How to Setup a Basic Ritual

Use your patrons in place of mine, Aphrodite and Apollo, in this ritual. Also, adjust any attributes mentioned here to fit your particular Patrons.

Stand before your altar facing North or East.

Meditate for a few moments/minutes to free your mind of the mundane things.

Once ready:

• Ring the bell 11 times. 
• Chant while walking deosil around circle to bring you into focus.
• Face altar and pick up the bowl of water and touch the water with your finger tip or tip of your athame and say:

"I exercise this water that it cast out from it all impurities and uncleanliness, in the name of Aphrodite and Apollo."

 

• Place water back on altar and pick up the salt and touch the salt with your finger tip or tip of your athame and say:

"Blessings be upon this element of salt. Let all impurities flee and let only good enter in. As the water purifies the body, the salt purifies the soul. Therefore I bless it that it may aid me. In the names of Aphrodite and Apollo."

Casting the Circle:

• Pick up smudge stick and light it.
• Walk the circle spreading the smoke and say:

"I cleanse this circle of all negativity and impurities. In the name of Aphrodite and Apollo."

• Return to altar and face it.
• Place smudge stick inside its container.
• Walk around the circle deosil touch your athame to the ground and say:

"I now cast this circle that it may be a meeting place of love and joy. A shield against all that would destroy. A world between worlds, a place where the mysteries are revealed. A rampart to contain the power raised within. I do now consecrate this circle in the name of my Lord and Lady, Aphrodite and Apollo."

• Return and face the altar.
• Pick up the salt and walk the circle once with the bowls of water and salt.
• Chant element chant.

 

"Earth my body, water my blood, air my breath and fire my spirit"

 

• Return to altar and place salt and water back on it.
• Put a pinch of salt in the water.
• Dip finger in water and draw a cross or pentacle on forehead and say:

"Blessed be!"

Calling Quarters/Summoning the Watchtowers

• Walk deosil and stand on the east point of circle. Face out.
• Forcefully with intent draw the invoking pentagram with your athame while saying:

 

"Hear me oh Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East, Lords of Air. I (your name here), both priest and witch do summon you. I do summon, stir and call you forth to witness my rites and to guard this circle. Hail and Welcome!"

• Walk deosil to the south point and say:

"Hear me oh Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South, Lords of Fire. I (your name here), both priest and witch do summon you. I do summon, stir and call you forth to witness my rites and to guard this circle. Hail and Welcome!"

• Walk deosil to the west point on circle and say:

"Hear me oh Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West, Lords of Water. I (your name here), both priest and witch do summon you. I do summon, stir and call you forth to witness my rites and to guard this circle. Hail and Welcome!"

• Walk deosil to the North point on circle and say:

"Hear me oh Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, Lords of Earth. Guardians of the portal between worlds. I (enter name here), both priest and witch do summon you. I do summon, stir and call you forth to witness my rites and to guard this circle. Hail and Welcome!"

• Return to altar. Face altar and meditate for a few moments.
• Prepare yourself for the next step.

Calling the Lord and Lady

• Face altar and say:

 

"Hail Mighty Ones! Hail Powerful Apollo! Hail Beautiful Aphrodite! I welcome and invite you to witness these rites in your honor.  The circle is now perfect!"

• Sing/dance/chant to raise energy
• Read and Speak the Charge of the Goddess...

Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who of old was called Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arienrhod, Brigid, and by many other names
Whenever you have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, you shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who is Queen of all Witches.
There shall you assemble, who have not yet won my deepest secrets and are fain to learn all sorceries. To these shall I teach that which is yet unknown.
You shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that you be free you shall be naked in your rites.
Sing, feast, dance, make music and love, all in My presence, for Mine is the ecstasy of the spirit and Mine also is joy on earth. For My law is love unto all beings.
Mine is the secret that opens upon the door of youth, and Mine is the cup of wine of life that is the Cauldron of Cerridwen that is the holy grail of immortality.
I am the Gracious Goddess who gives the gift of youth unto the heart of mankind.

I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal and beyond death I give peace and freedom and reunion with those that have gone before.

Nor do I demand aught of sacrifice, for behold, I am the mother of all things and My love is poured upon the earth.
Hear the words of the Star Goddess, the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven, whose body encircles the universe:
I who am the beauty of the green earth and the white moon among the stars and the mysteries of the waters,
I call upon your soul to arise and come unto Me. For I am the soul of nature that gives life to the universe. From Me all things proceed and unto Me they must return.
Let My worship be in the heart that rejoices, for behold -- all acts of love and pleasure are My rituals. Let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you.
And you who seek to know Me, know that your seeking and yearning will avail you not, unless you know the Mystery: for if that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without.
For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.

• and Charge of the God

Listen to the Words of the Horned God,

Who was of old called among men:

Adonis, Tammuz, Dianus, Herne,

Bran, Beli, Lugh, Gwyn,

Dionysus, Osiris, Cernunnos, Pan,

And by many other Names.

O Secret of Secrets,

That art hidden in the being of all that lives,

Not Thee do we adore,

For That which adoreth is also Thou.

Thou art That, and That am I.

I am the Flame that burns in the heart of every being,

And in the core of every Star.

I am Life, and the Giver of Life,

Yet therefore is the Knowledge of Me

The Knowledge of Death and Resurrection.

I am alone, the Lord within ourselves,

Whose Name is Mystery of Mysteries.

I am the Horned God.

I am the Lord of the Universe,

The Father of all living,

The All-Devourer and the All-Begetter.

I am He Whose Seed lies strewn

As glittering Gems across velvet darkness

Within the Womb of the Mother.

I am the Lord of the Shadows

In the darkness of the Underworld,

For I am the Midnight Sun.

I am the Light of the Stars,

And the Spark of the Spirit Eternal,

For I am the God Within.

I am the Horned Leader of the Hosts of Air,

The Leader of the Wild Hunt,

The Judge of Gods and of Men.

I am the Hidden God,

Who ever yet remains,

For I dwell within the secret seed.

I am the seed of grain,

I am the seed of flesh,

I am the Seed of the Stars.

I am the Lord of the Heights,

I am the Lord of the Depths,

God of forest, of flock, and of field.

I am the Hunter and Hunted,

I am the wolf and the Shepherd,

I am the vine and the grain.

I am a Guiding Star above you,

I am a bright Flame before you,

I am a smooth Path beneath you.

I am the Light of Life.

I am the Flame of Love.

I am the Horned God!

Great Rite
Pick up the Chalice in left hand and athame in right hand. Hold them up and say:
As the athame is to the blade, so the cup is to the chalice. I draw in the power of the God and Goddess, and feel their love.
Plunge athame into the chalice three times and when done say:
Blessed be!
If in a solitary ritual, take a drink from the cup and say:
May I never thirst. Blessed be!
If in a group ritual, hand the cup to another in the circle and say:
May you never thirst.  (they then take a sip)

Blessing the Cakes

Hold plate of food and say:

Oh Great Mother, bless this food that it may nourish my body and bestow health, wealth, strength, joy and peace. Blessed be!

Workings and Magic

At this point works of magic, charms and other things are performed.

Farewell to the gods

Face alter/north and say:
Oh great and powerful Lord Apollo, I thank you for your attendance here. I welcome you to stay but if you must go I bid you farewell as you return to your realm. Hail and farewell! Blessed be!
I thank thee oh lovely and beautiful Aphrodite for attending my rites this night. I welcome you to stay but if you must go I bid you farewell as you return to your realm. Hail and farewell! Blessed be!

Dismissing Quarters

• Walk deosil to the East point on circle.
• With force and intent use your athame to draw a banishing pentagram while saying:

"Hear me oh Guardians, Lords of East and Air. I thank you for your attendance and release you that you may return to your realm. I bid you hail and farewell!"

• Walk deosil to the South point on circle.
• With force and intent use your athame to draw a banishing pentagram while saying:

"Hear me oh Guardians, Lords of South and Fire. I thank you for your attendance and release you that you may return to your realm. I bid you hail and farewell!"

• Walk deosil to the West point on circle.
• With force and intent use your athame to draw a banishing pentagram while saying:

"Hear me oh Guardians, Lords of West and Water. I thank you for your attendance and release you that you may return to your realm. I bid you hail and farewell!"

• Walk deosil to the North point on circle.
• With force and intent use your athame to draw a banishing pentagram while saying:

"Hear me oh Guardians, Lords of North and Earth. I thank you for your attendance and release you that you may return to your realm. I bid you hail and farewell!"

• Visualize the circle dissolving into the ground. Once done say:

"The circle is now open but never broken. Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again! May the blessings of the God and Goddess go with me in my heart. Blessed be!"