How to design a ritual for any occasion

Ever wonder how to write your own non-denominational ritual for healing, for cleansing, for loving, for letting go? Here are a few easy steps you can take to make the power of prayer work for you, no matter what your spiritual leaning.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• a calendar
• a broom
• a candle
• a match
• some string, thread or yarn
• a deck of tarot or playing cards
• icons
• photos
• good intention

How to design a ritual for any occasion

1. What is your INTENTION?
   If you are going to send up a prayer to the Powers That Be, what would you say? This is the most important step, upon which all else depends.

2. Look at a CALENDAR.
   Choose a calendar that shows the phases of the moon, if possible.
   Pick the BEST DAY for your ritual.
   The full moon will encourage ripeness, completion.
   The new moon will encourage beginnings, growth.
   If you want to let go of something, try the waning moon.
   If you want something new to take root, try the waxing moon.

3. Choose your TIME of day.
   Some religions choose to perform ceremonies in the middle of the day - but just think of the sun's fiery energy! Is that the best time for you? You might find it right for a passionate hand-fasting, a fiery healing, but not quite right for other things...
   Midnight is the "witching hour" but there is no reason to think that there is more energy available to you at this time than any other.
   Dawn and dusk are considered the "tween times" when the faeries are abroad. These are my favorite times of day for ritual, when the balance of light and dark, day and night are suspended in the air.

4. PLAN ahead if possible.
   Choose auspicious occasions for your ritual. These can be Halloween/Sawhain, Winter Solstice, May Day, Twelfth Night. They can be a birthday, an anniversary, a deathday. The most important thing is to choose a day that means something to you, as that is when your own creative energies will be most available.

5. CLEAN your space.
   Some people choose to burn a sage smudge stick or waft a burning piece of incense to clear the air. A simple broom will do. Be sure to sweep the energy as well as the dust out of the space you choose for your ritual.

6. CLEAN yourself.
   Take a good long bath if you can. Just wash your hands and face if not. Anoint yourself with oils or lotions as if for a special occasion.

7. Choose your CLOTHING.
   Wear something loose fitting and gorgeous, something you feel comfortable in. This can be a negligee, a tuxedo, a velvet gown. The clothing you choose should be clean and of natural fabric.

8. Create your ALTAR.
   Place on your altar a physical representation of your intention. This can be a photograph, a statuette, a piece of jewelry, a letter.
   Place on your altar a physical representation of the four elements: air, fire, water and earth.
   Place on your altar a candle holder and have nearby a place to discard your burned matches.

9. Choose your CANDLE.
   A white candle is usually best, as it includes all of the separate energies of visible light.
   Here are some general rules:
   red - 1st chakra - passion, love, strong emotions, sexuality
   yellow - 3rd chakra - creativity, activity, clairvoyance
   green - 4th chakra - healing, luck, fertility
   purple - 6th chakra- abundance, prosperity, nobility
   You can find out more about candle colors and what they mean on the web site below.
   You can also choose your string or yarn colors accordingly.

10. Tie some KNOTS in your string.
    This is not macrame. As you tie the knots focus on your intention. Let your mind open to possibilities. It is a mistake to attach yourself to a particular outcome when you perform a ritual. Ask the Powers that Be for help and be open to what that means. As you tie your knots, you are creating your own "thoughtform", a ball of focused energy, and with your knots, you are giving it a place to live.

11. ANOINT your candle.
    Starting at the bottom of the candle, cover it with your favorite essential oil, perfume or cologne, something that sends up an affirmation to your prayer as it burns.
    Wrap your KNOTTED THREAD around the base of the candle, with the ends rooted so it doesn't fly off while burning.

12. LIGHT your candle.
    Do this intentionally. You can see the energy lifting off the top of the candle flame. Where does it go? Think of this energy taking your prayer into the cosmos. Think of it as a messenger going from you to... who knows where?

13. Play CARDS.
    As the candle burns, shuffle your deck of cards. Turn over the top card. What does that image say to you? How is it connected to your prayer?
    If you know how to read tarot cards, this is an ideal time to give yourself a reading...

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to let your candle burn down to the very end. It is best if you can stay near your altar while the candle is burning, but if you have to leave, make sure the candle is protected from winds, from cats, from little children, from faeries.
• Do not throw your candle end away! You don't want it to end up in a landfill somewhere. Bury it in your own back yard or in a wooded area close to a flowing stream or seashore.
• You may also add food to your offering, placing it at the base of your candle, and burying along it with the end. That will encourage its eventual return to Mother Earth.
• The more powerful your intentions, the more powerful the results.
• As the Chinese say: "Beware what you wish for!" It just may come true.
• It would be unwise to use these steps to try to make other people do things they don't want to do. That kind of prayer will be a karmic debt for you to repay, with high interest, at a later date.

Resources

• The School of Wisdom is non-denominational
• an excellent description of the meaning of color in ritual

[Cherst1031]

on 4/17/2008 Great article, I especially like the idea of tying knots, I hadn't heard that before. Thanks!