but it is the month of October that their presence is strongest.

This time of the thinning veil almost makes them so solid I can touch them. So it is this time that I honor them. Sometimes it is solitary and other times I invited close friends and family to be with me and we collectively honor all of our ancestors.

We begin the evening by creating an altar with symbols, pictures and mementos of our ancestors. The altar is usually kept simple with photos and small items connected to those that have gone before. Once the altar is complete we have our feast. The meal takes place in complete silence and there is always one seat kept empty with a full plate to honor our ancestors. Often a cat finds his way to the empty chair while we eat our meal in silence.

Once our meal is complete we retire to our ritual space, usually the living room. We clear the coffee table and begin clockwise. Each person takes a turn to light a tea light and share a story of an ancestor. We continue going around the circle telling stories until the table top is full. We then sit quietly watching the flames and remembering. The evening is ended with placing the full plate of food outside in our of our ancestors.

The people and spirits I share this night with seem to leave as quietly as they came. I wish you and all your ancestors a blessed Samhain.

About The Author: Arteal is an Ordained Minister and High Priestess of The Order of the White Moon. She is founder of Moonlit River, where you will find the Feminine Divine, healing and guidance. Arteal is a Shamanic Practitioner and Reiki Master.

Personal Ritual for the Waxing Moon this Samhain

Personal Ritual for the Waxing Moon this Samhain
(special note: if there are allergies or you wish to change your correspondences- please follow your instincts and do so)
 
Gather: Mini- Cauldron, spoon, small bottle with tight lid,
Incense [ that invokes a feeling of wisdom within you..your choice!
Red wine, pepper, honey, mint,
one white candle [Goddess energy]
one yellow candle [knowledge, wisdom]
 
ALTAR SETUP
 
Set up the altar & set other items aside, but within the space.
 
Begin by purifying yourself with the rose incense.
Create a sacred space or circle utilizing the incense; also focus creating the circle out of love and trust to invoke wisdom and transformation.
 
“Ceridwen’s cauldron holds many mysteries. What is the mystery of me? What are some of my correspondences?” ßLight white candle
“Cerridwen, I call to Theeßlight yellow candle
“Let this cauldron hold the elixir of me.”
“Red wine to represent my Earthiness and Intellect”ß pour a bit of wine into the cauldron
“Pepper to represent my Zest and boldness”ß put in a pinch of pepper
“Honey to represent my Natural sweetness and clarity of thought”ß put in a few drops of honey
“Mint to represent my Freshness and spontaneity”ßsprinkle in a bit of mint
“I stir this cauldron three times round” ß stir clockwise 3x’s
“Wisdom, Beauty, and Strength to me are bound.”
 
“Cerridwen, I know that I am the cauldron.
For that which I sought inside myself, I have found.” ßTake a 3 drops of the elixir and place on your tongue.
 
“I hold the essence, the knowledge of myself,” ßPour rest of elixir into the bottle
“I take it with me wherever I may go”ß put lid on bottle
“Thank you Goddess for your blessings- Hail and farewell!”
 
Ground, Center, and open circle.
 
**bottle of elixir may be opened and poured as a libation.
Saying “To the Goddess that I am; for I am an aspect of the Goddess Cerridwen.”
.
About the Author: Nessa CrescentMoon is an initiate of the WMS, a mother of three and a wife; she also works full time, volunteers year round, and honors the Goddess in her daily life.

A General Calling In of Good Spirits

After cleansing the energy in your home, it’s always nice to invite sweet and helpful spirits into your space. This is a ritual that will help you do just that. Because it has to do with inviting spirits from the other side (spirit guides, helpful deceased loved one, etc.,), this ritual is best done at night.  To begin, obtain a sweetgrass braid (a form of smudge stick or dried herb bundle, burned like ince) or a stick of sweetgrass or copal incense. Light a white or off-white candle, and bring your hands together near your heart in prayer pose. Close yoou eyes and take some deep breaths while consciously relaxing and tuning in to the subtle energetic realm and what is known as the otherworld. When you feel ready, light the braid or incense and say:

“Sweet spirits of the other, I call you.
Divine beings of light, I invite you. You are
welcome here. Reside, abide, dwell, and bless us
(me) with your presence in our (my) home.”
 
Carry the smoking wand from room to room, being very aware of fire safety while continuing to summon sweet spirits, either mentally or aloud. when you’re finished, give thanks to the beings you’ve summoned for answering your call, and extinguish the bundle or incense and candle. You’ll find that after you do this, your home is filled with remarkable feelings of sweetness, light, comfort and joy.

Happy Hump Day, dear friends!

I am celebrating myself being back to normal. So I am going to start today with a Re-Affirmation of Oath To Witchcraft.

RE-AFFIRMATION OF OATH TO WITCHCRAFT

Items You Will Need: A pitcher of wine or other (fruity) beverage on the Altar to refill (charge) the cup after the ritual.

1.  Raise open arms:

Lady and Lord, I call out to Thee! I hold Thee in honor and know that I am one with all the things of the Earth and Sky. My kin are the trees and the herbs of the fields; the animals and stones through the seas and the hills. The fresh waters and deserts are built out of Thee, and I am of Thee and Ye are of me.

2.  Lower arms:

I call upon Thee to grant my desire. Let me rejoice in my oneness with all things and let me love the life that emanates from my Lady and my Lord into all things. I know and accept the creed; and understand that if I do not have that spark of love within me, I will never find it outside myself, for Love is the Law and Love is the Bond! And this do I honor when I give honor to the Lady and the Lord.

3.  Kiss open right palm and then hold high:

My Lady and my Lord, know to me as (Names), I stand before Thee Both and initiate myself to Thy honor. I will defend and protect Thy spark within me and see Thy protection and defense of me. Ye are my life and I am of Thee. I accept and will ever abide by my family Rules of Conduct, and by the Witch’s Rede, that an’ it harms none, I may do as I will. So Mote It Be.

4.  Take up the goblet of wine and slowly pour the remainder of wine into the cauldron:

As this wine drains from the cup, so shall the blood drain from my body should I ever turn away from the Lady and the Lord or harm those in kinship with Their love, for to do so would to break trust, to cast aside the love of the Goddess and the God, and to break my own heart. Yet through Their continued love I know They would heal my heart and spirit that I might again journey through the cauldron of rebirth to embrace the love They freely give. So Mote It Be!

5.  Dip forefinger into the anointing oil and draw the sigil of the Solar Cross over the Third Eye, then draw the sigil of the Pentagram over the heart; and then draw the Sacred Triangle representing the Triple aspects of both Deities touching solar plexus (navel), right breast, left breast, navel.

6.  Refill the cup from the pitcher of beverage.

Proceed to Sabbat Conclusion and Cakes & Wine of the Circle Casting

“Grimoire for the Green Witch”
A Complete Book of Shadows
Ann Moura

Pagan Ritual for Basic Use

Pagan Ritual for Basic Use

(by Ed Fitch)

A circle should be marked on the floor, surrounding those who will participate in the ceremony. An altar is to be set up at the center of the circle. At the center of the altar shall be placed an image of the Goddess, and an incense burner placed in front of it. Behind the image should be a wand fashioned from a willow branch. Candles should be set upon the altar … a total of five, since on is to be set at each quarter and one will remain on the altar during the rite.

When all the people are prepared they shall assemble within the circle. The woman acting as priestess shall direct the man who acts as priest to light the candles and incense. She shall then say:

“The presence of the noble Goddess extends everywhere,
Throughout many strange, magical and beautiful worlds
To all places of wilderness, enchantment and freedom.”

 

She then places a candle at the north and pauses to look outwards, saying:

“The Lady is awesome,
The Powers of Death bow before Her.”

 

The person closest to the east takes a candle from the altar and places it at that quarter, saying:

“Our Goddess is a Lady of Joy,
The winds are Her servants.”

 

The person closest to the south takes a candle from the altar and places it at that quarter, saying:

“Our Goddess is a Goddess of Love.
At Her blessings and desire
The sun brings forth life anew.”

 

The person closest to the west takes a candle from the altar and places it at that quarter, saying:

“The seas are the domain of our Serene Lady,
The mysteries of the depths are Hers alone.”

The priest then takes the wand and, starting at the north, draws it along the entire circle clockwise back to the north point, saying:

“The circle is sealed, and all herein
Are totally and completely apart
From the outside world,
That we may glorify the Lady whom we adore.
Blessed Be!”

 

All repeat: “Blessed Be!”

The priest now holds the wand out in salute towards the north for a moment and then hands it to the priestess, who also holds it out in salute. She motions to the group to repeat the following lines after her:

“As above, so below …
As the universe, so the soul.
As without, so within.
Blessed and gracious one,
On this day do we consecrate to you
Our bodies,
Our minds
And our spirits.
Blessed Be!”

 

Now is the time for discussion and teaching. Wine and light refreshments may be served. When the meeting has ended, all will stand and silently meditate for a moment. The priestess will then take the wand and tap each candle to put it out, starting at the north and going clockwise around the circle, while saying:

“Our rite draws to its end.
O lovely and gracious Goddess,
Be with each of us as we depart.
The circle is broken!”

Making Contact with the Lord and Lady

Making Contact with the Lord and Lady

(Pre Self Initiation Exercise)

 

By Karnayna Lilly

 

 

An Official Document of

 

The Green Man Craft Tradition

 

Copyright© 1999

 

I. Physical Preparations

In a convenient place, preferably in the North, set up a small altar. Cover the altar with a cloth of your choosing. Upon this altar have at each rear corner a candle. Use white at this time. Between these place a censer or incense burner. For this purpose a stick burner will work very well. Use incense that gives you a sense of power and connection with the Greenwood.

 

Images of the God and Goddess are a bonus however they are not mandatory. Framed images in this case work quite well. If you do not have images I will e mail you some to print. If you use them always remember that the Left side is for The Goddess and the Right, the God.

 

You will need a small bowl of water and one of salt.

 

Also a glass of wine or other suitable beverage. Any fruit juice works well however a good wine of your choice is best.

 

Finally you will need anointing oil. For this use Patchouli.

 

Your matter of dress is your choice. It is best to work in loose comfortable clothing and as you know Gardnerians work skyclad. At this point I want to make clear that my instruction will not make you an official Gardnerian because there is a strict rule that self initiation is an apostasy. You will however eventually self initiate yourself in the Green Man Craft Tradition.

 

II. The Ritual

Each evening approach your altar and sit before it. Use a chair if you must. Light the candles and incense and say:

 

“I welcome you Great Lord and Lady and invite you to attend my ceremony”

 

Now, to the best of your ability imagine that you are surrounded by a sphere of white light. Not just a circle. When this is accomplished take the salt and lift it as in offering and say:

 

“Lord and Lady (Your Choice of God Names will come later) I, a seeker of Thy mysteries do pray Thee, bless and purify this salt that it may be used for the good of all. So mote it be.”

 

Replace the salt and repeat the above with the water. Now place three pinches of the salt in the water. Hold up the mixture and say:

 

Lord and Lady Bless this union of earth and water that by Thy power all that is unclean will be cast away.”

Sprinkle the mixture in a CLOCKWISE direction three times. Replace the mixture and say:

 

“Blessed Be”

 

Take the incense and say”

 

“Lord and Lady Bless this union of fire and air that by Thy power all that is unclean will be cast away.”

 

Cense the incense in a CLOCKWISE direction three times. Replace the mixture and say:

 

“Blessed Be”

 

Now return to your place in front of the altar. Meditate for a moment on why you feel that you are being called to the Lord and Lady. Take your time. You will find that each night you will learn something different. When you feel ready begin the invocation:

 

“I invoke thee and call upon thee, O Mighty Mother of us all, bringer of all fruitfulness, by seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit do I invoke thee to bless me and admit me into the company of Thy hidden children, So Mote it Be!”

 

Make a pentagram before the altar with the words:

 

“Of the mother darksome and divine,
mine the scourge and mine the kiss;
here I charge you in this sign,
the five point star of love and bliss.”

 

Anoint yourself with the oil (forehead, solar plexus and above genital area)

 

Now invoke the Horned Lord:

 

Great Horned Lord, return to earth again!
Come at my call and show thyself to men.
Shepherd of Goats, upon the wild hill’s way,
Lead thy lost flock from darkness into day.
Forgotten are the ways of sleep and night –
Men seek for them whose eyes have lost the light.
Open the door, the door which hath no key,
The door of dreams, whereby men come to thee.
O Mighty Stag, O answer to me!”

 

 

 

 

III. The Proclamation

 

“Gentle goddess powerful god: I am your child, now and always. Your breath is my life. Your voice Great Mother and yours Great Father speak within me, as they do in all creatures, if we but only listen. Therefore here in your presence and before the Mighty Ones do I open my self to your blessing.”

 

Lift up the cup of wine and say:

 

Bless this wine with your essence Great Lady, Great Lord that by partaking of it I may also take part of you. Make a toasting gesture and drink. After consuming the wine lift up the cup and say:

 

“Flax Flags Fodder and Frig” (this is an old blessing )

 

Sit for a while in silent contemplation. Listen. You will hear the Gods within you. Speak with them and tell them why you wish to follow them. Afterwards put out the candles and thank the Lord and Lady for hearing you. Then Say So Mote it Be.

 

 

NOTE* Listen to your inner thoughts, feelings and dreams at all times while using this simple rite. The Lord and Lady will speak in many ways.

 

Do not underestimate the importance of this rite. It will prepare you for all further work.

 

Finis

 

 

Karnayna Lilly

karnayna@greenman.zzn.com

 

Green Man Wicca

http://www.sitepalace.com/americanceltic/menua.htm

Altars

Altars

 
Set up and maintain at least one small ritual altar, an altar for a particular deity, or an elemental altar in addition to the Ancestor shrine you are maintaining. Play with various combinations, organizations, and contents in order to find what is most suitable to your way of working. Do you need a different kind of altar for religious celebrations that you do when you are working a spell? What are the differences? What are the similarities? Are there objects that you must have on any kind of altar that you work with? Create, play with, and maintain this altar for at least 3 months. If you are not satisfied with it in that time, keep trying to achieve what you think is the perfect altar for you.

Sacred Clothing

Sacred Clothing

 
Many practitioners will not enter or use their sacred space unless they are cloaked in a special garment created by their own hands and consecrated for spiritual use. This robe is unique and special to each person who desires to honor their beliefs in this fashion. A cloak can be consecrated for specific purposes. So you can have more than one cloak, depending on what type of ritual you will be conducting in your sacred space.
Self clothing isn’t the only garments you want to consider for your space. An altar cloth is also called for. You can use more than one cloth in varying colors and patterns, depending on the work at hand. But consider the use of the cloth before you cover the altar. If you are going to be mixing herbs, or creating spiritual objects such as handmade candles, smudge sticks or spiritual tools, then you want the cloth to be inexpensive and practical. If however, you are conducting a ritual to celebrate a holiday, then you might use a more formal cloth, anything from crushed velvet to black satin.
The cloth should reflect your personality, your beliefs and one that you feel comfortable with using. A male Witch for instance, may not use Victorian lace when casting spells for compassion, healing or love. Rather he might use something that strikes an essence of romance in his heart such as red silk. Whatever you chose to use, the cloth should be large enough to cover the entire altar and fit the work at hand.

Casting a Formal Circle for a Group or Solitary

Casting a Formal Circle for a Group or Solitary

If there is a limited amount of space within the circle, it is often easier to cast the circle and admit the participants after creating the space. There are pros and cons of doing it this way, mainly having to do with making the participants feel excluded from part of the ritual. In order to avoid this, it is important to have them focus on the people or person casting the circle and adding their energy to what is going on. If you choose to have them within the circle, it is best to have them kneel at the boundary and cast the circle just behind them and over their heads, having them focus on the casting.

With this particular method, you can have one, two, or three people cast the circle, splitting the parts up as you desire. In a large group, splitting up the jobs in this manner helps everyone to participate when there are a limited number of things to do. Any of the parts of the ritual can be split up this way, but some will work better than others. Having more than one person cast the circle is a nice way for a group to maintain the bonds of working together.

When everyone is prepared and quiet, the person casting the circle should move to the altar and touch the pentacle with his or her athame. If the altar is set in the north, all that they need to do now is to visualize energy coming from the pentacle and walk the edge of the circle until they return to the starting point again. Once the caster is there, they should touch the pentacle with the athame again to seal the circle and then visualize pulling the edges of the boundary around to form a sphere above and below. This can also be done by actually using the athame to cast by starting at the pentacle and pushing the energy up over the heads of everyone, around, down through the floor, and back to the pentacle.

If the altar is elsewhere in the circle, the person touches the athame to the pentacle to perform a connection to it and then walks to the east to begin casting. They proceed to the south and then the west and then finally to the north before returning to the east. At that point, they can return to the altar and finish sealing the circle.

NOTE: Circles may be cast in either direction, depending on the work being done. Clockwise (N, E, S, W) tends to be the most common. This sunwise direction is used to invoke and bless. It is useful when the ritual has an outward focus. Moonwise circles (N, W, S, and E) tend to be used for banishing or rituals that focus inward or on the self.

Once the circle is cast, the next person should bless the salt and water to use for purification. Tip three pinches of salt into the water and stir it three times moonwise saying, “By the powers of Life, Death, and Rebirth.” Take this water and go to the east, sprinkling it around the edges of the circle, walking in the opposite direction of the circle caster. Once you have moved all the way around the circle, and if the people are within the circle, sprinkle each of them saying “Be washed clean.” (Make certain that you have someone do this for you, as well.) If they are not in the circle, place the salt water on the altar for later use.

The third person (Or the first, if you are only having two perform this) will bless the incense to consecrate and fill the circle. Place some of the loose powder incense on the hot coal (or light a stick incense) and draw a pentagram over the burning saying, “Blessed be the union of fire and air, the breath of the Gods.” Walk around the edge of the circle with the incense in the direction that it was cast in, slowly, and call the Ancestors to come and witness your circle.

Finally, the fourth person (or number two) moves to the center of the circle and declares that this is sacred time and sacred space. The circle exists outside of our normal time and reality. The shift from mundane to sacred should now be complete and should be a tangible feeling for everyone. The air may look or feel different, or the people may experience a shift in consciousness.

At this point, if you have cast the circle with the people outside, it is time to let them into the circle. The person who cast the circle will take their athame and cut a doorway into the boundary. This is done by inserting the tip of the athame into the circle at the level of the floor and cutting along it to make a wide enough entry for people to pass through. Then they cut upwards to the height of the people outside the circle. They should arch the top and then cut down the other side and across to meet the original point on the floor.

The person who blessed the salt water will switch places with the caster and stand in the doorway before each person as they enter, sprinkling to cleanse them. The caster will hug the person and pull or spin them over the threshold of the circle, bringing them in as a part of the company that will perform the ritual.

Once everyone is inside the circle, the caster will “erase” the doorway by placing the tip of the knife to the floor again and move it upwards, “sealing” the circle again. The “door” should be removed exactly opposite of how it was placed. When you are finished, there should be no trace of a break left in the circle wall. If you can see one, mend it with your own energy and close the break.

Copyright © 2000, Jet Blackthorn

Animal Ally Invitation Spell

  1. Choose a local image for your altar, something that represents your ally for you. Use a toy, a photograph or an image. It is more crucial that it resonates strongly for you than that it be a literal depiction.

  2. Surround it with objects or images that would normally be used to lure this creature. A dish of honey, for instance, summons a bear. Make the invitation as strong as possible.

  3. If you can find candles in the shape of your desired ally or its food, add them to the altar.

  4. Grind cinnamon and frankincense together and burn them as a spirit-summoning incense.

  5. In addition to Step 2. offer literal food (a dish of milk for a snake, for instance). Alternately, burn images of appropriate food.

  6. Relax. Let your eyes go slightly out of focus and await visitations.

  7. Try this for up to thirty minutes a day, until you receive results.

Although this spell requests a waking vision, realistically your response may still occur during your dreams have paper and pen by your bedside to record any significant dreams.

 

Ritual of Conjuring Spirits

Waxing Moon or Full Moon

Waning or New Moon

Two tall purple candles

Two tall green candles

A purple Amethyst

Green Jade or Agate – in center of altar

Sandalwood & Lavender Incense

Sandalwood & Willow Bark Incense

Spirit Candle

Cast a triple circle. Conjuring of Spirits is always done in hours of darkness, not necessary to be midnight, but preferred.

After you have performed your primary ritual, cast the incense into your burner, Place the Spirit Candle into the center of the altar and say:

“Spirit of good will, I bid thee enter

The Outer Circle.

The Second Circle.

The Inner Circle.

I am protected by this Pentacle upon my breast.

Which bears the name of (your Spirit Guide)

I bid thee, Spirit, Reveal thy Earthly name!

(turn slowly deosil as you speak)

Repeat this conjuration three times.

Perform a nine card Tarot Divination for the Spirit’s name, unless the Spirit replies in some other manner.

Ask: Have you a message for me?

Perform ATarot Divination or use the Witches’ Bowl to ask questions.

Spirit, is it true that….?

Deal gently with the friendly Spirits and they will lead you to the Greater Mysteries.

During your questioning, observe the Spirit Candle. If it wavers or rises and falls, or flickers unevenly, use the Tarot to see if the Spirit has a message.

You may ask 3 questions, after that you must ask:

May I seek further guidance?

Ask only 3 more questions.

Bid the Spirit depart, saying:

(Name), Good Spirit,

Thou hast diligently answered my questions and I do thank thee. I hereby give thee license to depart. Depart, thrice – blessed Spirit, and be thou willing to return when next I conjure thee. By the sound of this bell(Use your Witche’s Bell), do I bie thee leave. Depart, Depart. Depart!

The Ceremony

The service commences with the groom and the high priest or priestess approaching the altar, accompanied by hand drummers. Let’s imagine that this ceremony is conducted by a high priestess. The high priestess carries an ornamental cushion with colorful ribbons or cords, draped across it. These will be used later to bind the couple’s hands in matrimony. If it’s a breezy day, the ribbons are pinned to the cushion to keep them in place.

After the groom and the priestess have taken their places at the altar, the drummers return to the bridal party and drum the bride and the handmaidens into the circle. The groom’s attire is of his choosing: he may be wearing a frock coat or a fancy, colorful vest. The bride is usually color-coordinated with the groom. She may wear something long and flowing, not necessarily white, accessorized with a headdress or a wreath of seasonal flowers on her head and possibly a wand tipped with rose quartz. The bride has her handmaidens in attendance  throughout the service, and there can be as many or as few as she wants. Their costumes are often very witchlike – long, dramatic, gothic-style dresses in rich fabrics such as velvet, with colors ranging from deep purples and reds to vibrant turquoise. Each handmaiden wears a pentagram necklace or ring.

The Witch’s Wedding Altar

For the ceremony, a lavish full-size altar adorned with a purple cloth is set up outdoors, often near water or a stream. Upon it are placed two large white candles representing the male and the female, and an elaborately decorated broomstick is popped up at the front. The cake, typically fruitcake, is placed in the center of the altar, along with a chalice of red wine, a plate of biscuits and a tiny pot of honey. The wine represents a creative union, The biscuits are a symbol to ensure that the couple will never starve, and the honey is to keep the union sweet. Crystals, such as amethyst and rose quartz, are scattered around the table, along with lots of seasonal flowers and petals. The altar can accommodate almost everything the couple chooses, such as photos, trinkets and personal items, but salt, water and incense are always included. These symbolize the elements and purify the space.

She Moves in Mysterious Ways

She Moves in Mysterious Ways

My relationship with Yemayá

by Iris WaterStar

 

The first time that I saw an image of Yemayá, two thoughts ran through my head; the first one was “Oh, that’s me,” quickly followed by the second one, which ran along the lines of “What an odd thing to be thinking about a picture on a candle.” This was about two and a half years ago; the candle was one that I saw in a shop on Capitol Hill called Three Furies. I was there looking around with a friend, and this picture seemed to jump out at me. I had absolutely no idea who in the world this was, but I knew that she was wonderful, and so familiar.

It felt like seeing myself, or some part of myself, a part that I wanted to unfold somehow. This candle was one of the tall cylindrical kind; it was green and had a color painting on it. The picture is of a beautiful woman, standing on the waves of a green ocean surrounded by white blossoms. The stars are out in the twilight sky above her; the crescent moon is off to one side. She has long, dark flowing hair and is wearing a long white gown with her arms outstretched. From her hands, golden stars are falling. She has a thin aura above her head and another bright five-pointed star above her head. She is neither smiling or frowning, she simply is as she is.

I had never experienced a candle calling to me like this one did. I picked it up and put it down several times. Each time, I put it down I was aware of the feeling she was meant to go with me. I finally asked the man who ran the store “Who is this?” He wasn’t sure; he said he thought that it was some ocean-type goddess or something, but that some people had come in recently and told him her name. He couldn’t remember it but it was something like… and he pronounced something that I promptly forgot.

He also told me that these people who knew of her said that he had the candle color all wrong, and that it should be blue and not green. I bought the green candle anyway because I didn’t want to wait the couple of weeks it would take to make another candle.

I took the candle home and promptly set up an altar, with the candle as a centerpiece. I had always had shrines but never one that was dedicated to a specific persona. I had some cobalt-blue glass that I put around it, and shells (I am a Pisces so these weren’t hard to come by ); I had an incense burner, and I bought some moon incense. I had seawater and flowers and white candles.

These things just seemed right and felt like what would be appropriate for an ocean goddess. I remember looking at her and being a little in awe of the energy that seemed to be somehow associated with her. At times, I was a little afraid, but then I immediately would get this sense that she had chosen to come home to be with me and so fear wasn’t needed. I still kept a healthy respect for this energy, as well as a growing fondness.

I later went back to the store and purchased another candle with a beautiful turquoise-blue background. I added that to the altar as well. I did a winter solstice ritual in my apartment that year in solitary fashion. I am used to working with spirit guides, as I have worked as a psychic and spiritual teacher for a number of years, and so I wasn’t completely alone in my work that evening. But I was amazed just the same as I did my work and lit the incenseand candles. I really felt her yet unnamed presence with me. It was a very powerful night.

It was a few months after this time that a woman came into my life who was soon to become one of my best friends. She came to visit my apartment, and in that visit, I first learned of who this goddess was who had decided to come into my life. Her name, my friend told me, was Yemayá. And I found out I had unknowingly set up my altar with many of her traditional things.

Yemayá has an amazing way of setting things up. I found myself signing up for a drumming class along with several good friends. I had never really been interested in taking a class in drumming, but my friends said that “afoshè,” the rhythm that we would be working with, was really hot. So I went to a couple of classes and found myself not only learning the afoshè beginning drumming technique. By “coincidence,” we also learned a chant in this class; it was one to call up a certain goddess in the Yoruba faith. Guess who? So I ended up learning a song/chant and a rhythm that is traditionally used to invoke Yemayá in the rituals where the orishas “ride” the participants. I had to laugh; how obvious can you get!

I have been aware of Yemayá in many different ways; she speaks to me, and I am aware of her when I meditate sometimes. She is very loving and powerful, and I have an incredible affinity for her. She also has been very respectful of my personal space. In my own private personal magic, I do things that might be considered on the edge. Sometimes my ritual journeying involves extreme sensation, and one such evening, it involved piercing. I had very clear visions and awareness of Yemayá during this session, and it was also somehow associated with my Venezuelan Indian descent. I won’t go into great detail here, since it was quite personal, but suffice it to say that she comes to me very strongly sometimes. Along with working with Yemayá, I have become very conscious of the power of my own blood time and have incorporated this into my rituals as well.

I find it a little odd that I tend to do these things and then find out later that they are already in line with traditional practices. I guess I just do things backwards sometimes. Perhaps it is just as well to not second-guess myself. But nontheless, I am finally gathering written information about her and her traditions.

I am also going through the rite of formally choosing her as the goddess to which I am dedicated. On my altar, these days I have added a lovely statue of her, a new candle with her picture on it, her name and the term “La Diosa del Mar” (the Goddess of the Sea). I even have some Yemayá oil. I also have an amulet that my good friend made for me (the one who told me Yemayá’s name in the first place) that has many of the things sacred to her on it.

One of the most recent things I read called her the “Queen of the Ocean, First Mother of the World, Queen of Waters, owner of waters both sweet and sour. Mother of the children of the fishes, deliverer of her people.” It seems appropriate from this Piscean perspective.

I have since heard on more than one occasion that an orisha (which is what Yemayá is) tends to choose people, as opposed to people choosing the orisha. This certainly was true in my case. I didn’t know at the time I went into that store on Capitol Hill that I was going in to meet my goddess. And other than my actual experiences with her, nothing means as much to me as the original candles that I bought, when I didn’t know anything about her – just the feeling/thought that “Oh, that’s me, there I am.”

Inner smile meditation

Whenever you find yourself in a tough situation, this meditation will give you an instant boost of positive feeling. Imagine that you are looking at your face in a mirror. Watch yourself smile and your eyes light up with joy. Notice how beautiful you look when you smile and appreciate how positive smiling makes you feel. Breathe deeply, bringing that positive feeling to life within you in the present moment.