For this lesson, I have copied a page from my wicca site and made some adaptions for the class. You have been learning about energy manipulation, ritual tools, and have participated in several wiccan sabbats in some form since you started this class. Now I want to help you learn how to create your own rituals. The following steps below will give you a basic outline of how most rituals are designed. This is only a starting point though and I encourage you to make this personal and add your own special touches to your ritual. Study the steps below and then taking your time, write your own Full Moon Ritual. There is a link below to show you a sample Full Moon Ritual to give you an idea of the actual rite but there is more that goes along with any practice in your circle. These steps can be as elaborate or as simple as you want. Listen to your inner spirit and you will find what works for you. Once you have designed your ritual, share it with the class at the class club or send it to me directly using the links at the bottom of the page. Feel free to ask questions as well. Good luck and I look forward to seeing your ritual.
1. Purification of Yourself
This is simply putting yourself in the right mood and to put your focus on the ritual you are about to perform. You can play soft relaxing music and light candles and incense. You can take an ritual bath. A ritual bath is a relaxing bath with bath oils and natural bath salts. For a real good effect, put candles and incense around the bathtub and just enjoy yourself. When you're done with the bath, you might annoint yourself with frankincense or sandalwood oil and sit down and meditate for a little while. Whatever it is you do, the point is to forget the stresses of life and focus on the ritual.
2. Purification of the Ritual Area
If you are performing indoors, make sure that you are in a quiet place where you won't be disturbed.
Clean the floor and area physically. Then take your ritual broom, and magickally cleanse the area. Move the broom lightly across the floor, barely touching the floor, and visualize all the negativity and psychic clutter being swept away.
You can also scatter salt mixed with herbs (thyme, rosemary, frankincense, or sage) to cleanse the room with the enegies contained within them. You can also play a musical instument using ascending scales to purify.
You can burn a clearing incense like frankincense, myrrh, sage, thyme, or rosemary. You can use any one or combinations of these to cleanse your ritual area.
If you are performing outdoors, there is very little cleansing to be done. A light sweeping with the ritual broom is usually all that you need to do.
3. Casting the Circle
We will cover this in detail in the next lesson but you can go to the circle casting page of my wicca site for help with this part.
4. Invocations
This is one of the most important parts of a ritual. The purpose of rituals are to connect with the Goddess and the God. It is simply a prayer, rhyme, song, dance, or gestures to commune with the Deities. Feel free to write you own invocations. It helps when you are memorizing them for them to rhyme but they don't have to. Do what you feel is right for you. This is your time to talk to the Deities, just do it in love and your ritual will be blessed.
5 Ritual Observance
This is the rituals that you would perform for a Sabbat, Full-Moon (also called Esbats), or just meditation. See my wicca site Rituals Page for detailed instructions for various rituals. I have started with the Full-Moon Rite and then cover all 8 of the wiccan sabbat holidays. These rituals should be performed with joy and celebration. They do not need to be solemn and glum. Wicca is a religion of celebration, singing and dancing. Let yourself go with the currents of energy around you.
6. Magick
This is where you perform spells and use divination. You don't have to do this everytime you perform a ritual, but do so if you have need of it. Many wicca's perform magick during rituals because Sabbats and Full-Moons are very powerful times of the year and have an abundance of energy.
Once you have finished performing magick or divination, sit and let yourself feel the energies of the worship area and think about the Deities and the relationship you have with them. Take your mind off of all the ritual performance and relax for a moment.
7. Earthing Power
When you send energy into spells and rituals, some of the energy still races around inside of you and the circle. You need to put things back in balance. It is also a good way of bringing things to a close.
Some wiccan's call this time the Simple Feast or Cakes and Wine. Use which ever you like. Since food is of the earth, it brings us back to the physical reality. You can use small cakes, crescent cookies, nuts, fruit, or any light snack. Some wiccan's like to use food that goes along with the ritual they have been performing. For the drink, you can use wine, water, herbal teas or any other natural type drink.
Before you eat it is good to give the Deities and offering of Food and Drink in the libation dish. When you finish and have released the circle, bury the offerings in the ground.
Hold the chalice of drink up in your hands toward the sky, and say something similar to this:
My Lady of the Moon, Bless this wine with the power of your love.
Next hold the plate of food up in your hand toward the sky, and say:
My Lord of the Earth, Bless this food with the power of your love.
Then eat and drink.
There are other ways of earthing energy, like tasting salt and scattering salt around the room. You can use one of your tools to absorb the extra energy such as the athame or pentacle. You can sit on the floor and push the extra energy into the ground. There are many other ways wiccans do this. Do what works best for you. I personally like doing the Simple Feast.
8. Thanking the Deities and Releasing the Circle
When you have finished earthing power in whatever way you chose, you should thank the Goddess and the God for being with you and ask that they come again.
After thanking the Deities, it is time to release te circle. Go back to the Circle Casting page on my wicca site listed above for detailed instructions on closing the circle. Once you have released the circle, clean everything up and put things away. That's it. You have finished the ritual.
Be patient with yourself, it takes time to learn all of this. It's okay if you mess up, the Deities understand. You will get better everytime you perform a ritual and it will become more natural. Have fun and enjoy the rituals. The Goddess and the God want you to enjoy your time with them.
Brightest Blessings,
Arianna Moonlightshadow
