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Festival Rites Written by Masery, Myrddin of the Elodrym (First published at Witchvox, 2006. Edited for this site August, 2006)
Public rituals may include people of all ages from different philosophical backgrounds. Instead of designing a ritual based on a single tradition, plan the celebration from a human point of view. All cultures have rituals of some kind. The main purpose for every ritual is to celebrate the passage of time, a significant event, or create change within ourselves that can lead to change in the world around us. A public ritual is not the place to perform a major magical undertaking. That requires all of the participants to trust each other and be perfectly in synch. At a major gathering, you have to expect distractions. People may be sunburned, tired, and hungry. Kids could be running around the circle or there may be noise from the vendor booths or workshops. Do expect that each person attending will have a different experience at the ritual. That is out of the hands of the organizers; however, the leaders can take steps to make sure it is a pleasant event. Here is an outline of the different stages of a ritual. Some of them include tips for public gatherings. I. Preparation Just because the ritual is simplified, doesn’t mean it can’t be a sacred and mystical experience. The leaders can do much behind the scenes to prepare sacred space. A. Determine the Energies, size of the circle, and position of the gate. Spiritual essence moves like the wind and the leaders should be aware of the direction the essence flows because it will affect the magic. Always think spherical when determining the direction. Put the entrance gate in a place where the essence will flow in and easily coalesce in the center. If ritual is indoors, physical space will be a major factor in placement of the entrance gate. Sometimes energy will move from sky to earth or vice versa; put the gate in a direction that represents the intent and allow the energy to move in the center. Now the participants won’t be going against the natural lay of the room or area. Make sure all the elemental callers and circle guardians of the ritual understand the perimeters and energies of the circle. B. Purify the area with salt, incense, or blessed water. The participants may not be focused but the leaders can connect with the area to prepare mentally. C. The Callers of the directions or elements can spend time meditating to connect with the elemental essence they will be calling. D. Circle Guardians are people who stand post or walk the perimeter of a sacred circle to protect participants from unwanted photographers or other rude people. They can also stand at the circle gate as participants enter, their presence impressing the importance that they will behave. Guardians are most important for outdoor and public rituals. There should be at least one and as many as needed depending on the size of the gathering. Usually one per twenty participants. II. The Call In some way by music, an announcement, chanting, drums, or some other way to get people’s attention, the participants are called to gather. Take a few minutes to explain what the ritual is about and how it will be conducted. Keep the intent of the ritual simple. It could be a celebration of life and community. Everyone can understand that because there is a human need to be a part of something. III. Grounding and Entrance Grounding To relax and get into the right frame of mind, participants are lead in a meditation. If there is a song for them to participate in, don’t have multi-line verses. Keep it simple to three lines repeated. It’s awkward not know the words and reading from a piece of paper is distracting. It also costs a lot to make that many prints. If there are a lot of people, there may not be time to cleanse each participant. With a large group you also have to be conscious of allergies. I participated in a ritual once were the contents of the anointing oil wasn’t announced and a friend of mine with cinnamon allergies was seriously burned. Anointing or incense can be left out. Prepare a nice looking gate and during the ritual explanation ask people to imagine the cares of the day to be left behind as they pass through. That is a chance for circle guardians at the gate to focus on dissipating people’s cares as they pass. Entrance The callers should either already be at their quarters or they enter first. They can help direct participants clockwise and space them out so each person is at a comfortable distance from the next. The next four steps can be the most creative. IV. Casting the Circle V. Calling the Quarters VI. Invoking Spirit VII. Working and Power Raising It is awkward enough standing in full view of total strangers. Don’t ask participants to understand or speak in foreign languages or learn a multi-step dance. One of the biggest arguments among magick communities is which deity should be called and my deity doesn’t like your deity. Mysticism teaches that we are all divine beings in physical form because divinity is immanent. How about invoking the inner Spirit? This will remind or introduce participants to this important principle. Common sense dictates that the Great Rite shouldn’t be performed at a public ritual and that participants shouldn’t be naked in the city park or hotel ballroom. IX. Power Releasing and X. Grounding and Centering Excess Energy All kinds of people attend public rituals from Pagan elders who have participated for decades to new members. Not everyone is going to understand ritual lingo. Explain things in simple terms. XI. Communion or Cakes and Ale. Three things to consider when deciding if the passing of cakes and ale should be offered at a public ritual: How much will it cost to have enough food and drink? Will there be enough cups so all these people aren’t sharing germs? (Communicable disease can’t be prevented by magic no matter how much you want them to be.) Is there time to pass food and drink to all of these people? (If there are almost a hundred people, it could take twenty minutes of more. Time ads up and if people are standing it can get painful. I know. I’ve been to a three hour long handfasting. I was surprised the couple had energy to consummate the marriage afterward in their tent!) XII. Dismissal of Divinity and the Elements XIII. Opening Circle and XIV. Closing Processional I’ve been to public ritual where people didn’t understand it was over. The leadership just wondered off and left the participants confused. The leaders of a public circle can let people know the circle is open and the ritual is over in some way. It could be by saying, “Thank you for participating in the circle. May you enjoy the rest of the festival.” The callers can lead participants out of the circle. Or musicians can lead people out. This guidance helps prevent congestion at exits in a room. Instead of people just walking away in all directions and offers a sense of conclusion. Always expect the unexpected at a public ritual but by planning to be simple and safe, you increase the chances of everyone having a wonderful time.
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