Hadit Night – Life, the giver of Life, the Magician, the Exorcist

Purple beyond purple: it is the light higher than eyesight.

Stele of Revealing

Chapter II

1.	Nu! the hiding of Hadit.		23
2.	Come! all ye, and learn the secret that hath not yet been revealed. I, Hadit, am the complement of Nu, my bride. I am not extended, and Khabs is the name of my House.
3.	In the sphere I am everywhere the centre, as she, the circumference, is nowhere found.
4.	Yet she shall be known & I never.
5.	Behold! the rituals of the old time are black. Let the evil ones be cast away; let the good ones be purged by the prophet! Then shall this Knowledge go aright.
6.	I am the flame that burns in every heart of man, and in the core of every star. I am Life, and the giver of Life, yet therefore is the knowledge of me the knowledge of death.
7.	I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.		24
8.	Who worshipped Heru-pa-kraath have worshipped me; ill, for I am the worshipper.
9.	Remember all ye that existence is pure joy; that all the sorrows are but as shadows; they pass & are done; but there is that which remains.
10.	O prophet! thou hast ill will to learn this writing.
11.	I see thee hate the hand & the pen; but I am stronger.
12.	Because of me in Thee which thou knewest not.		25
13.	for why? Because thou wast the knower, and me.
14.	Now let there be a veiling of this shrine: now let the light devour men and eat them up with blindness!
15.	For I am perfect, being Not; and my number is nine by the fools; but with the just I am eight, and one in eight: Which is vital, for I am none indeed. The Empress and the King are not of me; for there is a further secret.
16.	I am The Empress & the Hierophant. Thus eleven, as my bride is eleven.
17.	Hear me, ye people of sighing! The sorrows of pain and regret Are left to the dead and the dying, The folk that not know me as yet.		26
18.	These are dead, these fellows; they feel not. We are not for the poor and sad: the lords of the earth are our kinsfolk.
19.	Is a God to live in a dog? No! but the highest are of us. They shall rejoice, our chosen: who sorroweth is not of us.
20.	Beauty and strength, leaping laughter and delicious languor, force and fire, are of us.
21.	We have nothing with the outcast and the unfit: let them die in their misery. For they feel not. Compassion is the vice of kings: stamp down the wretched & the weak: this is the law of the strong: this is our law and the joy of the world. Think not, o king, upon that lie: That Thou Must Die: verily thou shalt not die, but live. Now let it be understood: If the body of the King dissolve, he shall remain in pure ecstasy for ever. Nuit! Hadit! Ra-Hoor-Khuit! The Sun, Strength & Sight, Light; these are for the servants of the Star & the Snake.		27
22.	I am the Snake that giveth Knowledge & Delight and bright glory, and stir the hearts of men with drunkenness. To worship me take wine and strange drugs whereof I will tell my prophet, & be drunk thereof! They shall not harm ye at all. It is a lie, this folly against self. The exposure of innocence is a lie. Be strong, o man! lust, enjoy all things of sense and rapture: fear not that any God shall deny thee for this.		28
23.	I am alone: there is no God where I am.
24.	Behold! these be grave mysteries; for there are also of my friends who be hermits. Now think not to find them in the forest or on the mountain; but in beds of purple, caressed by magnificent beasts of women with large limbs, and fire and light in their eyes, and masses of flaming hair about them; there shall ye find them. Ye shall see them at rule, at victorious armies, at all the joy; and there shall be in them a joy a million times greater than this. Beware lest any force another, King against King! Love one another with burning hearts; on the low men trample in the fierce lust of your pride, in the day of your wrath.		29
25.	Ye are against the people, O my chosen!		30
26.	I am the secret Serpent coiled about to spring: in my coiling there is joy. If I lift up my head, I and my Nuit are one. If I droop down mine head, and shoot forth venom, then is rapture of the earth, and I and the earth are one.
27.	There is great danger in me; for who doth not understand these runes shall make a great miss. He shall fall down into the pit called Because, and there he shall perish with the dogs of Reason.
28.	Now a curse upon Because and his kin!		31
29.	May Because be accursèd for ever!
30.	If Will stops and cries Why, invoking Because, then Will stops & does nought.
31.	If Power asks why, then is Power weakness.
32.	Also reason is a lie; for there is a factor infinite & unknown; & all their words are skew-wise.
33.	Enough of Because! Be he damned for a dog!
34.	But ye, o my people, rise up & awake!
35.	Let the rituals be rightly performed with joy & beauty!
36.	There are rituals of the elements and feasts of the times.		32
37.	A feast for the first night of the Prophet and his Bride!
38.	A feast for the three days of the writing of the Book of the Law.
39.	A feast for Tahuti and the child of the Prophet— secret, O Prophet!
40.	A feast for the Supreme Ritual, and a feast for the Equinox of the Gods.
41.	A feast for fire and a feast for water; a feast for life and a greater feast for death!
42.	A feast every day in your hearts in the joy of my rapture!		33
43.	A feast every night unto Nu, and the pleasure of uttermost delight!
44.	Aye! feast! rejoice! there is no dread hereafter. There is the dissolution, and eternal ecstasy in the kisses of Nu.
45.	There is death for the dogs.
46.	Dost thou fail? Art thou sorry? Is fear in thine heart?
47.	Where I am these are not.
48.	Pity not the fallen! I never knew them. I am not for them. I console not: I hate the consoled & the consoler.		34
49.	I am unique & conqueror. I am not of the slaves that perish. Be they damned & dead! Amen. (This is of the 4: there is a fifth who is invisible, & therein am I as a babe in an egg.)
50.	Blue am I and gold in the light of my bride: but the red gleam is in my eyes; & my spangles are purple & green.
51.	Purple beyond purple: it is the light higher than eyesight.
52.	There is a veil: that veil is black. It is the veil of the modest woman; it is the veil of sorrow, & the pall of death: this is none of me. Tear down that lying spectre of the centuries: veil not your vices in virtuous words: these vices are my service; ye do well, & I will reward you here and hereafter.		35
53.	Fear not, o prophet, when these words are said, thou shalt not be sorry. Thou art emphatically my chosen; and blessed are the eyes that thou shalt look upon with gladness. But I will hide thee in a mask of sorrow: they that see thee shall fear thou art fallen: but I lift thee up.
54.	Nor shall they who cry aloud their folly that thou meanest nought avail; thou shall reveal it: thou availest: they are the slaves of because: They are not of me. The stops as thou wilt; the letters? change them not in style or value!		36
55.	Thou shalt obtain the order & value of the English Alphabet; thou shalt find new symbols to attribute them unto.
56.	Begone! ye mockers; even though ye laugh in my honour ye shall laugh not long: then when ye are sad know that I have forsaken you.		37
57.	He that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is filthy shall be filthy still.
58.	Yea! deem not of change: ye shall be as ye are, & not other. Therefore the kings of the earth shall be Kings for ever: the slaves shall serve. There is none that shall be cast down or lifted up: all is ever as it was. Yet there are masked ones my servants: it may be that yonder beggar is a King. A King may choose his garment as he will: there is no certain test: but a beggar cannot hide his poverty.
59.	Beware therefore! Love all, lest perchance is a King concealed! Say you so? Fool! If he be a King, thou canst not hurt him.		38
60.	Therefore strike hard & low, and to hell with them, master!
61.	There is a light before thine eyes, o prophet, a light undesired, most desirable.
62.	I am uplifted in thine heart; and the kisses of the stars rain hard upon thy body.
63.	Thou art exhaust in the voluptuous fullness of the inspiration; the expiration is sweeter than death, more rapid and laughterful than a caress of Hell’s own worm.		39
64.	Oh! thou art overcome: we are upon thee; our delight is all over thee: hail! hail: prophet of Nu! prophet of Had! prophet of Ra-Hoor-Khu! Now rejoice! now come in our splendour & rapture! Come in our passionate peace, & write sweet words for the Kings!
65.	I am the Master: thou art the Holy Chosen One.		40
66.	Write, & find ecstasy in writing! Work, & be our bed in working! Thrill with the joy of life & death! Ah! thy death shall be lovely: whoso seeth it shall be glad. Thy death shall be the seal of the promise of our agelong love. Come! lift up thine heart & rejoice! We are one; we are none.
67.	Hold! Hold! Bear up in thy rapture; fall not in swoon of the excellent kisses!
68.	Harder! Hold up thyself! Lift thine head! breathe not so deep— die!
69.	Ah! Ah! What do I feel? Is the word exhausted?		41
70.	There is help & hope in other spells. Wisdom says: be strong! Then canst thou bear more joy. Be not animal; refine thy rapture! If thou drink, drink by the eight and ninety rules of art: if thou love, exceed by delicacy; and if thou do aught joyous, let there be subtlety therein!
71.	But exceed! exceed!
72.	Strive ever to more! and if thou art truly mine— and doubt it not, an if thou art ever joyous!— death is the crown of all.
73.	Ah! Ah! Death! Death! thou shalt long for death. Death is forbidden, o man, unto thee.		42
74.	The length of thy longing shall be the strength of its glory. He that lives long & desires death much is ever the King among the Kings.
75.	Aye! listen to the numbers & the words:
76.	4 6 3 8 A B K 2 4 A L G M O R 3 Y X 24 89 R P S T O V A L. What meaneth this, o prophet? Thou knowest not; nor shalt thou know ever. There cometh one to follow thee: he shall expound it. But remember, o chosen one, to be me; to follow the love of Nu in the star-lit heaven; to look forth upon men, to tell them this glad word.
77.	O be thou proud and mighty among men!		43
78.	Lift up thyself! for there is none like unto thee among men or among Gods! Lift up thyself, o my prophet, thy stature shall surpass the stars. They shall worship thy name, foursquare, mystic, wonderful, the number of the man; and the name of thy house 418.
79.	The end of the hiding of Hadit; and blessing & worship to the prophet of the lovely Star!

Storms (migrated post from 8/30/05)

Have a few minutes as Thunder Storm rolls through and knocked out phone service…Time for lunch break as well…So exploring the Palace a bit more…

The PALACE is shaking a bit from the Thunder and corners illuminated with Lightning…Rain can wash away dross…Seems sturdy enough…

Hellfire GOETIA…I chose 13 Beleth…of course, most like the BEAST and the sigil on the cover is stunning.

Trying to remember COLD…outside is SO HOT and HUMID…then wondering about Ritual tonight if there is rain…lashing the limbs of Lilith and to be drunk by the Serpent…
perhaps a RAM sacrifice in front of Lilith will make its way to 156 – if not the RAM then 59 with some honey, milk, oil, and wine…and then across the Ocean…wonder if it will be lost in the shuffle of Sacrifices as New Orleans tries to find her feet in the swirling wake of Katrina…

Purchasing a stand by ticket next week for Zach one way to Arizona to hold through the Hurricane Season…watching the pics of the disaster in the South, I felt ill. Then I will watch the gas prices shoot up to probably $4 per gallon – already at $3. GRIM Storm…and listened to the news too much…

“Weep Thou again, O Weeping One! Thy tears that gush within the goal
are songs that shudder in the soul, and springs that gladden at the sun.
They flood me with irradiate tunes of life and ecstasy and light
as though some misty maid of night were girded with a million moons.
They make my pulsing blood to pour in rhythmic throbs of music rare;
My songs shall course the choral air from Mazaghan to Mogador.
And leaping all the lesser bars I shall become the ONE and ALL,
and cry the cross-dissolving call, and lose myself among the stars.”
Bibliomancy from Konx Om Pax

Off to shower and soak…WATER…pore breathing…need to gather the offerings for tonight for my own agenda…

Essay – Blowing Bubbles & Other Fun Stuff – Energy Work

Basic Energy work is an important function in spiritual and magickal practice. This essay deals more with some protection exercises – then follow these up with the RLBRP or Star Ruby.

We do not live in a bubble or better to say – we can live in a bubble of our own choosing. As we move about our mundane lives, we take what we consider normal everyday precautions. We follow the rules of the road so as to avoid accidents. As Above, So Below…in magickal practice, it is important to take normal everyday precautions as well and follow the rules of the road. Some of these seem very simple but keeping it simple will allow you to remember it better and do it quicker with the same results sometimes as a long, involved ritual. The following topics will deal with subjects that can be explored further in practicals. Further research and practice is encouraged.

SHIELDS
Shields protect you from everything from mundane garbage that can be picked up to astral nasties that can hitch a ride. Most people instinctively employ shields on an unconscious level. Whenever you are around someone that does not make you feel safe or comfortable, chances are you are employing a shield without even being aware of it. As you become more conscious, these shields become more effective and become second nature. The trick is that you do not want to shield SO effectively that you filter out good stuff as well!
Shields are built from the aura out, utilizing your chakras, etheric field, and visualization. They range from the simple and effective visualizations of a bubble or a stone wall to complicated defense mechanisms. We will start with the simple.

Sit in your sacred space and breathe deeply. Four count in through your nose and four count out through your mouth works well
Relax your body – start with your crown and slowly move down all the way to your toes, consciously relaxing each muscle and area of the body as you move through it
Feel your aura – It generally hovers at about an arms length from your body – feel it as a tangible force – different from the environment around you
Visualize a star above your head – hold it for a few moments and strengthen the visualization
Allow a stream of white light to descend from the star and completely encase your aura and seal up at the bottom of your feet – in effect creating a “bubble” of white light
Again – remain with this visualization – feel your aura as a tension (in a good way) against the bubble – your aura should feel stronger and the tension should in turn strengthen the bubble
MOST IMPORTANTLY – KNOW that NOTHING can interfere with this bubble without YOU ALLOWING IT! Your magick is your will…USE IT
Play with the bubble a bit – see how far away from you that you can extend it before it begins to weaken – in general and beginning practice, the bubble will be more effective the closer it remains to your auric field but this will change as you practice until you can encompass any space within that bubble – like your house
It is important as well to set up conscious guidelines or expectations for your energy work…Use a mantra or chant to strengthen your bubble if that helps you focus
If your aura feels cloudy – form the bubble and see the disturbances as gray particles – then consciously PUSH them our of the bubble – then strengthen the bubble again
Deep breathe again – allow the bubble to fade from conscious sight but KNOW that it remains within your aura to filter out negative energy

I used a bubble for the visualization because it is simple and easy
to manage. Visualization of an impenetrable wall sometimes become just that – impenetrable to the positive flow of energy that you want to invite in as well as keeping out the negative. Walls can be effective, however, if you encounter someone that is a vampire or just icky and then throw up the walls around you quickly to keep them out. As they move out of range, take your walls back down – don’t forget! The bubble can always stay as a permanent outer force field to your aura that can also be utilized as a filter. You may also change the color of the bubble for specific purposes – need to be calm? Try a light blue. Want to amp up your energy or pack a punch? – try red and so on.
EVERYONE should have some kind of shield in place. It keeps negative energies of all kinds away from you and gives you control of what you allow in and out of your space. This visualization should be done daily until it becomes second nature but still should be “formally” strengthened frequently, especially if something happens that throws your chakras and auras off balance. It is also a good exercise when your aura feels mucky and you want to consciously push some energy out.
SHIELDS UP – you are the captain of this ship – make sure it is protected!

WARDS
I list wards separately although they are a type of shield. My wards tend to be more symbolic or ritual oriented than my shields and, typically, I place wards on places or things. Wards employ the use of a symbolic image for your visualization – such as a pentagram, a spiral, a rune, any symbol that has meaning for you. They are then placed on specific areas and left there and charged with a purpose. They need to be recharged at frequent intervals until you are used to maintaining them. They can also be placed physically as you are placing them energetically – draw the pentagram or symbol with your finger or oil on doors, windows as you place it there energetically. Wards also may be charged with a specific purpose other than protection. For example, you can set them as an early warning system or against a certain type of person…so much for the pesky neighbor – lol. On a side note, I had a pesky neighbor who I specifically set a ward for so that she subconsciously does not want to come near my door – typically, she stays away from the house, but I became puzzled when she crossed my wards just. I watched her tromping back and forth and then I realized, she is mentally ill and when she is in the grip of a particularly manic cycle of her mental illness, well…her normal alarm system was not working for her either. SO – keep in mind, wards to keep out the mentally ill need to be fine tuned. We will discuss this further in your Practicals.

THE ASTRAL HANDOFF
Are there days when you JUST cannot shake off negative energy and feelings? Or that there is something very specific that you cannot stop dwelling on incessantly – but want to stop? A metaphysical teacher taught me a neat trick for just these instances…These are the steps:
Give it a shape
Give it a color
Give it away
Sounds easy, right? It is but there a few additional notes. If it is a
particularly pressing issue, you may need to do this A LOT – like every few minutes. BUT, stick with it and I guarantee that not only will you start thinking about it less and less, you will feel BETTER. I also want to address the handoff…the give it away part. You should give it away to:
your guide, your Goddess, an angel, whatever or whoever…Any being that you have a relationship with that can take it and – think this consciously – they will then transform this energy into positive Universal energy that – think consciously – will not return to you! IT IS GONE. You can even visualize a cauldron that you throw it into and watch it burn. This is like a mini-banishing exercise plus getting creative with the colors, shapes, and handoff method can be very satisfying if it is a situation that is incurring some wrath.
Example: A woman breaks up with her boyfriend and cannot get him off her mind but wants to stop thinking about him. Give it a shape – how about a big X – give it a color…XXXX (hehe) – now, give it away – She hands it off to Isis who takes it into the void and blows the X up. Again, you may have to do this mentally MANY, MANY times a day in the beginning, but again, with practice, it will work more effectively and lessen your stress. Also, you can do it anywhere and anytime – walking down the street, driving in the car (ummm-do NOT close your eyes to visualize), sitting at your desk – anywhere, anytime.

MIRRORS, MIRRORS EVERYWHERE
Another great passive self-defense mechanism is the use of mirrors. Placing mental, astral, and sometimes physical mirrors around you and your home provides a built in defense system. Mirrors REFLECT. In the mental, astral world, they can reflect energy right back at the sender. Again, the conscious thought when placing them is that you want them to reflect that which would be harmful to you, those you love around you, or your home, or all of the above. We still want the good stuff to get in. Mirrors may also be employed in the same way as the walls when you are faced with an unpleasant person that is encroaching on your energetic space or is pushing their unpleasant energy at you. The visualization is simply mirrors all around you – above, below, and all around. They can become permanent fixtures in your astral world or you can utilize them at will. I recommend both. Setting them up and maintaining them will take some time and conscious effort but is well worth it. The added benefit to utilizing a mirror is that if someone indeed is emitting negative energy your way, they will get a faceful of their own medicine without you having to do a thing.

RECHARGING YOUR BATTERIES
If you are not used to constant energy work and having to maintain energy on a daily basis, some of these practices can leave you feeling depleted. Add to that, new rituals, new experiences and things get overwhelming quickly. Recharge frequently. The Goddess Middle Pillar Exercise and RLBRP are both designed to recharge you – or you can do meditation, breathing, chakra balancing, eat ice cream, whatever works. But know that eventually your systems will balance and many of these beginning things that are so conscious now will become part and parcel of your automatic and don’t have to think about it world. ANYONE that is feeling depleted and cannot recharge, please talk to another Practitioner. Walking around in that condition leaves you more vulnerable than when you started.

Essay – Void of Course Moon

Dion Fortune was an amazing woman. She was an occultist, a pioneer in the field of psychology, a medium, a channel, an author and so much more and ALL at the turn of the century! I cannot say enough to encourage everyone to read her books – she has fiction (Of which Moon Magic is one) and non-fiction. She has written one of the most comprehensive Qabala books in the occult world and 70 years later, the “Mystical Qabala” is still THE reference book for all other authors. Her fiction is not completely that – as she says in many of her writings – there are always things there for those that have the eyes to see and the ears to listen. Borders carries many of her books and of course, Amazon is the resource. She founded an Occult Fraternity – the Inner Light and they are still operating today – with an amazing woman by the name of Dolores Ashcrofte-Nowicki at the helm. Check her out – Moon Magic and the Sea Priestess are the bare requirements IMHO!

LUNA
“I am the star that rises from the sea, the twilight sea.
I bring men dreams that rule their destiny.
I bring the moon-tides to the souls of men,
The tides that flow and ebb and flow again;
That flow and ebb and flow alternately;
These are my secret, these belong to me.

I am the Eternal Woman, I am She –
The tides of all men’s souls belong to me.
The tides that flow and ebb and flow again;
The secret, silent tides that govern men;
These are my secret, these belong to me.”
Dion Fortune, Moon Magic

Antaia Metet Allecto

“We who are Priestesses of the Moon know how to bring it through in its pure form, undiluted by matter, and we call it the moon-force.” Dion Fortune, Moon Magic

As the moon moves through its monthly journey through the zodiac signs, it also takes on aspects of the other planets. It may at any time be conjunct, sextile, square, trine, opposite one of the other planets; however, at the end of each sign, the moon makes its last aspect and still has some time left in the current sign to traverse. Basically, the Moon has done its business and it is marking time until it enters the next sign. This time period is referred to as a Void of Course Moon. The time frame can be as short as a few minutes or as long as a few days depending on the position of the heavens and if the other planets are in a late or early degree. As soon as the Moon exits Void of Course, it begins taking on the attributes of that sign.
It is my opinion, based on study and ritual experimentation that the Void of Course Moon Time is one of the most powerful times for pure, unadulterated LUNAR energy. It is the time when the Moon is just the MOON. It does not carry any of the attributes of one of the zodiac signs – it is simply LUNA.
You will find that most astrologers counsel caution during a Void of Course. They will say that decisions made during Void of Course turn out to be non-realistic, false starts abound, judgment may be affected to the detriment, plans stop and start and change. It is also said that a Void of Course Moon can bring out neurotic behavior (who?me?) and delay and frustration run rampant. Void of Course Moons also affect historical events – only a few presidents have been inaugurated during a Void of Course – Lincoln, JFK, Nixon, Reagan, and Clinton which gives us 2 assassinations, an impeachment, an attempted assassination, and an almost impeachment. Reagan actually avoided making any speeches during a void of course moon – going so far as to delay them if they were scheduled. Contracts signed at this time may have to be changed later or may turn out null and void (gads – who could resist? Lol). Things just are not grounded, centered, or predictable during a Void of Course Moon which in my mind is JUST PERFECT for MY PURPOSES!
Soooo…Snatch your almanac and start paying attention to the Void of Course Moons. Get to know Luna naked. This is the perfect time for some intense meditation and mind expansion with Mother Moon. It can be as light or heavy as you wish…just remember the grounding issues during Void of Course and be prepared. The Void of Course is the time when the Moon finally drops Her mask and we can commune directly with the lunar energy. Keep the waxing and waning phases in mind as you connect; it will help you decide which aspect to focus on.

Other activities that are recommended for Void of Course Moon:
Prayer, yoga, FUN, parties,
psychotherapy (being the divine “lunatics” that we are!),
sleep, meditation, vacations (with no set plans),
mind altering journeys (my personal favorite)

All in all…Have a GOOD TIME and take this opportunity to hang out with LUNA during Her time off!

Essay – Basic Pagan Circle Casting

Please note that this is a Pagan/Magickal Circle Casting…if you would like to work from another tradition, I have experience in several and would be happy to help or point you in the right direction.

The following is the original basic circle that I used when I began back when I had to walk through THREE FEET OF SNOW to get to ritual (hahaha!). It is meant as a guideline. Again, remember, for as many Practitioners, there are that many ways to do things. I do suggest that you find a format and stick with it until you are comfortable and then begin “tweaking” it to serve further purpose. HAPPY CASTING!

1. LAST CHECK ON ALTAR
Set up altar to specific purposes. Have all items needed on hand.

2. ANOINTMENT AND PROCESSION INTO RITUAL SPACE
Bring participants into ritual space and anoint with oil on their third eye, making an invoking earth pentagram – A brief statement of purpose can be made as you anoint – Example: Enter this circle in perfect love and perfect trust OR You are Goddess. Have them spread around the circle space within the perimeters of where you are going to cast.

3. CALL QUARTERS

EAST:
Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East and the Powers of Air. We invoke you and call you to witness our rites, protect our circle, and aid in our work this eve.
By the Air that is Her Breath, we welcome and bless you!
(Visualize your Watchtower and then the Sylphs – Draw Invoking Air Pentagram)

SOUTH:
Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South and the Powers of Fire. We invoke you and call you to witness our rites, protect our circle, and aid in our work this eve.
By the Fire that is Her Spirit, we welcome and bless you!
(Visualize your Watchtower and then the Salamanders – Draw Invoking Fire Pentagram)

WEST:
Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West and the Powers of Water. We invoke you and call you to witness our rites, protect our circle, and aid in our work this eve.
By the Water that is Her Living Womb, we welcome and bless you!
(Visualize your Watchtower and then the Undines – Draw Invoking Water Pentagram)

NORTH:
Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North and the Powers of Earth. We invoke you and call you to witness our rites, protect our circle, and aid in our work this eve.
By the Earth that is Her Body, we welcome and bless you!
(Visualize your Watchtower and then the Gnomes – Draw Invoking Earth Pentagram)

SPIRIT: (this is a new addition – use it as you will)
Hail to the Guardians of the Watchtowers of the Center and the Powers of Spirit. We invoke you and call you to witness our rites, protect our circle, and aid in our work this eve.
By the Knowledge that is Her Gift to us, we welcome and bless you!
(Visualize your Watchtower and then the Center, the Omphalos – Draw Invoking Spirit Pentagram)

4. CAST CIRCLE
Travel Perimeter of Circle with Chalice of salt water, saying:
With Salt and Water, I purify this circle.
Start in the East and travel Deosil (clockwise) and repeat until you reach the East again. Salute to Each Quarter.

Travel Perimeter of Circle with smoking censer of herbs or incense, saying:
With Fire and Air, I purify this circle.
Start in the East and travel Deosil (clockwise) and repeat until you reach the East again. Salute to each Quarter.

Travel Perimeter of Circle with athame or wand or staff, saying:
I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou may be a meeting place of love and joy and truth; a shield against all negativity and evil; a boundary between the world of man(woman) and the Ancient Ones. Wherefore do I bless thee and consecrate thee in the name of Goddess Being Invoked. So Mote it Be!
(Start in the East and travel Deosil and envision energy pouring forth from your Tool as you say above.)

5. BANISH RITUAL SPACE
Besom Banishing:
Begin in East and Travel Widdershins, sweeping besom (counter clockwise) THREE TIMES, saying:
Besom, Besom, Witches Broom
Sweep out Darkness
Sweep out Doom
Rid ye Lady’s Hallowed Ground of any negative thoughts around,
Sweep ye Circle
Sweep it well
Sweep ye Circle
Make the Circle pure as love to welcome the Spirits from Above.
Or
Use RLBRP

6. INVOCATION OF THE GODDESS
Use the invocation of the particular Goddess that you are requesting.

7. MAGICKAL WORKING & RAISING & RELEASING OF POWER
Again – this is particular to the reason of the ritual

8. CAKES AND WINE
Adapted from Starhawk
Hold up the plate of cakes and chalice of wine and blessing them, say:
All life is your own,
All fruit of the Earth
Are fruits of your womb,
Your union, Your dance –
GODDESS NAME,
We thank you for your blessings and abundance!
Join with us, Feast with us, Enjoy with us!
Blessed Be!
The High Priestess takes a piece of cake and breaks it – half goes into the Libation Bowl placed in the center. The High Priestess sips from the chalice and the rest goes into the Libation Bowl.
Cakes and Wine are distributed to all participants who partake and libate. While we use the word “wine”, at our rituals we frequently use juice or sparkling juice and occasionally offer wine as an alternative. We recommend that you offer both.

9. LIBATIONS ARE TAKEN CARE OF – they may be burned or poured into the fire – In a Hekate Ritual, they are taken to the Crossroads, In a Sea Goddess Ritual, they should be taken to the ocean – use your own best decision and research the proper method of how most appropriate to gift the libations to the Goddess that you have chosen.

10. FAREWELL TO THE GODDESS
Thank Her for Her presence and assistance –wish Her Hail and Farewell – BE BLESSED!

11. RELEASE OF THE QUARTERS
Facing Each Quarter (beginning with East & going Widdershins) – say:
Watchtowers of the direction, Powers of element,
We thank you for joining in our circle
And we ask for your blessing as You depart.
May there be peace between us now and Forever.
We bid you Hail and Farewell! So Mote it Be!
(Draw appropriate banishing pentagram for each quarter and center – see your original visualization begin to fade away)

12. OPENING THE CIRCLE
Travel the Circle Widdershins and pull energy back into your tool – as you arrive again at the East say:
The Circle is open but unbroken.
May the Peace of the Goddess be in your hearts.
Merry Meet and Merry Part
And Merry Meet Again. BE BLESSED!

Sources Referenced:
Antaia Metet Allecto (me!) – BOOK OF SHADOWS as received from HIGH PRIEST LUGH 3rd Degree Gardnerian Priest of the Line of Lady Cara
Janet & Stewart Farrar, The Witches Bible
Starhawk, The Spiral Dance

SOME NOTES REGARDING THE BASIC CIRCLE CAST:

This is a basic circle that can serve many purposes and most purposes. This is also a circle to perform magick or for devotional purposes and you will find that it effective for Esbats while Sabbat rituals may follow a different format. As you develop further, you may want to think about the Tradition that you are working within and what those specific rites entail. For example, the Greeks did not cast circle. The Egyptians use the Opening of the Mouth to begin all ritual. Ceremonial Magicians have different formats according to the purpose of the ritual that are far more lengthy and elaborate.
The Druids have a circle casting that is completely different.
The Welsh use different quarters.

For beginning purposes, this will serve you and protect you and encase your magick. To quote our favorite saying:
Once you have learned the rules, then you may begin breaking them!

If you have questions – please do not hesitate to ask.
Be Blessed in all of your workings!

Essay – Notes on Ritual

“It is through Rites that heaven and earth are harmonious and sun and moon are bright, that the four seasons are ordered and the stars are on their courses, that rivers flow and that things prosper, that love and hatred are tempered and joy and anger are in keeping. (S)he who holds to the rites is never confused in the midst of multifarious change; (S)he who deviates therefrom is lost. Rites…are they not the culmination of culture?”
Confucius – approx 250 bce

Some definitions of “ritual”:
 Celebration
 Ceremony
 Religious Service
 Rite of Passage
 The use of Ritual Magic
 A repeated act or acting on habit
 A formal act
 A set routine
 Self-transformation
 The fusion of self and community

However we choose to define ritual, as humans, we practice rituals everyday. We have a specific way in which we prefer our life to be ordered and we follow those patterns one might say…religiously. Whether mundane or magickal, rituals follow a set of predetermined steps that have proven to bring about a desired end.
The definition of ritual has spanned centuries of debate and philosophy and crossed all religious boundaries. It has been said that ritual exploits human’s collective need for dialogue with their Creator. It has also been said that rites are simple paradigms for the emulation of Cosmic Principles. Above all, we keep in mind that ritual is a human invention – a structure that has been erected to allow us connection with the Divine as we see it. Early humans instinctively sought to communicate with the forces of the Universe and placate them so that these forces would benefit humanity. Such was the first ritual born.

Murry Hope in her book “The Psychology of Ritual” puts forth categories of Rites and Ceremonies that encompass the scope of human ritual practice.

Recollective Ceremonies
These are the remnants of rites of earlier, more advanced civilizations, the origins and true meanings of which have become obscured.

Nature Ceremonies
The worship or acknowledgement of cosmological or celestial influences – the sun, moon, stars, or natural phenomenons, such as thunder, lightning, and so on.

Pantheistic, Pagan, and Animistic Rites
Animism being the belief that all inanimate objects and natural phenomena have a living soul or essence. Due deference in these rites is paid to the spirits of nature. Seasonal rituals would come under this category, also the Rites of Sympathetic Magic (invocation or evocation through mimicry).

Placatory or Propitiatory Rites
These rites are performed with a view to keeping the Gods or spirits happy so that they do not give vent to their wrath at the population’s expense.

Ancestral Rites
Involves making contact with, and securing the good offices of those of the tribe who have passed on.

Self-Exploratory Rites
Includes self-analysis techniques which project the participant back into his or her own inner resources.

Fertility Rites
Involves the multiplication principle which, surprising to some, is not limited to the human reproductive system.

Social Rites
These are the rites that begin when we first enter life, Maturation or Puberty Rites which are designed to prepare the young people of the tribe for the step into adult life, and the Last Rites administered at the approach of death.

Initiatory Rites
Includes Rites of Submission, many of which originally involved mortification or deprivation. In this day and age, however, as with many other rites which originated in more primitive times, these are usually enacted symbolically.

Supplicatory Rites
These rites include general unspecified collective prayer offerings and invocations which may or may not involve energy exchanges (gifts). These can be purely devotional or they may include pleas for bounty or guidance.

Rites of Protection, Purification, Banishment, Cleansing, and Healing
These rites vary in intention according to the persuasion of the practitioners.

Most rituals are a blend of several of the above categories and nearly all include a devotional and supplicative aspect. Rituals are practiced by public congregations, by solitary practitioners, in secret, closed groups or in simple everyday practice. It must be emphasized at this point that Rituals affect each person individually. Experiences, whether positive or negative, are singular. Intermediaries in the form of clergy have the responsibility to carry out the rites properly and safely diffuse the energy to the group. These intermediaries also have the responsibility to pass on the knowledge that they have so that each person may participate fully in the ritual experience of their choosing.

In this section, we will provide a basic ritual set up that can be adapted for various purposes. For more complicated rituals, I recommend RESEARCH, RESEARCH, and RESEARCH. Each Goddess has Her own idiosyncrasies that must be observed. The efficacy of a ritual depends not only on the intention of the practitioner but also on the research and careful construction of all aspects of the ceremony.

WOMEN’S RITUAL

A comment in my meanderings of Feminist Spirituality has always stood out in regard to women’s ritual:

“Feminist ritual practice is currently the most important model for symbolic and therefore, psychic and spiritual change in women. Certainly ritual is an idealized microcosmic experience, but it may be an endurably important means of invoking a new order of things in the macrocosm. At the very least, it has been a useful mode for envisioning what a different world for women might ‘feel’ like.”
Kay Turner, The Politics of Women’s Spirituality

I have thought and meditated extensively on why women’s ritual is different. I believe there are several components to a women’s circle that allow us more freedom to shed our mundane personas and truly embrace our inherent power and embody the Goddess. First, in a group of all women, there is safety. We have all had common or at least common enough experiences that empathy and compassion flow naturally. We can be ourselves – we can be as silly, serious, intellectual, bitchy, angry, and joyous as we want. Emotions are not shunned in a women’s circle. They are shared and acknowledged and celebrated. This is a space where we can celebrate our symbols and Goddess Selves openly without fear of repercussion or judgment.
A women’s circle that is serious and focused is capable of raising enormous amounts of energy and dispersing that energy appropriately. We become the Creatrix, giving form to the forces of the Universe. This is a natural state for women that we have forgotten.
For the first time in centuries, we may worship unfettered. Our Light and the Light of the Goddess within us does not need to be hidden. We are also rediscovering a community of women without the chains of patriarchy – we do not need to be in competition with each other. We can reclaim and honor the Goddess in each other – we can revel in the strength and beauty that is within ourselves and mirrored in the faces that we see in the circle around us.
As we take these steps to fortifying ourselves and each other, we are fortifying the Goddess and grounding Her energy back onto this earth.
The work of changing social, political, and economic conditions begins with changing our self-images and this is what we are seeking to achieve within our women’s ritual. Together we have untapped resources that may truly change the world. It is a small wonder that patriarchy has radically sought to subdue our true selves and brainwash us into self-loathing. Our spirituality is teaching us the reality of Transformation. We no longer need to stumble alone in the dark in pain and anger – we can reach out and take the hands of our Sisters and acknowledge the pain and anger, name it, feel it and release it. We borrow our Sister’s strength to transform and then are ready to lend ourselves to her transformation as well.
Imagine a world where women are equal and respected; a world where our children are safe. If we can Imagine it, we can Create it. We have access to powerful images and forces and we need to use them to order and maintain our visions and, one day, our realities…Let us begin hand in hand – always together…

“Rituals are not the path. They are a reminder that there is a path. In Women’s Spirituality, that path leads us to the knowledge that we are all divine, that we are all the Goddess within, we are the Goddess. It leads us along the path that tells us that we are all High Priestesses, serving Her in all Her aspects. By opening to the collective energy, the energy that produces the Goddess, we learn that we have direct access to the energy. We learn to use it and not fear it.”
Pat Rodegast & Judith Stanton

Steps of Basic Ritual Construction

1. Define Intention of Ritual

A purpose or intention for a ritual is important. This purpose will define the entire ritual and success of the outcome. It is best to keep your intentions brief so as to avoid digression.
Intentions may vary.
Sometimes we are working out a psychological need – we start with the problem to de dealt with and working through stages, we let go of what has been holding us back. This leads to a resolution and effects change in our life. An example of this intention could be to release feelings of victimization from a trauma.
Another purpose can be a personal need that can be focused and clarified through the performance of the ritual. The focus and contained energy that is achieved through the ritual allows strength to follow through on the accomplishment of the personal need.
An example of an intention of a personal need is to get a new job or a new place to live.
The intention may also represent the desire to send energy towards a global issue such as world peace or healing from a catastrophe.
Devotion, Meditation, or the request for Divine Intervention are all also examples of intents to perform ritual.
Remember – the clearer and more concise the goal, the more likely that you will be able maintain that goal foremost in your mind throughout the performance of the ritual – almost like a mantra
“The most important rule is to formulate, clearly and precisely, the goal to be reached, and then to retain it unswervingly in mind throughout all the stages of the execution, which are often long and complex.” (Roberto Assagioli)
Some other rules of thumb are to keep your intentions free of manipulation of others and to keep them realistic. It is better to attract prosperity than to ask for the Lotto numbers.
Also remember, you must give the Universe the opportunity to provide you with your desire. If you are seeking a new job and never send out a resume or make any effort, you are effectively ignoring the doors that the Universe may open for you.
Consider also – Be careful what you wish for…you just might get it and not always the way that you expect it.

2. Do your PREP work
Preparation for ritual requires (as stated before) RESEARCH, RESEARCH, and RESEARCH.
Once you have defined your intention, you need to decide how you are going to go about achieving it. Divination may also be helpful to determine if this is the best time to carry out your working and if conditions are favorable for success.
Check your timing of the ritual as well. What is the Moon Phase? What astrological sign is in force? Is Mercury Retrograde (this can be SERIOUSLY IMPORTANT!) Where are the planets? You can take the timing of your ritual down to the hour if you choose but Moon Phase and Planetary Influences are essential.
Choose the Goddess that you will work with and who would be most appropriate to assist you in achievement of your goal. Hekate is not recommended to attract love – that is just not Her area of specialty. I also strongly urge you to work with those Goddesses that you are comfortable and familiar with – this will assist in raising energy. If this is a new Goddess, you may want to spend some time in meditation “getting to know” the Goddess prior to ritual.
The altar items should reflect the appropriate correspondences to the Goddess that you have chosen. Aphrodite is perfect to attract love but if you decorate the altar with garlic, well, suffice to say that you may not have a date for quite awhile. Please refer to the section on THE WORSHIP BARGAIN.
A symbol of your intention is a good addition to the altar as well as appropriate decorations and propitiations.
Type your ritual out beforehand and make sure that you will have sufficient light to read it. Book lights are handy dandy!
If there are other participants in the ritual, make sure that you discuss the reason for the ritual and the parts that you want them to participate in – group mind equals more energy. Rehearsals of lengthy or important rituals such as Sabbats are a good idea as well.
Make sure that all of your ritual tools and items needed are placed within easy reach prior to casting the circle.

3. Choose a space that is quiet and calm where you will be undisturbed
It is important that you have sufficient space in which to perform your ritual and also to accommodate a group if you are not alone. The space should be clean and clutter free. If you are indoors, make sure that phones are off and doors are locked. A neighbor borrowing sugar during a ritual will definitely get more than she bargained for! If you are outdoors, make sure that there is nothing in the ritual space that could cause an accident (tree branches, toys, etc…)
Altars may be set up as you wish. They can be in the center or in a particular Quarter depending on the Goddess that is being invoked. For example, Isis’ altars in Egyptian tradition are always in the West. Part of ritual prep work is physically blocking out movement during the ritual.

4. Prepare yourself with Ritual Bath and appropriate garb
To enter into Sacred Space is to drop away all mundane trappings. You want to let your subconscious know that something special is going to happen. A ritual bath gives you some extra meditation time, cleanses and purifies you, and puts the subconscious on notice.
Ritual Garb is important as well. When we are dressed up, we feel different and your feelings affect the outcome of your ritual. Sensual fabrics – silky, soft, flowing are all wonderful. Some practitioners prefer skyclad although this situation should be made clear prior to a group working. Ritual Garb also sets the stage for the subconscious that this is not a normal occurrence – this is extraordinary.
Choose the colors of your garb and your jewelry with your intention in mind as well as that of the Goddess that will be invoked.

5. Invocation of the Quarters
“The spirits of the elements are a vital key in occult development, not only because it is part and parcel of ritualistic procedure to invoke them, but because to conquer the human traits associated with each element is what initiation is all about.” (Murry Hope)

All physical plane magick involves the four elements: fire, air, water, and earth and that occasionally elusive fifth element: spirit.
The Quartered Circle is traditional in Magickal Circle construction. The Elements are invoked to strengthen your Circle and add their forces to your working. Elementals are capricious energies and should be invited not demanded. In the beginning of your Circle Casting experience, I recommend invoking the Watchtowers as well as the Elementals. The Watchtowers provide a grounded force in each quarter that assists in containing the Elementals. You may continue to use Watchtowers in your practice or not as you become more comfortable and familiar with the Elementals and they become more familiar with you. A visualization of the Watchtowers and Elementals in their respective quarters will assist in attracting their presence. These visualizations have been outlined in an essay on the Elementals.
East is the traditional Quarter in which to begin the invocations. This may vary according to the type of working. For our purposes in basic ritual construction, we will begin with the East which is the Quarter of Dawn and new beginnings. From the East you will proceed Deosil (clockwise) to the South then West and then North and then Center.
The Center is not always included but as it represents Spirit, I believe that it is important.
Elemental altars may be set up in each Quarter according to preference or simply a candle with the corresponding color of that Quarter. Please refer to the essay on The Elements for any specific information or correspondences.

6. Cast the Circle
“I conjure thee, O thou Circle of Power..”
The purpose of the Circle is to create a sphere of influence that will contain the energies that are raised, provide a Sacred Space to host the Goddess, and also to prevent entry of any unwanted energies. The Visualization of a complete sphere is imperative. This sphere will encompass above, below, and around.
To begin casting the circle, you begin again in the East and proceed Deosil. You may use the ritual tool of your choice – an athame, a wand, a staff, your fingers – choose the tool with which you are most comfortable.
Circle Casting may be accomplished by sprinkling salt water around the circumference of the circle, followed by smoking incense, and then a third circuit with the ritual tool visualizing that sphere rising up and encasing everything. The visualization should be done in a power color (electric blue works well) and should be vibrant. KNOW in your being that you have created your own personal, impregnable Universe in which to make Magick.

“The casting of the circle is the formal beginning of the ritual, the complex ‘cue’ that tells us to switch our awareness into a deeper mode.” (Starhawk)

You will read many books that all have different procedures for creating Sacred Space and Casting Circle. I would, at this point, like to share my personal opinions as to why I recommend invoking the Watchtowers and Elementals before Casting the Circle. Once the sphere of the Circle is erected, nothing can cross that barrier except Deity and then only by invitation. Crossing the Circle, even inadvertently, decreases the integrity of the Circle. By invoking the Watchtowers and Elementals first, they are present to contribute to the construction of the Circle and not on the outside looking in as would occur if you were to cast circle and then invoke the Watchtowers and Elementals. This is my opinion and my practice. I encourage you to think it through and follow your instincts. Doing it “your way” and in a way that makes sense to you will make your Circle that much more powerful.

7. Banish the Sacred Space
At this point, all of the preliminary players are present. Your Circle is up and humming with energy. Now you banish the space to ensure complete purification and to prepare to invoke the Goddess.
Banishings can be accomplished several ways:
(see essay on Banishing or reference below rituals RLBRP, Star Ruby)
Besom and Incantation – sweeping Widdershins (counter clockwise)
The Reclaimed Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram
The Star Ruby
Any other Banishing that you prefer
Banishings are done Widdershins to release the energy.

8. Invocation of the Deity
Take a moment to meditate on the Goddess that you are invoking.
Vibrate Her name several times. Feel those vibrations reaching out through the Universe and attracting Her attention.
Build up Her image in your mind.
FEEL HER. SEE HER.
Allow Her energy to wash through you and the Circle.
Speak the Invocation.
Breathe Her essence through every pore of your body.
This portion of the ritual can be extremely altering – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. Do not be afraid if you become slightly woozy or lightheaded – this is common with altered states. The point of the invocation is to invite Her into the Circle and since you are Her Vessel, that is how She may come in.

“To invoke the Goddess is to awake the Goddess within, to become, for a time, that aspect we invoke.” (Starhawk)

9. Speak intention of the Ritual
It is a good idea at this point to reiterate the purpose of the ritual.
A poem or supplicative prayer to the Goddess that is present can be read at this time. To restate your goal at this time is to keep it foremost in your mind as you begin to raise the energy.

10. Raise energy through preferred method
“Energy is ecstasy. When we drop the barriers and let the power pour through, it floods the body, pulsing through every nerve, arousing every artery, coursing like a rive that cleanses as it moves. In the eye of the storm, we rise on the winds that roar through mind and body, throbbing a liquid note as the voice pours out shimmering honey in waves of golden light, that as they pass, leave peace. No drug can take us so high, no thrill pierce us so deep because we have felt the essence of all delight, the heart of joy, the end of desire. Energy is love and love is magic.” (Starhawk)

It is necessary to raise energy to imbue the intention of the ritual with power and to ensure success. There are more ways than I can list here to raise energy but I will list some of the more common ways:
Chanting
Drumming
Dancing – any kind of movement
Forming an energy circuit and erecting a cone of power
Breath work
Sex
Vibrations/Toning

11. Magickal Working
As the energy is being raised, the Magickal Working that is the symbol of the attainment of the intention is being done.
The working is specific to the intention and can be achieved in so many ways that I cannot even begin to list them here.
The energy that has been raised is fed into the working and so released.

“We do not affect fate by our magical operations, we affect ourselves; we reinforce those aspects of our nature which are in sympathy with the powers that we invoke.” (Dion Fortune)

12. Ground
Raising energy and performing Magick is hard work and now it is time to come back to the earth plane. While altered states of consciousness are desirable during ritual, they may become disorienting or cause ill feelings over extended periods of time.
The most common way to ground is to have Cakes and Wine (cookies and juice, host and wine – whatever you want to call it!). Food is a natural grounding force. Cakes and Wine also gives you a chance to make an additional offering to the Goddess and other energies that assisted your working. Take some time. Breathe deeply.
If you still have uncomfortable amounts of excess energy, through breath work, you can release it into the earth.
You may also stand with legs slightly parted – feel the earth beneath your feet – imagine that roots are growing from your feet and extending into the center of the earth – feel how stable you are.

13. Thank and Release the Goddess
It is generally considered impolite to tell the Goddess to “get out” or to banish Her the way that you would with the Elementals. Take a few deep breaths and feel the energy receding and see the image begin to fade away. Thank Her for Her presence and assistance in your working.
“Stay if you will, go if you must but be blessed.” x3 is an appropriate closing.
Extinguish the candle that represented Her specifically.

14. Thank and Release the Quarters
Again it is important to thank the Watchtowers and the Elementals for their presences and assistance. We do release them back to their abodes – ornery Elementals can wreak havoc in a home!
Begin in the North and then work Widdershins to the West and then the South and then the East thanking and releasing and then drawing the appropriate banishing pentagram.
Extinguish the Quarter candles as you go and Visualize the Watchtowers disappearing and the Elementals receding at each Quarter.

15. Take down the Circle
The final step is to take down the Circle. Notice that the release is the mirror image of the invocation. This is the best process in all ritual situations.
Begin in the East and proceed Widdershins with your Magickal Tool. Visualize the energy being absorbed back into your tool and disappearing. Continue in a complete circuit around the Circle until you are once again in the East.
Open the Circle by saying something as simple as:
“It is done.”
Or
“The Circle is open but unbroken. Merry we meet, merry we part, and merry we meet again.”

SOME FINAL THOUGHTS ON RITUAL

For each Practitioner of Magick, you will find yet another way to perform ritual. Talk to Priestesses and Practitioners of different Traditions and find out how they are doing things and why. In this case, the art of discernment and common sense will stand you in good stead. Think about the flow of ritual – does it make sense? Is the intention clear and free of manipulation? Is the group that you are working with cohesive and capable of raising energy? Are YOU capable of handling the energies that are raised and dispensing of them properly?
Rituals should be viewed through a mirror; what you have erected should be taken down in the exact reverse order as it was set up.
Ritual is continual evolution. Beginning by following all of the steps until they are completely familiar is an important part of the process of moving to the next level.
The Ritual that was outlined here and given as an example is a traditional Magickal Circle with a Dianic Influence (Dianic meaning that it is solely Goddess based). There are far more types and techniques out there. Build a strong foundation and from there, you will be able to create and perform any ritual.

A word of warning:
It has come to my attention in reviewing many of the books on Magick and Ritual out there that steps in rituals listed in books are missing. In many instances, these are purposeful blinds. If you are performing a ritual from a book, please make sure that ALL of the components are there (especially the banishings and releases). ALSO, be careful in mixing pantheons when you are working with a Goddess and a God. Cernunnos and Bast are just quite simply NOT compatible.
In Dianic worship, we mix pantheons as the Goddesses are varying aspects of the Great Mother.
I cannot emphasize enough how important research and preparation are to any ritual. The more information that you have, the more effective that your ritual will be.
Leading a ritual is a great responsibility – not only are you orchestrating the ritual on the physical plane but you are mediating the energy on the inner planes as well. This takes practice and keep in mind that there is a Nemesis’ Law that goes with rituals…ask me sometime about the Summer Solstice cakes…LOL! The best Priestesses and Practitioners are unflappable, understand that the unforeseen can always happen, and continue on anyway.
There are no stupid questions. I would rather have you ask than waste your time. I am always available and happy to assist in any ritual of importance.

“Ritual is meditation expressed in action.”
Dion Fortune

“The great silence has been broken at last. Women are coming together to cultivate the powers that can result from exploring matrifocal heritage, personal and collective mythology, natural healing, meditation, dreamwork, celebrating the cycles of nature (i.e.: our surroundings and our own bodies), and ritual. As we all bear scars from having been raised under patriarchy, the ability to heal ourselves and each other psychically and physically is essential to the growth of women’s culture.
Rituals can generate and transform tremendous fields of force. That energy is always there for us to tap and manifest. Rituals created within a framework of women’s spirituality differ in form and content from the empty, hierarchically imposed, patriarchal observances with which most of us grew up. They involve healing, strengthening, creative energy that expands with spontaneity from a meaningful core of values.”
Charlene Spretnak, The Politics of Women’s Spirituality