posted January 25, 2005 11:05 PM         

Umm from what I know, and I don't know much , but "yes" Ritual Magick is supposed to be very strict, structured, and a rigid type of magick. Most practioneers use the Qabalah, Astrology, and Tarot. Some call it High Magick, and Low Magick is more like just meditating on a rock or a chant, both powerful ways, neither better than the other, again you're talking to a novice though. I guess I just wanted to know if anyone knew. I'd love to know more about what you practice Harpyr.

posted January 26, 2005 01:53 PM         

I see. When I first started studying the craft I read a book by Donald Michael Craig called Modern Magick. It was Qabalistic and very detailed in its description of every part of ritual, with specific words to use to call the archangels at the quarters. I found some of the theory to be really interesting and it resonated for me but the manner in which ritual was described was so specific that it just didn't feel 'right' to me. (I would never say that one way to do ritual and magic is just better than another- It's a personal decision for everyone to find what works for them.) I suppose if I had stuck with that path it would have come more naturally to me over time.

Instead I found Starhawk's Spiral Dance and the simplicity and spontaneity of it appealled to me. I was solitary for years and then for the last three I've gotten involved in the Reclaiming tradition of witches. There is some structure to rituals- grounding (commonly using a tree of life meditation), purification, circle cast, calling the elements, invoking diety, magical working of intention, chanting and drumming to raise and release a cone of power, devoking, opening the circle and feasting. Of course it's not set in stone for us, above all we are free in our tradition to be totally eclectic and create a ritual in virtually any manner a person feels called to but the above structure is generally the norm. The chants and invocations are written by any witch who feels called to be poetic and some of the best chants I've come across are from the Reclaiming community.

Here's an exerpt from a working definition of Reclaiming written by Starhawk that I really like-

quote:

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Our style of ritual could be described with the acronym EIEIO:

Ecstatic: in that we aim to create a high intensity of energy that is passionate and pleasurable.

Improvisational: We value spontaneity within the overall structure of our rituals, encourage people to create liturgy in the moment rather than script it beforehand, to respond to the energy around us rather than predetermine how it should move.

Ensemble: In our larger group rituals, we work with many priest/esses together taking different roles and performing different functions that, ideally, support each other like the members of a good jazz ensemble. We encourage a fluid sharing of those roles over time, to prevent the development of hierarchy and to allow each person to experience many facets of ritual.

Inspired: Because we each have access to the sacred, we are each capable of creating elements of ritual. Although we honor the myths, the poems, the songs and the stories that have come down to us from the past, we are not bound by the past, for divine inspiration is constantly present in each of us.

Organic: We strive for a smooth, coherent flow of energy in a ritual that has a life of its own to be honored. Our rituals are linked to the rhythms of cyclical time and organic life.

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posted January 26, 2005 11:22 PM         

Randall, do you do Ritual Magick, or any such fun spells?

posted January 27, 2005 06:29 PM         

Me twooooo, lazy leo here. I make magic from my couch!

It was never 'me' to do fancy schmancy stuff.
For some others it's great though...

posted January 27, 2005 08:09 PM         

Can you describe to me your Book of Shadows/Light? What kinds of subjects do you put into it? It must be big by now.

posted January 27, 2005 09:08 PM         

I do have a Book of Shadows but I don't give it nearly the attention I'd like to. I've got the Charge of the Goddess in it, and some information on the various different qualities of the four elements and a page for the different sabbats and their significance but that's about it. I've never been very good at journalling regularly.. it's an area I really need to improve upon.

Ideally, my BoS will one day have sections for magical qualities of herbs, astrology, favorite spells, chants, and stuff.

I think my perfectionist streak has paralyzed me at times to add to it. I always want to have just the 'right' book and use just the 'right' pen and make it all neat and tidy so I always procrastinate in doing it cause I want to put the time in to make it 'quality' but just never seem to find/make it. I think I need to get over that and just DO IT. That's why I only relatively recently even aquired a book.. I'd put it off for years, thinking I would make my own book, all the way down to making the paper myself. I was being way too purist about it and I finally just said to myself- "You are never going to get around to doing that. You need to just go to the store and find a simple black blank book and get started." So I did. Now what I need is to force myself to start writing in it more and not worry about being so organized; stop thinking that need I know what is going onto every page and that it has to be perfectly ordered. *sigh* Let it go, harpyr..