Preparation begins with understanding circle etiquette and knowing what the ritual is about. By the time you arrive at the ritual site, you should know what is going to be done and what your part will be. If you have difficulty following the meaning of the procedures in casting the circle, or if you are confused about the ritual itself, you will not be fully present mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Your concentration will be shot, and the result will be a flat ritual experience for you, and probably for others, as well.
Before ritual day, KNOW WHAT WILL BE GOING ON! This means know the circle etiquette of your group and understanding the processes of casting and closing the circle, and know what the ritual will be about and the form of the ritual. If you have been assigned a part, KNOW IT!
If your group consists primarily of beginners, you may have to stumble through a couple of rituals or so with scripts in your hands. If this is really necessary, then go ahead and do it. Better yet, rehearse the ritual beforehand until everyone knows their part.
It is not only bad form to read a script during a ritual, it is also very difficult; the lighting is often not conducive to reading. Most importantly, however, it is impossible to read a script and keep your mind on performing the ritual at the same time. Concentration is extremely important. The more you can work without a script, the better your concentration will get and the more you will get out of the ritual. Too, once you get used to working without a script you will find that you can adjust more readily to changing conditions and recover better (improvise) when something unexpected happens or you forget a line.
The point is to develop your powers of concentration and confidence in your ability to perform ritual. If someone is ill or injured, she may have to spend some time in a wheel chair. But if she becomes dependent on the wheel chair she will never regain the ability to walk, and she will never get her strength back. She will probably suffer erosion, not only of her muscles, but of her self-confidence, self-esteem and will. It is the same with a script. A script is a wheel chair, or at best, a crutch. It can help you get around initially, but you must not grow dependent on it, or you risk never developing the skills that are necessary to perform effective ritual. The script is also a blindfold. While your concentration is split between the ritual on one hand, and reading and following the script on the other, you are blinded psychically. By all means, write a script for your ritual. Give a copy to every member of the group so they can familiarize themselves with the order of events and know their part in the proceedings. But if your group is reasonably experienced there is no excuse for taking a script into the circle.
On the day of the ritual, get out of bed and remind yourself of the coming ritual and its meaning. Keep the meaning of the day in mind as much as possible. Go about your normal business, but make time, if possible, for personal preparation before you leave for the ritual site. At the end of your daily routine go home and do a short meditation to clear your mind of the worries of the day. Light a candle, burn some incense and take a ritual cleansing bath with sea salt and/or appropriate herbs or oils. While in the bath, envision all of the tension and anxiety you have accumulated being drawn out of your body and into the bath salts, oils or herbs. Breath in the aroma of the bath water and/or incense and meditate on the upcoming ritual. When you drain the bath water, visualize the tension and anxiety that was drawn out of your body going down the drain. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the ritual site. Don't drive like a maniac, cursing everyone who is too slow or whatever. Keep your mind clear and calm. This is a good idea all the time anyway, not just on the way to a ritual. When you get to the ritual site, do not visit with others, there will be plenty of time for that later. Do say hello and hug, just don't get into conversation. Keep yourself in a meditative frame of mind and respect the privacy and quiet time of the others. Go to the preparation area and remove your clothes. If ritual robes will be worn, put yours on now. If you have been assigned or are asked to help with setting up or with security, etc., go about your business quietly so as not to disturb the others. Otherwise, meditate or sit quietly and contemplate the meaning of the ritual. If you need to, review your role in your mind. While the circle is being prepared, stay quiet and be alert. Lend your energy to the process as you observe.
A Word of Warning about Magical Work
Although every ritual is magical to some extent, a ritual that has a specific magical purpose is a different matter. The intent of the circle is more serious, the energy more honed and more specifically directed. In a magical circle there is less margin for error or sloppiness. In a celebratory circle you may have neglected to prepare yourself thoroughly. You may not have had time for a ritual cleansing bath, for example. "Oh, well," you might think, "the Priest/ess or Helper can cleanse me with ritual oil, or smudge me or something." You can get away with this in a celebratory circle, although you will likely be less focused than you otherwise would have been, and it is easy, once you give in to this attitude, to become sloppy in your practice, and your spiritual growth will be hampered as a result.
In a magical circle, such lackadaisical attitudes can be fatal to the purpose at hand and possibly dangerous (even fatal) to yourself or others involved with the work. Magical working is very serious. The energies involved are subtle, but they can be extremely potent. Do not underestimate them, or the consequences of taking them lightly. In magical work, exacting preparation is half of everything. Without that half, nothing will happen, if you are lucky.
More commonly, your purpose is less heavy, like journaling, making altar oil or incense, writing a ritual or doing your daily meditation. It is advisable to do these things in a protective circle, but the kind of preparation that goes into a more serious magical working is not necessary. This can be done in many ways that reflect your personal style. You may choose to have an altar or not. You may choose to simply light a candle. In any event, cleanse the space, cast a circle and call on your guardians and helping spirits. Then get down to work. Don't forget to ground the energy, dismiss the spirits and take the circle down when you are through.
Ritual Form
Without form, there can be no ritual. Even traditions that claim to have no form to their celebrations have form. It is just different for each occasion, and it evolves spontaneously in the course of the event. Besides, even in the "formless" traditions, the group almost always meets in or forms a circle, even if they do not cast one. They use symbols and correspondences in consistent and fluid ways. There is a beginning, the main part of the celebration, and an end to each event. And there are a variety of activities that are part of all or most of the celebrations; i.e., music, chant, dance, story-telling or enactment, food and drink, a fire, an altar, etc.
The essence of SoulCraft is a blend of standard Wicca with additional elements from mythology and other sources that reflect the focus and identity of each group, magical theory and the requirements for education and training. Within the outward structure of ritual, there is a lot of room for creative and spontaneous activity, including in casting the circle. Remember, the examples in this text are just that; examples. Their purpose is to illustrate the elements of each process, and to provide a starting point for individuals or groups. They are not cast in stone. Here is the general "order of service" in ritual:
1. Preparation, including altar set-up.
2. Assembly of the celebrants. Review what will happen and make sure everyone is ready.
3. Grounding meditation.
4. Cast the circle.
5. Raise power and perform the main body of the ritual.
6. Ground the energy you raised and have not used.
7. Perform the rite of cakes and wine.
8. (Optional) Visit and party.
9. Close the circle.
Some groups like to leave visiting and partying for after the ritual. This is fine, especially if there is a lot of food and people will need access to more of the house or space where the ritual is being held (like bathrooms, for instance), or if people will be drinking alcohol. Drunkenness is not conducive to a competent and smooth ending to a ritual.
If a magical working is to be done, it should be done after the ritual and before any partying, while everyone is still grounded, focused and sober. Close the circle, clean off the altar and clear the circle area. Set up according to the needs of the work, and then cast a magical circle specifically suited to the work being done. Do your stuff, ground the excess energy and close the circle. Then party.
Altars and Circles
In SoulCraft there are four kinds of circles; the esbat, moon circles, sabbats and magical working circles. Esbats are regular meetings in which a group gathers for study, discussion or planning. An esbat may or may not include magical work. If it does, then the magical work should be done separately from the esbat circle.
The sabbats are about observing and celebrating holidays, so they are typically more loaded with meaning and symbolism than other occasions.
The full moon circle is mandatory in most traditions. The new and full moons are poles at opposite ends of the lunar cycle. As such, they represent equal and necessary qualities: light and dark; desire and fulfillment; invocation and banishment; the Dark Mother and the Bright Mother, etc. To reflect this balance of forces and qualities, the new moon circle is also mandatory in SoulCraft.
Finally, there is the magical working circle. Since each magical working is unique, so is the altar set-up and the method of casting the circle. At the end of this article we give an example for casting a magical working circle. If you want to do it another way, fine, but the procedure should be different than for casting other circles.
The Basic Set-Up:
Set candles at the quarters of the circle:
East/Air - Yellow
West/Water - Dark Blue
South/Fire - Red
North/Earth - Dark Green
Have simple objects at each quarter station to represent the element of that quarter. Put the altar in the center of the circle area such that when you are facing the altar you are facing east. If there is not enough space for this, the altar can double as the east quarter station. Put God and Goddess candles on the altar, with a white taper (preferably a non-drip candle) to use as a working candle.
God candle - Gold
Goddess candle - Silver
Space permitting, have God and/or Goddess figures near their respective candles. If you want more light, put two white candles on the altar and one or two white candles behind each quarter candle. Other items on the altar include:
Incense holder and incense
A bell
Cup or Chalice
Pentagram
Athame and Cingulum of the presiding HP/S
White-handled knife or working knife (if needed)
*Salt
*Altar Oil
*Water
(*To be placed on or beside the pentagram)
Next to the altar, or within easy reach:
A candle snuffer
Cakes and wine
A lighter or matches
Libation dishes
The Helper's cingulum
Napkins or paper towels
Besom
Anything else you will need
For moon circles, trim the circle and the altar with symbols that correspond to the phase of the moon being observed. For the sabbats, decorate the space in colors and with objects that are associated with the holiday. E.g., Put seasonal flowers, plants, fruit, vegetables and grains on or near the altar and around the circle.
The layout of the magical altar and the casting of the magical circle depend on the purpose of the work being done and the method of working. We are not going to give details about the set-up of a magical altar. Frankly, if you need detailed instructions, you probably should not be doing magical work anyway. However, here are some general guidelines: The magical altar is not a celebratory altar. Do not put anything on it or bring anything into the working space that does not have a specific purpose for being there. Keep your layout as simple and clean as possible; i.e., if a god or goddess figure is not necessary for the work, don't put one on the altar. Only use the candles, incense, herbs, symbols, etc. that are necessary. If you are not sure you need something, or if you catch yourself thinking, "I might use this"; "it would be fun to use this" or anything remotely similar, you have not thought out your work clearly enough. STOP IMMEDIATELY!!! Do not, under any circumstances, continue this work. It is better that you not do it at all than for you to wing it with inadequate preparation.
Casting The Circle:
Following is an example for casting a circle for a sabbat celebration. Esbats are less formal and the casting of an esbat circle is typically simpler, consisting of a basic altar set-up and more relaxed circle etiquette.
If the HP is presiding, the Helper should be female (the Maiden). If the HPS is presiding, the Helper should be male (the Youth). The presiding HP/S will supervise the Helper in setting up the altar and the stations of the quarters. While setting up, burn some sandalwood incense. After the ritual area is prepared, the HP/S withdraws. The Helper puts on his/her cingulum and anoints him/herself with the altar oil. Then s/he takes the besom and, beginning in the center of the circle and, moving widdershins in an outward spiral, sweeps the circle.
*** HELPER ***
Use matches or lighter to light the working candle. With the working candle, light the illumination candles and the quarter candles on the altar and at the stations. Keep in mind to always move in the circle in the direction that is consistent with the purpose of your ritual; deosil for invoking, widdershins for banishing, etc. Return to the altar and light the altar incense with the working candle. Take the altar oil and move to the northwest. Anoint the HP or HPS and greet him/her with a hug and a kiss. Stand at station in the northwest and prepare to challenge and greet the rest of the participants.
*** HP/S ***
Put on your cingulum. Pick up the salt and consecrate it.
I bless this salt of Earth,
And charge it in the name of the Lord and the Lady.
(If your group is working with a specific God and Goddess, use their names.)
Put three measures of salt into the water, stir with the athame.
I cleanse this Water,
And charge it in the name of the Lord and the Lady.
Inscribe the circle with the athame. Sprinkle the perimeter of the circle with the salt water:
With Earth and Water, I purify this space and
Banish all evil and all Creatures and agents
Who would interfere with our purpose tonight,
In the name of the Lord and the Lady.
Smudge the perimeter of the circle with the altar incense:
With Air and Fire,
I declare this space sacred
And bless it in the name of the Lord and the Lady.
Now the others are allowed to enter the circle. They are met and challenged by the Helper at the northwest.
Challenge: "Who are you, and what is the password?"
Answer: "I am ______, and the password is perfect love and perfect trust."
After the challenge is met, each celebrant is greeted with a hug and a kiss and allowed to enter. Upon entering, each person hugs and kisses the HP/S and takes her place along the inner perimeter of the circle, standing between the quarter stations. No one stands in front of the quarter stations or the altar. Everyone remains standing in place until the circle casting is completed.
The celebrants are spaced logically around the circle so that all quarters are more or less equally filled. The next person is not challenged and allowed to enter until the previous person is at her station. The non-presiding HP/S is the last person to enter.
For example, say there are a dozen people (including the Helper and the HP/S) who will be sitting in the circle. The Helper's position is immediately to the left of the East quarter, and the HP/S's positions are immediately to the right. Upon entering the circle, the celebrants walk widdershins around the inner perimeter of the circle and take their places. The first person walks around to stand one place removed from the left side of the East quarter, leaving the Helper's position open. Subsequent people take their position within each succeeding quarter. When everyone is in place, there will be three people between each of the quarter stations. For larger groups you may want to place them in concentric rows within the circle.
When everyone is ready, the quarters are called (see the appendix, Words, or write your own). You may want the presiding HP/S to do this, or the non-presiding HP/S, the Helper or designated people, according to your preference. The HP/S takes the working candle and consecrates and seals the circle:
By holy flame of heart's desire,
The circle is cast in Spirit-Fire.
The Worlds are parted,
Time's Web unspun,
Until our work within is done.
The HP/S lights the God and Goddess candles with the working candle, takes the athame and, facing the altar, calls the deities and states the purpose of the circle. Then s/he rings the bell three times and announces the beginning of the rite.
NOTE: This is only an outline. You can keep to the general form and still vary the routine. For instance, if you have pre-selected people to call the quarters, they would enter the circle at the same time as the presiding HP/S. Also, the challenge is optional. It is included here because it is a common element in the Gardnerian traditions and it is useful in some rituals.
Closing the Circle:
NOTE: We know most people refer to taking the circle down as "opening" the circle. We call it closing the circle because, to our mind, when a place is ready for business, it is open, and when business is finished you close it. If you prefer the traditional nomenclature, by all means keep it.
When the rite is over, the HP/S leads the group in grounding the excess energy in the circle. Then s/he declares the rite ended. Facing the altar, s/he thanks the deities for their presence, help and blessings and bids them farewell. S/he extinguishes the God and Goddess candles with the candle snuffer. The HP/S, accompanied by the Helper, then dismisses the quarters in the reverse order in which they were called, and the Helper extinguishes the quarter candles and illuminating candles with the candle snuffer. The HP/S returns to the altar, and the Helper returns to his/her station. The HP/S takes the working candle and, moving in the opposite direction the circle was cast, takes the circle down.
By holy flame of candle fire,
The ritual ends at our desire.
The circle is down, and is no more.
All things are as they were before.
Ending at the altar, the HP/S uses the candle snuffer to extinguish the working candle and announces that the circle is down.
Casting the Magical Circle
The procedures for casting a magical working circle do not have to be elaborate, but they should be precise. Every word and motion should have some meaning relating to the work at hand, and concentration must be maintained throughout. Although SoulCraft views the so-called Mystical Kabbalah (as opposed to traditional Jewish Kabbalah) in a generally unfavorable light, we recognize that, with modifications, it can have its uses. The casting that is given here is an example of one such use. It is based on the simple concept of manifestation as a process of drawing divine energy down the Tree of Life from the most subtle plane to the most dense. In other words, this casting is a kabbalistic drawing down of divine energy into the circle, charging the specific intent of the magical work at hand. The planetary correspondences are derived from Dane Rudhyar's book, The Astrology of Personality.
After you have prepared the physical space and set up your altar, make a final review to see if you have missed anything. If you need to go to the bathroom, or think you might need to in the time it will take to complete the work, go now. Once you cast this circle, there is absolutely no leaving for any reason until your business inside is finished, the energies are grounded and the circle is down.
Draw the circle:
Begin in the West, moving through a complete circle and around again to finish in the East. Do this silently.
The West, the first station, represents the unconscious processes that take place before inspiration or desire surfaces. This is the primal chaos of the Primum Mobim, which is Kether.
From West to North, the work is set into motion. Once begun, its completion is certain. This is the beginning of Fate. The planetary association is Pluto--the Wanderer in the Void and the Solitary Seeker--which represents movement towards new structures in consciousness and reconfiguring relationships.
The North is the source of strength and knowledge needed to complete the work. The planet represented is Neptune, which symbolizes the renewal/rebirth of the spirit. This is Chokmah.
From North to East, motion gathers momentum. Thought and energy clusters begin to form. This is the state of pre-thought or primitive thought. At this point there is as yet no conscious intent. The planetary correspondence, Uranus, personifies breaking away from old patterns in the subconscious and bringing symbolic meanings and impulses to awareness.
The East is intellect, consciousness, wisdom and inspiration. The thought/energy clusters take form and associate into conscious ideas. This is the beginning of individuation and wisdom, Saturn/Binah. The supernal trinity (pre-conscious process) is complete. The way for manifestation is open.
From East to South, ideas crystallize and a plan begins to emerge, mediated by the compassion of the Higher Self in Chesed. The planetary correspondence is Jupiter, which represents stabilization.
In the South, the crystallized plan blooms in consciousness and inflames the will. This is Mars/Geburah.
From South to West, the conscious vision returns to its source. Inspiration and desire are integrated. This is the Sun/Tiphareth.
In the West, the work is evaluated in accordance with the sublime and unknowable principles of Spirit, and its final form is drafted. Success is assured. This is Venus/Netzach.
From West to North, the energy becomes very dense. The work gains momentum on its way to material manifestation. Pluto returns as the Hermit, carrying the Lamp of Knowledge and Illumination and wearing the badge of the Eye of Horus.
In the North, the perfection and majesty of the work is declared and its inevitability is assured. This is Mercury/Hod.
From the North to the East, the work is imbued with life. This is the Moon/Yesod.
In the East, the finished work is admitted through the Door of Manifestation. this is the Earth/Malkuth. The vision is now completely manifested. The way for communication and drawing energy between worlds is open.
Sprinkle the circle with water and salt. Drink the remainder when you are through.
By Earth and Water do I declare
This circle pure and free.
Let all within be filled with light,
Bound by love, and blessed be.
Light the altar incense (Frankincense and Myrrh) and consecrate the circle with it.
By fire and smoke do I invoke
Spirit from above.
Fill this rite with your might,
With sacredness and love.
Calll the quarters, drawing the invoking pentagram of each element in turn:
Ameshet, Guardian of the portal of Air,
I _____, a priest(ess) and witch call upon you to guard our circle.
Tmoumathpth, Guardian of the portal of Fire,
I _____, a priest(ess) and witch call upon you to guard our circle.
Ahephi, Guardian of the portal of Water,
I _____, a priest(ess) and witch call upon you to guard our circle.
Kabexnuf, Guardian of the portal of Earth,
I _____, a priest(ess) and witch call upon you to guard our circle.
Mighty Guardians, one and all,
Thank you for heeding my summoning call.
Watch over us throughout this rite.
Guard our circle through the night.
When the work is done, depart in peace
With our love, and blessed be.
Seal the circle, using the working candle:
By holy flame of heart's desire,
The circle is cast in Spirit-Fire.
The Worlds are parted,
Time's Web unspun,
Until our work within is done.
If you are going to call any deities, do so now. Raise the energy and do your work. When you are finished, ground the energy, thank the deities and bring the circle down: Using the working candle instead of your athame, draw the circle as before, but in reverse, beginning in the East, moving through all of the stations and ending in the West.
By holy flame of candle fire,
The ritual ends at our desire.
The circle is down, and is no more.
All things are as they were before.