Good ritual is Magic! To experience it is to be initiated into a Mystery. It is to step outside of the mundane world and to connect with spirits, with powers, and, foremost, with Deity. It is to be awed and empowered and yet to feel humbled and nurtured. It is join in the cycle of life, death, and rebirth and to feel the powerful tides of that cycle.

When I set out to write this poem, I wanted to attempt to extract the essence of what ritual is to me. I wanted to capture the feelings and the emotions, the lessons and the power, the structure and freedom of each step of the process. To re-experience the moments that cause shivers down the spine, even when I have already lived them a hundred times. I wanted to be able to reenter that space more easily, and I hope this poem can convey to you even a small part of how truly great ritual feels to me.

The Rite

Ain Soph (Preparation)

The altar is ready we’ve finished the plan,
The priest and the priestess have done what they can,
The seekers are present, they’ve answered the call,
Let go of your fears and surrender it all.

Kether (Call to Deity)

From out of the stillness, we reach for the heart,
The Ancient still presence, the source of our art,
Female and Male and much more all entwined,
For those who shall enter, touch heart, soul, and mind.

Chokmah (Drawing forth the spark)

We call forth the light from the heart of all things,
The root inspiration, and strength that it brings,
The spark that bursts forth as our candles we light,
The boundless potential to power our rite.

Binah (Defining the space)

The lighting of incense, our will to express,
Then salt into water, the circle to bless,
Go thrice round the circle, defining with power,
The circle is formed in this place, in this hour.

Dath (Processional)

The guard of the circle, will now do their part,
Procession of people is their role to start.
They open the circle, and let them all in,
When all have so entered, they’ll close it again.

Chesed (Blessing)

As each person enters, she asks for your name,
She welcomes you home and is glad that you came.
To welcome and greet you, and warmth to express,
As each person enters, the priestess doth bless.

Geburah (Challenge)

The priest offers challenge of how do you come,
And honestly can be a challenge to some,
The point of the challenge is not to exclude,
But see that you come with the right attitude.

Tiphareth (Circle casting)

The place and the people have all been prepared,
The parts are all ready, but still must be paired,
So start with the mystic from first to the last,
From my heart to your heart the circle is cast.

Netzach (Quarter calls)

Then call to the watchtowers, guardians four,
We call by direction and aspect of lore,
To share of your gifts and to witness our rite,
To guard this our circle on this sacred night.

Hod (Explanation of working)

Describe all the steps and each role as we can,
By stating intention we strengthen the plan,
Preparing our minds to let energy flow,
We are of one purpose, we’re ready to go.

Yesod (Deity invocations)

To invoke or evoke are both a fine choice,
Or offering vessels to speak as their voice,
We call to the spirits who aid us this night,
We call forth the gods to attendeth our rite.

Malkuth (Part 1 ­- Working)

Through actions or chanting, there are many ways,
To power and strengthen and energy raise,
A spiral around will now build to a peak,
Releasing will summon the end that you speak.

Malkuth (Part 2 -­ Great Rite/Blessing of the wine)

To finish and seal it, to lend it true might,
The priest and the priestess perform the great rite,
In symbols the rite is most commonly done,
With knife into chalice to join them as one.

Malkuth (Part 3 - Blessing of cakes/communion)

With wine now made holy the cakes we address,
The priestess beseeches the goddess to bless,
So say never hunger as the bread passes first,
Then passing the wine say to each never thirst.

Malkuth (part 4 ­- Sacred BS)

With food that is grounding the working is done,
And now there is room in the rite for some fun.
To revel or ponder, feel big or feel small,
To be in a space that is safe for us all.

Reverse and Release

But fleeting is always the time we transcend,
The moment must come when things draw to an end,
We open the circle the usual way,
Releasing and thanking and sending away.
If order of service is ever in doubt,
The first in the circle is the last to go out,
The people are next with my heart to your heart,
And merry did meet and merry do part.
The rite may be over, you may feel decreased,
But good rites all call for a glorious feast,
So feast and be merry, share love through the night,
For all acts of pleasure are part of the rite.

Meadowhawk Serendipity has been part of the Greater Atlanta Pagan community for over 20 years. Together, he and his wife, Waterfall Serendipity, have organized Serendipity Household and the very diverse Serendipity community of 30 to 40 individuals for more than 15 years.

Serendipity Household follows a Progressive Wiccan path that pulls features from Alexandrian Wicca, energy working, Kabbalah, and Vodoun. Meadowhawk holds a 1st Degree in two different traditions, but is also a student at WSTS pursuing further studies.