Libation

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Known most often by its Cornish name of “Houzle”, the coming together of white bread and red wine or dark ale is seen as honoring the blood and bone of the Ancestors.

This is a complex piece of symbolism, considering how simple the practical technique itself it.

The libator dips the bread in the wine or ale, and toasts the Ancestors, the Gods, old Hornie, and whoever else they need to honour.

In a group, the participants take turns.

It seems very simple, but the symbolism runs very deep, as in addition to the act of symbolic theophagy that can be seen in the Catholic Mass, there is also the nature of blood and bone to take into account.

Frequently the blood is seen as the lineage itself — the Witch-Blood — and the bone is the body of Lore that both sustains the blood and enables us to discover and connect with it.

Traditionally, the Houzle is performed with a horn cup, which — depending on the tradition — can be an actual cup made of horn or a stirrup cup (the cups designed originally for members of the fox hunt to drink their libation before the hunt.

They do not have a base, but rather are stored upside down, and are frequently made in the shape of animals, especially stags and foxes.)

Preparing For Ritual

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Preparation for ritual is important.

It is suggested that  you should try to slow your activities down in the hours before a formal ceremony, eat only a light meal and turn off all phones, faxes and computers if you are working from home.

Make sure you have all the basic tools and ingredients for the ceremony and that the room is ready.

About an hour before the ritual, prepare yourself, by having a bath in which a sprinkling of sacred salt and a few drops of cleansing oils, such as pine or eucalyptus, have been added. Light purple or pink candles in the bathroom and allow all your daily concerns to flow out of your body into the water, to
be transformed by the candlelight.

When you are ready to get out of the water, swirl the reflected light three times widdershins and as you take out the plug, say:
Go in peace, flow in harmony to the sea of eternity.

Wear something light and loose for the ritual.

You may like to keep a special robe for your magical work, ready-washed and pressed.

Though some witches work skyclad, in groups this can result in self-consciousness and sometimes unnecessary emotional complications that can detract from the magick.

Also, in Northern climes it is usually too cold! But the choice, of course, is yours.

Next sweep out and cleanse the area you will be working in and set up the altar, either in the North or the centre of your circle.

Practitioners who work from the East of the circle may want their altar there.

The position of the altar really does not matter.

If the altar is placed centrally or in the North, you follow the tradition, as I do, of working from the North; this means that you cast the circle from the North and enter the circle from the South so you are facing the North.

If, however, you work with the altar in the East, you will cast from the East and enter from the West, facing the East.

A central altar will work for either direction and it also means a group can easily circle it.

After all, for most of us space is at a premium, and sometimes it is a question of marrying metaphysics with logistics

What is a handfasting

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A handfasting is a wedding or betrothal ceremony, and to be handfasted is equivalent to being married or betrothed.

Before we get into the details, let’s back up a bit and have a quick history lesson.

In most of pre-Christain Europe, weddings were fairly straightforward affairs, and this was especially true for northern Europe and Celtic lands.

Two families came together and they worked out a deal on land ownership and any trading of goods.

Then, the couple would exchange gifts, clasp hands, and make oaths of loyalty to each other.

Afterward their families and the community they lived in would throw a party and have a feast.

Going to the trouble of a full religious ceremony officiated by a Druid (or someone similar) was typically reserved for people of very high social status.

For most people the transition from single to married was a do-it-yourself affair, with the couple’s community acting as witnesses.


As Christianity began to spread across Europe, the new Church lacked the resources to have a clergyman in every rural village and hamlet.

As such, the Church would send circuit priests to travel to out-of-the-way parishes during the warmer months.

Obviously, this presented a problem to families who needed to make an alliance with another family or clan.

It’s also difficult to ask young people in love to wait so long before they can make a home together.

Especially if the young woman was already pregnant! Governments had a similar problem:

it was too difficult to provide a judge or magistrate to every little village, let alone manage all the paperwork required for marriage licenses at a time when everything was handwritten on parchment.


So, the folk looked back to the traditions of their grandparents and found a compromise. T

he couple would self-marry in the old style when it was convenient for the community.

The union would later be formally blessed by the church when the circuit priest came to visit.

In the Middle Ages, handfasting-type rituals became popularly used as betrothal rituals.

In some parts of Europe, such as Scotland, the word “handfasting” was used to say that a couple was engaged.

It was more common to hear that a couple was “handfasted” than “betrothed.”

These types of self-uniting marriage traditions lasted well into the colonial era, when settlers in the New World faced difficulties due to long distances and lack of resources.

It was only a couple of hundred years ago that nations began to pass legislation requiring couples to be legally wed via a specific set of rules.

In fact, in some parts of the world, self-uniting ceremonies are still perfectly valid and legal.

As modern Paganism began to truly grow in the early-to-mid 20th century, Pagans sought marriage rituals that had historical significance without strong ties to other religions.

Two fit the bill: the tying of hands in the handfasting tradition, and the jumping of the broom.

A Ritual For Harmony

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This ritual can be used when, for example, a colleague, family member or friend is intruding in your life, but you do not want to hurt their feelings.

It can be very successful if you have received one too many phone calls or visits at inconvenient moments from a friend or neighbor.

It may help to ward off constant interference in your projects by your boss or a colleague at work, or possessiveness that is not malicious but comes from loneliness in a close relative, a child, or even your partner.

You can carry it out before going to work or when you anticipate the arrival of the person.

It is much kinder than a traditional binding spell as it preserves the positive aspects of the relationship.

Light deosil a circle of lavender and rose incense sticks for love and kindness.

Fill a pot or a small cauldron, or any heatproof dish, with sand and in it stand a single orange candle for independence.

Take a long piece of red thread and tie nine loose knots around the base of the cauldron to represent the tangled emotions, saying as you tie the knots:

Bind and wind nine times through, bonds that stifle, tangle, twine, bind unwilling me to you.

Cut through the knots one at a time, using a knife (not scissors), saying:

Ties so binding,
Cut right through,
Guilt unwinding,
Freedom finding,
Loving you,
Not what you do.
* Light your candle, saying:

Light of self, burning true, I am me and you are you. Light of friendship, light so kind, free in heart and soul and mind.

* Now burn each of the knots in the orange candle so they drop into the sand, saying:

Free to live in harmony Caring still, but separately.

This is also a good ritual if you are separating or divorcing from a partner but need to maintain friendly contact, perhaps because you work together or have joint family or financial responsibilities.

A Sun Magick Ritual For Energy

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Because it can be dangerous to look directly at the Sun, catch your sunlight close to noon in a large crystal or in water in a brass dish.

As before, ‘inhale’ the sunlight via the crystal or water with your eyes open.

Hold the Sun breath, counting ‘One and two and three’, then close your eyes and exhale the darkness of your doubt, anger or lack of confidence. With practice, this will become a single movement.

Continue until you are filled with light and energy, then exhale a Sun breath, directing it to someone who is exhausted, frightened or ill.

Inhale the Sun and again exhale it towards a person or people in need.

Rinse your face in the Sun water, then tip the rest into the ground to energize a plant.

Whenever you feel tired, recall the Sun and inhale its light in your mind’s vision.

Repeat both these intakes of power once every month. If you have a particularly stressful or challenging time, hold a moonstone for your Moon energies in your power hand.

Hold a sparkling crystal quartz for the Sun in the other (receptive) hand to boost the flow as you visualize the natural sources.

In this way, you can balance the energies in both spheres of the brain for integrated mind and soul flow.

A Ritual Using Light And Cosmic Power

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The following ritual can be carried out anywhere at all, as direction is not important.

It is most powerful when performed standing beneath a tree that perhaps has stood for hundreds of years.

If sunlight is filtering through the leaves, so much the better.

You can work alone, with a group of friends, or in a more formal group.

You may want to decide in advance on a focus for the power, for example healing a particular place or a person you know.

Alternatively, you can let the energies find their own target as they cascade through the cosmos, increasing the positivity of the universe.

Stand with your feet apart and your arms outstretched above your head like the branches of a tree.

Through your feet, draw up rich, golden light from the Earth and let it flow upwards, becoming lighter and more golden as it rises to your fingertips.

Feel the light from above flowing downwards to merge with it.

If you are working alone, then, holding a long, silk scarf in either hand, move around the tree with your hands rising and falling in a spiral path to create swirls of energies, the most ancient of the Mother Goddess sacred geometric forms, while chanting and dancing.

If you are with friends, join hands around the tree and pass the light and energy between you from hand to hand, deosil, until you can feel the circle of light (you may even see luminous energy transferring from hand to hand).

Begin to circle the tree deosil, reciting faster and faster:

Tree power, Earth power, Sun shower and light, Encircle me, enfold me, Goddess radiance bright.

If you do not want to use the Goddess as a focus for your magick, you can substitute the word ‘god’ or say ‘golden radiance bright’.

You can also create your own chant, if you prefer, that may change from line to line, or use a simple mantra, such as:

Touch me,
enfold me,
enclose me.

When you feel the power reaching a climax, cast the scarves high into the air and hug the tree, pressing your feet down hard to ground your energy and receive healing light from the trunk.

If you are working alone, you may feel that in a sense you are not alone but are joining with the tree spirits and Devas, the higher forces of nature who will dance with you as you spiral.

You may even see their luminous outlines.
If you are working in a group, when you feel the power has reached a climax, unclasp your hands and with a final call, Above! raise them straight above your head and allow the energies to spiral through the cosmos.

Then sink down so that your hands and feet are pressing the ground and let any excess golden radiance and power return to the Earth. (If you do not do this, you will be buzzing all day and night as though you had been drinking too much coffee.)

A Ritual To Wash Away Negativity

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Infusions can be made, using lemon, peppermint, pine or tea tree oil, to wash away negative feelings.

Use 12 drops of essential oil to a bucket of hot water. Alternatively, add two peppermint tea bags to a cup of boiling water and leave to infuse for five minutes.

Use your essential oil infusion to scrub or mop floors, yards, balconies, doorsteps, or patios.

* Work in circles widdershins, saying:

“One for joy, two for gladness, Three and four to banish sadness, Five and six flee useless anger, Seven, eight, nine, linger no longer. Nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, Darker days now begone.

* Alternatively, strain and use the cooled peppermint liquid to sprinkle around rooms, to inject the freshness of spring emotionally and spiritually.

* Afterwards, place a vase of spring flowers, growing daffodils or hyacinth bulbs on a table in the center of the room to increase the life force

Winter’s End Ritual

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You Will Need

A White candle

A Corn dolly

A Fireproof receptacle

Either the sticky burrs from a cleavers plant (which has a cleansing effect) or several pieces of paper on which you have written your irritations

Method

Light the candle.

Cup the corn dolly in your hands and review the previous year, particularly winter.

Attach as many of the sticky burrs as you can to the corn dolly, making each one represent something that has irritated you.

Alternatively, tuck the pieces of paper into the corn dolly.

Carefully set the dolly alight and place it in the receptacle.

As the dolly burns say these words or similar:

Begone dull and nasty times
Welcome moments fine
I greet the new times with joy and laughter

When the corn dolly has burnt out, bury the ashes as an offering to the earth or dispose of them in running water.

Nature-based religions gave way to the Christians in other ways as well.

For example, the four-leaved clover has long been associated with the sun, good fortune, and luck.

To pagans, it also represented the Goddess form, the quaternity – the fourfold aspects of the deity

In Ireland, St Patrick is thought to have used the trefoil (three-leaved clover) to demonstrate the principle of the Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – to his followers.

He would have used material that was readily available to him rather than the rarer and more magical four-leaved plant, and would thus have signified the move away from intrinsic magical
knowledge associated with Mother Earth.

Incidentally, the clover plant is thought to give the wearer the ability to see the fairy form.

A Spring Equinox Cleaning Ritual

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Use this ritual to welcome the winds of positive change

You can perform it on any of the three days of the rising equinox energies that precede the equinox.

Alternatively, it can be adapted for cleansing away negativity and sorrows at any time.

I give an alternative version in my book Psychic Protection Lifts the Spirit.

You can join with family or friends in a communal spring cleaning of a collective living area or workspace.

Alternatively, you can use it alone to help you to clear out not only physical clutter but also emotional and spiritual stagnation in those areas of your life and relationships that would benefit from the winds of change.

Many deep sorrows and anxieties can be anonymously placed in the cauldron.

Our ancestors probably took such folk magick a lot less seriously and so we’re able to tune into the natural joyous energies of the season.

Begin your ritual in the morning.

Open the windows and doors of the place in which you are carrying out the ritual.

Alternatively, work in a yard or on a patio.

* Place your cauldron – a large pot, wide-necked vase or jug will do – on the floor.

* Each of those taking part in the ritual should now write or draw on a piece of paper a representation of every redundant issue or bar to happiness and fulfilment that they wish to blow away on the winds of change.

* Draw a cross through the words or image, then tear it into pieces and drop it in the pot, saying:

“It is done, it is gone, no more to trouble me. Banished be”.

* When all the papers are in the cauldron, you (or the whole group) tip the paper into the centre of the floor and scatter dried lavender on top, chanting:

“Out with sorrow, out with pain, joyous things alone remain”.

* Then take your broom, a traditional besom if possible, and hold it horizontally.

If you are working with others, everyone should take the brush-head of the person to their right and the broom-handle of the person to the left, holding them horizontally at a comfortable height for all of you.

* Dance nine times deosil round the paper and lavender, swirling faster and faster, and chanting:

“Three times three, the power I / we raise, Bringing with it happier days”.

* Then sweep the paper and lavender out of the back door.

If you are working out of doors, sweep itthrough out of the back gate into a gutter (you can clear up afterwards).

As you sweep, say:

“Dust to dust, away you must. New life bring, welcome spring.”

* After the ritual is over, try to leave enough time in the remainder of your day to go to the top of a hill.

Take a kite (made from a biodegradable fabric if possible) and in your mind, tie any lingering doubts, fears and concerns to the kite’s tail and let it fly away.

If you don’t have a kite, use a feather for each of your worries and throw them into the air.

Hopefully, a child will find the kite, cleansed by the winds, and it will bring joy.

Ritual and Spellwork

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It might be said that Witchcraft, recognizes the laws of the Universe symbolically through the Goddess and God, the Wheel of the Year, and reverence for all living things.

Rituals performed in celebration of these aspects of the Universe may or may not involve magical work, as some Witches prefer to focus on what they view as the “spiritual” side of life. Witches, on the other hand, tend to blend ritual with magic, and may actually focus solely on working to transform reality for the benefit of themselves and others.

This doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t consider themselves spiritual. Indeed, if all matter contains all matter, then there really is no separation between spiritual concerns and the concerns of everyday life.

Whether or not magic is being worked in a given ritual, Witches tend to incorporate a few common structures in their formal activities, including casting a sacred or magical circle, invoking deities and/or particular powers using special words and phrases, and closing the circle at the end of the ritual.

Movement, dance, chanting or singing may also be part of the activities.

These formal steps communicate to the higher realms of the Universe the thoughts and intentions of the practitioner(s) in a focused and effective manner, concentrating the energies of intention clearly and definitively.

Energy, as physical matter, is raised in ritual and directed toward specific purposes, whether for gratitude and celebration, manifesting solutions to problems, or both

Rituals in Magick

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Ritual magick is no different from any other activity that you may carry out in a systematic way.

Yes, it is true, it is more formal than folk magick: you are using special tools and following a series of preordained steps based on traditional practice.

But this does not mean that it has to be so complicated as to be beyond the capabilities of any normal person.

You do not need special powers; and the preparation is just the same as you would do if you were redecorating a room, servicing your car or preparing your annual accounts.

When you decide to do any of these tasks, you set out the necessary equipment in advance, so you are not constantly dashing off to find what you need.

You check that it is all in working order and you probably consult a reliable reference book, computer software or calculator to clarify the necessary stages and finer points of the method.

That is exactly what preparing for ritual magick is like.

First, you need to collect any relevant information; for example, you must find out which tools, herbs, candle colours, etc. you may require.

Then you must check that your magical tools are charged with power.

You must check whether the hour and the day are well-chosen to benefit from the energies and are most aligned to the focus.

If you are working with a group, you must decide in advance who is to carry the salt and other elemental substances round the circle, who will perform particular parts of the ritual, such as welcoming the Spirit Guardians.

This preparation is important, although.

You do not even need to belong to a coven to create beautiful rituals.

Indeed, practicing alone, you will find that as you increase in confidence, the natural rhythm of the ritual cycle will amplify your own innate powers and you will feel angelic or divine forces joining with you as you walk around the circle and hear their voices mingling with your chants.

You should not allow yourself to be overawed,  by books and practitioners who vaunt their knowledge of obscure magical phrases, measure their circles down to the last millimeter, and insist that only their form of working is authentic.

What matters is the actual connection you make in your ritual with the storehouse of natural and higher energies – and that can be done with a kitchen candle if the need is great and the intention pure.

Ultimately, the power is within you, and as you become skilled with magick, you may find that the external form becomes less important.

However, formal magick does have its place, for a special need or for raising spiritual awareness, or for focusing magical energies through the accumulated power of tools charged and regularly used for a positive purpose.

Some people believe also that in the ritual you tap into the energies of all those before you who have created circles of power and protection, and within them have raised and called upon the elemental qualities to bring desires and needs from the thought to the material plane.

The Aims Of Formal Rituals

Rituals and spells at all levels cause a positive change or effect, whether for oneself, a loved one or the whole ecosystem, as they bring healing, peace, reconciliation or whatever is needed in the spellcaster’s life.

But over and above all these is the purpose of raising one’s own levels of awareness so that perhaps for a few moments you feel connected to a higher power, perhaps even the source of divinity, and this is best expressed through the more ceremonial forms of work.

The awareness you attain may be experienced as a sense of deep peace, of being filled with golden light, of floating through clouds or certainty of being loved and protected, perhaps even as a glimpse of a Divinity.

Formal rituals do not have to be focused on a particular aim, however.

Sometimes, you may wish to carry out a ritual without having any specific purpose in mind. In this case, you can simply cast a circle and raise the energies gently through a natural focus of herbs, flowers or fruit, allowing wisdom.

The Hedge Craft – Rites and Rituals

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We previously looked at the word, enchantment (en chantement, “to sing
into”) as that which brings the songs of magic and the universe together
so there is a flow, balance and harmony as well as a guiding, directive
force. We can use enchantment in our lives for the same reason, to reenchant our daily lives with the magical and the mystical, through the
use of prayers and chants for mundane tasks, seasonal rites and
celebrations as well as specially-performed magical workings.
Daily Prayers and Chants (reweaving the connection of awen)
Awen, or inspiration, consists of the connecting threads that bind the
universe together in relationship. When we awaken ourselves to this vast
network of threads, we see that each one is important, and that the
boundaries between what is sacred and what is mundane become
blurred, as every action that we take has meaning, in this world and in
the Otherworld. We can use daily prayers and chants to help us reweave
this connection, or we can simply pay more attention to what it is that
we are doing. For instance, we get up in the morning, and we go to the
loo. We get dressed, then feed the cats, clean the litter boxes, make the
coffee and have a smoothie. We then get to work. Where is the
connection here, in a magical, mystical sense? How can we see the
threads that bind us together in these everyday mundane tasks?
It really does require discipline, attention and practice. Let’s take the
example of getting up in the morning and really pay attention. As soon as
we open our eyes, we can take a deep breath, and bring ourselves back
into our bodies once again. Inhabit your body fully. This is the key to
living in the moment, to being integrated, to feeling the threads of awen,
of inspiration. So often we inhabit our minds, but not our bodies. Let’s
change this now.
Fully feeling inside your body, connect with your ancestors. You
haven’t even got out of bed yet. You are still breathing, feeling your
body, the songs of your ancestors flowing through your blood. They are
always with you. Give thanks to your ancestors. Meister Eckhart said
that if the only prayer one ever says is thank you that is sufficient.
Gratitude is one of the greatest gifts we can give to the world, including
ourselves.
Mindfully, you sit up, placing your feet upon the floor. Take a moment
to really feel the floor under you. Feel the solidity of the house, and
stand up. Give thanks that you have a roof over your head, and a place
of safety. Go to the loo, (and give thanks for indoor plumbing, especially
in winter!) and dress for the day. Go to a window. Look out, and see
what is happening in your landscape. Watch the sun rise, if you can, or
look out into the inky blackness of a British morning in winter. If you
are able, go outside and take few deep breaths. If not, open a window for
a moment to feel the air on your skin, smelling the scents of the season.
Give thanks to the ancestors of place, those who have gone before and
who now provide you with life. They are the soil upon which you walk,
the materials with which your house was built. Look at any flora and
fauna around you, and give thanks to all that share this landscape with
you.
Then go and light a candle and some incense, and offer your practice
up to those who guide you. It could be a god, as well as ancestors of
tradition. Give thanks for all that they have taught you, and for all that
you still have to learn. Give thanks for being able to receive the wisdom.
Give thanks that they are a part of your life. Take a few minutes to
connect with deity, if you wish. Remember, it’s all about relationship.
Allow deity to flood your soul, and allow your soul to flood deity in
return. You can either leave the candle and incense burning, or put it out
to light tomorrow. Be sensible.
Then go and feed the cats, make the coffee. In feeding the cats, honour
their souls and their presence in your life. Be grateful for them. As the
coffee machine trickles water through the ground beans, give thanks for
clean drinking water, for the farmers who grew the crop. As you make
your smoothie, really look and honour each ingredient that you put in,
thinking about where it came from, what land, what brought it to your
kitchen countertop. Give thanks that you have food to eat, and a home
to eat it in. When eating, you can say a short prayer beforehand, of
gratitude and thanks.
You can continue this throughout the day. Reweaving the connection
can be a wonderful exercise in seeing just how imaginative you can be in
giving thanks to all that you have. It is also a wonderful lesson in just
how much we in the Western world have to be thankful for. Though we
are bombarded by horror and negativity each and every day through the
media, we can remember the small things that bring us joy. We can be
kind, and we can search for kindness in others. We can remember even
though there may lie some very dark days before us, with the world’s
powers seemingly going berserk, that even the smallest person can make
a difference. Remember that there are good people out there, working
hard to give homeless people a better life. Remember that there are
people giving first-aid and risking their own lives in war-torn counties
and cities. Remember that the oak tree outside your window is providing
you with oxygen. Remember your loved ones who support you, your
children who carry you in their very being. Awake, and aware, we
become attuned to the flow of the earth’s energies, of the land, the sea
and sky. And we are grateful.
• What are some things we can do, right here, right now, to reweave
that connection?
• What can we do as soon as we get home, to reweave that
connection?
• What can we do before we go to bed?
• What can we do at work?
• What can we do at play?
Through nurturing the connection and reweaving the threads, we are
nurturing our own souls. We are truly seeing our place in the web of
existence. We desperately need that nourishment. Too often we think
that humans are simply messing everything up, but we have to
acknowledge that even though it seems the majority of people might be
doing so, there are a good number of people working towards the exact
opposite, ourselves included. In the darkness of winter, it’s easy to lose
our way. Not guided by a great amount of light here in the UK, we can
easily slip into darkness and depression. But we must remember that the
spark of awen lies in each and every one of us. We have to seek out that
spark in ourselves, and then we can see it reflected in the world. If we
are attuned to the awen within, to the inspiration of connection, then we
can weave those threads in everything that we do. Then, our path is
guided by the brilliant, shining threads of existence.
Daily Prayers
Here are some examples of daily prayers that I use to help reweave the
connection. As a devotee of Brighid, I pray to Her every day, but you can
change the wording to any deity you work with.
A Prayer Upon Rising
I kindle my soul at the hearthfire of Brighid.
Flame of courage, flame of joy, drops of awen be upon my lips, my work.
May Brighid guide me in all my endeavours, this day and every day.
May the light of illumination be upon me, may the blessings of Brighid flow
through me.
May her fiery arrow bring forth awen, to shine upon all kith and kin.
A Daily Prayer and Meditation (to be performed at your altar each
morning) In Brighid’s name I light the flame.
Come into the sacred waters, lady of the three strong fires:
in the cauldron, in the belly, in the head: Brighid.
Lady of the sacred flame,
lady of the holy well,
lady of poetry, smithcraft and healing,
white serpent energy of Albion,
I honour you for all that you are with all that I am.
A Blessing Prayer for the Home (to be performed each morning and/or
just before bed) A blessing be upon this hearth and this home,
and all who dwell within.
A blessing be upon my Lady,
a blessing be upon this land.
May there be peace in our hearts and minds, and towards all fellow beings.
May we be the awen.
A Prayer before Meals
I give my thanks for this food that I am about to eat.
May it lend health, strength and nourishment to me.
I give my thanks to the spirits of land, sea and sky.
I honour all the times, and all the tides.
A Sunset Prayer (I prefer to sing this as the sun sets) Hail fair sun the
day is done.
We take the rest that we have won.
Your shining light guides our way.
Blessed thanks for this day.
A Prayer Just Before Sleep
I rest my soul in the arms of Brighid.
Lady of peace, lady of healing;
blessings of the sacred flame be upon me.
Protecting flame, the light in the darkness.
May her waters soothe my soul.
Lady, watch over me as I sleep, this night and every night.
May my love for you guide me in all that I do.
May we be the awen.
Have a look at the Carmina Gadelica, a tome previously mentioned that
captures much wisdom and folklore from previous centuries. In it you
will find charms and chants for everything, from harvesting herbs to
churning the butter. You can be inspired by this work, to create your
own charms and chants in order to bring more magic into your everyday
life. Also look up superstitions and folklore from your area, such as the
correct way to hang a horseshoe, or what to do when you come upon a
“fairy ring”. There are lots of sayings (and doings) for example, which
can be fun to incorporate into your daily life, such as: • If you find a
holey (holed) stone on the beach, look through hole and you will see the
spirits of the sea • You can also hang a holey stone in the stable, to stop
the horses from being “fairy ridden” at night (this is when your horse is
unwell in the morning; obviously take good care of the animal and call
the vet too!) • After eating a boiled chicken egg, punch a hole in the
bottom of the shell to stop evil witches from going to sea and sinking
ships • Make a wish when you see the first robin of winter • Doff your
cap, salute or greet any magpie you see You can also learn some country
crafts, such as making your own hand-dipped candles, brewing your own
beer, cider or wine, or growing your own herbs. You can learn how to
pickle fruits and vegetables, how to make jam or your own yoghurt.
Research family recipes and honour your ancestors with any skill and
talent that you may have in the kitchen. You can also tend a local area
and keep it clean, clear and honoured. If you’re lucky enough to live
near a well, you can reinstate the ancient art of well-dressing with each
festival of the year. All of these and more are various ways in which the
Craft of the Hedge Druid comes alive each and every day.

Components of Ritual Magick

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

1. Choose the timing of a spell.

2. Outline the ritual and prepare your tools and materials.

3. Purifying yourself.

4. Purifying the working space.

5. Creating a sacred circle.

6. Have an invocation.

7. Performing the ritual observance.

8. Raise and direct energy.

9. Earth (ground) the residual power.

10. Take some refreshment.

11. Acknowledge the Lady and Lord or elementals, source above and earth below, ancient ones, etc.

12. Release (farewell) the elementals.

13. Open the circle.

These components of a ritual have been given previously, in circle casting, but not outlined quite so simply.

It does sound somewhat complicated but only reads that way.

Each step, over time, becomes simple as a morning routine or having a friend come to visit.

Prepare your spell in advance if possible, readying your candles if needed, and have your spellbook/wording/invocation at hand.

Bathe with an herbal pouch (rosemary, lavender, and thyme, or basil, fennel, and vervain, or as directed in previous classes) if desired.

The bathing is a time to wash off the cares of the mundane world and center one’s self.

Cleanse the ritual area of negativity and chaotic energies, with a besom, from the center of the circle to the outer edges, moving clockwise.

You may chant your intent as you work if you like. Light your main candle and incense, then you are ready to cast your circle.

The circle’s purpose is to create a space where you can build up energies without them dissipating, so you can direct it toward your magical working.

There is no need to delineate the circle except with what you envision, though you may mark each quarter as you see fit: candles, objects associated with elements, etc.

Many people insist a circle is necessary for protection, but the actual purpose is the gathering and focusing of power.

The protection idea comes from the ceremonial practice of summoning (demons or angels) and keeping them at bay.

In this case, the circle is the space into which you summon, though the author warns this type of summoning can be dangerous.

While a circle is not strictly necessary to hold a conversation with your deities, the elementals, or devas, it is still recommended by the author to do this until the experience is built up.

And as an added bonus, if you cast your circle in the same space each time, the room and home in which this is done begin to form a larger circle over your living space.

For candle magic, you may carve/inscribe the candle with a rune or symbol or write a word or name, as is appropriate for your working.

You may choose to anoint the candle with consecrated oil before lighting and take care to use a fireproof container for burning down in.

Even the candle holder itself will get very hot, and should not be touched while in use, so take care where it is placed.

As you perform your spell, envision the actions you take as they lead to the completed goal so that by the time you have said all the words and added herbs to the candle flame, the process is seen as accomplished, and your final words will show it as done.

You may raise the energy by chanting the spell, dance, etc, as you are drawn to do. When you feel the energy as it builds to its climax, send the energy to perform its task.

Then ground away from any residual energies by placing palms on the floor/ground and allow the leftovers run out.

Without grounding, you may feel nervous or agitated for several days, or you may feel suddenly dissipated and listless.

As you work your magic, take care to manage your personal needs and not drain away too much of your own vital energies.

As the candle burns down, take some refreshment (cakes & wine part of the ceremony).

This offers a way to come back to earth and settle yourself back to reality before opening the circle again.

The beverage and food are up to the witch in question, you don’t have to drink wine if you don’t want to, etc.

When your refreshments are finished, it is time to acknowledge the beings you work with, say goodbye to the elementals, and open the circle.

As you say goodbye to each elemental, thank them for their help, and offer your blessing to them.

And remember you are saying goodbye, not forcing them to leave.

As you open the circle, work in the opposite way from how you set it up.

So if you cast the circle clockwise, pull it down counter-clockwise (widdershins), or vice versa.

Draw down the energy from casting the circle, draw it into your body from whatever tool you used to put it up, and hold that energy within yourself.

Allow the candle to burn down for one hour, then use a snuffer to put it out.

Pinching out the flame may not be possible if it is very hot (when there are herbs in a candle or it has been burning a very long time), so investing in a snuffer is a good idea.

Looking at the melted wax or herb residue is a way to use divination to determine how the spellwork went.

Sometimes the way the candle burns tells what you need to know.

There are any number of possibilities, and as with other forms of divination, use your intuition to guide your way.