Basic Ritual Outline

Basic Ritual Outline

by Sierra SilverOwl 

It occurs to me there are folks here who don't know where to start. This is

for them. Please take into account this was composed over a few minutes. It

is generic and geared toward a one person show. It is not intended to be

written in stone, but to be used as a basis for the development of something

more meaningful. 

Set up an altar. Things that can be on it include: altar cloth, candles (or

virtual candles), athame, wand, chalice, salt, water, a sea shell, starfish

(for a pentacle), decorations such as flowers or gourds. Whatever. You get

the idea. 

Cleanse the area. If indoors this could be as simple as sweeping or

vacuuming the floor. Some folks like in depth cleaning. It is up to the

individual. 

Ritual cleansing 

Take a broom (can be one from Joanne's Fabrics that is two inches tall) and

stand in the area to be used as a sacred space. Ground, center, and

visualize the broom cleaning away any negative energy. Allow the broom to

spin your body around, clearing and negative energies away. Sweep them out a

door or window, shutting it after them. The door or window can be marked

with a drawn pentagram (in the air or on the door with a fingertip or even

more elaborate ritual done if desired). 

If you feel the area needs an in depth cleaning, add this step 

Go back to the area to be used. Put water and salt in the seashell. Mix them

with a finger. Face the East (or North if you prefer) and say: With Fire and

Earth I cleanse the (direction). Dip your fingers in the water. Sprinkle the

water around the arc of the circle. 

Do this for each of the directions (North/East/South/West), saying With Fire

and Earth, etc. at each quarter. I suppose it would be good to identify

which way North/East/South/and West are before starting. 

When finished return the salted water to the altar (if you are short on

space mix the salt and water in the kitchen, bringing it to the altar in the

seashell). If you are into fire, light some incense. The burning of the

incense mixes with the air. Say: With Fire and Air I cleanse (or bless) the

(direction). Go around the circle again, visualizing it being cleansed (or

blessed). I'd only cleanse if it were the first time I'd used the area,

since the sweeping has already taken place - or if there'd been a

disturbance there since the last ritual. 

Put the incense on the table. Let it burn out. Or put it out if you don't

like smoke. Of if fire isn't possible, use "virtual" incense. 

Starting the ritual 

Pick up the athame and face North or East as you prefer. Draw a pentacle in

the air, pushing the athame through the center of it to "seal" it. (kind of

like tacking it in place) move from North to East to South, to West, back to

North. Visualize an energy globe being created as you move. The energy comes

from the Earth through your body and out the point of the athame. If you don't have 

an athame use your index finger. It works. 

When you have completed the circle, return to the point where you started,

make another pentacle, fix it as you did the first and say, "The Circle is

Cast." 

Calling the Four Quarters/Elements/Watchtowers 

One way to do it is to call on the Elements. You can do it as Watchtowers or

simply say something like: 

Element of Earth, that which supports us and brings life to us, I bid you

attend my magickal circle this night. 

Element of Air, that which provides us with the breath of life, I bid you

attend my magickal circle this night. 

Element of Fire, that which provides us with warmth in the dark of night, I

bid you attend my magickal circle this night. 

Element of Water, that which provides us with moisture and life, I bid you

attend my magickal circle this night. 

I light a candle for each element - Blue for Earth/North, Yellow for

Air/East, Red for Fire/South and Green for West/Water. I also have a candle

I call a fire candle, which is used to light the other candles from. If you

wish, use virtual candles, don't worry about the colors and use a

visualization of some other sort that makes sense to you. 

Call to the Goddess: 

Great Goddess, Mother of us all, 

Be here tonight for this magickal rite. 

Lend me your strength, 

Lend me your love, 

Lend me your compassion. 

Blessed be thee! 

Call to the God 

: 

Lord, I call you to this circle, 

Hunter, green man, lord of the hunt, 

Lend me your power, your force of will, 

Be here here with us tonight at this magickal rite. 

At this point you will want to meditate and or do your magickal work - if

you have any. My former HPS used to recommend learning to do ritual for a

good long time - like a year - as a strictly celebratory rite rather than as

a time to do magick. If, for instance, you wanted to use this as a

self-dedication you might meditate on your desire and then make a simple

declaration of intent to the Gods. I will leave the details of what you

might want to do to you to compose. that to you to compose. Speak from your

heart. Or if you have something else you want to do, then insert that

portion here. 

Closing: 

Lord, thank you for coming tonight to be with me and witnessing this rite.

Go if you must, but stay if you will. Blessed be. 

Say the same thing for the Goddess, substituting Lady for Lord. 

If you have lighted lord and lady candles, put them out now. 

Bid all the elements goodbye: Element of (name element), thank you for

attending my magickal rite. I bid you return to your spiritual realms with

my blessings. So mote it be! 

If you have lighted element candles put them out now. 

Pick up the athame. Go to the pentacle you have fixed. Put the athame in it,

cut down and suck up the energy of the circle into the athame. 

Move in a counterclockwise motion. 

When done ground out the energy. 

Say: The circle is open but unbroken. May the peace of the goddess live in

my heart. 

Then have a nice time. 

*** ** *** ** *** **

Basic Ritual Outline

A. Ritual Preparation 

1. Define purpose 

2. Write ritual 

3. Gather necessary tools 

4. Prepare area 

5. Prepare body

B. Open Circle 

1. Find true North 

2. Set up Magickal 'doorway' 

3. Call the Watchtowers / Elemental Quarters

C. Invocation to the deities 

1. Align self with deity 

2. Invoke deities

D. Statement of Purpose 

E. Actual Rite 

1. Working 

a. Complete preliminary manual or visual task 

b. Raise power / energy 

c. Focus power / energy 

d. Ground power / energy 

2. Honoring 

a. Complete preliminary manual or visual task 

b. Dedicate cakes and wine 

c. Partake in cakes and wine

F. Meditation 

G. Thanking the deities 

H. Closing the Circle 

1. Mentally and verbally close the circle 

2. Physically close the circle 

3. Clean up 

a. Disposal 

b. Washing of plates and glasses 

c. Putting away tools and other implements