The Real Witches’ Book of Spells and Rituals. Kate West
Chanting. There are a huge number of chants used in the Craft today. Some are universal, others may be written within the Coven. Most chants have their own tune, or may be known by different tunes, but the simple repetition of words to a beat will suffice if you are not musical. It can be helpful, where there are newcomers to a group, to set aside a period of time for chant practice as it is important that everyone can chant together.
* Drumming. Drumming can supplement the energy of either dance or chant, or indeed both. However, it is important that your drummers do have rhythm, as anyone who cannot hold a beat and remain in time will detract from the energy rather than increase it! You also need to ensure that drumming does not drown out chanting, or irritate any neighbours. Where you have too many people for safe dancing, or some who cannot dance, then drumming is a way of ensuring that everyone participates in raising power. However, I have found that there are some people who feel self-conscious dancing and therefore prefer to drum rather than dance, and you need to decide whether you are going to let them ‘off the hook’ in this way!
Solitary Witches can raise power by any of the above three methods, or indeed by doing two or even all three at once, if they are very well co-ordinated. As with many things in the Craft you will probably need to try different options to see which works best for you.
Whilst energy is not raised for magical working at most celebrations, chanting, dancing and drumming still take place in order to raise energy within the group, and because they are such an integral part of celebrating the Craft today.
CLEANSING AN OBJECT
Anything you purchase will have been handled by other people and will have traces of their energies on it. This particularly applies to anything second-hand where it may have been used for a number of purposes before you receive it. Obviously, anything you intend to use magically or in a spell will need these energies removed before you use it. There are several ways to cleanse an item and you will need to select the most suitable, as some techniques are definitely wrong for some things – for example, you wouldn’t run a book under water for 10 minutes!
* Moonlight. An item can be placed in the light of the Full Moon overnight and the Moon will not only cleanse it but will empower it too. It is best to do this on a windowsill, especially for small items, as just placing it outside can result in it being moved or you forgetting where you put it. An indoor windowsill is also better as your item is less likely to be knocked off by a curious bird, or blown off in a high wind.
* Running water. Many things can be placed under running water for 10 minutes whilst you visualize all negativity being washed away. Obviously this is no use for anything that will spoil through getting wet.
* Through the elements. You can cleanse an item by passing it through the elements in the same way as you consecrate it (see below). But do be aware that this means taking an uncleansed item into the Circle.
CONSECRATING AN OBJECT
When you first get any of your magical tools, especially your Athame, they should be consecrated. Likewise, in many spells and magics you may decide to use an object to focus the magic onto, and this too should be consecrated. It could be a candle which burns down to release the energy, a talisman which is carried by someone who was not present at the Ritual, or any one of a number of other items. In many cases, where someone comes to you seeking magic it can be helpful to get them to provide anything like this as not only does it link them to the magic, but keeps down the costs. The object in question should be cleansed (see above), and should be placed on the Altar prior to the start of the Ritual.
At the appropriate point in the Ritual the High Priestess takes the item from the Altar. First she consecrates it with the elements. She passes it through the incense smoke and says,
‘I do consecrate this … (name of item) with Air, that it may … (name the purpose it is being consecrated for).’
She repeats this with Fire (being careful not to set light to it), Water (by sprinkling a few drops on it) and Earth (sprinkling a few grains of salt onto it).
At this point it may be necessary to do something to the object. Perhaps carve a name on a candle, anoint an object, or some other part of the spell.
She then holds it up over the Altar and says,
‘I call upon the Goddess and the God (she may name the aspects or Godforms appropriate) to bring … (whatever the attributes of the spell might be) to … (name of the person for whom the magic is being worked).’
She pauses a moment whilst visualizing the Goddess and the God also blessing the candle, then says, ‘Blessed Be’.
NAMING AN OBJECT
This is very similar to the above in actions and words, but is performed to bring about a different intent. Here the object represents a person, not an action or event. Naming an object is often useful when your magic is intended to affect two people, perhaps in a reconciliation. It can be used where you have no picture, physical or mental, of a person, or to strengthen the energy of a picture. It is frequently used in fertility magic or where an image of the person is created.
In this case as the object is passed through each of the elements it is named. For example, as the High Priestess passes it through the incense smoke she says,
‘I do name this … (name of item)… (name of person), that it may be … (name of person)… in this our Ritual.’
And she repeats this with each element. She then holds it up over the Altar and says,
‘I call upon the Goddess and the God, to know that this is … (name of person), and to lend their energy in his/her good.’
She pauses a moment whilst visualizing the Goddess and the God acknowledging the person, then says, ‘Blessed Be’.
THE RITE OF WINE AND CAKES
The Rite of Wine and Cakes is performed at the end of all Rituals, prior to removing the Sacred Space. It has the two-fold purpose of sharing the Blessing of the Goddess and the God, as well as being a preliminary step in the grounding necessary after working any kind of Ritual or magic.
To perform this you will need on your Altar wine in a chalice and ‘cakes’ on a plate. The wine used is generally red in colour, although you may prefer to use a sweet wine or mead for some of the festivals. Some groups prefer to use port or another fortified wine for this Rite. If you do not wish alcohol in your Ritual then grape or another fruit juice is just as acceptable. The cakes can be anything from home-made, moon-shaped biscuits, to commercially available crackers, or slices of apple. Whichever you prefer, try not to have them too large as you will have a long pause whilst everyone chomps their way to the end! Most groups will have one more ‘cake’ than they have participants so that one remains to go with a little of the wine as an offering of thanks. The offering is usually taken outside after the Ritual and scattered on the Earth. Members of our group often bring their dogs with them to Rituals, as they come from the same sire (or, with the addition of a new generation, grandsire!). As a result we frequently have additional cakes which are then shared with any of our dogs who might also be attending.
The High Priestess and High Priest stand in front of the Altar, facing the group, with the High Priest on the High Priestess’s right-hand side. The High Priest takes the chalice and, holding it up to the whole group, says,
‘Behold the Chalice, the cauldron of Ceridwyn, the fount of all knowledge and life.’
He then turns towards the High Priestess and kneels to face her. The High Priestess takes her Athame, holding it in both hands with the blade pointing upwards, and displays it to the group, saying,
‘Behold