The Essence of Ritual
            (i) What Ritual Is
            (ii) Why do people use ritual in their lives?
            (iii) Types of Rituals

Ritual is many things to many people. To those working in witchcraft and paganism, it is a practical
working procedure and tool that is utilised to realise a range of intents. This lesson is designed to
shed some light on exactly what ritual is, and why it is so important. To begin with, lets share some
thoughts about what ritual is from some well-known persons within the field.

Isaac Bonewits:

"Any ordered sequence of events or actions, including direct thought… designed to produce a
predictable, altered state of consciousness within which certain magickal or religious results may
be obtained."

Scott Cunningham:

"A specific form of movement, manipulation of objects or series of inner processes designed to
produce desired effects."

Marian Green:

"Ritual is an archaic form of specific actions, movements and words which has a particular effect."

All of these definitions stem from the same philosophy or structural base. Lets look at the
composition of the definitions point by point.…..

   1.Specific actions or sequences of events:

     All rituals, despite what they are geared towards, are built upon particular actions,
     movements, words or thoughts. By repeating these during each ritual, it acts to change our
     level of consciousness and awareness. Repetitive ritual actions speak directly to the
     unconscious mind. They gear our mind and body to greater heights and move them away, at
     least temporarily, from the mundane plane. This then allows us to connect with the greater
     energies of he Universe and with the Divine.

   2.Predictable altered states:

     Repetition also conditions the mind and allows us to move more easily into other states of
     awareness. One can use the analogy of those involved in meditation. Crossing the legs and
     assuming the lotus position tells the mind that an altered state is about to take place. The
     mind clears and slips into a meditative state more easily due to ritual of assuming the
     meditation position.

     It is the same principle with magickal and religious rituals. For example, taking a ritual bath
     prior to every working or Circle tells the mind to begin to move from the mundane to the
     esoteric realm. Thus a simple ritual act conditions the mind to become more receptive to the
     work at hand.

   3.The creation of desired results:

All rituals are designed in order to achieve a planned outcome. Whether this be honoring the Deities
in celebration, assisting in the turning of the Wheel of the Year, or healing and other magickal
workings, all rituals work to a goal. Goals are extremely important in terms of rituals. A goal will
define the type of ritual you perform, and how that ritual will be carried out.

People use ritual in their lives for many and varied reasons. Some of these are discussed below:

   1.To connect with the Divine:

     Rituals assist us to become closer to the divinity that is within and without. Ritual actions and
     words trigger us to see the divinity in everyday things that the more mundane living
     sometimes obscures. It also allows us to begin to realise our own divine potential and reach
     within for our own Godhead.

  2.To mark rites of passage:

     Rituals can be used to mark specific life changes and passages. It can be a way of letting go
     of the old and welcoming in the new. Some rites of passage can include:

     Birth
     Marriage
     Menstruation
     Parenthood
     Puberty
     Death
     Initiation
     Dedication

     Celebrating rites of passage in ritual signifies them as important stages of growth and
     change in our lives. They can be used as a means of recognizing our inherent sexuality and
     wonderful human qualities.

   3.To bring material things into our lives:

     Witchcraft does not believe that materialism is a bad thing. Many witches use ritual to bring
     material possessions such as money, employment and other concrete manifestations into our
     lives.

   4.To honor the Deities and Nature:

     Rituals can be used to signify and mark the passage of the seasons and actions of those
     living from the earth’s bounty. These rituals celebrate the turning of the Wheel of the Year,
     the seasons, the harvest of the crops, and the Gods and Goddesses who have a role in this.

   5.Empowerment:

     Rituals can be a simple and beautiful way to reclaim the power we have lost. Especially for
     women, witchcraft can be a way of life that leads them back to feeling valued and honored
     as women. The Goddess celebrates the sensuality, sexuality and power of the woman from
     birth to death. Rituals are an excellent means for engendering self-worth back into the
     human psyche. Ritual takes the disenfranchised and gives them control as they perform the
     ritual. This is one way witchcraft differs from that of organised religion. We are the ritual,
     the power and the divine beings. We raise the energy and make change happen and are not
     just silent onlookers from the back pews. And this is empowering to many people.

   6.Personal Growth & development:

     Ritual is an excellent means for effecting change within. Rituals can help us to tap into our
     deep psyche to change old habits and look at life from new perspectives. Rituals can put us
     in touch with our greatest potential and unlock new creativity and challenges within our lives.

   7.To remove things from our lives:

     Rituals are a powerful means of banishing things from our life. Be it unwanted energies, bad
     habits or simply negative thought patterns. Rituals are also a means to allow us a safe haven
     in which to release that which has run it’s course in our life so we can move on.

   1.Spiritual:

     These rituals are performed in order to honor the Goddess and the God and invite them into
     your life.

   2.Rites of passage:

     As previously mentioned, these rituals can be performed to mark specific and significant life
     changes. They are often extremely individual and do not necessarily follow a ritual format
     common to other rituals.

   3.Celebratory Rituals:

     These are usually to acknowledge a special time or event. They can include the sabbats
     where the seasons and harvests are celebrated and honored. Celebration rituals can also
     include birth rituals and hand-fastings and anything of celebratory nature.

   4.Affirmation Rituals:

     Rituals that affirm your movement through your chosen path. They include self-dedication
     rituals and rituals of initiation into degrees, ranks and covens.

     With the above four types, the focus is usually on acknowledging and honoring. In this sense,
     magick may not necessarily be worked. There can be magick attached to these rituals, but it
     is not a matter of course.

   5.Magickal Rituals:

     In these rituals, the prime goal is not honoring, but focusing on consciously shifting energy
     to create change within and without. Magickal rituals employ the use of spells, charms,
     amulets and other magickal accouterments to achieve a desired result other than celebration.
     Energy is raised within the Circle and released to accomplish the purpose of the stated goal.

     Magickal rituals can include any of the following:

     Healing
     Fertility
     Prosperity
     Banishing
     Love
     Self-empowerment
     Protection and cleansing
     Creativity

     Almost any well-defined goal can be turned into a magickal rite with the correct focus,
     dedication and acts of will.

   6.Sabbats:

     Sabbats are rituals, celebrations or festivals connected with the Wheel of the Year. They
     celebrate the movement of the seasons and the Pagan harvests. The eight sabbats generally
     celebrated by witches include the following:

     Samhain: considered to be the beginning of the witch’s New Year. Celebration of the dead
     and the third of the pagan harvest festivals. Occurs on 1st May (31st October in Northern
     Hemisphere).

     Yule: the God is conceived and born at Yule so begins the cycle of rebirth. Sees a return of
     the God in the lengthening of daylight. Occurs on 21st June (21st December in Northern
     Hemisphere).

     Imbolc: the Goddess becomes "maiden" and spring quickens the air. Lambing takes on
     significance in the countryside. Occurs on 1st August (2nd February in Northern Hemisphere).

     Spring Equinox (Ostara): the celebration of birth and new life. Light overtakes the darkness;
     death has no power over the living. Occurs on 21st September (21st March in Northern
     Hemisphere).

     Beltane: the sabbat that celebrates life, energy, love and sexuality. A true fertility ritual.
     Occurs on 31st October (30 April in Northern Hemisphere).

     Summer Solstice (Midsummer): the longest day of the year has arrived. Harvest is around the
     corner and the Goddess is heavy with pregnant bounty. Occurs on 21st December (21st June
     in Northern Hemisphere).

     Lughnasadh: the first of the pagan harvests. The God’s strength begins to wane as his energy
     goes into the harvest. Occurs on 2nd February (1st August in Northern Hemisphere).

     Mabon (Autumn Equinox): the second of the pagan harvests, and a time of thanksgiving for
     witches. Day and night are equal and we prepare for the descent to the Underworld. Occurs
     on 21st March (21st September in Northern Hemisphere).

     Note: The above dates are merely circa. The actual dates of the sabbats may vary a day or
     two either side depending on the actual astrological timing of the solstices and equinoxes.
     The dates for the harvest sabbats may vary according to geographical location, the weather
     conditions for crop ripening and harvesting and sometimes personal preference.

     Unfortunately, due to time constraints within this course, there will be no in-depth
     discussion of the sabbats and their meanings, history, correspondences or specific rituals.
     Students are encouraged to research these independently, or get together at other times to
     discuss them. NightMoon is in the process of organising in-depth classes on the sabbats at a
     later date for those interested.

   7.Esbats:

     These rituals are not huge festival celebrations like the sabbats, and usually occur on a full
     moon. Esbats are usually rituals where magick is worked. These rituals often harness the
     energy of the full moon as part of their focus. This is especially so in terms of abundance,
     fertility and prosperity - full moons are seen as powerful times for these kinds of magickal
     workings. Dark moons are also appropriate Esbat times for performing banishing and release
     work.

This now concludes the first lesson in this course on ritual construction and design. By now you
should have some understanding of what a ritual is, why people perform rituals, and the types of
rituals that can be used in one’s life.

Optional Exercises:

   1.Look at your day-to-day life - do you see any ritual behaviour that before went unnoticed?
     Think about how that ritual behaviour makes you feel.
   2.Examine what areas of your life would benefit from more formal or structured ritual work.
     Look at what type of rituals you feel drawn to. Read up on these in more depth.