Rituals or no Rituals?

[Arion]

Personally, I'm not very big on ritual. I don't really have the space in my bedroom to cast a circle, call the quarters and all of that, and on the rare occasions that I do manage to do all that, it doesn't seem to make much difference. Waiting until my parents and sister are all asleep so I can do the whole production without having people walk in and think I've gone completely nuts is hard, too.

I usually just set up an altar on my dresser to whichever god or goddess I'm honouring on that occasion, leave offerings on it and meditate or something while the candles and incense burn. On nice days I'll burn candles and incense outside in honour of the gods, while saying a few prayers to them.
I don't find the whole ritual very necessary.

Some people do get a lot out of ritual, and I'm curious how they do their rituals and what they do during them, since I never get much out of the ones perform. I'm also wondering if other people know what I'm talking about with the whole informal honouring of the the gods instead of the full ritual, and if others do the same (or similar).

[Xentor]

From the Dialogues on Checkerism:

S.1: “Wise man, why is it, that neither you nor any of the other elders seem to be using religious rituals? A lot of other religious people around us have rituals.”
T.1: “How is it, that you equate your lack of perception with a lack of presence? We too use rituals... but we practice them internally.”

http://www.omegajunior.net/leven/faith/24487.html

I don't like rituals that are drawn out long. However I found that I do use a bit of ritual to get myself into a certain mindset. I perform them internally and most of the time it only takes a second, or two.

[Snapdragon]

I'm very glad to see this thread. It is likely that in most minds, 'Wicca' is understood as being primarily constituted of ritual practice. While having some distinctive qualities that set it apart from ritual in general or other kinds of specific ritual practice, it is widely perceived as being defined by and contained within the circle, the use of magical implements, the altar, and so forth.

This conversation appears to me to be a subset of the larger, ongoing, conversation about what Wicca is (or is not). Conducted civilly, I think it's one of the most fruitful conversations that can occur. So, I'm enthusiastic to see this subtopic (as I deem it).

Having said the foregoing, I'll say something in response to the originating question. The virtues of ritual practice are a) that they provide a readymade "matrix" or beginning point for any kind of magical work, and b) in the wider context of worship, they focus our attention on the sacred. A book like Dianne Sylvan's The Circle Within, points out that rituals need not be outward, burdened with a mass of implements and external display; they can be simple, informal, and easy. They are reference points to which one can readily go, and from which the religious life can be contemplated and put to the test of living.

[Hellenic_Witch]

I don't like rituals that are drawn out long. However I found that I do use a bit of ritual to get myself into a certain mindset. I perform them internally and most of the time it only takes a second, or two.

Ditto here.

[Windsmith]

Personally, I'm not very big on ritual. I don't really have the space in my bedroom to cast a circle, call the quarters and all of that, and on the rare occasions that I do manage to do all that, it doesn't seem to make much difference. Waiting until my parents and sister are all asleep so I can do the whole production without having people walk in and think I've gone completely nuts is hard, too.

I usually just set up an altar on my dresser to whichever god or goddess I'm honouring on that occasion, leave offerings on it and meditate or something while the candles and incense burn. On nice days I'll burn candles and incense outside in honour of the gods, while saying a few prayers to them.
I don't find the whole ritual very necessary.

Some people do get a lot out of ritual, and I'm curious how they do their rituals and what they do during them, since I never get much out of the ones perform. I'm also wondering if other people know what I'm talking about with the whole informal honouring of the the gods instead of the full ritual, and if others do the same (or similar).


I'm very glad to see this thread. It is likely that in most minds, 'Wicca' is understood as being primarily constituted of ritual practice. While having some distinctive qualities that set it apart from ritual in general or other kinds of specific ritual practice, it is widely perceived as being defined by and contained within the circle, the use of magical implements, the altar, and so forth.

This conversation appears to me to be a subset of the larger, ongoing, conversation about what Wicca is (or is not). Conducted civilly, I think it's one of the most fruitful conversations that can occur. So, I'm enthusiastic to see this subtopic (as I deem it).Snapdragon, please remember that not everyone at MysticWicks is Wiccan. purplepanther, who I believe does not identify as Wiccan (sorry if I'm stepping on your toes here, purplepanther), asked what seemed to me to be a fairly straightforward question about performing rituals vs. not performing rituals; it doesn't have anything to do with what Wicca is or is not.

purplepanther, as to your question, I consider any action I perform in a prescribed way, with sacred intent, to be a ritual. Every afternoon I make a pot of tea and drink it. It's a simple action - hot water, green tea, tiny tea cups - but because I do it pretty much the same way every day, complete with inviting the Elements, Ancestors and Descendents to join me and pouring a cup as an offering to them, and because I undertake the actions each day with the intent of taking the magic of the tea into myself and spending time in communication with Mystery, it has become one of the most powerful rituals I perform.

It may be that you perform rituals all the time - and you just don't know it!

[Snapdragon]

Yeah, okay.

[Sage Rainsong]

I like to do rituals. I certainly can accomplish the same effects without an elaborate ritual and most of mine are simply offerings but to me, doing a ritual is a special thing that can be very rewarding. However, sometimes rituals can be far too long and drawn out to be effective. (ranting) With that said, sometimes I think that it has become fashionable for some Pagans these days to disregard rituals completely in favor of something easier. Usually it is done under the guise of being more spiritually evolved. Of course I am not speaking about anyone on this thread personally, especially you PP( Ha ha that still cracks me up because I'm like 12). It is just a general observation, mostly from people I know in RL.

[Arion]

purplepanther, as to your question, I consider any action I perform in a prescribed way, with sacred intent, to be a ritual. Every afternoon I make a pot of tea and drink it. It's a simple action - hot water, green tea, tiny tea cups - but because I do it pretty much the same way every day, complete with inviting the Elements, Ancestors and Descendents to join me and pouring a cup as an offering to them, and because I undertake the actions each day with the intent of taking the magic of the tea into myself and spending time in communication with Mystery, it has become one of the most powerful rituals I perform.

It may be that you perform rituals all the time - and you just don't know it!
That's a really nice way to look at things, Windsmith.

I like to do rituals. I certainly can accomplish the same effects without an elaborate ritual and most of mine are simply offerings but to me, doing a ritual is a special thing that can be very rewarding. However, sometimes rituals can be far too long and drawn out to be effective. (ranting) With that said, sometimes I think that it has become fashionable for some Pagans these days to disregard rituals completely in favor of something easier. Usually it is done under the guise of being more spiritually evolved. Of course I am not speaking about anyone on this thread personally, especially you PP( Ha ha that still cracks me up because I'm like 12). It is just a general observation, mostly from people I know in RL.

I don't know, whenever I do a ritual, I always end up forgetting to do something, which frustrates me and ends up ruining the mood of the whole thing. I also don't like the sound of my own voice in the silence, I feel kind of ridiculous. That said, I do like rituals sometimes, but in general I just find it easier to do things simpler. It's less time-consuming, and I don't have to wait until everyone else is asleep, usually. I guess it's more about laziness than spiritual evolution ;)

PeePee

[Agaliha]

I'm not into formal rituals (doing them on my own).
If and when I do them it's imformal and on the fly.
For example I don't worry about having a chalice (I use a drinking cup) I don't worry about correspondences or any of that. I don't care if the ribbon is pink or not. I don't do spells. My view on them is somewhere in the Rituals area.
I just use what I can and do what means something to me.
I don't follow any pre-written instructions. There are times when I have written my own. If poetry is used, it's my own. Usually I just say what comes to mind, straight from my heart. I repeat things, I ramble, I lose my point...but it's me--not some ritual in a book. In the end I feel good about it.
I only do them for major things-- transitions, some holidays.... I don't do them for the moon phases and things like that though.
I see rituals as a powerful, symbolic tool not to be overused.
I'm sure things like prayer and meditation and such could be considered rituals...but I see them in a different category (worship/devotion)-- I do those daily.

[Teresa]

Rituals do not have to be elaborate or drawn out. They can be as simple as the lighting of candles and incense in honor of a diety while meditating. You do what you feel the most comfortable with. It is your spirituality and what is right for you may not be quite right for the next person. Spirituality is a very personal thing where ecletic is okay.

[Upside Daisy Down]

Being as I've only just come back "home", so to speak, reconnecting with my pagan roots and universal energy for the first time in a long time, I find that performing the rituals actually helps me feel grounded, focused.

I don't like elaborate rituals that require lots of materials, tools, etc...I prefer my words to be short and sweet, to the point. Not wasting a lot of time with fluff-ery when I can get down to it.

Being novice, I find myself seeking out predetermined rituals and spells that have been created by others, at least for guidance. If something feels *almost right* to me, I'll modify it to suit my needs.

Tonight, for the first time, I consciously created my own spell and ritual with no basis in another spell, and using only the knowledge I have of the energy and power of the different symbols, colors, elements, etc.

I like the tangible feel of a ritual. While I believe that everything we do is driven by intention, to be able to strike a match and light a candle, toss salt, burn incense, chant words, gaze into a flame...that really helps me to guide my intentions, focus them, concentrate...

So, while I don't believe that rituals are necessary, and there will be times when I choose not to include a ritual a spell or other magick, I believe that I will often use rituals, especially when the outcome is one of great importance.

[Mouse]

I love ritual and do a lot of them. I do have a problem with the voice in the silence thing, so I re-wrote all of my prayers and invocations to sound better whispered poetically rather than called theatrically in a powerful booming voice. :lol: It makes a difference.

I seem to look at ritual much different than a lot of pagans I know though. I do it to entertain the Gods. Like a concert in their honor (for want of a better way to put it).

I cast a circle for spell work because the circle is their temple and even when I'm not specifically there to honor the Gods, I want them to know that every spell I weave is to honor them. I use the abilities they have given to me in a way that gives thanks, so I do it there in their temple before them.

Even when I lived at home, I was "out" so if someone walked in they knew what was going on, not to break the circle and to come back later. Now I live with my partner who is also pagan, so again I don't have to worry. I can leave my stuff all set up if I want to, so it isn't a huge hassel to go all-out for a ritual.

How do I do my rituals and what do I do during them?
I cast a circle in a way more or less similar to the way a Wiccan would, calling the quarters and giving an opening prayer, also more or less similar to the way a Wiccan would.
Then I'll pray, read/sing/play music for the Gods. Sometimes I'll dance. I offer food and (fake) wine, I honor my ancestors. I meditate. Sometimes I just want to sit there with them and spend time in their comapny. Other times they will have called me there and I'm listening..
Some rituals will be for the sabbats, or the full moon. Some are to give thanks, and I'll make an oil or herbal mixture to burn as an offering. Sometimes I'm there to re-affirm my commitment, or to ask forgiveness.

These things could be done without a circle, without tools or props, in regular clothing, before bathing... but they are not. I go to the effort out of respect. The extra effort is all part of that.
Also I raise quite a bit of energy in ritual and I know from experience that "nasties" are attracted to it and that I want something between me and them. When I'm just mediating or praying, like in the morning, I don't do the whole ritual. But if I'm doing something special, it's all or nothing. I just like to do "something special" more frequently than a lot of people.

Interesting thread :)

[Xirian]

Most of my rituals revolve around cooking, cleaning or healing. I don't do the circle casting as it never felt right or fit with my spiritual path.