Other Rituals

Rites of Passage | Circle | Other Rituals

Food and drink
Toast and say ‘I am the Goddess’ kiss and pass it on with ‘You are the Goddess’. Keep warm with games which are played 2-3 times as fast as normal.

Meeting the elves
Go to a crossing in the woods, a grave-mound or a holy tree at midnight. Bring a rug or something to sit on and a bag to collect stones and magical things in. Sit and wait. If you ask a question you get the answer inside of you.

See the good fairy
Anoint yourself with violet oil.

See the elves
Wash your eyes with eyebright and sleep on a grave-mound.

Scared of the dark?
Eat cinquefoil and carry a yarrow in your hand or around your neck.

Not to be taken
Carry a hazel stick.

Spring ritual

Must be done in sunny weather. Bring a wreath of green herbs and throw it in the spring. Walk around it 3 times, to the left for psychic powers, to the right against physical illnesses. Sit down and throw three scoops towards the sun. Wash yourself and do the following three times in silence; wash your hands and the top of your head, rinse your mouth.

Getting water

Do as above, but fill the water onto a clean bottle. On the holidays of Walpurgis Night (30/04), Midsummer and in moonlight the water is 9 times as powerful.

Cemetery

Make sure not to offend the dead. Go to the cemetery at midnight, take some dirt from the grave of a man in the northern corner of the cemetery. You can also use mullein flowers or dirt from a crossing in the woods.

Candle meditation

The Moon should be in its 3rd phase.

Accessories: 3 white + 1 gray candle and some incense if you want. Pretty candle holders.

Light two white candles and place them on the altar. Sit and look at them. Ponder what you want to change and what you need to do to become happy. Say your disappointments out loud and let the candles burn them away.

Light the gray candle and say: ‘This candle is change which contains both black and white. It contains my unhappiness etc. It contains my happiness, my will and my wish for happiness. Teach me to understand and transform my unhappiness so that happiness grows with the light of the moon.’

Light a white candle and say: ‘The Goddess Urania, the goddess of change, I call you. Help me see the web of my illusions – free me. My action shall be transformation. I ask you to shine for me, lead me so that I can live happily in freedom and love.’

Stay seated and listen to the goddess’s answers while the candles burn down. If you get restless you can burn some happiness or rose incense to calm yourself down.

The Triskelion rite of tea

Purpose: The purpose of this working is to pay homage to the Gods and to reflect on Their blessings upon this your life.

Tools: Herb(s) for tea
Container for herb(s)
Cup(s) and Tea Pot
Decanter of Pure Spring Water
Brewing dish with candle
Scrying Candle

Prepare By: Placing a small table or platform in the center of your working space and arranging the Brewing dish, herbs, cup(s), Tea Pot and spoon on the table. Also place the cauldron with scrying candle within for use during the meditation. (Use the diagram, which follows, as a guide for arranging of the tools.) Prior to casting the Circle, light candle and fill the Brewing dish with Spring Water from a decanter. Keep the Brewing Dish covered during the Casting, as I have found this helps the water to heat faster and hotter.

The Blessing of the Herbs
With the tip of your Athame touching the Herbs, intone this blessing: ‘Thou hast grown by favor of the Sun,
The Moon, and of the dew.
I make this intercession, ye herb:
I beseech thee to be of benefit to me and my rite,
For thy virtues are unfailing.
Thou art the Dew of all the Gods,
The Eye of the Sun,
The Light of the Moon,
The Beauty and Glory of the Sky,
The Mystery of Terra.
I purify thee so that
Whatever is wrought by me with thee may,
In all its powers,
Have a good and speedy effect with good success.
Be purified by my prayer and be powerful!
So mote it be!’

When water is hot enough, place the herbs in the Tea Pot and add water from the brewing dish, give it a couple of stirs.

While the tea is steeping, intone this Prayer.

‘Earth Mother
Giver of life
Strengthen me during my life-long strife.
Teach me Your ways of perfect love,
Peace, and wisdom true.
Spawn from my purest heart
These words to You
May this prayer help me to better
Myself in word and deed,
To a higher plane I shall succeed.
Beautiful Light of Goodness Fair
Lore of old we both do share
A Witch’s brew, I drink to You
My love for You, by day, by night
In thought and in sight
Will my soul learn
The meaning of this life again.’

Pour out a cup for all present, including one for the Gods, and enjoy.

Sit before the table and meditate on the blessings that the Gods have bestowed upon your life. You may use the scrying candle here to focus upon for your meditation. If the Gods so choose They may give you a Message or Vision through the blessings of the Sight.

You may relax now and finish off the pot. (Note: this rite is not to take the place of The Feast, but is to be used as a time of blessing and communing with the Goddess).

Full moon rite

Do this at night, in moonlight if possible. Crescents, white flowers, silver and other moon symbols are suitable altar decorations for this ritual. The quarts crystal sphere can also be placed on the altar. If you prefer, you can use the cauldron (or a small white or silver bowl) filled with water.

Put a piece of silver in the water. Place night blossoming, fragrant flowers with white or five petals (white rose, night blossoming jasmine, carnation, gardenia, cereus, lily and iris) on the altar. Camphor is also symbolic.

Arrange the altar, light the candles and cast a stone circle.

Stand in front of the altar and invoke the God and the Goddess with the Blessing Chant and/or any other invocations (see Prayers, Chants and Invocations in this Book of Shadows). Now gaze at the Moon, if possible. Feel its energies sinking into your body. Feel its cool Goddess energy wash you with power and love. Now say these or similar words:

‘Wondrous Lady of the Moon
You who greets the dusk with silvered kisses;
Mistress of the night and of all magics,
who rides the clouds in blackened skies
and spills light upon the cold Earth;
O Lunar Goddess,
Cresented-One,
Shadow maker and shadow breaker;
Revealer of mysteries past and present;
Puller of seas and ruler of women;
All-wise Lunar Mother,
I greet your celestial jewel
at the waxing of its powers
With a rite in Your honor.
I pray by the Moon,
I pray by the Moon,
I pray by the Moon.’

Continue chanting ‘I pray by the Moon’ for as long as you will. Visualize the Goddess if you so desire, perhaps as a tall, robust woman wearing silver jewelry and white, rippling, draped clothing. A crescent Moon may rest upon Her brow, or She may toss a glowing silvery white orb in Her hands. She trods the starfield of eternal night in an eternal round with Her lover, the Sun God, spreading moon rays wherever She goes. Her eyes laugh, Her skin is white and translucent. She glows.’

Now is the time for magic of all types, for the full of the Moon marks the height of its powers, and all positive spells cast then are powerful.

Full Moons are also excellent times for meditation, mirror magic and psychic workings, for such are often more successful within the circle. Crystal-scrying is particularly recommended; flood the crystal with moonlight prior to the ritual.

If you have no crystal sphere, use the cauldron filled with water and the piece of silver. Gaze at the water (or at the Moon glinting on the silver) to awaken your psychic awareness. Lunar liquids such as lemonade, milk or white wine can be consumed during the simple feast that follows. Crescent cakes are traditional as well. Thank the Goddess and God and release the circle. It is done.

Solitary new moon ritual

Insert after general esbat and before cakes and wine. You can dance around circle, chanting the names of the Goddess.

Chant:

‘Isis, Astarte, Diana, Hecate, Demeter, Kali, Inanna’

Chant as often as you like. Then kneel before the altar and say:

‘Dark is the night as we reach this turning point.
Here is a time of death; yet a time of birth.
Endings and beginnings
Ebbing and flowing
A journey done; a journey yet to start.
I honor now the crone-mother darksome and divine.
I give of my strength and in return see rebirth.’

Arms raised, say:

‘BEHOLD, the Lady of Darkness; Mother, Grand mother. Old, yet ever young.

I honor and love you now and always. As the wheel turns we see birth, death and rebirth. I know from this that every ending is a beginning; every stop a fresh starting point.

Maiden, Mother, Crone… you are all of these and more.

Whenever I have need of anything, I can call upon you and your Lord, for you abide within me.

Even at the darkest of times, when there seems no single spark to warm me and the night seems blackest of all, You are here watching over me, in strength and in love.

You are She who is at the beginning and the ending of all time. Blessed Be’

Cakes and wine

Witches’ round

Nowadays used to raise the Cone of Power, this old dance may be used alone or in full coven. It is better if the Drawing Down of the Moon has gone before, for then the Gods shall fuse with the energies raised in the ecstasy of the dance and thereby accomplish your will.

All join hands to form a ring about the High Priestess. Heads turned left and eyes tightly shut, will a flowing river of power about the circle, moving from one through the next, from man to woman and woman to man, about the circle without beginning or end, gathering strength as it goes.

When the circle is set thus, in motionless intensity, the High Priestess begins to clap to the rhythm of the heart-beat. And upon this signal all open their eyes and step widdershins; slowly at first but with a quickening step as the High Priestess quickens the beat of her clap, until three rounds are complete. And this must be accomplished smoothly and without awkwardness.

Now change direction and dance deosil to the Witches’ Rune or some other tune; slowly at first, but faster and ever faster until, the Power being at its peak, the High Priestess shall release it crying: ‘Down !’, whereupon all shall fall to the ground to sit in a circle facing in. Thus also was the Cone of Power raised of yore.

Raising the Power Cone in a different way

HP leads a ring dance deosil about HPS who stands in the center. Coveners are arranged man and woman alternately, facing inwards and holding hands (left palms up, right palms down). All dance and chant either the Witches’ Rune or the call of the ancient Mysteries:

All: ‘Eo, Evohe!’

Dance and chant faster and faster until HPS senses that the time is right, whereupon she calls:

HPS: ‘Down!’

All shall drop to the ground in a circle facing the HPS. If there is coven work to be done, now is the appropriate time to do it. Or a meditation upon the Moon’s season, or such other matter as may be fitting or needful. At an esbat Wine and Cakes will follow, but at a Sabbath the Great Rite comes first.

Blessing Chant

The Blessing chant can be said at the beginning of any type of ritual as a general invocation. Separate invocations of the Goddess and God may follow.

‘May the powers of The One,
the source of all creation;
all-pervasive, omnipotent, eternal;
may the Goddess,
the Lady of the Moon;
and the God,
Horned Hunter of the Sun;
may the powers of the Spirits of the Stones,
rulers of the elemental realms;
may the powers of the stars above and the Earth below,
bless this place, and this time, and all who are with you.’

Gathering flowers, herbs and plants

Before cutting with the Boline, attune with the plant through visualization.Feel its energies.As you cut, say these or similar words:

‘O little plant of (name, such as hyssop, etc.) I ask that you give of your bounty that it may aid me in my work. Grow stronger by my stroke, stronger and more powerful, O plant of (name)!’

If it’s a tree, substitute the appropriate word (tree of oak). Gently cut only what you need, and never from very young plants or more than twenty-five percent of the growth.

At the base of the plant leave an offering: a silver coin, a bright jewel, a bit of wine or milk, grain, a quartz crystal and so on. Cover the offering and it is done.

Banishing ritual

One of the most basic and useful ceremonial rituals of magic is called the banishing ritual, or lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram. A pentagram (or pentacle) is a five-pointed star with the point up.

The banishing ritual is helpful in psychic protection and healing since it forms a protective barrier against malevolent forces. The psychic barrier it creates can be made to permit entry of desired (constructive) forces and the exclusion of negative ones.

Thus, the banishing ritual is an essential first step in almost any formal full magic ceremony. The ritual requires that you use a magical implement or ‘weapon’, such as a ceremonial knife, wand, or simply point your index finger, to ‘draw’ the pentagram in the air at each of the cardinal points (four directions). Also, you will be chanting (‘vibrating’) some Hebrew names of God.

Holding your magical weapon and facing east, extend your arm out straight in front of you. In this ritual you will use the full sweep of your arm to draw the pentagram in the air.

Follow the description below by beginning at the lower left and sweeping your magical weapon up toward the right, etc. as shown. Do not bend your arm at the wrist or elbow. While you do this, visualize the lines and eventually the star as vibrant white, floating in the space before you.

You are projecting energy to do this, and the result will be a gleaming 5-pointed star floating in the east; visualize this as vividly as you can. Now you will energize it further by piercing the center of it with your magical weapon and vibrating (speaking slowly in a slightly lower than normal pitch, remember) ‘Yod-He-Vau-He’.

Description
Approximate points on a round clock face — 1. Begin at 7:30 position. 2. Point to 12 o’clock position. 3. Point to 4:30 position. 4. Point to 10:30 position. 5. Point to 2:30 position. 6. Return to 7:30 position.

Then turn slowly to the next cardinal point in sequence, and as you do so, with your arm still extended in front of you, visualize a white line connecting around to the cardinal point. Trace a similar pentagram with the appropriate words and following the same procedure:

South — Adonai Tzaboath West — Eh-Ei-He North — Agla.

Now complete the white line drawn back to the center of the eastern pentagram. Note that the cardinal points must be followed in a clockwise order, and the pentagram must be drawn in the manner illustrated; to do otherwise would change the function of the ritual.

The result of all this should be a large bright white pentagram visualized hanging in mid-air at each of the four directions, all tied together by a bright white line. You could now, for example, visualize the pentagrams moving out to the circumference of your home, thereby protecting all within.

There is also a somewhat simplified version of this ritual in which the pentagram is traced only once overhead and then is energized with one of the four names, such as ‘Eh-Ei-He’. Oftentimes the simplified version is sufficient, but naturally the effect of the full version is more complete.

One of the primary uses of this ritual is to ward off psychic attack — that is, when another is (consciously or unconsciously) attempting to harm you, cause sickness, accidents, bad dreams, emotional upset, or to force you to do something against your will.

Fortunately this doesn’t happen very often. The world of the magician is fairly safe for the pure of heart. Psychic attack usually depends upon vulnerabilities. If you are not vulnerable you are safe. Thus unification with the true will is the greatest protection possible. And the use of the banishing ritual is never hurtful. You can even use it to hold off negative aspects of yourself.

Raising a plant familiar

The purpose of this technique is to raise, or grow, a plant as a ‘familiar’ (serving spirit) or as a magical plant. In ancient times, a small circle of stones was set around the chosen plant, to ‘bind’ the numen there. Then a hole was dug down toward the roots (carefully) and a chosen power stone was set in place, to ‘charge’ the plant.

Today the technique has been expanded, but is still true to the original intent. You can begin with a seed, or young sprout. Simply prepare the soil for planting, in a secluded area, which is suited to the physical needs of the plant. Place a stone or crystal of your choice about three inches deep into the soil. Quartz crystals are a good choice, but you may wish to consult a table of correspondences for various stones, etc.

Next fill in the soil over the stone, and plant the seed (or sprout) as is appropriate. Then lay a circle of 8 stones around the plant site. At each of the four elemental quarters place a crystal of the same type as the one you buried (these four are part of the 8 forming the circle). The other stones may be of any kind you wish, as long as they compliment each other, in relationship to their occult nature. Space the stones to allow for the growth of the plant.

I will give two techniques for the raising of a plant familiar. These will show you how to establish contact with the plant numen, and how to communicate your purposes to the plant familiar. In this way the plant will become charged, and conscious of your needs. Then you will have a physical and spiritual helper, for your works of magic and healing.

This technique is important to magical work involving herbs. Dry herbs in an herb store are not charged (in most cases) and can only serve through their remaining physical properties. There is, however, the placebo effect to consider, as well as coincidence, and self-delusion. These have been used successfully for quite some time. I will not deal with these here, as most popular Authors are doing an excellent job of passing this off on us as authentic spells.

I intend to give you the actual techniques which empower herbs, and whose effects were the basis for the powers attributed to herbs from ancient times. No Con, just the facts.

Method 1: If planting by seed, wait 7 days after the sprout appears to proceed with the following (if a young plant, wait 7 days after planting it). Remove the stones between the quarter stones, and plant a seed at each point. Next bury the quarter stones where they lay, at least an inch deep. The seeds may be of the same type as the plant within the circle, or an assortment. Each day, place both palms upon the ground within the circle, forming a triangle with fingertips (index fingers touching & thumbs touching). The stem of the plant will be in the open area of the triangle, centered between your hands.

Using your imagination & visualization abilities, sense your power flowing out through your arms, from your personal power center (just below the navel for women, and at the solar plexus for men). You must also talk to the plant and send it visuals, communicating your needs and desires through mental images. You must take good care of the plant from this point on, and keep it from harm. To create a strong bond with your plant familiar, you can add 3 drops of your own blood to a quart of water, and use this to water the plant as needed.

Magically, you have first increased the level of the numen through the crystals. Secondly, you have extended its power and influence to the other plants. This is because these plants became alive under the influence of the center crystal and plant. They were also bathed in a cross quarter current of energy, controlled from the center entity, through the quarter crystals. If you need the physical parts an herb for your spells, potions or whatever, then use only the plants enclosed within the original circle of stones, and never the center plant. The center plant IS the familiar, and the others are merely extensions of it.

The final step in creating this plant familiar, is to establish your ‘link’ and your ‘rapport’. To do this, you must sit comfortably before the plant, and stare at it. Allow your eyes to lose focus and your vision to blur. In this state, observe the shape of the plant, trying to leave your mind blank. The plant will ‘send’ you an image as you stare. You will receive this as a distortion of the plant’s shape, so that it will begin to resemble some other creature such as an animal or an insect. This new shape is the spirit of the plant, and you will employ this image as you work with the familiar.

The familiar can give you extra power in any magical work, whenever you summon it. ‘House plants’ can become protective entities for your home through plant magic. Plants can be given as gifts, charged for a special purpose.

To summon the familiar, you simply imagine your plant in it’s setting, and visualize it becoming the spirit creature. Mentally call it to yourself, and allow it to enter into your personal power center.

To empower through the familiar, mentally send in into any herbs which you are charging (instructing it as to the desired effect) and imagine that it passes power to them, imagine them glowing after contact with the familiar. When you are finished, always return the familiar to the plant. Home blessing magic

Home blessing meditation for charging a room

Sit straight with palms on lap, take deep breaths, relax, and move into a mental space where you activate your intuitive senses.

Imagine a cord of energy from your spine connecting you to the Earth, and channel energy from the Earth through it, Silently ask for divine protection, guidance, and blessing, Direct your psychic sensing outward, and feel lines of force coming out of your aura.

Note where the strongest energy is (check out the floor, ceiling, directions, etc), Note spots that feel empty or dead, note places that feel full alive, focus on where you are sitting and how you feel at that particular spot.

Imagine a sphere of light and love energy at your heart, feel it pulsing outward with every breath.

Feel the radiance increase with every breath, feel yourself as a star, continue to breathe deeply and send out the energy, letting it pulsate in the room.

When ready, start making power sounds representing the love and light you are channeling; use it to amplify the light you are weaving; and fill the room with the energy. Then shift focus to sending a probe out into the room, and note the differences in the quality of energy and how you feel about it. Repeat if necessary. When done, feel the completeness of the work.

Room blessing involving elemental quarter invocations

Face each direction (with arms out in appropriate elemental invoking gesture), and say, while channeling and visualizing elemental power: -Powers of (say direction), -Powers of (say corresponding element), -We great you, we honor you, we welcome you here! -Watch over and bless and protect this place.

After each invocation, shape the energy into columns of light by sweeping ones arms together until they are parallel and sweeping them up and down while channeling and shaping the energy. When the energy is properly shaped, say so ‘mote it be.’

After you have done all four quarters, channel in spirit energy.

To return the energy to a more mellow state while energizing yourself, put your hands out and take in a bit of the energy into yourself from each direction, going widdershins, hold hands to your heart and take in the energy (techniques also exist for bringing it into a stone and retrieving it when needed).

House Blessing

Assemble: 1.Salt & Water 2.Incense (fire and air) 3.Milk & Honey 4.Oil (for anointing) 5.Wine (for offering) 6.Bells, Pots, Pans, Whistles, etc.

Cast a circle in the main room (living room) and after casting, visualize the circle expanding to include the entire house. Call upon the spirits and energies living in the house (or apartment). Invite those who will be harmonious with the new household and its energies to remain.

Invite/ask those who will be happier elsewhere to depart.Release all ‘energies’ not compatible with the new household.(This may be expressed as a ‘release’ in order to unbind anything that may be stuck.)

Then call upon, greet, and invite ancestors, patron deities, and all harmonious spirits and energies to dwell in the house as they please.

Gather up the pots, pans, and all the noise-makers.Go to each door and window, not forgetting the fire-place and dog-door, making as much racket as humanly possible–to shoo out anything unwanted.(This is hysterical fun, and also raises lots of energy for the next important step.) Go again throughout the house and at each portal (door, window, etc.) sprinkle salt-water and cense, saying: ‘By the Elements I purify and charge this portal.’Then anoint the portal with milk and honey, saying: ‘By Milk and Honey I ensure prosperity and peace within this place.’Finally, anoint the portal with oil, saying:

‘With Oil I seal this portal and protect all within.’At the front door a special prayer is said, asking the guardian deities (God & Goddess) to freely grant entry to all friends and loved ones, and to prevent passage (turn aside) to any who would do harm.’ Then, if it’s a house – pour wine across the width of the threshold; if it’s an apartment anoint the threshold with light touches of wine.

The house-holders then each take a sip of wine, leaving some as an offering to the Gods, and the Circle should be closed.The remaining wine, milk, and honey should be offered to the Gods.(In our case to the fruit tree and the oak tree in our yard.)

This is very effective if done as part of a house-warming party, followed by much feasting.It has also been done very effectively by two people.It only takes about 30 minutes to do a large house.

Do make certain to ‘ground’ afterward, by closing the circle and by eating.This ritual can ‘stir’ up everybody and make the house feel full of ‘buzzy’ energy.

Moving day

Bring two things into the house first: a small amount of salt, half to be scattered upon crossing the threshold, and a small loaf of bread. Break the bread into as many pieces as you have people moving in, with one extra piece for the gods’ portion. Sprinkle a dash of salt on each piece; share, when you have a moment. (I’d say have water on hand as well – at the very least, to clear the salt!)

Next, bring in an apple and do the same thing – Cunningham recommends a fruit and cheese basket – I’d stick with just the apple and maybe a few slices of cheddar, or something. Lastly, bring in a sturdy chair and place it either near the apple and bread bits, or facing the door. This ensures that you will never know poverty, for there is bread and salt, hunger, for there is fruit (and cheese), and instability (for there’s your stable chair guarding the door. After that, heave and lift until you’re moved in!

Tea ceremony

You need: A pretty tea-pot with herbal tea, a bowl to drink from, a candle holder, a larger bowl (or cauldron) filled with clean sand or salt, a small bowl with water, incense (sage or sweetgrass) and a clean linen cloth or kitchen towel.

Decorate the table you’re going to sit at as beautifully as possible. Use a pretty table cloth and place the things on the table, as you find appealing. Matching things in ceramic glass or porcelain can look good, as long as they fit together well and don’t give an impression of chaos. Light the candle and the incense.

Pick up the bowl you’re going to drink from and move it through the flame of the candle as you verbally and mentally invoke the cleansing element of Fire:

‘With FIRE we burn everything withered.’

Take your time and cleanse the bowl. Move the bowl through the incense, let the smoke sweep into the bowl and chase away all negativity from it and your minds:

‘With WIND we blow away everything used.’

Splash water on the bowl and invoke:

‘With WATER rinse away everything impure.’

Then you ‘rinse’ it with sand or salt as you invoke the cleansing element of Earth:

‘With EARTH we bury everything dead.’

Wipe the bowl with the cloth and hold it up as you invoke the Goddess. If it’s a ceremony with special herbs for healing, you can invoke a healing goddess as Hygieia or Eir. Otherwise you can invoke anyone you want, but make sure it’s someone you know, so that you don’t invite an energy that you can’t handle yet.

The Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu is recommended for beginners. She’s the goddess of the sun and beauty, a mild and good person as long as you don’t offend her. Ask the spirit of the goddess to bless and fill the bowl with her power and presence. See the bowl as holy and as a carrier of power after you’ve invoked the goddess.

Fill tea from the tea-pot and sprinkle the first three drops from the bowl as an offering to the goddess. Spin the bowl thirteen times counter clockwise (the number of the Moon in modern western tradition because a year mostly has 13 full moons) and drink. Spin the bowl thirteen times clockwise and give it to the next person who repeats the procedure. Let the bowl pass around a couple of times in silence. Feel that you take part in the power of the goddess, who for your sake has taken up temporary residence in the bowl.

When it gets time to finish, you wipe the bowl dry again and hold it up. Thank the goddess for her friendly presence and ask her to watch over you even after the ceremony is over. Thank the elements and break the connection with them as you see fit. Ask them to come back when you invite them next time. Put everything that you’ve used away