Recipe for a Ritual

Following are the components which make up "standard" Earth Based Rituals. You may find more than this in some rituals and not all of this in other Rituals. This is merely a guidepost for creating your own ritual. The order of events is standard but the creative design of each component is left to the individual or the group.

Purification: The Ritual Space is purified before the Ritual in order to dispel negative energy and invoke the positive energy. Things most often used to purify are incense, flames, water, and salt.

Welcome: A few words of welcome to the Ritual Participants. Also an explanation of the Ritual which will be observed.

Centering: A reading or short exercise to enable participants to put aside outside worries and help them to mentally prepare for the ritual at hand.

Casting the Circle: The act of enclosing our Ritual Space in a Circle which enables us freedom of _expression and safe the safety to share emotions during the Ritual.

Calling the Directions: The act of inviting the essences of the four elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water into the Ritual Circle. The protection and blessing of each element is asked for.

Invocation: The calling of the Center or the Fifth Element or the Heart/Spirit of the Ritual. The main element which will represent the spiritual focus of the Ritual is invited.

Meditation: A time of reflection and contemplation in order to inwardly examine the focus of the Ritual and is usually a guided meditation.

Meditational/Ritual Activity: An activity or project which enables the tangible enactment upon which was being meditated. Allows for the opportunity to send the mental pictures created during the Ritual to a physical sense.

Raising of Energy: Usually done in the form or singing or dancing or drumming (or any combination). The group raises the energy needed to fully experience the Ritual and creates the energy needed in order to enact our Ritual observance as a Community.

Grounding: A time to slow down and settle back in after energy has been raised. Ritual participants are given the chance to place hands to the Earth and let the extra energy flow back into the Earth, but are invited to keep whatever energy they feel they may need to sustain them.

Communion and Blessing: A time of thanksgiving and Ritual Community sharing when a special food and sometime drink is provided for all to eat together to further bond us in the Ritual we are observing. A Blessing poem or prayer is read at this time.

Releasing the Center: That essence which was invoked at the beginning of the Ritual is thanked and released out of the Ritual Circle.

Releasing the Directions: The essences of the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water which were called at the beginning of the Ritual are thanked for their presence and asked for their blessings before they are released from our Circle.

Opening the Circle: The Circle which was cast earlier is now opened and the Ritual Space is no longer sacred space.

Closing Words: Usually a seasonal or pertinent poem written and read by someone participating in the ritual.

Reception: At most Seasonal Rituals, guests are invited to bring a snack to share so we can socialize and connect after the structured ritual is finished.