Runt
Well-Known Member
Numerous divination rituals have been adopted or flat out contrived by Wiccan diviners. To glean hidden information a witch may choose to scry by staring into a mirror, bowl of water, flame, or pool of spilled ink. Or they may chose to use astral projection or sometimes even drugsalthough it must be noted that the harm none law of Wicca is generally interpreted by most Wiccans to mean that drugs are off limitsto leave their body and transcend normal space and/or time to obtain information. Wiccans may also choose to obtain information from the spirits believed to reside in the world by asking them questions and having them respond through a ouiji board or pendulum (Cabot 1989: 139).
As in other religions weve studied, Wiccans believe that some illnesses have supernatural causes that can be cured in supernatural ways. Even if an illness is attributed to natural causes, magickal cures are still considered acceptable. The kinds of healing rituals performed fall into two categories; energy healing and spells. Energy healing includes rituals such as the Reiki (when a healer directs healing energy from their own body into a physically present patient); specific uses of the Cone of Power (Skelton 1997: 53), which is when a coven dances or chants to raise energy and sends it to a patient who may or may not be physically present at the ritual; and Chakra Balancing (Cabot 1989: 262), which is when a healer and a patient work together to force harmful energy out of the body and unblock the natural flow of energy throughout the body. Spells, in contrast, are often rituals that involve imitative magick. A coven or a single witch may, for example, draw an image of a healthy person and then focus on the idea of the ill person becoming the individual in this image. Other typical spells include candle spells in which a candle is anointed with an oil believed to be particularly healing and burned, and knot magic in which illness is visualized as moving from the sick person into a rope, where it is physically tied off and often buried (Malbrough 1986: 80).
Finally, there are several rites of passage rituals to be found in Wicca. Typically a year and a day after a child has been born a Wiccaning takes place (Farrar 1981: 153). During this ritual, the parents formally name their child and present him or her to the Lord and Lady for a blessing. This also serves, in some cases, to initiate the newborn into the community of a coven. Although there is no proscribed Coming of Age ritual in Wicca, the Dedication or Initiation of a Wiccan usually serves the same purpose; to initiate them into the community or acknowledge that they have taken on the full rights and responsibilities of a priest/priestess of the Lord and Lady (Fararr 1984: 9). A Dedication is when a solitary Wiccan formally devotes himself or herself to the Lord and Lady. An Initiation is when a Wiccan formally dedicates himself or herself to the Lord and the Lady and at the same time joins a coven. A Handfasting is a Wiccan wedding (Skelton 1997: 91). Here, vows are exchanged and the hands of the couple are ritually tied together to symbolically show how they are becoming one. Finally, when a Wiccan dies a funeral, sometimes called a Requiem, is performed (Fararr 1981: 166).
Usually there are specific days when a ritual such as the above is to be performed. Although it is perfectly acceptable within Wicca to do a ritual on a regular day, usually most Wiccans prefer to perform rituals on esbats (full moon days) or sabbats (Wiccan holy days).
Even when one of the above rituals is not being performed, sabbats are typically celebrated with specific rituals. Usually these rituals are designed to honor the Lord and Lady and acknowledge the natural forces at work in the world. Every Wiccan celebrates four or eight sabbats each year.
All Wiccans recognize at least four sabbats. These sabbats are the summer and winter solstices and the spring and autumn equinoxes. Collectively, these four sabbats are known as the Lesser Sabbats.
The additional four sabbats celebrated by many Wiccans are called the Greater Sabbats. Although they have their origins in ancient Celtic agricultural festivals, in Wicca the emphasis of these four holidays has moved away from simple pastoral themes and has instead begun to focus on the God and Goddess mythology of Wicca: Thus despite their Celtic names and the fact that they are observed at roughly the same time that the ancient rites were celebrated, these four Greater Sabbats should be considered new holidays rather than ancient revivals.
Collectively these eight sabbats as well as the twelve (sometimes thirteen) Esbats (lunar celebrations) make up what Wiccans refer to at the Wheel of the Year.
The first sabbat of the year is Imbolc. Celebrated around February 2nd, this Greater Sabbat is considered to be the day in which the God is born to the Goddess. Because the Gods power is in part that of the sun, Imbolc is often celebrated with rituals that involve lightingand sometimes leaping overfires representative of his light. Also, because the sabbat is considered sacred to the Goddess Brigit (who is regarded as a manifestation of the mother Goddess), Imbolc may also be celebrated with rituals such as the weaving of Brigits Crosses or the lighting of candles, for she is believed to be a fire goddess (Stepanich 1994: 75).
Following Imbolc is a Lesser Sabbat called Ostara. It is celebrated on the Spring Equinox (around March 21st) and is generally a celebration of the return of spring and an acknowledgement of plant and animal fertility. Many modern pagans claim that some Easter traditions such as the decoration and hunt for eggs have their origins in a myth in which a rabbit, wanting to please Ostera (the goddess for whom this sabbat was named), lays sacred eggs to honor her. Thus Wiccans sometimes celebrate Ostara by hosting egg hunts for their kids or even dying eggs for themselves (Michaud 2000: 30).
Beltane, the second Greater Sabbat of the year, is celebrated around May 1st. Whereas Ostara acknowledges plant and animal fertility, this sabbat is a celebration of human sexuality. It is believed that on this date the God marries and impregnates the Goddess. Rituals such as the May Pole, in which worshippers dance around a post and weave ribbons about its length, are commonly celebrated (Stepanich 1994: 76).
The next holy day is a Lesser Sabbat called Litha. It is celebrated on the Summer Solstice with the lighting of fires to represent the light and heat of the sun, which is at the peak of its power at this time (Farrar 1981: 93).
A Greater Sabbat called Lughnasadh, which.is celebrated around August 2nd, follows Litha. At this time of the year the Goddess is very pregnant and the God is at the height of his manly power. Their combined power results in bounties and blessings across the entire world. Thus, it often involves rituals of thanksgiving for bounties individual Wiccans as well as entire covens have experienced throughout the year, whether they be material, psychological, or spiritual (Stepanich 1994: 81).
After Lughnasadh is a Lesser Sabbat called Mabon. It is celebrated on the Autumn Equinox (around September 21st) and is generally a celebration of the coming of Fall. At this time Wiccans recognize that the energy of the sun is waning and that trees are losing their leaves and seasonal plants are dying as colder weather closes in. Thus, on Mabon Wiccans perform rituals such as the Dance of Going and Returning (a spiral dance) that acknowledge the subtle signs of death and decline around them and also remind them of their belief in cycles of rebirth and renewal (Michaud 2000: 32-33).
The last Greater Sabbat of the year is Samhain, which is celebrated on October 31st. Wiccans believe that this is the time that the God dies. Thus, Samhain is a sabbat that focuses on themes of death, the coming of winter, andagainthe promises of eventual rebirth. Some groups celebrate this Sabbat by performing a symbolic funeral in which a male priest will play the part of the dead God and a female priestess will play the part of the grieving Goddess. Other people may remember their ancestors on this night and try to communicate with them, for it is believed that on Samhain the spirit world and this world are much closer together and interaction between the two can more easily be achieved (Farrar 1981: 120-123).
Although there are many different kinds of rituals performed in Wicca, every ritual follows the same basic format. First, a witch casts a large circle clockwise using an athame (ritual knife believed to focus and direct power). Circles are always cast clockwise because counterclockwise motion is considered to be banishing in nature (Michaud 2000: 70). The purpose of this Circle is to keep negative energies out of the ritual space and energies raised by the coven inside, and it is considered to only be effective if the witch casting the circle is able to erect a strong barrier by properly directing energy through their body and out of the knife. Words often accompany this portion of the ritual; here, Wiccans typically say something along the lines of, I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou beest a meeting place of love and joy and truth; a shield against all wickedness and evil; a boundary between the world of men and the realm of the Mighty Ones (Farrar 1981: 38).
Now that the ritual space has been established, it must be made sacred. In the Consecration portion of the ritual one or two witches will consecrate the Circle with incense and saltwater. These are considered to be sacred in nature because they are each a unions of two or more elements. (Incense is air and fire, and saltwater is earth and water).
The Circle has been cast and consecrated, and is now ready for the coven to enter. A door is cut into the energy barrier of the Circle to allow the Wiccans in and is closed once they have entered. As each witch enters the Circle the Challenge is issued to them to ensure that they bring no fear or other negative baggage with them into the sacred space. The athame of the witch who cast and/or consecrated the Circle is held to the throat of the person seeking admittance, and the Challenge is issued. The witch with the athame says, O thou who standest on the threshold between the pleasant world of men and the dread domains of the Lords of the Outer Spaces, hast thou the courage to make the assay? For I say verily, it were better to rush on my blade and perish than make the attempt with fear in thy heart (Farrar 1984: 17). The proper response is usually something along the lines of, I have two passwords: perfect love and perfect trust (Farrar 1984: 17). The purpose of this ritual is to scare a truthful response out of those entering the Circle as well as to impress upon them the seriousness of the rite they are taking part in. If for some reason they admit to having fear or negative emotions, they will of course not be harmed; Wiccans value life and besides, it is considered taboo to allow an athame to cut anything, whether it is flesh or herb.
Once the entire coven is in the Circle and the door has been resealed, the coven calls the Quarters (the four cardinal directions, each of which are associated with a specific element) to bring their powers into attendance. Just as they do when Casting and Consecrating the Circle, the coven calls the Quarters clockwise. First, they address the powers of the North, calling the spirits of Earth into attendance. This is followed by East and the spirits of Air, South and the spirits of Fire, and West and the spirits of Water. While calling the quarters, Wiccans will often use their athames to draw an invoking pentagram in the air. It is, of course, constructed clockwise. (If you havent noticed by now, Wiccan rituals are very spatial in nature). Usually the calling of each Quarter is accompanied by the lighting of a candle (Michaud 2000: 73).
At this point, the only beings who have not been called (or banned) are the God and Goddess. Although they are considered to be everywhere and in everything, it is still considered proper to address them. This address is usually very personal, and changes for each person who may call the Goddess and God.
This is often followed by the Witches Rune, a chant accompanied by a dance that is designed to raise power. At the very end of this particular ritual, the high priest or priestess will usually yell down, and the entire coven will suddenly sit down and focus on releasing the energy they built up toward a desired end (Farrar 1981: 44). Often if a healing is being performed, it is done here.
The next ritual is the Consecration of the Cakes and Wine. The priestess holds the bread while the priest holds the athame over it. They say something along the lines of, Oh Queen most secret, bless this food into our bodies; bestowing health, wealth, strength, joy, and peace, and that fulfillment of love which is perfect happiness (Farrar 1981: 47). Following this is the symbolic Great Rite, which is distinctly sexual in nature. This time the priestess is holding the chalice of wine and the priest the athame. They say, As the athame is to the male, so the cup is to the female; and conjoined, they become one in truth (Farrar 1981: 46). This opens into the ritual of the Cakes and Wine, in which the chalice and bread are passed around so that all might partake.
This is usually the end of the main body of the ritual. What follows is the Closing Ritual. First, the God and Goddess are thanked for their presence and blessings. Then the Quarters and Watchtowers are banished one at a time counterclockwise with a banishing pentagram and thanked. As the coven does this, the candles are snuffed or blown out. Finally, the Circle itself is banished in much the same way it was cast, only this time counterclockwise.
Before everyone departs (or shares the customary feast that follows a rite), one last ritual is done. Standing in a circle, the coven members hold hands and say, Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again! (Stepanich 1994: 256)
Works Cited
Cabot, Laurie. Power Of The Witch. New York: Bantum Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1989.
Farrar, Janet, and Steward Farrar. Eight Sabbats for Witches. Custer: Phoenix Publishing Inc., 1981.
---The Witches Way. Custer: Phoenix Publishing Inc., 1984.
Malbrough, Ray T. Charms, Spells And Formulas. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 2000.
Michaud, Debbie. The Healing Traditions & Spiritual Practices of Wicca. Los Angeles: Keats Publishing, 2000.
Skelton, Robin. The Practice of Witchcraft. Vancouver, BC: Beach Holme Publishing, 1997.
Stepanich, Kisma K. Faery Wicca: Book One. St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1994.