A big part of Witchcraft is learning how to control that energy and make it change form, to direct it to work our magick or aid us in our ritual celebrations.

Being able to feel and direct energy is important. This is not something that comes easy to all, but is a skill you will acquire with time.

Exercises 1-3

What is energy? Take your hands together and rub them really fast until they get hot. Now separate them and hold them close together, palms facing each other about an inch or two apart. Do you feel that tingling? Do you feel something there, something malleable? That is energy.

You have just called your physical energy to the surface. Don't force yourself to feel it. Don 't worry if you don't feel anything. Practice a couple of times a day until you get it. And you will get it.

Once you can feel the energy in your hands, work on shaping it. Feel it change form between your hands. Slowly open the space between your hands, sending the energy from one hand to the other. Work at it until you can open your hands shoulder-width apart and send the energy back and forth. (This is where your visualization skills become helpful).

The next step in this exercise series is to try to bring that feeling of energy in your hands on command, without rubbing them together.

These exercises can take time - sometimes weeks -- to master, so don't get frustration if you don't get it immediately.

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In magick workings, you learn to draw energy on command without a second thought, whether it's pulling the energy from yourself, Earth or the Divine or raising energy in a ritual setting.

Energy can be raised for many purposes: It can be directed into your work; sent out into the universe for the good of all; sent to the deities and the spirits as an offering; sent into the earth for healing; sent into tools for power; used directly for magick and/or healing. Its uses are only limited to your imagination.

And just like its uses, the number of ways one can raise energy is also limited only to the Witches imagination. One can dance, sing, chant, drum, hum, do the spiral dance, etc.

When we talk of raising energy, we are going to create that same feeling that we did by rubbing our hands together, but on a much grander scale. This can be done alone or in a group setting. Rhythmic movement or sound is key to energy raising. You are creating energy that is vibrating and resonating around you, waiting to be directed.

Exercise 4:

Practice raising energy: I am going to give you a piece of a popular song/chat. I want to repeat it, either speaking or singing, over and over. Pay attention to the natural rhythm you are creating. Do you eventually speed up or slow down? Do you get louder or softer? Can you feel the energy growing around you?

"We all come from the Goddess and to her we shall return
Like a drop of rain, flowing to the ocean."

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Once you have raised your energy, it is time to direct it. I've listed some ways that the energy can be used earlier. It is very important that you send this energy somewhere. If you don't release it, you will end up bouncing off the walls and be left physically drained afterward (trust me on this one!).
When you are finished working with energy, it is very important to release any lingering energy and ground yourself. Otherwise, you may be bouncing off walls. Energy overload is somewhat similar to a sugar or caffeine high.
If you called then energy from the Earth, send it back. Hold your hands, palms facing the Earth and feel the energy drain from you back into the Earth. You can also direct any leftover energy into your tools. If you called the energy from within you, place your hands over your stomach and send the energy back into you. For some, simply shaking their hands gets rid of lingering energy.

Eating, especially anything carb-related, is also a great way to ground energy. That is partially why so many rituals include a small feast immediately after any magickal workings.

A Quick Review

Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached the end of the class and you are now all proficient in ritual work to write your own rituals, crafted to suit your specific needs.

Not only do you now understand how we perform the parts of a ritual, you now understand why and most importantly, you have taken the time to make each part of the ritual your own by taking steps such as learning what your energy feels and looks like when you cast a circle, who or what you will call when you open the quarters, what your personal associations with the elements are, etc.

A quick review:

Basic Ritual Outline

1. Prepare your alter for your intent
2. Purify self and space
3. Meditate to Ground & Center your focus and intent.
4. Cast a circle
5. Call the Quarters
6. Invoke the chosen deity/deities
7. Statement of purpose
8. Ritual celebration/work and raising energy
9. Offering
10. Thanks the deities
11. Close the quarters
12. Open the circle
13. Ground (if needed according to ritual) and have a Simple Feast

Never be afraid to experiment.

Try new calls, invite in a different deity, work with some additional correspondences. As long as your intent is pure, you have nothing to worry about.

Remember - "All acts of love and pleasure are my ritual." (Charge of the Goddess).