Wicca (8 page)

To the lone Wiccan, the creation of new rituals can be an exciting practice.You might spend nights with reference works, piecing together bits of ritual and invocation, or simply allow the spirit of the moment and the wisdom of the deities to fill you with inspiration. No matter how they’re created, all rituals should be done out of joy, not obligation.

If you wish, time your rites with the seasons, pagan feast days, and phases of the moon (For more on the subject, see chapter 8, “The Days of Power”). If you feel particularly attracted to other sacred calendars, feel free to adapt them. There have been highly successful adaptations of Wicca utilizing ancient Egyptian, American Indian, Hawaiian, Babylonian, and other religio-magical systems. Though most of Wicca has, until recently, been primarily European and British-based, this needn’t limit us. We’re free to do what we will as solitary Wiccans. So long as the rituals are fulfilling and effective, why worry?

Instructions on designing your own rituals are included in chapter 13, but some words regarding preparation for ritual are appropriate here.

First off, make sure you won’t be interrupted during your religious (or magical) rite. If you’re at home, tell your family that you’ll be busy and aren’t to be disturbed. If alone, take the phone off the hook, lock the doors, and pull the blinds, if you wish. It’s best if you can ensure that you will be alone and undisturbed for some time.

A ritual bath commonly follows. For some time I almost couldn’t bring myself to do a rite without having a quick dip first. This is partly psychological: if you feel clean and refreshed from the day’s worries, you’ll feel comfortable contacting the Goddess and God.

Ritual purification is a common feature among many religions. In Wicca, we see water as a purifying substance that strips off the disturbing vibrations of everyday tensions and allows us to stand before the deities with purity of body as well as purity of thought.

On a deeper level, immersion in water links us with our most primal memories. Bathing in a tub of cool, salted water is akin to walking into the waves of the ever-welcoming ocean, the domain of the Goddess. It prepares us spiritually and physically (have you ever felt different in the tub?) for the coming experience.

The bath often becomes a ritual itself. Candles can be burned in the bathroom, along with incense. Fragrant oils or herbal sachets can be added to the water. My favorite purification bath sachet consists of equal parts of rosemary, fennel, lavender, basil, thyme, hyssop, vervain, mint, with a touch of ground valerian root. (This formula is derived from
The Key of Solomon.
) Place this in a cloth, tie the ends up to trap the herbs inside, and pop it into the tub.

Outdoor rituals near the ocean or lakes and streams can begin with a quick swim. Of course, bathing isn’t possible prior to spontaneous rituals. Even the necessity of ritual bathing is questioned by some. If you feel comfortable bathing, do so. If you don’t feel it’s necessary, it isn’t.

Once bathed, it’s time to dress for ritual. Among many Wiccans today (particularly those influenced by the writings and ideals of Gerald Gardner, or one of his students—see bibliography), nudity is a preferable state in which to invoke the deities of nature. It is certainly true that this is the most natural condition in which the human body can be, but ritual nudity isn’t for everyone. The Church did much to instill shameful feelings regarding the undraped human figure. These distorted, unnatural emotions survive today.

Many reasons are given for this insistence on ritual nudity.
*
Some Wiccans state that the clothed body can’t emit personal power as effectively as can a naked body, but then go on to say that when necessary, clothed rituals performed indoors are as effective as nude outdoor rites.

If clothed,Wiccans produce magic just as effective as that produced by naked Wiccans. Clothing is no barrier to the transference of power.

A more convincing explanation of Wiccan ritual nudity is that it is used for its symbolic value: mental, spiritual, as well as physical nudity before the Goddess and God symbolize the Wiccan’s honesty and openness. Ritual nudity was practiced in many ancient religions and can be found today in scattered areas of the world, so this isn’t really a new idea, except to some westerners.

Though many covens insist on ritual nudity, you needn’t worry about that. As a solitary practitioner the choice is yours. If you don’t feel comfortable with ritual nudity, even in private, don’t use it. There are many options.

Specialized dress, such as robes and tabards, are quite popular among some Wiccans. Various reasons are given for the use of robes, one of which is that slipping into garments worn only for magic lends a mystic atmosphere to such rituals and shifts your awareness to the coming proceedings, thereby promoting ritual consciousness.

Colors are also used for their specific vibrations. The listing below is a good sampling of robe colors. If I was especially interested in herb magic or performed rituals designed to halt the proliferation of nuclear power plants and weapons, I might wear a green robe to help key my rituals into earth energies. Specific robes can also be made and worn by the industrious for certain spells or cycles of spells, according to the descriptions below.

Yellow
is an excellent color for those involved with divination.

Purple
is favored for those who work with pure divine power (magicians) or who wish to deepen their spiritual awareness of the Goddess and God.

Blue
is suited for healers and those who work with their psychic awareness or for attuning with the Goddess in her oceanic aspect.

Green
empowers herbalists and magical ecologists.

Brown
is worn by those who attune with animals or who cast spells for them.

White
symbolizes purification and pure spirituality, and also is perfect for meditation and cleansing rituals. It is worn for full moon celebrations, or to attune with the Goddess.

Orange
or
red
robes can be worn to sabbats, for protective rites, or when attuning with the God in his fiery solar aspect

Black
robes are quite popular. Contrary to popular misconceptions, black doesn’t symbolize evil. It is the absence of color. It is a protective hue and symbolizes the night, the universe, and a lack of falsehood. When a Wiccan wears a black robe, she or he is donning the blackness of outer space—symbolically, the ultimate source of divine energy.

If this is too complicated for you, simply make or buy one robe and wear it for every ritual.

Robes range from simple bath-type designs to fully hooded and lined monkish creations, complete with bell sleeves guaranteed to go up in flames if waved too close to candles. Some Wiccans wear robes with hoods, to shut off outside interference and to control sensory stimulation during ritual. This is a fine idea for magic or meditation but not for Wiccan religious rites, when we should be opening ourselves to nature rather than cutting off our connections with the physical world.

If you don’t wish to dress in such a garment, are unable to sew, or simply can’t find anyone to make one for you, just wear clean clothing of natural fibers such as cotton, wool, and silk.
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So long as you’re comfortable with what you are (or aren’t) wearing, you’re doing fine. Why not experiment to see what “suits” you best?

Selecting and donning ritual jewelry naturally follows dressing. Many Wiccans have collections of exotic pieces with religious or magical designs. Then, too, amulets and talismans (devices made to ward off or to attract forces) often double as ritual jewelry. Such wonders as necklaces of amber and jet, silver or gold bands worn on the wrists, crowns of silver set with crescent moons, rings of emeralds and pearls, even ritual garters set with tiny silver buckles are often part of Wiccan regalia.

But you needn’t purchase or make such extravagances.Keep it simple for now. If you feel comfortable wearing one or two pieces of jewelry during ritual, fine! Choose designs incorporating crescents, ankhs, five-pointed stars (pentagrams), and so on.Many mail-order suppliers carry occult jewelry. If you wish to reserve such pieces for ritual wear, fine.Many do.

I’m often asked if I have a good luck charm, a piece of jewelry, an amulet, or some other power object that I always have in my possession. I don’t.

This often comes as a surprise, but it is part of my magical philosophy. If I determined that one piece of jewelry (a ring, pendant, quartz crystal point, etc.) was my power object,my link with the Gods,my assurance of good luck, I’d be crushed if it was stolen, lost, misplaced or otherwise parted company with me.

I could say that the power had gone out of it, that it was a magical lemon, taken by higher beings, or that I’m not as aware as I think. But I’d still be devastated.

It isn’t wise to put our hopes, dreams, and energies into physical objects. This is a limitation, a direct product of the materialism fostered upon us all our lives. It’s easy to say, “I can’t do a thing since I lost my lucky moonstone necklace.” It’s also tempting to think,“Nothing’s gone right since my horned God ring disappeared.”

What
isn’t
easy to see is that
all the power and luck we need is within
ourselves.
It isn’t wrapped up in exterior objects unless we allow it to be. If we do this, we leave ourselves open to losing that part of our personal power and good fortune, something I won’t willingly do.

Power objects and ritual jewelry can indeed be reminders of the Goddess and God, and symbols of our own affinities. But I feel they shouldn’t be allowed to become more than that.

Still, I do have a few pieces (a silver pentagram, an image of the Goddess, an Egyptian ankh, a Hawaiian fishhook that symbolizes the god Maui) that I sometimes wear during ritual. Donning such objects triggers the mind and produces that state of consciousness that is necessary for effective ritual.

I’m not saying that power shouldn’t be sent into objects: indeed, this is the way magically charged talismans and amulets are made. I simply prefer not to do so with personal and ritual jewelry.

Certain natural objects, such as quartz crystals, are worn to invite their energies within ourselves to effect specific changes. This type of “power object” is a fine adjunct to personal energies—but it’s dangerous to rely on them exclusively.

If wearing specific pieces puts you into a magical mood, or if wearing an image of the Goddess or one of her sacred symbols draws you closer to her, fine.

Your goal, however, should perhaps be the ability to constantly tune in on the hidden world around us and the reality of the Goddess and God, even in the midst of the most grounding, debasing follies of the human experience.

So, now you’re bathed, clothed, adorned, and ready for ritual. Any other considerations? Yes, a big one—company.

Do you wish to worship the Old Gods of Wicca privately, or with others? If you have interested friends you may want to invite them to join you.

If not, no problem. Solo ritual is fine when starting out on the Wiccan way. The presence of like-minded people is wonderful, but can be inhibiting as well.

There are certainly rituals at which others can’t be present. An unexpected glimpse of the full moon half-shrouded in clouds calls for a few moments of silence or attunement, an invocation, or meditation. These are all rituals shared with the Goddess and God alone. Deities don’t stand on ceremony; they’re as unpredictable and flowing as nature herself.

If you wish to gather with friends for your rituals, do so only with those who are truly in tune with your feelings concerning Wicca. Snickers and wandering thoughts will do nothing to further your Wiccan progress.

Also beware the love interest—the boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife who takes an interest only because you’re interested. They may seem to be genuine, but after a while you may realize they’re not contributing to the rituals.

There are many wonderful aspects to coven workings; I’ve experienced them. Most of the best of Wicca can be found in a good coven (and the worst in a bad one), but most people can’t contact covens. They may also lack friends who are interested in practicing with them. This is the reason why I’ve written this book for solitary practitioners. If you wish, continue searching for a teacher or coven to train with while working with this book and other Wiccan guides. If you do meet someone, you’ll be able to approach them with a practical knowledge of Wicca from personal experience, rather than mere book learning.

In spite of the emphasis placed on initiations and group workings in the vast majority of books on Wicca, solitary Wicca shouldn’t be viewed as second best to the real thing. There are far more individuals worshipping the Old Ones today than there are coven members, and a surprising number of these work solo out of choice. Save for a few group meetings I attend each year, I’m one of them.

Never feel inferior because you’re not working under the guidance of a teacher or an established coven. Don’t worry that you won’t be recognized as a true Wiccan. Such recognition is important only in the eyes of those giving or withholding it, otherwise it is meaningless.

You only need worry about pleasing yourself and developing a rapport with the Goddess and God. Feel free to write your own rituals. Break off the handcuffs of rigid conformity and the idea of “revealed books” that must be slavishly followed. Wicca is an evolving religion. A love of nature and the Goddess and God are at its heart, not unending tradition and ancient rites.

I’m not saying that traditional Wicca is bad. Far from it. Indeed, I’ve received initiation into several Wiccan traditions, each with their own rituals of initiation, sabbat and esbat observances (see chapter 8, “The Days of Power”), names for the Goddess and God, legends and magical lore. But after receiving these “secrets” I’ve come to realize that they’re all the same, and the greatest secrets of all are available to anyone who takes the time to view nature as a manifestation of the Goddess and God.

Each tradition (expression) of Wicca, whether passed down or intuitively performed, is akin to a petal of a flower. No one petal constitutes the whole; all are necessary to the flower’s existence. The solitary path is as much a part of Wicca as is any other.