The Art of Ritual - Softcover

Patterson, Rachel

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1782797769 ISBN 13: 9781782797760

Verlag: Moon Books, 2016

Inhaltsangabe

The Art of Ritual takes you through every step of ritual format from the basics to the more unusual. What ritual is, how to create it, work with it and all the different aspects and stages of putting a ritual together and how to get the best out of it whether you are a solitary or within a group. From set up through the entire process including the cake...this book covers just about all you should need to know to give you the best ritual experience. Drawn from the author's own teachings and experiences this book also shares a variety or different ritual scripts and suggestions along with those from members of her coven.

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Rachel Patterson is High Priestess of the Kitchen Witch Coven and an Elder of the Kitchen Witch School of Natural Witchcraft. A Green/Kitchen Witch with an added dash of hedgewitch and folk magic. She lives in Portsmouth, UK.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

The Art of Ritual

By Rachel Patterson

John Hunt Publishing Ltd.

Copyright © 2015 Rachel Patterson
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-78279-776-0

Contents

Who am I?, 
Ritual – What is It?, 
Part 1: Ritual Basics, 
Tools of the Trade, 
Ritual Preparation and Techniques, 
Let's Look at the Elements ..., 
Invite Deity, 
Water, Incense, Oil, Wine and Kisses, 
Raising Energy, 
The Working, 
The Feast, 
Endings, 
Ritual Planning, 
Part 2: May We Present To You a Host of Rituals ..., 
Rites of Passage, 
Wheel of the Year, 
Celtic Tree Rituals, 
Other Ritual Examples, 
Summary and Random Thoughts, 

CHAPTER 1

Tools of the Trade

I just want to emphasise here ... you don't need any fancy tools to hold a ritual, in fact you don't need any tools at all. However, I will give a list of the items commonly used in case you want to try the ceremonial route, it is a very personal choice. Sometimes it is nice to go the whole hog and put on a big ceremony with all the bells and whistles, but it is also good to just have an impromptu ritual in the middle of a field with nothing but some pebbles and sticks. You are the power; the magic is within you so tools aren't necessary. Having said that tools can carry their own power; each tool has an element that it corresponds with and they can be consecrated and charged with energy as well and they can give us a focus to work with, it really is your call. If you haven't worked with tools before my suggestion would be experiment, see what works for you. I have often found that handmade tools work better than machine/mass-produced ones, especially if you make them yourself, because you add your own energy into them.

The power and energy you receive from a tool will also depend on what material it is made from along with any specific designs or symbols it has on it. A copper wand will react differently to one made from oak for instance, add a quartz crystal to the end and the energy will take on another dimension again.

Part of this journey when working with tools of any sort is to fathom out which ones work in harmony with each other and for what specific intent or magical purpose. Again, this is personal, what works for one person may not work well for another.

Altar

A lot of pagans will have an altar (or in my case and much to my husband's dismay, several altars) set up at home. If you hold your ritual in the room you have your usual altar set up in then you are part way there already.

Your altar is many things, not just a place to hold your magical tools, but also somewhere you can sit and meditate in front of, use as a focal point for spell work and also as a place to honour the seasons and deity. It is a mini sacred space and a place that over time will soak up the magical energies when you work with the tools on it and when you spellcast around it. It is a place for you to 'touch base' with deity, the divine and your inner magical self on a daily basis. For instance, I have a working altar, this one I decorate for the energies of each month, but I also have another altar dedicated to my matron and patron deities; then I have a kitchen altar, one in the garden for the Fae and also one in my office for things I am currently working with. Each one is different and has its own very individual style and energy.

When we hold our coven rituals we have a very practical altar; it has to be transported through the woods so it starts out in the car as a large plastic box which holds all the bits for the ritual. When we get to our grove of trees we empty it and turn it upside down, then it is covered with a pretty, silk altar cloth. Our portable altar is then ready to hold the items we need for the ritual, which usually consists of a cauldron for the incense, chalice for the drink, flower petals to cast the circle, our script books and occasionally a seasonal decoration. We are in the middle of a forest having had to walk some way from the cars carrying not only the altar, but also flasks of drink, cups, ritual items and of course plenty of cake boxes, so we keep the altar simple.

However, for a ritual altar at home it is much easier to add whatever items you want and as many as you want.

I do think it pertinent to mention here ... clean your altar regularly, it gathers dust very quickly and that can cause blockages in energy flow.

If you are not 'out of the broom closet' at home or sharing a house with others who wouldn't appreciate you setting up altars all over the house, it can be done in several ways. Keep all your altar items on a tray in a cupboard then just bring the tray out when you need to use it or have your altar inside a cupboard so you can close the doors to it when necessary or have your altar on a shelf. If you are really being a secret squirrel then just a shelf or windowsill with a candle and a vase of flowers works perfectly well as a basic altar, no one would ever know.

Traditionally (and by that I really mean more along the Wiccan lines) your altar will hold specific items; representations of the four elements, deity (the God, the Goddess, the divine); often it will hold a pentacle in some form and then items that you are working with.

Here are the main items, this list is not comprehensive nor do you need to rush out and purchase all of the items (your altar would be pretty crowded with every item on the list on it). In fact, some items you may never use, I boringly repeat ... it is personal, go with what works for you. When I first started on this pathway I made out a list of all the things I 'needed' and did a whole big shopping trip which, apart from being hugely out of pocket, resulted in me having items that I have never once used and a lot that now sit in the cupboard gathering dust. I have two beautiful athames, which I have not used, preferring to cast a circle with my finger. I have four gorgeous wooden wands, all made from sacred woods and hand carved which, while they often sit on my altar, I don't actually use. I have two chalices – one silver, one ornate with dragons – rarely used. I have a bell that was rung when I unboxed it and it has been silent ever since. I do, however, use my cauldron on a daily basis, but that is perhaps more to do with me having a liking for setting fire to things ...

There are some wonderful tools on the market so do have a look around, but a lot of items can be handmade; wands in particular can be created from a stick found in the woods and don't forget to check charity/thrift stores as they often have a whole host of ornate chalices in the form of odd glasses or cups and brilliantly cheap cauldrons in the shape of casserole dishes costing a lot less than shop-purchased items.

Altar Cloth

This is useful in that it can add a bit of colour magic and also be tied in with the seasons. Altar cloths are sold with specific colours and patterns, but also have a look in charity/thrift stores for ladies' head scarves which work well or in fabric shops for offcuts and fat quarters of material. You don't need to have a cloth, but it does also serve a practical use in catching stray candle wax or spills.

Asperger

This is a weird name for a dish and a sprinkly thing. The dish holds water and the sprinkly thing ... well sprinkles water over you or the space to cleanse and purify. It could be a feather or a brush or even a pine cone.

Athame

A ceremonial knife/dagger, double-edged, but not sharp (it is not usually used to physically cut...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Moon Books
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2016
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1782797769
• ISBN 13: 9781782797760
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 232
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Nicht verfügbar