ELEMENTS OF CIRCLE ~LL~ REFOCUSING OURSELVES This is where we begin to get into that “Circle state of mind”. Saltbathing: Bathing before ritual to rid ourselves of negative energies we may have gathered in the day. Several ways of doing this…shower, sink, bath. See also Saltbathing Ritual Smudging: A way of using the smoke from burning herbs as a way to cleanse the body, an object, or a given area of negative influences. We cleanse the aura of negative energies that we may have gathered in the day. Anoint: v : administer a sacred oil or ointment to in a religious ceremony of blessing [syn: oil, anele, ambrocate] So this is the initial blessing of the cleansed person. Anointing can also be seen as consecrating ourselves. consecrate \Conse*crate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Consecrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Consecrating.] 1. To make, or declare to be, sacred; to appropriate to sacred uses; to set apart, dedicate, or devote, to the service or worship of God; as, to consecrate a church; to give (ones self) unreservedly, as to the service of God. consecrate adj : solemnly dedicated to or set apart for a high purpose; a life consecrated to science; the consecrated chapel; a chapel dedicated to the dead of World War II [syn: consecrated, dedicated] [ant: desecrated] v 1: of clerical posts; he was ordained in the Church [syn: ordain, order] 2: dedicate to a deity by a vow [syn: vow] 3: render holy by means of religious rites [syn: bless, hallow, sanctify] [ant: desecrate] Omming aka Grounding and Centering: Centering: the act of feeling solid, balanced and focused emotionally. Grounding: the act of dispelling negative emotions and energies from the physical body. This is also where we see who is in Circle with us. We look into one another’s eyes to acknowledge ourselves and each other as spiritual beings who walk on the same sacred path. CASTING THE CIRCLE Call Quarters/Invoke Watchtowers: WATCH TOWERS- {Enochian branch of Ceremonial Magick}Many Trads of Wicca use theseas the four elemental directions or quarters (corresponding to the appropriate points on the compass) called to protect the Circle during its erection and during its use. Each of them have a correspondence between the compass point, an element, and (varying amongst different traditions) color associated with them. Skeletal invocations East (Invocation) Facing East: Guardians of the watchtower of the east, we do summon, stir, and call you up to protect us in our rite. Join us as we celebrate (season) and guard us from all perils coming from the East. We ask that you bring with you imagination and new beginnings (etc...you will need to be aware of the Eastern Correspondences) So Mote It Be! Responsorial: So mote it be! South (Invocation) Facing South: Guardians of the watchtower of the south, we do summon,stir, and call thee up to protect us in our rite. Join us as we celebrate (season) and guard us from all perils coming from the South.. We ask that you bring with you passion and excitement (etc...you will need to be aware of the Southern Correspondences) So Mote It be! Responsorial: So Mote it Be! West (Invoking) Facing West: Guardians of the watchtower of the west, we do summon, stir, and call thee up to protect us in our rite. Join us as we celebrate (season) and guard us from all perils coming from the West. We ask that you bring with you deep emotions and intuition(etc...you will need to be aware of the Western Correspondences) So Mote It be! Responsorial: So mote it be! North (Invoking) Facing North: Guardians of the watchtower of the north, we do summon, stir, and call thee up to protect us in our rite. Join us as we celebrate (season) and guard us from all perils coming from the North. We ask that you bring with you steadfastness and courage(etc...you will need to be aware of the Northern Correspondences) So Mote It be! Responsorial: So mote it be! BLESSING THE ELEMENTS: We are casting out negative energies from the elements on the altar. We do this so that all things in Circle are as pure as possible. Air, Water, Fire, Earth. Say the following (or words of your own choosing) as you come into contact with each element. NOTE: Fire and Air can be seen as one in the incense or you can use the Spirit candle for that. I place my athame and NOT my finger into the flame! I do cast out any and all impurities both of the spirit and of the mundane. Be cast out that which is not in perfect accord with my will. As I will it, so mote it be Responsorial: So mote it be! CASTING THE CIRCLE THREE TIMES ROUND: 1. With water and earth (feminine first in the Ladys time) 2 With air and fire (masculine first in the Lords time) 3. With the energy I cast three times to acknowledge the Triple face of the Lord and of the Lady. Also to incorporate all the elements including Spirit which is Energy. CALL IN THE LADY AND THE LORD (and Spirit if you will) I normally only invoke Lady and Lord, but many many witches will also call Spirit to Circle. Invocation: 1) An appeal or petition to a higher power/s. 2) a prayer. 3) a request for a Dietys appearance or attendance during ritual. 4)the practice that produces an awareness of Deity within. invoke \In*voke\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Invoked; p. pr. & vb. n. Invoking.] [F. invoquer, L. invocare; pref. in- in, on + vocare to call, fr. vox voice. See Voice, and cf. Invocate.] To call on for aid or protection; to invite earnestly or solemnly; to summon; to address in prayer; to solicit or demand by invocation; to implore; as, to invoke the Supreme Being, or to invoke His and blessing. “The Circle is Perfect” The HP or HPS turns to the group and announces that the Circle is perfect. This signifies that the Lady and Lord are in Circle and the boundaries are set. Also it is a reminder of that eternal password Enter in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust. There is so much more to this statement than just being comfortable with those you stand in Circle with. BODY OF THE RITUAL This is the portion for worship, meditation/pathworkings, spellworking (note: I normally don’t work magic on Sabbats, but save that for Esbats) CAKES AND WINE Pick up a cake and take a small piece of it. I bless these cakes and remember the grain from which they came and the hands that claimed the grain. Thus do we understand both the giver and the gift [place in libation bowl] HEIROS GAMOS The Heiros Gamos is the Sacred Marriage of the God and the Goddess. It is a sometimes real but often symbolic joining of the balance. That balance can be seen as an outward gender or an inward leaning. To see it as merely gender joining is to miss the greater whole of what it truly is. Part of what it does is to remind us that They are us. Another part is to remind us of the balance that Is. The words she speaks are As the cup is to the female The words he speaks are So the athame is to the male The words they will speak together are Thus conjoined, they bring blessedness He hands the chalice to her May you never thirst. She hands it back with the same phrase. Then they pass it to the left. The cakes follow. Here is where the coveners can relax a bit and talk about what they felt and saw in Circle. Think of it as “sharing time”. Taking the Circle Down DISMISS OR BANISH QUARTERS/WATCHTOWERS The Quarters/Watchtowers which were invoked, must be dismissed. What follow are samples of the ones I use. East (Banishment) Facing East: Guardians of the watchtower of the east, we do thank you for guarding our Circle from all perils coming from the East and ere ye depart for your lovely realms of beauty and Mystery, we bid you hail and farewell. Responsorial: Hail and farewell! South (Banishing) Facing South: Guardians of the watchtower of the south, we do thank you for guarding our Circle from all perils coming from the South and ere ye depart for your lovely realms of beauty and Mystery, we bid you hail and farewell. Responsorial: Hail and farewell West (Banishing) Facing West: Guardians of the watchtower of the west, we do thank you for guarding our Circle from all perils coming from the West and ere ye depart for your lovely realms of beauty and Mystery, we bid you hail and farewell. Responsorial: Hail and farewell! North (Banishing) Facing North: Guardians of the watchtowers of the north, we do thank you for guarding our Circle from all perils coming from the North and ere ye depart for your lovely realms of beauty and Mystery, we bid you hail and farewell. Responsorial: Hail and farewell! OPEN CIRCLE This is where the HPS formally opens Circle by cutting the boundary of Circle with her athame or fingers. MARK THE DEPARTURE OF THE LADY AND THE LORD Thanking the Lord and the Lady for Their participation. We generally ask Them for Their blessing “that You remain in our hearts evermore”. GIVE LEAVE TO DEPART Often, other spirits may be drawn into Circle because of the joyous energies. We always remind them that they must go, but offer friendship and peace between us. CLOSE CIRCLE Merry Meet, Merry Part, and Merry Meet Again! Everyone together! And then a nice big group hug!
Posted on: Wed, 04 Dec 2013 01:57:09 +0000
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