Which do you do?

Question

When there is a Sabat AND a Full/New Moon on the same day do you combine the rituals into one? Do you do two seperate rituals on the same day? If you combine the two, do you do spellworking as part of that service? Just interested in seeing what other Witches do and HOW they go about accomplishing it.

BB, Raji the Green Witch

Prairiecrow, I LIKE the way you think. In my OWN practice I too, do 2 seperate rituals, timing the Esbat to the actual time of the moon, to honor Goddess.

Answer 1

When I was practicing regularly, I would do two seperate rituals. The moon has always held a certain fascination for me, and for that reason, it was always important that I make that connection special, different, and set aside from anything else. In fact, now that I study Alchemy, the moon is still quite important to me. It represents, of course, the female side of things. As a woman, I want to honor that.
As for spell-casting, I was/am a little less structured than some of the Pagan paths call for. I didn't draw circles or wait for the exact right moment in astrological time. I always figured that the power was there for me to harness whether or not the moon was full, or I was able to be skyclad, or I had the 'proper' equipment with me. But that's just me.

Answer 2

Two separate rituals: a Sabbat is a solar festival and an Esbat is a lunar festival. One focusses on the life cycle of the God, the other on the rythyms of the Goddess. Therefore it is most appropriate, in my opinion, to honor them in different ways.

I would tend to do the Sabbat ritual on the actual day of the Sabbat and the Esbat ritual either the night before or the night after, since technically speaking the full moon extends over a three-day period.

Answer 3

It has been my practice to combine the two, or to focus more on the Sabbat than the Esbat. I like Prairiecrow's answer and reason for it, but why not combine the two rituals into one? As in, a two-part ritual? Do your Esbat observances, and then your Sabbat ritual, or vice verse, on the same night. I am saying this for practical reasons, since in my experience it's hard enough getting the coven together on one night, let alone on two consecutive nights. Organizing Pagans is, after all, like herding cats. Most group Sabbat rituals tend to occur on the nearest convenient weekend anyway, not on the actual day of the Sabbat. But, if you are a solitary practitioner, and it makes more sense to you, then do them separately on two different nights.

Oh, and YAY! for a serious Pagan question! A star for you!

Answer 4

I like to get creative and combine the 2 in a ritual of my own. Meaning: take pieces of both most importantly the basic fundamentals (necessities) and then make it your own adding elements of yourself. Which if your are a solitary practitioner gives your ritual more meaning. Spellworking is all up to you, I do because I have so little time I like to try something new whenever I have to time. Sometimes I stubble upon things that work for me sometimes I don't. Even in spellworking I find its most important to incorporate yourself.

Answer 5

Hi Raji,

I'm on my own, and I do my rituals separately, to praise and honor each in their own elements and with the things I associate with them. I honor Lady Luna in a far different way from how I honor Sun Spirit. I guess it is just easy for me because I am on my own. In fact, I have never been to a ritual where they were combined. I can see how it would be a necessary convenience to do so if you needed to round up members of a group, but on my own, I have the luxury of separate rituals for each.

Blessings Raji,
Lady Morgana )0(

Answer 6

For me I go by the feeling I get. More than likely though I would celebrate the Sabbat and esabat separately. Spellworking is done as needed unless I feel that a specific time would be the best thing.

Answer 7

Esbat vs Sabat, fight!

Sabat wins.

Most spell work is done on an as needed basis in my house.
I'm very casual with the moons.

Answer 8

Hey

I would actually do only one probably the sabat In my opinion combining both sounds a little disrespectfull and Yea that's what I think have a good night!

Answer 9

Good question... if that ever occurs, I would probably do one ritual, either completely devoted to the sabbat, or I would have one somewhat longer ritual with two distinct parts.

Answer 10

We do a special rite for that special night call down her love from up above...