Your eyes are closed, and your spirit is calm. Breathe slowly and deeply, and clear your mind.

Imagine a spiral staircase, surrounded by total blackness. You feel pulled to this staircase, and desire to explore it, knowing that it will lead you to new worlds. Begin to move toward it. See it coming closer, until suddenly you are at the top step. For as far as you can see, the staircase spirals down, deeper and deeper, and is covered in red carpet. Begin walking down the staircase.

As you round the first curve, you see something painted on the carpet; the white number 1 clearly stands out against the red. Descend past this number, continuing deeper and deeper downwards, until you are now standing before the number 2. Continue past this, to the number three, and then four. Deeper and deeper down you go, past the number 5, then 6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . and 9. Continue on, until you finally reach the number ten. You are now in the crossroads of the physical and the ethereal realms. You are conscious of both worlds, and your body is calm and relaxed. Know that you are safe, and that if you wish to return to normal waking consciousness, then all you have to do is think about returning to it. You will immediately return to your normal state of mind. For now, you will detach your attention from the physical plane and focus entirely on the inner worlds.

The staircase ends in a dark hallway. The walls are close, and lit by burning torches that fling shadows across the hall. You do not feel afraid, and are filled with a strong feeling of protection. You know that you may return any time you wish, and are filled with confidence of your oncoming journey. You continue walking down the hallway. Ahead of you is a door, made of heavy oak.

Carving: Carved deeply into the wood is an image of a spider.

The spider is hanging delicately from a beautifully crafted web. You run your hand over the smooth wood of the door. It feels very old.

In the exact center of the door hangs a simple brass knocker. You slide your hand over, preparing to knock, but before your hand can close around the cool brass, the door opens. You are drawn to this room, and as you step through the doorway, you know that your journey is beginning.

You step over the doorway, into a world that is foggy. You can barely see what is before you. The air is neither warm nor cool. It is comfortable. The air smells musty, a bit like a library full of old books. The fog is heavy and covers everything. You are afraid of moving because you are unsure of what lies ahead. You timidly take a step, and pause to listen. You hear nothing, so you slowly take another step, and then another. The ground is composed of mostly gravel. You think that you may be on a road of some sort, but not being able to see to the sides makes you uncertain of this. Your first few steps have been uneventful; so you stroll along with a new sense of purpose, but you decide to take your time.

You are straining your ears, but hear nothing but silence. You are so caught up in listening that you do not see the edge of the road. It is covered in fog, and as you step over the edge, you realize what has happened. It is too late for you to balance yourself, and you fall. You cannot see what lies below you; everything is hidden by the murky fog. You are not afraid, you somehow know that you will not be hurt when you land and it is to be so. You land upon something that is sticky; your body bounces once, then again and you stop. The fog appears to be encircling this place, almost as if it emanates from here. You look down and discover that you can see through this thing you have landed on – and then you realize that you have landed upon a gigantic spider web! You cannot see how far the web spans because the fog closes in around its edges. The world is still quiet, and you are unsure of how to get down, when suddenly a gigantic spider, about the size of a dog, quickly drops down in front of you. You stare at her, fearful
for a moment, but she pays you no mind and begins to work on the web. You notice that you broke a few strands in your landing, and you take the next few moments to watch as the spider weaves the strands back together.

[Pause to contemplate the scene you are experiencing] After the web is complete, the spider quickly shimmies back up into the fog. You see the one silky strand that it travels back up glimmering against the fog, and then, as suddenly as it came, the spider is gone. Looking around, you realize that this is the land of the turning wheel, in which all things are intertwined with one another. You greet it, happily, as you would an old friend. Your journey has brought you to the land of the element of Spirit, and you decide to take the next few moments to explore and meet the entities that reside here. Stay as long as you like.

[Pause once more to remember what you have learned] The time has come for you to be on your way home. You are unsure of how you will get back home, so you make your way to the center of the web, where you landed. Looking up, you see nothing but fog. You can see nothing that will help you on your way back. You lower your head, and then you realize that this is the world of thought — the only way to reach the top is to will yourself there. You see yourself floating, up, up, and higher still, when suddenly you realize that you are floating! You are ecstatic and visualize yourself at the top of the cliff. You soon reach it and pull yourself up, glad to be on your own two feet again. You slowly begin making your way back to the door. It is as if you are being pulled, by some unseen force. The landscape is familiar to you, so you stroll casually along; taking one last good look at everything you have seen. You wave goodbye to all that you have seen, thanking them for what they have shared with you.

The doorway begins to loom before you, and you take one last glance behind you. As you turn back to the door, you are once again surprised by the huge spider, which has dropped down to say goodbye. You wish the creature well and watch as it quickly climbs back up. Again, you cannot see where it is going, and it soon disappears in the heavy fog. You have visited the land of the Spirit long enough. You know that if you ever wish to return, you may. You are always welcome here. With that thought in mind, you begin to walk toward the door and quickly cross the threshold.

Staircase Grounding

You are once again in the tight hallway. The torches have begun to burn down, and you know that time has passed. You feel the desire to return to your body and begin to anticipate your return. You close the door behind, taking one last look at the carvings of the Spider with her web upon the door, one more opportunity to run your hands over the smooth old wood. You begin moving down the hallway, heading for the staircase.

You quickly reach the staircase, with a huge white ten painted on the carpet. You begin walking up, past this number. You go past nine, and eight. The staircase curves upward, past seven, and then on around to six. Five . . . four. . . . Three . . . two. . . . And one. You are now in your normal state of waking consciousness. You remember what you have seen, and you can now take the next few moments to record these events in your mirror book.

Copyright The Summer Goddess and TaliLuna

This is actually one of five different path working exercises that will be posted separately. Use each one several times and each time you do use one of the exercises make certain you write down your experiences in some sort of journal kept for this purpose. If you write immediately following your exercise you will be able to remember more of the path working, our minds are structured to add things or fill in gaps in memory so waiting can sometimes change the result of your spiritual growth by changing what you would have written.

The Wheel Year

I think its about time that I spoke of the Wheel Year on The Summer Goddess. I haven’t mentioned anything about the way our Wiccan Calendar Year celebrates our holidays up to this point. Most of the rituals for these sabbats in addition to more extensive background information will be posted with the specific days. I will however introduce each with a definition of the purpose of that day.

Yule

Celebrated from Dec 19-23; is a celebration of the rebirth of the Great God with the rising of the solstice sun. Christmas was adopted from this festival as the birth of Jesus. This made it easier for the Catholic church to convert the pagans once the Celts were conquered by the Roman Empire.

Candlemas (or Imbolic)

This is one of the Greater Sabbats, this one being a fire/Solar festival. It is celebrated Feb 4-5 as a celebration of the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinoxes. It is the festival of the lights because it is the celebration of the onset of spring and the lengthening of the days. Fire is important for this ritual because Brigid is Goddess of fire (in the context of passion or creativity), healing and fertility.

Ostara (or Vernal Equinox)

Ostara takes place Mar 19-23 on the spring equinox. It is the celebration of the young God reaching his maturity after his rebirth at Yule and the Goddess returning to her Maiden aspect. It is a time of new beginnings. It is a time to plant spells, spiritual ideals and projects as this is the time of new growth in all aspects as well.

Beltane

Beltane, taking place Apr 30-May 1, is another of the fire festivals. It is the Fertility Rite of life, representing the union of the Goddess and the God to conceive the sun-child. In celebration, the maypole is a phallus representation of this union. The pole itself being the phallus of the God and the ribbons (or vines) representing the womb of the Goddess. As the ribbons entwine, it is the seed of the God being planted within the womb.

Midsummer (or Summer Solstice)

This festival, celebrating the Summer Solstice is one of the four solar festivals. It is celebrated Jun19-23 and is the celebration representing the Crown of the Oak King, (the God of the waxing year) at his apex. At his crowning he falls to his darker aspect and becomes the Holly King, (God of the waning year.

Lughnasadh (pronounced loo-nah-sa)

Lughnasadh is celebrated Aug1-2 and is the first of the three harvest celebrations, this one of corn and grains. It is sometimes considered the time of transformation of the Goddess into her aspect of pregnant Earth Mother. The God is getting weaker as the days grow shorter, but his rebirth is assured as he is also present as the Goddess’s unborn child. Though the God is often thought of as dying at Samhain, there is a sacrificial aspect to Lughnasadh, with the Corn King being cut down to be transformed into the life-giving fruits of the harvest and resurrected as the new crop the following year. Deities and symbols associated with agriculture and harvest are all appropriate for Lughnasadh, and a symbolic eating of bread is often an important part of celebrations at this time of year.

Mabon

Celebrated Sep 20-24, this is the celebration of the Autumn Equinox. Obviously this is another of the harvest festivals and a thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth. It is also recognition of the need to share them to be the blessed by the Goddess and the God in the months to come.

Samhain (pronounced Sow-in)

This Sabbat, celebrated between sundown Oct 31 and sunup Nov 2, is considered by many Wiccans to be one of four Greater Sabbats that occur during the year. It is known as the time of the thin veil between the worlds. A time to celebrate those loved ones lost and to also commune with the dead whether that be through setting places for them at the feast table or through divination at the feast.

Altar Cloth

The altar cloth is a cloth that is draped over the altar. It can be any color but it is best to use colors that coincide with your working. A white altar cloth is best as it reflects all colors. Black altar cloth are used to absorb all colors and are the most popular used.

Athame

a double-bladed dagger, usually no longer than 9” in length. This knife is the sacred ritual dagger used in Wicca rituals. The dagger must be virgin, meaning it is never used to cut anything on the material plane. If an Athame has been used to cut something, a new one must be sought. In the space in between the worlds, however the Athame may be used a defensive tool.

Pentacle

The pentacle is the symbol of Earth. It is used in consecration and is one of your important tools. The pentacle should be a tile of sorts that sits flat in the center of the altar. It can be made of any material but is usually made of wood or ceramic. However, silver with tin working or engraving would also work wonderfully for this altar tool. It should be about 5 to 7 inches in diameter and should be wrapped and stored safely when not in use.

The Staff

The Staff is used as the Tool for Clearing your path, Physically & Spiritually. As with the Wand, go for a walk in a wood, forest or anywhere there are trees for you to observe. You may find a detached branch that feels just right; straight and a length of about 4 1/2-5 feet. Look for one that is still somewhat supple but not too young. Thank the Tree Spirit vowing your “just cause” and return to your workplace to consecrate the staff.

The Broom

The Besom Brush or broomstick as it is commonly known is used to sweep away any bad energy’s from within the magic circle. It is also symbolic of tidiness & cleanliness and no worthy witch would be without one. The Broom over the years has become symbolic of speedy travel because of its use as an imaginary beast ridden like a hobbyhorse by children and at happy celebrations.

The Silver Bell

The silver bell is used to call the quarters and is also necessary in some spell workings. The bell is used to call certain spirits and deities or to begin and end spells and prayers (much like the use of “Blessed Be”). It should be pure silver but if silver can not be obtained then it is acceptable to use the cheaper brass bell.

Burning Dish

The burning dish is required in some spells for the burning of papers, wishes, questions and spells. The dish should be a bowl or deep dish that is not flammable and ideally has feet to raise it off the altar for safety.

There are two ways to use these path workings, the first is to record the path working with the elemental changes you wish to explore, then lay/sit in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed while you finish your meditations. The second method is to have a partner to assist you by reading the path working to you during the meditations. I feel it is easier to do by myself with recordings of the path working mixed with meditative music but which ever you choose, make certain you know which course you are following in the “map script” before you start and write down any experiences that you have right after you follow the map back to this plane of existence.

Elemental path workings

The following was written by TaliLuna. Each path working has a corresponding symbol that is to be “carved” onto the door found in the induction. This doorway is the doorway that leads to the astral plane. The symbol upon the door is my way of cluing in my super-conscious on what is about to appear. The induction may be continued without any description upon the door; however, the corresponding path working bodies have the description available for you to insert. These carving descriptions are listed before the body. Simply insert it in place of the brackets in the induction.

Staircase Induction

Your eyes are closed, and your spirit is calm. Breathe slowly and deeply, and clear your mind.

Imagine a spiral staircase, surrounded by total blackness. You feel pulled to this staircase, and desire to explore it, knowing that it will lead you to new worlds. Begin to move toward it. See it coming closer, until suddenly you are at the top step. For as far as you can see, the staircase spirals down, deeper and deeper, and is covered in red carpet. Begin walking down the staircase.

As you round the first curve, you see something painted on the carpet; the white number 1 clearly stands out against the red. Descend past this number, continuing deeper and deeper downwards, until you are now standing before the number 2. Continue past this, to the number three, and then four. Deeper and deeper down you go, past the number 5, then 6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . and 9. Continue on, until you finally reach the number ten. You are now in the crossroads of the physical and the ethereal realms. You are conscious of both worlds, and your body is calm and relaxed. Know that you are safe, and that if you wish to return to normal waking consciousness, then all you have to do is think about returning to it. You will immediately return to your normal state of mind. For now, you will detach your attention from the physical plane and focus entirely on the inner worlds.

The staircase ends in a dark hallway. The walls are close, and lit by burning torches that fling shadows across the hall. You do not feel afraid, and are filled with a strong feeling of protection. You know that you may return any time you wish, and are filled with confidence of your oncoming journey. You continue walking down the hallway. Ahead of you is a door, made of heavy oak.

Carving: Carved deeply into the wood is an image of a robin.

In the exact center of the door hangs a simple brass knocker. You slide your hand over, preparing to knock, but before your hand can close around the cool brass, the door opens. You are drawn to this room, and as you step through the doorway, you know that your journey is beginning.

The robin has recently landed beside the trunk of a tree, and a worm dangles from its beak. You run your hand over the smooth wood. It feels old.

You step over the doorway, into a world that is just beginning to come to life. The sun is beginning to peak above the nearby mountain tops. Everything around you is covered in dew, which sparkles like tiny diamonds. The air is cool, but not too cold and smells fresh. The scent of the earth is heavy upon the air, mingled with the light perfume of lilacs. Above you, the sky’s bluish-black depths are fading into purple and the last of the stars are beginning to wink goodbye. All around you, plants are sprouting and beginning to grow. The gently rolling mountains are scattered with flowers just beginning to bud.

Two birds land a few feet away in front of you. You realize that it is the robin; the reddish-orange breast quickly giving the male away. You take the next few moments to observe the robins playing.

[Pause to contemplate the scene] The birds suddenly fly away and you realize that this is the land of the East, and you greet it, happily, as you would an old friend. Your journey has brought you to the land of the element of Air, and you decide to take the next few moments to explore and meet the entities that reside here. Stay as long as you like.

[Pause once more to remember what you have learned] The time has come for you to be on your way home. You slowly begin making your way back to the door. It is as if you are being pulled, by some unseen force. The landscape is familiar to you, so you stroll casually along; taking one last good look at everything you have seen. You wave goodbye to all that you have seen, thanking them for what they have shared with you. Two robins appear above you in the air; you wave goodbye to them as well.

The doorway begins to loom before you, and you take one last glance behind you. You have visited the land of Spring long enough. You know that if you ever wish to return, you may. You are always welcome here. With that thought in mind, you begin to walk toward the door. You inhale one last breath of the lilac scented air, and cross the threshold of the door.

[Follow Staircase Grounding below to return home]

Staircase Grounding

You are once again in the tight hallway. The torches have begun to burn down, and you know that time has passed. You feel the desire to return to your body and begin to anticipate your return. You close the door behind, taking one last look at the carvings of the [Insert description] upon the door, one more opportunity to run your hands over the smooth old wood. You begin moving down the hallway, heading for the staircase.

You quickly reach the staircase, with a huge white ten painted on the carpet. You begin walking up, past this number. You go past nine, and eight. The staircase curves upward, past seven, and then on around to six. Five . . . four. . . . Three . . . two. . . . And one. You are now in your normal state of waking consciousness. You remember what you have seen, and you can now take the next few moments to record these events in your mirror book.

Copyright The Summer Goddess and TaliLuna

This is actually five different path working exercises that will be posted separately. Use each one several times and each time you do use one of the exercises make certain you write down your experiences in some sort of journal kept for this purpose. If you write immediately following your exercise you will be able to remember more of the path working, our minds are structured to add things or fill in gaps in memory so waiting can sometimes change the result of your spiritual growth by changing what you would have written.

The path working here in are the soul property of Sheila Wenninger (owner of TheSummerGoddess) and my anonymous friend that used the screen name of TaliLuna in past. As an owner of this path working I am giving permission for my readers to use the meditation for their own personal discovery or to pass the link on to their friends for the same purpose. I am in no way giving permission for this work to be reproduced for anyone’s financial gain. I have made some changes in wording for grammatical reasons and made other changes only to clarify abbreviation or shortcuts used by the author. Please respect her extensive work as I have done and bide by my wishes that she receive all credit for the work she has done.

I was blessed to be born into a family of Celtic and Native American background, many of whom have gifts bestowed upon them by a greater spiritual being. (My other family members are Christians or other religious paths) out of my respect and love for them I speak of “A Greater Spiritual Being” rather than of the Goddess.

My family all has a great understanding of the differences in people; hence we can talk about many of our personal spiritual experiences without fear that our spirituality or our deity will be judged. With them I am free to say that I was born a witch with many gifts given to me by the Goddess.

These gifts given can be very enticing to use for our own gain, once again; our egos at work. Without the support of others to talk with about what we have been charged with, we may find ourselves doing anything we can for our personal gain. Really we should be using them for our spiritual growths as my mother and I were talking about one day not that long ago.

She told me of a day in the restroom at church. One of the women had a terrible migraine and she was asked to help. She said that she went and laid her hands on the woman’s head to stroke her hair and suddenly there was heat burning through her arm and into the woman’s head. The woman stood up and said her migraine was gone. In that instant my mother had to make a choice, all of the others that were watching said that mom had healed her; but my mother understood that this was a gift used by her for that moment and not a talent that she could claim. She praises her God for what she could do for her friend but she says that she is awed and even slightly frightened by the power she has been given at times in her life.

When our gifts are used only for our own gain, we are pushing away the Goddess. In doing so, we are denying ourselves the beauty that shines from within when we are one with our higher being. We can no longer be the vessel of love and knowledge that friends and family look to for wisdom, friendship and companionship.

Our gifts; whether they be big or small, are to be used to assist others when they can be and to glorify the abilities of the Goddess when necessary. The gifts that we are given are only on loan to us to show the world that our Goddess is alive and thriving in us all.

Using our gifts for our own gain will only come back to “haunt” us later on; perhaps with larger and longer consequences, (three fold.) If we truly are, and remain a solitary witch how can we use our gifts to prove the existence of our higher spiritual being? How can we be that beautiful light and testament to the abilities of the Goddess? To do what we are charged, doesn’t it require us to integrate ourselves in society? As it is said in the Wiccan Rede, “Fairly take and fairly give,”…and…”Speak thou little and listen much”. To be able to do these things does it not imply that we must have other human companionship?

As for myself, I will remain solitary in the sense that I am not inclined
to join a coven. However, I do not think; like so many other seem to, that just because we are witches we should not have any interaction with people who do not share our religious viewpoint. I think that the Goddess wants us to spread our love to any and everyone around us.

Consecrating Your Alter Tools

(Open the Circle with the Circle Ritual)

Before these assembled spirits I bring (name type of tool) to be dedicated to the service of the Lady and Lord.

(Pass tool three times through smoke of the incense.)

By the power of air, be thou purified. Be thou dedicated to purity of thought and to harmlessness that all intentions for which thou art used may harm none and be for the good of all.

(Pass tool three times through or over the flame of the fire candle.)

By the power of fire, be thou purified. Be thou dedicated to purity of desire and to harmlessness that all goals which thou doest help achieve may harm none and be for the good of all.

(Take a few drops of water and sprinkle or dab on instrument.)

By the power of water, be thou purified. Be thou dedicated to purity of emotion and to harmlessness that all that thou shall be used in a spirit of harmony, harming none and for the good of all.

(Touch instrument to the stone or salt in north quarter)

By the power of earth, be thou purified. Be thou dedicated to steadfastness and purity of purpose, that my will be achieved without wavering, with harm to none and for the good of all.

(If this is a chalice, present it first to the Lady, then to the Lord, if athame, reverse order. All other instruments use personal preference, but it is courtesy to present them to Her first.)

PRESENTATION FOR CHALICE:

Mother Goddess, Keeper of Femininity, bless this chalice. Let it be as Thy cauldron, a vessel of productivity that it may be worthy to dispense Thy bounty. Let it be used in Thy service and in the service of humanity. Let it be so bound that no harm may come of it to any being, but let it rather be an instrument of goodwill and understanding; of loving harmony. To Thy sacred self I dedicate this vessel, (name of vessel), that it and I may long be of service to Thee.

Green God, companion to the Lady, champion of the Gods, bless this chalice and keep watch over it. Guard the works which come forth from it that they ever be in the service of Thee and Thy Lady, that they be of service to humankind, and that they abide by the laws of harmony. To Thee I vow I shall use it for Her sacred purposes, and for no other.

So mote it be.

PRESENTATION FOR ATHAME:

Lord Thor, thunderer & hammer wielder, bless this athame. Let it be as the spring rains which fall upon the Earth to cause Her to bring forth Her bounty.

Let it quicken my hopes and dreams, yet keep them from causing harm. Let it guide them in the harmony of the seasons, bringing forth only good for all. Lord Thor, bless this athame, (name of athame), that it be used ever in the worship and honor of the Gods.

Lady Freya, companion to the Thunderer, lover of the Gods, bless this athame that it shall bring forth joy, and shall cause neither pain nor disharmony to any. I dedicate this athame (name athame), symbol of the Defender and Rain Maker, to Thy service. May it ever bring Thee joy and pride.

So mote it be.

(Close the Circle)

Follow the same rituals for any tools you may be using such as your wand or broom, ect.

The Alter Set-Up

North (The Earth)

To the Center Top of your Alter Table

• Green Candle
• Pentacle
• Bowl of Salt
• Stones
• Plants and/or Flowers
• Offering Cakes

West (The Water)

To the Left of your Alter Table

• Blue Candle
• Bowl of Water
• Seashells
• Chalice of Wine
• Cauldron

Centered on your Alter

Goddess and God Candles

Book of Shadows

East (The Air)

To the Right of your Alter Table

• Yellow Candle
• Incense
• Feather
• Bell
• Wand

South (Fire)

To the Center Bottom of your Alter Table

• Red Candle
• Athme
• Boline
• Anointing Oil
• Candle Snuffer

First item at hand is to go over my pages and see what changes need to be made to the general information. Once I have that finished I will try posting for Sabbats and other content that will be of interest.

I’m updating this post that was originally a que for a search engine. I don’t know if I am going to try that for a while this time. It will be better to let people find me as they will until I feel my site is what I want it to be. After I feel the time is right I will send out that info to friends that I think may want to subscribe to my B-O-S.

Wish me luck and love. Blessed Be to all who may find me here.

Wand

A wand should be used to direct your power and focus it. A wand should be chosen by the user for the initial power that is felt during the search. Wands chosen during the full moon are said to be charge with immense power in their own right, while those chosen during the new moon are a blank slate and can be infused or charged in any manner the user wants. Infusing it with your own power makes the wand more predictable and easier to use by the novice.

Cauldron

The cauldron is the symbol of water and rebirth, as well as a representation of the womb of the Goddess. This tool can also symbolize death and the return to the Earth as well as birth from the Earth or as a symbol of fertility and harvest. It is used in most rituals.

Candles/Holders

Candles are used for many different purposes in your rituals. They are used to intensify your energy for your purpose, to honor the Goddess and God, to honor the elements and to light your way to the magick and spiritual purpose you are trying to reach. The colors will change for each ritual performed but your candlesticks will always be a part of your alter…silver is the metal of the Goddess and for that reason I like to use silver candlesticks.

Dish of Salt

The salt is a symbol of purity and is used to cleanse and consecrate objects. Placing objects in salt or in salt water under full moonlight cleanses and charges them with Earth power. Sacred salt must be cleansed and consecrated especially when used in ritual. Any type of salt may be used but as a general rule, sea salt is a natural formation from the sea and therefore would be a better choice.

Goblet for Water

During ritual, salt is sprinkled into the water and taken into the body to symbolize the imbibing of the Goddess and Her elements. The water is also used in cleansing rituals for tools and for the home and sacred space. The water on the altar must be consecrated for use.

Incense Burner

The censer can be of any size and shape and can be made of most any material except wood. The best choice is one with feet or hanging by a chain so that it is not directly on the altar. Incense is the symbol of air and fire, the symbol of the God and is used in most rituals. Choose the incense scent that is right for your spell or ritual with regard to the overall state of mind you wish to invoke.

As I said before this is only a list of the items I found it hard to substitute with something else that I have around the house. You will notice, that I have not listed your Book of Shadows on this list. This is because, as long as you have consecrated the print-out of your ritual/spell or have it memorized, it is not necessary to have that on your alter. It is a good thing to have there with you but it is not required for you to keep it on your alter.

Your alter should be a size that holds all of the tools necessary for your rituals. For my own purposes, 3ft X 4ft seems to be a good size. That will hold all of my equipment and leave a little room to move things around as needed.

If choosing a color for your alter or alter cloth, remember that you will be using this same alter in many different types of rituals. It is best to choose a neutral color such as black or white so that you can generate the proper energies with your choice of candles and herbs during each ritual or spell. An alter cloth that can be soiled and easily cleaned should also be used to protect the surface in case of a spill.

Your alter is the representation of Earth and is your means of connecting your energy and magic directly to the Mother Earth, Herself. It should sit directly in the center of your circle and face toward the East. The direction of the sun rise is the direction of new beginnings. And when not in use, your alter should be cleaned up and put away, unless it is an outdoor alter or decorative shrine to a particular Goddess or God.

There are several alter tools that are used in ritual or spell depending on what your end goal may be. I am going to list them in several different posts with a short description of each. Some of these tools are a necessary item for every witch to have, some of them are nice to have but are not a requirement and some are what I refer to as luxury items that I feel are not something you really need to acquire unless you ask for them as gifts…You know, “What do you get for the witch that has everything.” Check back in a few days for the first of those posts about tools and a post of alter set-up as well.

After you have finished your business in its entirety, you need to close the circle to be certain that your work is protected. This is done by performing the following at the end. (Holding Sacred Dagger over the Circle) “By the powers of the Ancient Gods, I bind the power within this circle into this spell. So be it mote. Blessed Be!”

(While putting out East candle) “Depart in peace, O Powers of Air! My thanks and Blessing. Blessed Be!”

(While putting out South candle) “Depart in peace, O Powers of Fire! My thanks and Blessing. Blessed Be!”

(While putting out West candle) “Depart in peace, O Powers of Water! My thanks and Blessing. Blessed Be!”

(While putting out North candle) “Depart in peace, O Powers of Earth! My thanks and Blessing. Blessed Be!”

“Merry Meet, Merry Part, Merry Meet again. My thanks and Blessing. Blessed Be!”

“The circle is open; yet ever it remains a circle. Around and through me always flows its magical power. Blessed Be!!”