Pagan Information Question #7 Describe a worship ceremoiny that you do?

Question

This is probably one of the questions that members of the mainsteam Religions seem to be the MOST curious about. I have even had non-pagans actually ask if we have wild orgys at my circles. So, without revealing any Trad secrests or specifics of wording, just sort of describe what a ritual entails and generaly what happens during your ceremonies.

Brightest Bloessings,
Raji the Green Witch

Pauly, This questin was intended to be for Pagans, HOWEVER, your answer was a very cool one, even if it WAS Christian oriented, So you still get a thumbs up from me and a thank you for approaching this with a POSITVE response, as opposed to a condemning one. :)

Brightest Blessings, Raji

TARBA, we are giving you an insiders view of ALL of our Religions. Paganism is not just ONE Religion, it includes many Religions. Paganism is the "umbrella" that the mainstream Religions have imposed upon us and, while we afre NOT comfortable with that we DO accept it with honor and pride. The purpose of thses questions is to educate as many NON-Pagans as wish to actually LEARN about us and through that knowledgge come to understand that we are NOT what your Religious leaders insist that we are. Our beliefs and practices are beautiful, reverent, serious and GOOD (as opposed to evil). We do so out of Love for Goddess, God, and our fellow humans and other beings throughout the universe. We acknowledge the "Spirit World" and also honor those beings, as well.

BB, Raji the Green Witch

Zent, the question was on worship, NOT Magick. Please stick to the subject?

Answer 1

Our ceremonies are Druidic ones and are usually held in a neolithic stone circle high on a moor in the North of England.

We enter the ring of stones from the West, one by one (those representing the quarters enter first to give everyone else, especially any newcomers, their points of reference. We salute East as we approach it (from where the Sun rises) and take up a poition in the circle.
When everyone is in the circle is drawn around the outside of the stones and the the circle is blessed with fire and water.
We call the directions, we have six as we include above and below, and invite in any spirits we want to be present. This varies but often includes ancestors and the deities invited are usually specific to the season for us.
Our purpose is stated and we honour various spirits/deities/aspects of nature etc as needed.
We also have a portion of the ritual for prayers, healing requests etc.
When this is done we declare our circle open for sharing, which means we share food and drink, always giving offerings to the land, but we also share songs, music, poetry, storytelling etc. We refer to this as our eisteddford.
When this is done it is time to draw things to a close, so before we all return to our positions around the circle, we join hands and recite the uniting prayer
'We swear, by peace and love to stand,
Heart in heart and hand in hand.
Mark Oh spirit, and hear us now,
confirming this, our sacred vow.

This is chanted 3 times after which we chant the Awen.

We then go back to out places, make our thanks, close the directions and take down the circle before returning back to the moorside through the west gate of the stone ring.

Always a beautiful, and moving experience, Even in a howling gale and driving snow!

Answer 2

Gosh, at home it is mostly just meditation, dressing the altar and a little spell work. When I am invited to ritual with another family or group, I do as they do. Usually it is very Wiccanish. But I have attended Druid and Asatru rituals. I relish them all. I take part as I am asked. This role varies. Usually this takes place in a circle, but not always. Sometimes the gods are invoked, sometimes they are evoked. Usually the quarters are called and usually there is some divination involved. Energy is almost always raised with a chant. Offerings are always left in one form or another. These events are usually held outdoors. I've never been to a clothing optional ceremony, though that would be fine, weather permitting.

Answer 3

Call upon the blessing of the land wights

call upon the deities, especially if specific deities are being honored

If desired, light incense. Pour cider/mead/ale into the drinking horn and bless it with the sign of the Hammer. Pour a small amount on the harrow (altar) if outside (in a bowl if inside).

Pass the drinking horn: first round each person salutes the gods/goddesses. Second round - each person salutes their ancestors. Third round - each person salutes their living kith and kin or the Kindred (some salute the cooks or mead makers if its a gathering). Fourth round - personal choice.

The reason for the gathering is discussed: if specific deities are being honored, the myths containing them are read or discussed, personal insight shared with others, etc.

Blessings or insight from the deities is called on.

The deities are thanked, the wights are thanked, the gathered folk are thanked.

Eating usually takes place afterwards (and if in the summer - pool party!). Sometimes runes are drawn, each individual finding what may be in store in the near future.

It's late - I've probably left out a couple of steps - being on the laptop.

Answer 4

In our local (mostly Wiccan) group it really varies from celebration to celebration, depending on who is running it.

Things that tend to happen in most of them, though, include:
* "Casting a circle" to bound sacred space and time.
* "Calling the quarters" and inviting the elements to join.
* Inviting Gods and Goddesses to join us (which is really more like an acknowledgment that they are always already there... but we call it inviting them anyway so we don't take them for granted).
* The body of the ritual might include a meditation, dancing, drumming, singing, learning, making something, etc.
* There is usually a time during the ritual when food and drink is blessed and shared with everybody.
* We often put non-perishable food items into a bin that goes to the local food bank. During the holidays we take monetary collections to sponsor a family through a local charity to get them holiday dinner items, gifts, etc.
* When everything planned is over, the Gods and Goddesses that were welcomed at the beginning of the ritual are thanked.
* The elements / quarters are likewise thanked for their participation.
* The circle bounding space and time is opened.


My private rituals are often quite simple. It can involve anything from pouring libations (i.e. a sacrifice of something drinkable), gazing at a picture or statue, lighting candles or incense, or just talking to a particular God or Goddess.

Answer 5

This is the ritual format that's often used around my neck of the woods:

1) Establish intent.
2) Construct ritual outline.
3) Set up temple (including altar).
4) Purify participants (salt and water, incense).
5) Ground and center (guided meditation).
6) Create sacred space (cast the circle).
7) Summon the Quarters.
8) Invoke the God and the Goddess.
9) State intent and raise energy.
10) The working (magic, prayers, etc).
11) Simple feast (consecrated cakes and wine).
12) Farewell to the Goddess and the God.
13) Farewell to the Quarters.
14) Release the space (open the circle).

Answer 6

First off, thank you for posting some really good questions as of late!

As a solitary neoshamanic practitioner, my rituals vary depending on the need, circumstances, etc. However, for formal ritual, this is a basic rundown of what I do:

--Purify the area as necessary
--Greet the totem animals of the four directions
--Evoke the various deities and spirits I work with on a regular basis
--Call forth whoever (spirit/deity) I would like to have help me with the ritual
--Perform the main act of magic/journey/etc.
--Thank those who helped and make offerings where appropriate
--Say farewell to the various deities/etc. as well as the totems of the quarters

That's formal ritual, though--I do a lot of more informal work as well.

Answer 7

Oftentimes my rituals involve meditation more than ceremonial actions. Of course I cast the circle and all that jazz, but I do like to meditate during the latter half of whatever ritual I'm doing.

Answer 8

Sorry to say I don't use rituals. I was taught,and continued, to do it without any rituals, tools, or worship of any given diety.

Actually trying to do it any other way messes things up - so I don't.

Answer 9

Weber - "Worship is gospel in motion. It moves from the event initiated by God, to the invitation of God to worship and experience Him. It then moves into the congregation of those invited to exercise their faith through remembering the salvation and creative event of God, anticipating the establishment of God's kingdom, and re-enactment of the gospel through recitations, forms, and signs. The re-enactment of the gospel is a physical activity that initiate remembering the actual saving event of God,or specifically, the saving event of Christ."

Van Groningen - "Worship is both an attitude and an act. The attitude lies in a submissive and humble heart, aligned with the truth about God and His work of redemption revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and the scriptures. It is through this attitude that action of obedience to the revealed Word of God. Worship is still and must be directed to God and to Christ, but such worship must be done pleasing to God."

Answer 10

The Christians you're talking about are ignorant bigots who use prejudice against other religions without knowing anything factual about that religion and the values it stands for. They think that your religion is bad because their religious text (which has nothing to do with Paganism) says so. (Frankly, I think that using a 2000-year-plus outdated text as an attempt to dictate what other people do with their lives is like saying that the sun revolves around the earth and that therefore the topic should be taught in public schools.) Don't assume that all Christians are overly dogmatic morons, though; I have friends who are Christian and they feel fine about everyone else's (Christian and non-Christian) beliefs. Paganism rocks, and as soon as I'm old enough to own my own house and make my own decisions I'm going to become Pagan. (I want to feel more connected with nature.)