Ritual Magic

Our blog today is an inquiry into the nature of Rituals – what are they, why do we practice them, and when does a ritual become a sacred rite?

A ritual is technically defined as “a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order” but I think it’s a little more than that.

I would call a ritual any behaviors or practices that speak to your soul in a way that makes you want to repeat them on a regular basis.

The way you brew your coffee can be a ritual act.

The steps you take in your grooming each morning can be a ritual.

Your daily walk, or yoga practice, or the hour you spend reading before bed can all be ritual in nature.

What makes a simple pattern or repeated behavior a ritual is the feeling of power. When you do something, not just because it could be done that way but because you feel a profound sense that it should be done that way, that makes it ritual in nature. So obviously, any repeated actions might be ritualistic – they don’t have to pertain to the mystic arts – but for tonight, we’re going to focus on magical and meditation rituals – learning what they may be and how they can serve you, as well as when a ritual becomes a Rite.

Let’s talk first about meditation. For those who meditate, what parts of your practice feel ritualistic?

Do you like to sit in the same place and at the same time of day, so that the sun pours into your space and makes a particular pattern across the floor and even your body?

Do you prefer to chant while meditating? If so, do you always chant the same words?

Do you use singing bowls, incense, light or sound energies?

These are all ritual acts – you are essentially repeating the same steps with hopes that not only will you achieve the same transcendent and empowering feeling you did the last time, but that you might actually increase these experiences – to feel them stronger each time. That is the nature of ritual: it isn’t just doing the same thing in the same order, it is hoping that with practice and experience, ritual becomes transformative – it changes you. It empowers you.

In meditation, in yoga and other transcendental practices, there are many personalized rituals you may use that help you clear your thoughts, free your emotions, and find restoration. Each ritual essentially helps you get into the state of mind you need to be in to relax enough to achieve your goals for this mindful experience. So you do what you need to in order to get into that state, without concern about what others have done except to perhaps be inspired by other folks who meditate or do yoga, and the tools and practices they may use.

In magic, rituals become a bit more critical to the workings in part because they are not typically a personal act. Many magic rituals are intended to be done exactly the same way by every person. Yes, there is some room for interpretation and for nuance and personalization, but there is a powerful connection you are forming between yourself and all magicians who came before you and those who will come after you, by replicating these ceremonies and rituals and yes, spells.

When I talk about spells, I really don’t focus on the ones that you see in Hollywood movies or Harry Potter novels. I am talking personalized spells, for success and for harmony and for wisdom, not controlling the lives of others.

There are many different types of magic and mystic practices – I am not going to list them all – but there will be specific rituals that pertain to each.

Ritual acts in magic often focus on the following purposes:

·         Creating a sacred space

·         Invoking energies

·         Banishing darkness

·         Initiations

·         Accepting One’s Power

·         Understanding the Energies and Elements at Play

·         Honoring Deities, Angels, Ancestors and Ascended Masters

·         Celebrating Rites of Passage

·         Consecrating Tools

·         Cutting Cords or Bindings

·         Creating Allyships

·         Closing a sacred space

In my practice, I begin with a little bit of Reiki to set my intention. Then I proceed to acknowledge the elements of Fire, Air, Water, Earth and Spirit. I do a combined ceremony known as the Qabalstic Cross with the Lesser Banishing ritual. I then Designate and Consecrate the Sacred Space in which I do my workings, and I rend the Veil – a Rite known as PAROKETH which is Hebrew for Veil. Rending the Veil is an intentional act designed to lift any blocks that prevent me from seeing the truth as it has been Divinely communicated.

Once I have rent the veil, I have another ceremony that I enact – one that was gifted to me and therefore I don’t share it – and then that is followed by the Invocation of my Magical Name.

I then do the Solar Adorations – this is a ritual based on Egyptian Rites – followed by my Daily Magical Mantra. I then do a short meditation, usually with a crystal intended to align myself with the energies of the day. This is followed by my personal reading – either a single card or a spread – and then after my reading, I have another short rite followed by the closing of the Veil – again PAROKETH. Then I snuff the candle I lit earlier and close my books, and put away my tools.

Oh, and I do all of this barefoot. That is part of my personal ritual within these rites and experiences. I want to feel the earth – or even just the floor of my house – beneath my feet to ground me. My workings elevate me spiritually so it’s important for me to also still feel connected to the world I inhabit physically.

Many of these magical workings can be described either as Rituals or as Rites, so let’s talk about what transforms a ritual especially a personal one into a ceremonial rite.

The process begins with understanding WHY.

When you perform a particular act – either in magic or in meditation – and it begins to feel like something more powerful than just repeated behavior, ask yourself WHY. Why does it speak to, within you? What does it make you feel, and what does it make you feel like you might be able to do? In what ways does it empower you or transform your personal energy?

Once you have identified why a particular ritual feels meaningful to you, you then can create an intention with is.

I do this so that I feel connected to God / Spirit / The Source

I do this so that I honor my ancestors

I do this so that I step into my personal power

I do this so that I may transform my life

I do this so that I may heal my wounds

I do this so that I may honor my journey

I do this so that I may protect myself

I do this so that I may protect others

One way to determine which is a ritual and which is a rite is to ask the question:

Does this feel like a ceremony or does this feel sacred?

If it feels sacred, it is a Rite – even if it is one that you create. I have several that I have created, that are meaningful only perhaps to me although many of them I will share eventually with some of you.

I started collecting crystals about seven or eight years ago. I thought they were beautiful, magnificent, sparkling. But I started to notice that when I held certain crystals, they made me feel a certain way. Calmer, or clearer. I picked up a couple palmstones – like my garnierite or green moonstone– which I would hold when I felt unsure about things. There was a ritual nature to my holding those stones, but they didn’t turn into rites until I began creating grids. It completely transformed my understanding of what crystals were and what they did in that context. I will still hold crystals in my hand or over my heart or my third eye, but it is working with multiple crystals and sacred geometry – the spatial relationship between the crystals being the most powerful entity on the grid – that I really began to use the power of this energy in a ceremonial way, in a holy way, and in a successful way.

One of the reasons I wanted to blog about Rituals and Rites is that with the pandemic, with the isolation many of us are experiencing, it really creates a disconnection with others. We are potentially losing our shared ceremonies at least for a time and even at risk of losing our shared consciousness. But we can create new ceremonies and rites that help us to reconnect those frayed cords between ourselves and our loved ones.

Is there a ritual you can do that brings others into your light? Is there a regular act that you may enjoy – even if its remotely – with your tribe? Can you celebrate your niece’s Quinceañara or your brother’s new job or your stepdaughter’s first home purchase? If you can celebrate, you can create a ritual or rite around that act. Around giving, and sharing, and rejoicing.

Rituals may be borrowed or passed down generations in your family or they may be acts that you develop for yourself. Rites are elevated rituals – meant to do so much more than simply lather, rinse, repeat even if the results are the same. That’s because they only seem the same. Sacred Rites will elevate you and your spirit and your intention even if you don’t see the results right away.

Be sure to subscribe to read all our blogs, plus we invite you to follow us at Facebook and Instagram.