New Moon Ritual

The New Moon is literally the Moon starting her 29 day cycle again. Starting a new and so we celebrate this with the start of new beginnings. New projects, renewing commitments and healing. It is a time when we put the old behind us and look forward to the new. Old habits and worries. If there is something you have problems trying to put behind you, this is the ideal time to do it.

Now I haven't written a ritual as I really haven't had the time. But there is one at the end of the article. my part in this article is more about preparation. So lets start with the most important part of any ritual.

Intention

Firstly you must decide what your intentions are for this ritual. Why you wish to perform this. As I have said, this is the time for new beginnings and renewing commitments to old resolutions. Or you may wish to perform some healing work. Though you can do more than one thing. Just be sure of what you wish to do.

Preparation

Decide where you want to do your ritual. Outside is always nice, but also not always possible. So choose a room in your home where you have space to perform your ritual and where you will not be disturbed. Make sure those in your home are aware you need some quiet time and switch off mobiles/cell phones, computers, tablets and take the house phone off it’s hook.

Once you have decided where you want to perform your ritual. Make sure it’s clean and tidy

both physically and spiritually. Don’t just put things away and vacuum, but smudge the room too, sage or lavender are perfect for this.  Lavender and lemon balm are also associated with the New Moon. Open windows to allow fresh air to circulate.

Don’t forget to prepare yourself also. A nice cleansing and ritual bath. A shower really doesn’t have the same effect. Have some candles and lavender bath salts. When you soak imagine the Lavender salts drawing all the negativity from your body. Step out of the bath and then pull the plug and watch all that negativity drain away with the water.

Grounding and meditation are also important. Meditating on your intentions and grounding your mind, body and soul are as important as preparing your room.


Here’s a good article on the subject: Grounding and Centering

Your Altar and This You May Need

As this is a Moon ritual I would suggest either white or silver for the colour choices. It’s nice to combine both of this as it adds more interest to your altar. How you decorate your altar is of course up to you. Below are some suggestions. This form of decorating your altar can be used for any Moon ritual.

• So a silver or white altar cloth. Or possibly a white altar cloth with silver thread running through it.
• A feather to represent air, again this could be a white feather
• A white or silver candle that represents both the moon and fire
• A silver or clear glass bowl of Salt to represent Earth. Or you can use a stone or a some soil.
• A silver or clear glass bowl or goblet of water. If you can use spring water for this do. But don’t worry if that’s not possible.
• You may also wish to have white flowers with silver sprayed twigs
• Silver moon shaped sequins liberally scattered around
• A silver pentacle (if you don’t have a large one, you could use a pendent) can also be used to represent Earth just as a wand can be used for air or fire
• If you are going to burn paper, a cauldron is suggested. I would say that your cauldron needs to be at least 11cm in diameter. Anything smaller and it’s not safe enough to burn things in. Make sure you place it somewhere safe and don’t burn too much. Keep it small and keep it safe.

The Ritual

It is always nice to try and write your own, but that’s not always possible. The internet is 

filled to the brim of the cauldron with various rituals. So take a look around. Find one you 

like and then make it your own. Change the words for instance. Try to use it as a guideline 

rather than actually using the ritual. Remember the more personal it is, the better it will work for you. I have added a ritual at the end of this article.

Here’s a little check list I found, and it’s rather nice, of things for your new Moon Ritual

• Prepare the space by lighting one white candle and burning a stick of sage.
  
• Write on a small index cards intentions for the next 28 days.
• String intentions up via string.
• Begin meditating on intentions
• Imagine letting go of things that no longer serve you
• Visualize a new life. Create a vision board with images that reflect this new life.
• Say prayer of thanks and gratitude
• Blow out candle

I know I am bound to have forgotten some things in my article. So here are some useful and interesting links. Do read, as you will learn more that way.

New and Full Moon Rituals - And how to Create your Own

Ten Tips For New Moon Rituals That Get Results

3 minute moon Ritual

New Moon Manifestation Ceremony

New Moon Rituals

Now as I have had a very busy week with my Birthday and family visits, I am resorting to my suggestion. So the following ritual is one I have found and liked.

This ritual is a rather simple one, but also really nice. I have provided a link below to the actual page, so if Carole mentions other pages to visit, just follow the link I've provided and go from there.

And don’t forget, rituals don’t have to be over complicated. If anything, the simpler the better is often the best mantra. As they say KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid

Beannachd

Pagan Hare

New Moon Ritual For Manifesting:

by CAROLE FOGARTY

“We can change our lives. We can do, have, and be exactly what we wish”  Tony Robbins

Any new moon is the perfect time to release your monthly wishes out into the universe. Astrologically it carries a strong energy for giving birth to new ideas, habits or projects.

To give my wishes the special attention they deserve, I send them on their merry way with a simple, yet meaningful ritual.  Rituals needn't be complicated, time consuming or confusing.  In fact mine are around 3 – 5 minutes.

Firstly, I become still and arrive fully into the moment.  I want my whole body, mind and breath to participate.  Secondly, I connect with the four elements of nature, after all they nourish us all on a daily basis and we certainly couldn't survive without them.   Then, and only then, do I feel connected and prepared to release my wishes out into the big wide world.

Acknowledge the start of your ritual:

Light a candle to signify the start of the ritual – giving thanks and gratitude. You can even open with a little blessing or prayer if that feels right for you.

Arrive fully at the ritual:

Give 100% of your whole self when releasing your wishes by arriving fully into the moment.  Involve your mind fully,  breath fully, body fully and your soul fully.

Feel and become aware of  your body (feet, toes, fingers, legs, arms etc), shake and move your body if you need too.

Feel and become aware of your breath, follow it as it moves through your body.  It is your breath and words that will give energy to your wishes.

Feel and become aware of your thoughts – do not follow your thoughts just notice them and your mind will soon arrive without getting distracted.

Feel and sense the energy of your heart, the core of your being, the essence of who you are.

Now, pay closer attention to the environment around you. Tap into your senses.  What can you see, smell, taste, touch or hear?

If you need help arriving, then you might like to read my article called the 3 arrivals.  A simple Buddhist practice that encourages you to arrive fully into the here and now.

Connect with the elements of nature:

To connect with the essence of the universe you need to acknowledge the four main elements of nature.  Fire – water – earth – water.  You can do this by feeling, sensing or having a physical representation for each of the elements.

Earth: go barefoot and feel the earth beneath your feet.  If you can’t go outside you may prefer to wear or hold a crystal, be close to a plant or vase of flowers. Breathe the earths energy up through your feet.  Feel the connection.

Fire: the burning candle signifies fire – feel or sense the cleansing properties of the fire, and the energy it is fueling your wishes with.

Air: light a piece of dried white sage or sage smudge stick (as shown in the picture on the right). The smoke represents air. Let the smoke fill the air around you.

Water: have a bowl of water with a small handful of rock salt. This connects you to the ocean and all water on this planet. Add essences, flowers , crystals or infuse your water with sunshine – if this feels right for you.

Write and cleanse your wishes:

Write your wishes down on a piece of paper and then cleanse away unseen obstacles and energy blocks with the smoke from your sage smudge stick (Shown in the photo above).  Continue cleansing until you feel a lighter energy around your written wishes.

I have used dried white sage (either loose or as a smudge stick) for over 20 years and strongly believe in its cleansing and purification properties.  Burning sage is almost a daily occurrence in my home.  If you can find organic, then all the better.

Release your wishes:

The first part of releasing your wishes is writing them down.  The second part is saying them out aloud as if you are speaking in person to the universe.  Feel or sense the words of your wishes in your breath, in your exhale as they leave your body. Release them with love and grace.

Close ritual:

Finish your new moon wish ritual by blowing out your candle and giving thanks and gratitude. Close your eyes and spend a few special moments in silence – feeling whatever you need to feel.  I usually get a feeling of my wishes flying out into all corners of the world.

You may  keep your written wishes under your pillow, next to your favourite crystal,  on your bedside table, in your wish bowl, on your altar or bury them in the ground for the next

month.  You may even prefer to keep a visual image or picture that represents your monthly wish.  Alternately read your monthly wish/wishes just before you go to bed. Do whatever feels right for you. Trust and be guided your intuition.

In case you are wondering what my monthly wish is – it’s to complete my first e-book “Unwind” and become an author. Wish me luck.  May all our wishes come true, easily and effortlessly.

Original Source For Ritual:


http://thehealthylivinglounge.com/2010/04/18/new-moon-wish-ritual-for-manifesting/

Introduction to Paganism

The following article I found  on a Pagan Federation page and I thought you all may find it interesting as it gives very good descriptions of various aspects of paganism. I have only posted part of this as it's not my work. But I have provided a link to the appropriate page so you may read further.

~ Pagan Hare

Introduction to Paganism

Pagans may be trained in particular traditions or they may follow their own inspiration. Paganism is not dogmatic. Pagans pursue their own vision of the Divine as a direct and personal experience.

The Pagan Federation recognizes the rich diversity of traditions that form the body of modern Paganism. In a brief introductory booklet, it is not possible to describe each and every one. Rather than attempt this, the pages in this section - links are on the left hand side of this page contain an introduction to six examples of major Pagan traditions.

This is not an exhaustive list, but these six traditions provide a good overview of modern Pagan practice. A suggested reading list is also available.

Some authors see the emergence of Paganism in the twentieth century as a revival of an older Pagan religion and describe all the above traditions as Neo-Pagan.

This term is also used to describe all those who are recognisably Pagan, but who do not adhere to any of the above traditions per se.

A definition of a Pagan:

A follower of a polytheistic or pantheistic nature-worshipping religion. 

A definition of Paganism:

A polytheistic or pantheistic nature-worshipping religion.

What Paganism Is

Paganism is the ancestral religion of the whole of humanity. This ancient religious outlook remains active throughout much of the world today, both in complex civilisations such as Japan and India, and in less complex tribal societies world-wide. It was the outlook of the European religions of classical antiquity - Persia, Egypt, Greece and Rome - as well as of their "barbarian" neighbours on the northern fringes, and its European form is re-emerging into explicit awareness in the modern West as the articulation of urgent contemporary religious priorities.

The Pagan outlook can be seen as threefold. Its adherents venerate Nature and worship many deities, both goddesses and gods.

Nature - Veneration

The spirit of place is recognised in Pagan religion, whether as a personified natural feature such as a mountain, lake or spring, or as a fully articulated guardian divinity such as, for example, Athena, the goddess of Athens. The cycle of the natural year, with the different emphasis brought by its different seasons, is seen by most Pagans as a model of spiritual growth and renewal, and as a sequence marked by festivals which offer access to different divinities according to their affinity with different times of year. Many Pagans see the Earth itself as sacred: in ancient Greece the Earth was always offered the first libation of wine, although She had no priesthood and no temple.

Click To Read Further

Some Basic Pagan Beliefs

Please note: these beliefs are generally held in Paganism but because Paganism consists of many religions and is so individualistic, beliefs vary. The beliefs summed up here are by no means the only beliefs there are and some Pagans may have different views than these.

Belief in Deities

 

Pagans believe in the existence of Gods and Goddesses that affect our lives. Paganism tends to be polytheistic (belief in more than one Deity).
Individuals often follow a specific pantheon such as Celtic, Norse, Greek, etc. Some Pagans worship the whole pantheon while others choose to direct their worship to a few or even one of the deities. Some Pagans consider the deities to be aspects of reality or personality, which helps them to focus on specific attributes of life or the self such as strength, learning, or love. Other Pagans consider the deities to be external beings who embody certain traits again such as strength, learning, or love. Pagans have very Personal relationships with their deities and so how they perceive them is very personal and individualistic.

Reincarnation

 

Most Pagans believe that after death, the spirit is reborn in another body. Again, a belief in exactly what happens and whether or not you are punished for you wrong doings in this life or the next vary.

Magic

 

The ability to use your will to effect real and positive changes in your life is Magic. You do not have to practice Magic to be Pagan but many Pagans do practice Magic in one form or another (actually, much of today's modern medicine was once considered to be part of Magic until science explained how it worked). Magic is, of course, controversial. Magic, and the fear that it caused (and still causes in some situations), is what led to the persecution of Pagans.

Ritual

 

Like the rituals in most religions, Pagan rituals mark changes and events in human life: birth, death, marriage, and so forth. Ritual can be a ceremony of celebration (as in the holy days) or a way of honouring the Gods and Goddesses and thanking them for their blessings. Offerings made to the Gods and Goddesses often include things of beauty, flowers, art, stones, crystals, or things of art made by the practitioner, poems, songs, and dance. These offerings demonstrate the level of dedication and devotion of Pagan worshippers.

Sabbats

 

There are usually eight major holy days, or holidays, in the Pagan calendar. All are agrarian, four relate more to plants (planting, harvest, etc.) and four relate more to animal husbandry (cycles of fertility).

So what does "Earth-Based Religions" refer to?

Earth-based religions are religions that view the Earth (and nature as a whole) as being the source of universal consciousness and energy. However, it is important to note that each religion has its own unique views as to the importance of the Earth and to what roles it plays in our everyday life.

Source: http://pagansa.org.ohio-state.edu/index.html

The Pagan Traditions

Not all Pagans are Wiccans, and not all Pagan paths are the same. From Asatru to Druidry to Celtic Reconstructionism, there are plenty of Pagan groups out there to choose from. This list is but a few of the many paths to paganism, so I have tried to include some of the better known movements. And like Paganism itself, these individual paths can also have their own various forms.

A note about the sourcing: I was originally going to use my various books to put this together. Unfortunately none give you a simple break down of the individual traditions and so I would have been at this a year from now. So to save time I have visited various sites for the following information. I have also included a link to each of these.

N.B: If you own any of this work and are not happy for us to use this, please by all means PM me and I will remove the segment.

Asatru & Odinism:

 

"Some Odinists consider themselves to be Ásatrú, while others do not, nor are all Ásatrúar Odinists. Ásatrú is a polytheistic religion and the gods and/or goddesses that one chooses to worship or dedicate to among the Elder gods is a matter of individual choice and conscience. Odinism is included in the presentation of Ásatrú although not considered to be exactly the same thing. Heathen is another term that you will come across and refers to religious groups which are based on Northern European pre-Christian Pagan beliefs while Paganism is an even more general term. "

"Asatru is the modern rebirth of the pre-Christian indigenous faith of the Norse peoples -- the ancestors of the Norwegians, Danes, Swedes, and Icelanders. This faith honoured many Gods and Goddesses, some of whose names are still familiar to us today, such as Thor, Odin and Freyja. The indigenous faith of Scandinavia, upon which Asatru is based, fell into shadow after the year 1100, with the advent of Christianity in Northern Europe. The modern Asatru faith practiced by Gladsheim is part of a revival which began in 1973, when the Asatru Free Assembly was founded in the United States. The same year, Asatru was granted official recognition in Iceland, becoming the second recognized faith in that country, alongside the Lutheran Church."

Source: http://www.irminsul.org/as/asr.html

Druidism:

Druidism, or Druidry as it is often called, is for some a spiritual path, for others a religion, and for others a cultural activity.

As a cultural activity, Druid ceremonies provide part of the context and pageantry for the National Eisteddfodau of Wales, Cornwall and Brittany.

As a spiritual way or philosophy, Modern Druidism began to develop about three hundred years ago during a period known as the ‘Druid Revival’. It was inspired by the accounts of ancient Druids, and drew on the work of historical researchers, folklorists and early literature. In this way Druidry’s heritage stretches far back into the past.

Source: http://www.druidry.org/

 Celtic Traditionalism/Reconstructionalism:

This may not be a familiar term to many people, it consists of trying to reconstruct the beliefs and practices of the original Celtic people, as opposed to Druidic learning, this tradition focuses more on the beliefs of the average Celtic man or woman.

Celtic Reconstructionist paganism, is a more culturally specific and historically based path which seeks to recreate, to the best extent possible in the modern world, the religion of the ancient Celtic peoples of Western Europe and the British Isles. Like Wicca, and like the Celtic culture upon which it is based, modern Celtic paganism embodies a strong reverence for nature.

Celtic Shamanism:

A shamanic path that is based on the Faery Faith of the Celtic peoples of Western Europe and especially of Britain, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Cornwall, Isle of Man and Brittany.

Source: http://13thdruidofavalon.tripod.com/druidplanet/id88.html

Heathenry:

Heathenry is the term preferred, in the UK (and increasingly elsewhere), by many followers of Germanic paganism or Germanic neopaganism as the name of their religion. While some practitioners use the term as equivalent to Paganism, others use it much more specifically. It is used by those who are re-creating the old religion and worldview from the literary and archaeological sources, who describe themselves as "Heathen" in part to distinguish themselves from other pagans whose rituals come from other sources. Some North Americans use Heathenism with a similar intent.

Heathenry in the UK differs from Asatru in North America in being generally more rooted in the landscape (Blain, 2002a, Harvey 2006 forthcoming), and in this may possibly more akin to Ásatrú in Iceland and similar religious expression in Scandinavia. Heathenry draws on ideas of a living landscape, close to some expressed by indigenous religions elsewhere. Heathenry, therefore, for many adherents, is about creating a connection between humans and landscape, through the acknowledgement of land- and other wights, ancestors (spiritual and cultural, not necessarily physical) and other beings; it is therefore an animist religion drawing on (for instance) the Old English healing charms, the Icelandic Eddas and Sagas, and folklore elements in creating a religion from today from these and other resources. Shamanic or shamanistic elements are evident and practitioners may use seid and galdr, or shamanistic magic and sung magic, in rituals.

Heathenry relates to both the practices and worldviews of Heathens and to the practitioners - thus Heathenry can mean people who are Heathen, or what they do. In general, Heathens consider that people are called to the religion, perhaps by the gods or by the landscape, regardless of their ethnic origins. In this sense, Heathens are new-indigenes (Blain and Wallis, 2002).

Source: http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Heathenry/id/491729

Ceremonial Magic:

"Followers of this Tradition uses a great deal of ceremonial Magic in their practices. Detailed rituals with a flavour of Egyptian Magic are sometimes a favourite, or they may use the Quabbalistic Magic"

(From "To Ride a Silver Broomstick")

Ceremonial Magic calls upon the aid of beneficent spirits and is akin to religion. Ceremonial Magic is based upon a blend of doctrines of Plato and other Greek philosophers, Oriental mysticism, Judaism and Christianity and currently is divided into three forms : Enochian, Thelemic and Eclectic. Enochian Magic originated with John Dee and Edward Kelly in the 16th century and communication with spirits involved the Nineteen Calls (or Keys): incantations in the Enchonian language, a complex language of unknown origin. This system of Magic was revived by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and studied at length by Aleister Crowley. In turn, Crowley developed the Thelemic Magic system from his studies and Ceremonial Magicians have since expanded to develop Eclectic Magic systems based on a variety of different systems, inclusive of Alchemy, Egyptology, Kabbalistic doctrines, Chaos Magic etc...

Ceremonial Magic requires a rigorous discipline and has an intellectual appeal, the mage derives power from God (the Judeo-Christian God) through the successful control of spirits, usually demons, which are believed easier to control than angels. Demons may be good, evil, or neutral. In its highest sense, Ceremonial Magic is a transcendental experience that takes the mage into mystical realms and into communication with the Higher Self, is also known as High Magic, Ritual Magic, Theurgic Magic and Theurgy.

Source: http://13thdruidofavalon.tripod.com/druidplanet/id88.html

Golden Dawn:

"The Golden Dawn system of magic is not a religion, although religious imagery and spiritual concepts play an important role in its work. The Golden Dawn was designed by its founders to be an Hermetic Society dedicated to the philosophical, spiritual, and psychic evolution of humanity. It was also designed to be a school and a repository of knowledge, where students learned the principles of occult science and the various elements of western philosophy and magic. Tolerance for all religious beliefs was stressed, and symbolism used within the G:.D:. came from a variety of religious sources. Today, people from many diverse religious paths consider themselves practicing Golden Dawn magicians--including Neopagans, Gnostics, Jews, and Christians."

Source: http://www.hermeticgoldendawn.org/index.shtml

Greco-Roman:

"Hellenic Neopagans worship the Gods and Goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome. Although some followers are Greek or of Greek descent, many come from other ethnic backgrounds, yet all consider themselves Hellenic (or Graeco-Roman) Neopagans."

Source:  http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/pagantraditions.html#asatru

Green Witchcraft:

"The central Green element of all Craft expression is the Goddess as undying, threefold, and associated with the earth, the moon, and the living (sacred) waters, and the God as undying, threefold, and associated with the earth, the sun, and the sky. As God of grain and solar phases, he is also the willing sacrifice who "dies" and is "reborn" in the Goddess in the yearly cycle of the seasons. God the Gatherer, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is that concept of the Trinity dating back some 30,000 years to Shiva as the Threefold God. He is both the seed and the eternal energy of life.

'Green' is a somewhat generic term for the elements that can be found in herbal, natural, traditional, or family traditional Witchcraft, and it has great flexibility and variety. The Green elements can be adapted to those Ceremonial aspects you find appealing, and it forms the foundation level of the Odinist tradition (which is very restrictive on what elements are acceptable - Kabbalah and Tarot not being used, as an example.) The key to the Green Facet of Witchcraft is to be attuned to nature and the natural forces surrounding you."

(Taken from "Green Witchcraft" by Ann Moura (Aoumiel)

Hedge Witch:

Hedge Witchcraft, also called "hedge riding" or "hedgecraft," is vaguely based on traditional European witchcraft popularised by Rae Beth, Nigel Jackson, Eric De Vries and others. It emphasises solitary working based around nature, as well as shamanistic practices and herbalism, with hedge-riding referring to traveling to Otherworlds.
Some practitioners claim it to be the continuing practices of the cunning folk and wise-women, while others say that it draws from such sources but is a modern tradition.
Critics have pointed out it has many similarities with Wicca. Certainly, many books published about Hedgewitchery are based upon Wicca, and actual practitioners claim that hedgewitches can come from any religious or spiritual background, and that simply most modern hedgewitches choose to base their practice around Wicca. Some main differences between hedgecraft and Wicca is a significant loss of the formality of Wiccan ritual, the lack of initiation into a Wiccan Coven, and the solitary nature of hedgecraft, with some following a Cochrane based tradition.

According to Rae Beth's 1992 book Hedge Witch - a guide to Solitary Witchcraft, Hedge Witches worship the Triple Goddess and the Horned God. They celebrate the eight "sabbats" of the Wheel of the Year.

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedge_witch#Hedge_witchcraft

Wicca:

Wicca (pronounced [ˈwɪkə]) is a neopagan, nature-based religion It was popularised in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant, who at the time called it a "Witch cult" and "Witchcraft", and its adherents "the Wica".

Wicca is the largest of the Neopagan religions. Wiccans have great reverence for the Earth and for their Goddess and her consort, the horned God. Their main rule of behavior is the Wiccan Rede which forbids them from harming people, including themselves, except in some cases of self-defense.

Wiccans, as followers of Wicca are now commonly known, typically worship a Goddess (traditionally the Triple Goddess) and a God (traditionally the Horned God), who are sometimes represented as being a part of a greater pantheistic Godhead, and as manifesting themselves as various polytheistic deities. Other characteristics of Wicca include the ritual use of magic, a basic code of morality, and the celebration of eight seasonally based festivals.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicca

Witchcraft:

Most Wiccans call themselves Witches but not all Witches practice Wicca. There are many, many witches who consider Witchcraft and Wicca to be totally separate religions.
"Witchcraft is a broad term used to describe many faiths. Also known as "wise craft" or "craft of the wise", Witchcraft is a peaceful, nature-based faith or path. Practitioners of Witchcraft or "witches" are often accused of devil worship due to the prevalence of misconceptions within the general public."

"The witch was usually a midwife, healer, herbalist and/or wise-woman or man who fashioned their way of living around nature and the seasons. Most witches were skilled in the use of herbs and were quite adept at healing those that were ill. Today, modern witches seek the vast knowledge of the ancient wise women and men to return to a nature-focused way of life. "

[Sourced from Witch Wisdom - http://witchcraft.simplenet.com/ This site no longer exists]