The Real Witches’ Craft: Magical Techniques and Guidance for a Full Year of Practising the Craft. Kate West

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СКАЧАТЬ you will need. Again, if you are on your own you may only need space for a candle, or some incense. Of course, occasionally you may need space for more. At times, an ‘Altar’ may even be a designated area on the ground or the floor. It is simply a question of having somewhere where everything is together, making it easier to avoid losing, or tripping over things.

      Invoke the Elements – which, as you have practised above, becomes quicker and easier the more experience you have.

      Invite the Goddess and the God – we will work on this later in the book, but for now I will introduce a very simple form of this.

      Cast the Circle – if the purpose of the Ritual involves raising energy and directing it to make a spell work, then a proper Circle is needed, but as this Ritual is intended for personal development you do not yet need a formal Circle.

      Raising the energy for a spell – which I will go into in more detail later.

       Performing the spell or other purpose.

      Grounding or earthing – which is sometimes performed by the Rite of Wine and Cakes and at others is simply having something to eat and drink after tidying up.

      Dismissing the Quarters – as you have read above.

       Thanking the Goddess and the God.

      Taking down the Circle – only if it was required.

      Tidying up – which is simply putting things away.

      This may all seem quite complex, but is in fact very straightforward. Whilst in a Coven the process may be quite formal, a person on their own can do most of this in their mind using the skills developed in this book. As this is the first Ritual in this book I am going to use the slightly more formal way of calling the Elements, but if you are practised you can do this in your mind.

      THE ELEMENTAL RITUAL

       First, select which of the four Elemental forms you would like to experience. Then get, or create, the medium which they inhabit; incense for Sylphs, flame for Salamanders, water for Undines and earth for Gnomes. If you wish you can also light incense of the scent they prefer and a candle of the appropriate colour; yellow for Sylphs, red for Salamanders, blue for Undines or green for Gnomes. Please ensure that any candles and incense are in secure fire-proof holders and cannot set anything alight. Have to hand your magical journal or Book of Shadows. You will also need some matches. Place these together on the surface you have designated as your Altar area. Spend a little time reviewing your experiences with this particular Element and its associations, and in considering what you hope to achieve with your Ritual. Also consider your personal state of mind: are you personally in balance, and if not where does the imbalance lie? Address this using the techniques above.

       Select a time when you are not likely to be disturbed or interrupted. Turn off the ringer on the phone, or put it out of hearing. Ensure pets are settled, and so on. When you are sure you are ready to begin, start by creating the Sacred Space as mentioned earlier.

       Invoke the Elements:

       Standing in the East, and facing that direction, call on the Element of Air saying:

      ‘I call upon the Element of Air, to join with me here in this Circle.’ When you can actually feel the presence of Air, say:

       ‘Blessed Be.’

       Then call Fire in the South, Water in the West, and Earth in the North.

       Next invite the Goddess and the God:

       Still facing the North, close your eyes, visualize the Goddess and the God and say:

       ‘Gracious Goddess, Mighty God, I call upon you to guide me, guard me and protect me in these my Rites. Blessed Be.’

       Then cast the Circle:

       Lastly, move to the North-East of the Circle and with the forefinger of your strong hand draw a circle in the air around the outer boundary of the Circle. As you do so, visualize an electric blue light creating a circle which becomes a sphere containing the whole circle, and say:

       ‘I do cast this Circle as a place of containment and protection. A place between the worlds and a time outside of time.’

       Make sure that you overlap the start and finish points of the circle and then say:

       ‘Blessed Be.’

       Remember to move Deosil at all times.

       Light the incense and candle if you choose to have them. Sit or kneel before the Elemental’s medium and gaze into it. Focus your mind on the Element and invite the appropriate Elemental to come to it, by reciting three times the appropriate invitation from the ones below:

       ‘Gracious Sylphs, beings of the Air, I call upon you. I freely give this offering of incense, that, if it please you, you will come forth and let me know of your presence. Blessed Be.’

       ‘Mighty Salamanders, beings of the flame, I call upon you. I freely give this offering of fire, that, if it please you, you will come forth and let me know of your presence. Blessed Be.’

       ‘Elegant Undines, beings of the Water, I call upon you. I freely give this offering of natural water, that, if it please you, you will come forth and let me know of your presence. Blessed Be.’

       ‘Noble Gnomes, beings of the Earth, I call upon you. I freely give this offering of living earth, that, if it please you, you will come forth and let me know of your presence. Blessed Be.’

       Continue to look at and focus on the Element in question. With your mind, consider all its aspects – what it is like at its gentlest and fiercest, the effects it has on the land, plants, and in your life. Include all its associations or correspondences. Recall all of your experiences of working with it. Continue doing this until you perceive an Elemental is present. When this happens, try to clear your mind of all conscious thoughts and simply focus on the Elemental. Try not to force your thoughts, but rather relax and allow your senses to ‘observe’. You may find thoughts, sensations or even images coming to you; do not attempt to analyse these at the time, but try to remember them for later. When the Elemental departs, or you can no longer hold your attention, thank them. You should give your thanks whether you thought they were there or not, as they may be present without showing themselves.

       ‘Gracious Sylphs, beings of the Air, I thank you. May you depart СКАЧАТЬ