A Basic Celtic Ritual

Arrange your altar in whatever way you normally do (see the tools page if you want to know how I do it). Take several deep breaths to relax and put yourself in a ritual frame of mind. Take your athame in your projective hand (conversely, you can use an athame, a sword, wand, staff, or the index finger of your power hand), and, starting in the East, visualize a stream of energy flowing from the blade onto the ground and forming the image of the circle on the ground. Move clockwise around the circle, vizualing it forming on the ground in front of you. Overlap the ends in the East. While you form the circle, say:
I consecrate this circle of power to the Ancient Gods. Here may they manifest and bless their child.

Move back to the altar, facing East. Raise your athame and say:
This is a time that is not a time, in a place that is not a place, on a day that is not a day.
I stand at the threshold between the worlds, before the veil of the Mysteries.
May the Lord and Lady protect me on my journey.

Set the water chalice on the pentacle disk. Hold your athame over it and say:
Great Mother, bless this creature of Water to your service.
May I always remember the cauldron waters of rebirth.

Hold your dagger over the salt, say:
Great Mother, bless this creature of Earth to your service.
May I always remember the blessed Earth, its many forms and beings.

Take a bit of salt on the blade of the athame and dump into water three times. Stir the mixture clockwise with the blade three times, then hold the chalice up high. Say:
Great Mother, I give you honor!

Beginning in the East and moving clockwise, sprinkle the water-salt mixture lightly around the edges of the circle. Replace the chalice on the altar.

Hold the athame on over the lighted censer, saying: Great Father, bless this creature of Fire to your service.
May I always remember the sacred Fire that dances within all creation.

Hold your athame in the smoke of the incense, saying:
Great Father, bless this creature of Air to your service.
May I always remember the spirit winds that bring me the voices of the Otherworld.

Put a little incense on the lit charcoal (or light the stick or cone). Touch the censer to the pentacle, the raise the censer high, saying:
Great Father, I give you honor!

Carry the incense around the circle, beginning in the East. Replace the censer on the altar.

Go the the East. Hold up your athame and say:
I call upon you, Powers of Air, to witness and guard this rite and this circle

Repeat this in the South, West, and North, substituting Fire, Water and Earth, respectively. Then move back to the center, facing East. Raise your arms and say:
This circle is bound,
With power all around.
Between the worlds, I stand
With protection at hand.

At this point, do any spellworking you have planned. When everything is done, hold your athame over the altar and say:
By the powers of the ancient Gods,
I bind all power within this circle
Into this spell. So mote it be.

When you are ready to end the rite, go to the East, hold up your athame and say:
Depart in peace, O Powers of Air. My thanks and blessings.

Repeat this at each direction, once again substituting that direction's element. Return to the altar, facing East. Hold your arms up and say:
To all beings and powers, seen and unseen, depart in peace.
May there always be harmony between us.
My thanks and blessings.

Cut the circle, starting in the East and moving counterclockwise. When complete, return to the altar and say:

The circle is open, yet ever remains a circle. Around me and through me flows its power.

Celtic know from ClipArt Castle

The music is King of the Fairies

Return to Derwen's Books of Shadows