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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Ritual Matters

Ritual Purpose, Etiquette and Progression

Purpose

The reason for performing ritual usually falls under three categories:
- to perform Magick or spellwork
- to honor and connect with the Divine
- to enact spiritual beliefs in a physical and visual way

But if we think about it, most rituals accomplish all three purposes. In Sabbat rites, the stage of the God’s life is presented, participants are confronted with Divine presence (especially if a channeling takes place), and energy is raised and put forth to turn the Wheel of the Year. Moon rituals are then a time to honor the Goddess specifically and gain Her wisdom; express our belief in Her power, existence, and influence on our lives and the world; and we may also perform other sorts of Magick, such as healing or for another cause.

This is a verse from a song titled, “Circles” (full lyrics and authorship information) that I feel sums up ritual purpose very succinctly:

Circles for healing and working the weather
Circles for knowing the Moon and the Sun
Circles for thanking the Lord and the Lady
Circles for dancing the dance never done



Etiquette

These are general guidelines for polite and proper behavior in ritual. Specific groups/Covens may have other requests of their participants.

1. Only move or turn deosil (clockwise) in ritual unless directed otherwise (in some cases, asking the PS’ permission to move widdershins (counter-clockwise) is acceptable and will be granted if deemed appropriate and necessary).

2. Please do not touch or pick up another’s tools (athame, goblet/chalice, etc.) without being given express permission of the owner.

3. Please do not pick up or touch items on the altar without asking or being instructed. When doing so, use either the right hand, or, if necessary, both hands together.

4. If you are unable to sit/stand/turn/etc. for several minutes at a time, or under your own power, please make this known prior to ritual so that the P/S may make appropriate efforts to accommodate you.

5. If you hear the phrases, “Blessed Be,” or, “So Mote It Be,” it’s a pretty safe bet you’re supposed to repeat it (except during personal consecrations; only the person being consecrated need repeat the phrase then).

6. The P/S will usually direct participants as to what actions to take during ritual. But as a general rule, if more than three people are performing the same action together, you’re probably supposed to do it too.


Progression

With the exception of more Chaotic paths, most rituals follow some kind of formula and structure. The following outline of ritual progression was created from a melding of my experiences; some has come from my parents, some from other teachers.

Prior to ritual, all participants need to don their robes, or whatever other garb they wish to wear in ritual. If there are any special instructions for the ritual, the Priest/ess will usually explain them briefly at this time. Other preparation may include a guided meditation tailored to the ritual’s purpose.


I. Self-Blessing. Before entering the ritual space, participants go through a small, personal self-blessing ritual, anointing specific points on their bodies with consecrated salt-water. After this is done, they gather at the ritual site. Once there, everyone breathes deeply to ground, center, and align with each other, and group chanting may take place here as well.

II. Circle Opening. There are several steps to creating sacred space. During these acts, words and chants are spoken as statements of purpose, and all present are to lend their energy to the physical actions of the Priest/ess. Often, participants will be directed to send their energies to the Priest, who then channels it to the Priestess (or vice versa if the Priest is the one performing the action at a given time).

II-A. Lighting Altar Candles. The Priest lights the God candle, and the Priestess the Goddess candle from that flame. All other candles will be lit from the God candle unless otherwise directed for a special occasion. This is also when the incense is lit, usually by the Priest.

II-B. Elemental Invocations. Beginning in the East and moving deosil (clockwise), the Priest lights each of the Quarter candles, speaking a brief invocation.

II-C. Circle Casting. Starting in the East, the Priest "draws" the circle by walking deosil around the boundaries of the ritual space, the energy being directed by the wand.

II-D. Elemental Blessing. The Elemental representatives of salt and water on the altar are blessed and consecrated by the Priestess.

II-E. Circle Consecration. The salt-water and incense are carried deosil around the circle by the Priestess and Priest, respectively. The Priestess sprinkles the water as she proceeds, and the Priest wafts the smoke as he walks. A chant or invocation may be spoken at this time as well.

II-F. Personal Consecrations. Beginning with the Priestess and Priest, each participant has their name stated out loud, is then anointed with consecrated salt-water, and finally cleansed with incense smoke. Men are consecrated by the ritual's Priestess, the women by the Priest. Appropriate songs or chants may be sung at this time.

II-G. Deity Invocations. The Priest and Priestess invite the God and Goddess to attend and preside over the rite. Sometimes additional candles are lit at this time.

II-H. Calling the Quarters. Carrying her athame and beginning again in the East, the Priestess goes to each of the four Quarters and, still moving deosil, invokes the appropriate directional Element to lend their energy to the rite. All present also salute the Quarters with their athames.

H-1. East. Air. Intelligence, beginnings, birth, breath, Spring, the power to know.

H-2. South. Fire. Passion, drive, living life, vitality, Summer, the power to will.

H-3. West. Water. Emotion, spirituality, death, blood, Autumn, the power to dare.

H-4. North. Earth. Physicality, materialism, rest, body, Winter, the power to keep silent.

III. Ritual Purpose. This is the point in the ritual where things get specific, and any and all rites are performed, whether it is to turn the seasons at a Sabbat, or work other Magick at an Esbat.

IV. Cakes and Wine. Food and drink are ritually blessed and libated to the Gods. Then, all participants share in the food and drink together. This is also a time to discuss the rite that was just performed, and/or any other topic the Priest/ess may have chosen.

V. Circle Closing. The Quarters are banished by the Priestess (beginning in the East and moving deosil), again accompanied by athame-salutes, and all candles are extinguished to dismiss the energies that resided there during the rite. In some cases, before the altar candles are extinguished, the males attending the rite will move deosil around the Circle space, joyously greeting each female with a kiss or other sign of affection.


The rite of Cakes and Wine was briefly discussed in the outline, but another common rite that sometimes occurs in ritual is a channeling, called Drawing Down the Moon or Sun (DDM/DDS). In this rite, the presence of the Goddess (or God) is invoked and channeled into the ritual’s Priestess (or Priest), and then speaks through that Earthly vessel to impart wisdom and messages. This rite, if performed, occurs during the Ritual Purpose portion, with DDMs happening at the Esbats, and DDSs at the Sabbats.

The basic structure of the ritual is the same every time, but the Ritual Purpose portion will vary according to the purpose of the rite (however, it is the same Esbat ritual each time, and the Sabbat rituals remain the same from year to year as well). This is done to create triggers for experience, the enaction of an orthopraxic view, that of correct practice rather than correct belief. Repetition of the same actions for the same purpose creates a subconscious memory of what happened last time, and so the mind and spirit then react in similar fashion to generate a new experience this time around.

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