Wicca (17 page)

• A Goddess symbol (candle, holed stone, statue)

• A God symbol (candle, horn, acorn, statue)

• Magic knife (athame)

• Wand

• Censer

Suggested altar layout

• Pentacle

• A bowl of water (spring, rain, or tap)

• A bowl of salt (it can also be placed on the pentacle)

• Incense

• Flowers and greens

• One red candle in holder (if not using point candles)

• Any other tools or materials required for the ritual, spell, or magical working

Set up the altar according to the plan shown here or according to your own design. Also, be sure to have plenty of matches, as well as a small heat-proof container in which to place them when used. A charcoal block is also necessary to burn the incense.

Light the candles. Set the incense smoking. Lift the knife and touch its blade to the water, saying:

I consecrate and cleanse this water

that it may be purified and fit to

dwell within the sacred circle of stones.

In the name of the Mother Goddess and the Father God
*

I consecrate this water.

As you do this, visualize your knife blasting away all negativity from the water.

The salt is next touched with the point of the knife while saying:

I bless this salt that it may be fit

to dwell within the sacred circle of stones.

In the name of the Mother Goddess and the Father God,

I bless this salt.

Now stand facing north, at the edge of the cord-marked circle. Hold your magic knife point outward at waist level. Walk slowly around the circle’s perimeter clockwise, your feet just inside the cord, charging it with your words and energy. Create the circle—through your visualization— with the power flowing out from your knife’s blade. As you walk, stretch the energy out until it forms a complete sphere around the working area, half above the ground, half below. As you do this say:

Here is the boundary of the circle of stones.

Naught but love shall enter in,

naught but love shall emerge from within.

Charge this by your powers, Old Ones!

When you have arrived back at the north, place the magic knife on the altar. Take up the salt and sprinkle it around the circle, beginning and ending in the north, and moving clockwise. Next, carry the smoking censer around the circle, then the southern point candle or the lit red candle from the altar, and finally sprinkle water around the circle. Do more than carrying and walking, sense the substances purifying the circle. The circle of stones is now sealed.

Hold aloft the wand at the north, at the edge of the circle, and say:

O spirit of the north stone,

ancient one of the earth,

I call you to attend this circle.

Charge this by your powers, Old Ones!

As you say this, visualize a greenish mist rising and writhing in the northern quarter, over the stone. This is the elemental energy of earth. When the spirit is present, lower the wand, move to the east, raise it again, and say:

O spirit of the east stone,

ancient one of air,

I call you to attend this circle.

Charge this by your powers, Old Ones!

Visualize the yellowish mist of air energy. Lower the wand, move to the south and repeat the following with your upraised wand, visualizing a crimson fire mist:

O spirit of the south stone,

ancient one of fire,

I call you to attend this circle.

Charge this by your powers, Old Ones!

Finally, to the west, say with wand held aloft:

O spirit of the west stone,

ancient one of water,

I call you to attend this circle.

Charge this by your powers, Old Ones!

Visualize the bluish mist, the essence of water.

The circle breathes and lives around you. The spirits of the stones are present. Feel the energies.Visualize the circle glowing and growing in power. Stand still, sensing for a moment.

The circle of stones is complete. The Goddess and God may be called, and magic wrought.

Cutting a Doorway

At times you may have to leave the circle. This is fine, of course, but as previously mentioned, passing through the circle dissipates it. To prevent this from occurring, it’s traditional to cut a doorway.

To do this, face northeast. Hold your magic knife point downward near the ground.
See
and
sense
the circle before you. Pierce its wall of energy with the athame and trace an archway, tall enough to walk through, moving counterclockwise along the circle for about three feet. Move the point of the magic knife up at the arch’s center and down the other side until it is near the ground.

As you’re doing this, visualize that area of the circle’s energy being sucked back into the athame. This creates a void, allowing passage in and out of the circle. Pull the magic knife out of the circle’s wall.You’re free to walk outside.

Once back inside, close the door by placing the athame at the lower northeastern
*
point of the archway. With your knife, trace the circle’s perimeter clockwise, as if redrawing that portion of the circle of stones, again visualizing blue or purple energy flaring out from the blade and converging with the rest of the circle. It is done.

Releasing the Circle

Once the rite is ended, face north, hold aloft the wand and say:

Farewell, spirit of the north stone.

I give thanks for your presence here.

Go in power.

Repeat this same formula to the east, south, and west, substituting the proper direction in the words. Then return to the north and hold the wand aloft for a few moments.

North trilithon visualization

Lay the wand on the altar. Take up the athame. Standing in the north, pierce the circle’s wall with the blade at waist level. Move clockwise around the circle, visualizing its power being sucked back into the knife. Literally pull it back into the blade and handle. Sense the circle dissolving, shrinking, the outside world slowly regaining its dominance in the area.

When you arrive at the north again, the circle is no more.

Visualizations for the Circle of Stone

If you wish, you can back up the circle casting with the following visualizations as you form the circle itself:

Prepare as usual.Approach the north and set the north stone (or the candle) on the ground. Then, visualize a stone slab standing upright two feet to the left of and behind the north stone.Visualize this as being bluish-gray, two-feet wide, two-feet thick, and six-feet tall. This stone represents the Goddess (see figure on previous page).

When the stone is really there—in your visualization—create another stone of the same size and color two feet to the right of the north stone. This represents the God.

Now visualize a capstone resting on top of the two upright stones. It is about two feet by two feet by five feet. This represents The One before the Goddess and God, the source of all power and magic. The northern trilithon is now complete.

The stones form an archway, a symbol of and gateway to the realm of the element of earth.

Firmly visualize this, then gaze through the arch formed by the stones. See the greenish haze of earth energy.

Repeat the entire procedure to the east, south, and west. Visualize the appropriate elemental color within each trilithon.

Now purify salt and water, cast the circle as usual, and carry around the salt, censer, candle, and water.

As you approach each quarter to call its spirit of the stone, see the trilithon firmly in your mind.Visualize it in all its pagan splendor. See the elemental hazes within them, boiling and writhing in unmani-festedness. Stretch out with your feelings; sense the arrival of the spirit of each stone, then go on to the next.

With practice this comes easily, but such visualizations are never necessary.

The Blessing Chant

May the powers of The One,

the source of all creation;

all-pervasive, omnipotent, eternal;

may the Goddess,

the lady of the moon;

and the God,

horned hunter of the sun;

may the powers of the spirits of the stones,

rulers of the elemental realms;

may the powers of the stars above and the earth below,

bless this place, and this time, and I who am with you.
*

The Simple Feast

Hold up a cup of wine or some other liquid between your hands to the sky, and say:

Gracious Goddess of abundance,

bless this wine and infuse it with your love.

In your names,Mother Goddess and Father God,

I bless this wine (or brew, juice, etc.).

Hold up a plate of cakes (bread, biscuits) with both hands to the sky and say:

Powerful God of the harvest,

bless these cakes and infuse them with your love.

In your names,Mother Goddess and Father God,

I bless these cakes (or this bread).
†

Consecration of Tools

Light the candles. Set the incense smoking. Cast the circle of stones. Place the tool on the pentacle, or a plate of salt. Touch it with the point of the magic knife (or your projective hand) and say:

I consecrate you, O knife of steel (or wand of wood, etc.)

to cleanse and purify you to serve me within the circle of stones.

In the names of the Mother Goddess and Father God,

you are consecrated.

Send projective energy into the tool, cleansing it of all negativity and past associations. Now pick it up and sprinkle with salt, pass it through the incense smoke, through the candle flame, and sprinkle with water, calling upon the spirits of the stones to consecrate it.

Then hold the tool to the sky, saying:

I charge you by the Old Ones:

by the omnipotent Goddess and God:

by the virtues of the sun, moon, and stars:

by the powers of the earth, air, fire, and water,

that I shall obtain all that I desire through you.

Charge this by your power, Old Ones!
*

The tool should immediately be put to use to strengthen and bind the consecration. For example, the athame can be used to consecrate another tool; a wand to invoke the Goddess; the pentacle to act as a resting place for a tool during its consecration.

The Full Moon Rite

Perform this at night, in view of the moon, if possible. It is appropriate for crescents, white flowers, silver, and other lunar symbols to be present on the altar for this ritual. The quartz crystal sphere can be placed on the altar as well. Or, if you prefer, use the cauldron (or a small white or silver bowl) filled with water. Place a piece of silver into the water.

Arrange the altar, light the candles and censer, and cast the circle of stones.

Stand before the altar and invoke the Goddess and God, with the Blessing Chant and/or any other invocations (see “Prayers, Chants, and Invocations” in this Book of Shadows).

Now gaze at the moon, if possible. Feel its energies sinking into your body. Feel its cool Goddess energy wash you with power and love.

Now say these or similar words:

Wondrous lady of the moon

You who greets the dusk with silvered kisses;

mistress of the night and of all magics,

who rides the clouds in blackened skies

and spills light upon the cold earth;

O lunar Goddess,

crescented-one,

shadow maker and shadow breaker;

revealer of mysteries past and present;

puller of seas and ruler of women;

all-wise lunar Mother,

I greet your celestial jewel