Ritual Etiquette

 

General Rules

The Circle is a manifestation of cyclic energy in the form of a vortex. This holy time and sacred space is separate from the world and contiguous with all other Circles. The Circle is a bridge between the worlds that we empower by our agreement. Therefore:

  • A ritual is not a spectator sport. If you do not wish to participate, please stay far enough away that your conversations, etc. won’t interfere in the rite, or stay respectfully quiet. Leave your PERSONAL business outside the circle, and enter the circle with a positive mind. Enter the circle in “Perfect Love and Perfect Trust” having put aside your personal difficulties beforehand.
  • Meet everyone in the Circle with respect. Treat everybody and everything in the Circle with respect, tact, courtesy, and love. A ritual is a sacred ceremony, one in which considerable power may be raised, so please behave reverently and carefully in Circle. Remember you are in a sacred space, and act accordingly. Keep a respectful silence, except where you participate in the ritual. Speak only Truth in Circle, and your magical affirmations will have the force of that Truth.
  • A ritual need not be solemn; it can be light-hearted at times, but please use humour with care. Gratuitous remarks can disrupt the Circle’s energy and focus, so please refrain from making them.
  • The best rituals are those that seem spontaneous, yet they’ve often been carefully planned. Sometimes it will be obvious when it is appropriate to join in with chanting, drumming, etc; when it is not, you will be invited to participate. The ritual should be performed as directed. If a specific wording or gesture is requested, please use it. Being inappropriately creative can cause the ritual casting to become unbalanced or confuse new members, but if nothing is specified, then personal interpretation is allowed; feel free to use your own wording or gestures.
  • When entering or moving about in the circle, always move in the direction of the casting (usually deosil/clockwise, except when closing the circle, or told otherwise). Walk around or to the centre of the Circle if necessary, but always turn the correct way and don’t walk against the flow.
  • Ritual objects and tools are invested with power and should be treated with respect. Do not touch another person’s belongings (including jewellery) without their permission – especially anything wrapped, sheathed, or boxed.
  • Once the circle is cast, enter or exit only at great need. If you must exit the Circle, please ask for a door to be cut by the person leading the ritual; they will then open one and close it behind you. To join a Circle that is already cast, wait for an invitation from within the Circle; a door will then be cut for you to enter. This does not apply to children and animals, who may come and go freely, as they are free spirits. However, the leader may prefer them not to attend, so always check before bringing them.
  • WHAT HAPPENS IN THE CIRCLE STAYS IN THE CIRCLE. Do not discuss what happened with anyone who wasn’t there, or in other people’s hearing, or mention it on social media etc. Do not enter the Circle under the influence of drink or drugs. This can affect the energy of the Circle and disrupt others’ experience.
  • We are a caring, sharing community, but some things should not be shared. If you are full of germs, please bring your own cup etc and don’t share the communal ones.
  • If you are unsure how to proceed, follow the majority!

 

Other Guidelines

  One of the Priestess’ or Priest’s jobs may be to channel the Goddess and/or God in the circle. Please help them by:

  • Watching them, listening to them, following them.
  • Empowering them and the ritual by your participation. Feed your energy and visualizations through them into the Circle.
  • Putting objections aside and saving criticisms or questions until later. If you cannot go along with something, ask to leave the Circle.

We are all sisters and brothers in the Circle, but we may work in different ways. Please be sensitive to different needs and styles before and during a ritual. Respect the differences between all magical styles and include them, for they are all needed to complete the Circle. Above all – enjoy yourself!

 

Further Reading

We would suggest seeing our page about Opening & Closing Circles for an overview of the proceedings.