Creative Ritual

By familiarizing yourself with the major festivals throughout the year, corresponding days, planets, and rulings, preparing prayer altars thoughtfully, understanding the meanings of colors, and using symbols and objects effectively, you can significantly enhance your wellness journey.

The 8 Major Festivals (Rituals) of the Year

 

Some people like to correspond their rituals with the eight major festivals of the year.

 

  • Samhain (pronounced 'Sow'-in), or Halloween, on October 31st
  • Mid-Winter Solstice: Yule, or Christmas, practiced on December 31st
  • Imbolc, or Ground Hogs Day, on February 2nd
  • Spring Equinox: Eostre, or Easter, on the 3rd Sunday in April
  • Beltane, or May Day, celebrated between April 31st and May 1st
  • Mid-Summer Solstice: Litha, or First Day of Summer, which is June 21st
  • Lammas, Lughmass, or Lughnasadh: Associated with the First Harvest celebrated August 1st or 2nd
  • Autumn Equinox: Mabon, or Thanksgiving, celebrated between September 21st and 22nd

 

 

Corresponding Days, Planets & Rulings

 

  • Sunday - Sun - Health & Success
  • Monday - Moon - Magic & Travel
  • Tuesday - Mars - Military & Conflict
  • Wednesday - Mercury - Study & Communication
  • Thursday - Jupiter - Luck & Wealth
  • Friday - Venus - Love & Beauty
  • Saturday - Saturn - Calmness & Spiritual Ideas

 

 

Objects & Trays

 

Those who practice rituals regularly (prayer, meditation, or any other ritual) usually have shared ideas about where to place objects on alters or ritual trays. Placing objects on an altar or tray is no different than arranging your dishes in the dish rack once cleaned or gathering your manicure equipment and arranging it on a tray before you begin your weekly toe-painting ritual.

 

Is it necessary to have an altar or a tray to perform a ritual? Of course not. But you should have a special place to put the things that you will be working with, and it helps if that something is portable just in case you want to "pick up" and move to another room. Most of the objects you will be using are probably already lovely decorator items in your home. So where should you place your altar or tray? A dresser top, fireplace mantle, or small cupboard will usually do. Imagine a coffee table with beautiful river rocks, a copper bell from India, scented candles, and incense in a lovely container. Add some fresh flowers and chakra music to the environment and who would ever guess a half an hour ago, you were buried in a personal ritual, tapping on your drum, placing sea salt in the corners of your home to reduce negative energies?

 

The information in the following lists are things I've learned about possible placements of tools and the meanings of colors, stones, and flowers in rituals. Some folks like to be dazzled by the preciseness of everything, while others stick with simplicity and convenience.

 

 

Directional Objects and Placements for Alters or Trays

 

If you would like the objects on your tray or alter to symbolize the four directions of North, West, East, and South, you shall want to place them accordingly. Certain philosophical groups are more than willing to give you their interpretation of what elements correspond to what directions. However, none of these groups agree with each other. Try using your geographical location as the basis for the four directions when placing objects on your altar. For example, if you live on the north side of your city or town, you should be able to figure out what direction south is, then east and west. Or, if your loved one is in the east, you may wish to place an object of love or a picture of the both of you in the eastern corner of your altar. 

 

Since we all have come from Spirit into the world, you could use an altogether different rendition by arranging the alter contents in the shape of a tree, The Tree of Life. The philosophy of the Tree of Life comes from the teachings of the Jewish Qabbalah (or Kabbalah). Place your objects in the following order.

 

At the top of the tree (the Northern section of your tray or altar), place Fire symbols, with Air below Fire, followed by Water, and with Earth following Water, representing the Four Worlds, beginning with Spirit and ending in Physicality. It is your job in this lifetime to find your way back up through the four worlds from Physicality back to Spirit. You can use the following tools to represent the four worlds.

 

  • Fire/Spirit (Our Spirit): All blades forged in fire, red or orange stones or candles, wands from trees, gold, matches, brooms, torches, and ashes.

 

  • Air/Thought (Our Breath): A sword or spear, arrows, slings, fans, incense, a book and pen (symbolizes written thought), letter opener, feather, and wind instruments.

 

  • Water/Emotions (Our Blood): Hollow horns, rings, tea and kettle, chalice, cup, bowl, wine, Holy Water, juice, Silver, seashells, seaweed, and stones with holes in their centers.

 

  • Earth/Physicality (Our Body): Animal pelts, dirt, carved bits of wood, clay, drums, roots, wheels, pentacles, crystals, stones, grain, and fruit.

 

 

Color Meanings of Ritual Objects

 

You'll be placing your altar in the center of the room where you will be working unless it is in a fixed position, such as over your fireplace. Place a colorful cloth on your workspace before you place your objects on it. 

 

  • Black: Unifies body and Spirit and absorbs negative vibes. Use only when you feel negative energy surrounds you. Burn only for as long as you feel the negative energy, then switch to a color that better suits your goals.

 

  • Blue: Creates inner peace, patience, spiritual understanding, loyalty, honesty, and faith.

 

  • Brown: It's grounding and heals the Earth and the animals.

 

  • Green: Heals, balances, creates abundance, financial increase, eases stressful situations, persistence, fertility, and growth.

 

  • Gold: Brings wealth, charisma, and employment.

 

  • Indigo: Helps to enhance love to a more spiritual state between family members and in the home.

 

  • Orange: Provides optimism, expansiveness, confidence, enthusiasm, friendship, and community. Orange helps with nutritional issues and female sexual problems.

 

  • Pink: Encourages love, attraction, affection, peace, close friendships, harmony, and softness.

 

  • Purple: Encourages personal spiritual perspective (and between friends) and intuition and is calm, soothing, and comforting.

 

  • Red: Represents strength, courage, steadfastness, stamina, passion, sexuality, and sensuality.

 

  • Silver: Produces enlightenment during lunar rituals.

 

  • Violet: Lends healing, better sleep, and communication with higher beings.

 

  • White: Stands for purification, fidelity, transformation, and love of all life. Use White when you are unsure of another color to use.

 

  • Yellow: Lends expression, freedom, playfulness, clarity, study, organization, and detail

 

 

The Use of Symbols in Creative Ritual

 

  • Circle: Wholeness, protection, and perfection
  • Cross: Time for decision-making and personal sacrifice
  • Spiral: Cycles of life (the ups, downs, and flows). Triangle: The Divine, a third element or angle, and procreation
  • Square: Balance, security, optimism
  • Star: The Five Elements or The Five Parts of Being, guidance, insight (not the pentagram)
  • Pentagram: Protection

 

 

Elemental Water

 

To make elemental water, you can use bottled spring water placed in a glass or ceramic bowl, but not metal. Metal belongs to another element, Earth. On a starlit night, set your bowl of water outside or on the windowsill for at least an hour to absorb the starlight. Stellar (star) water makes dreams come true and brings joy into your life. You can store water on your altar, but ensure it stays fresh and re-energize it occasionally by spiraling (stirring) the water.

 

You can do the same for Lunar (moon) water when the moon is bright. Lunar water is good for healing. It is gentle. You might also add some flower essences to the water, such as Bach Flower essences, especially if you would like to use a flower in your ritual that is not readily available.

 

For Solar (sun) water, do the same while the sun is bright. Leave your water in the rays for at least an hour. You can even drink it if you need a lift (see below), but make sure to have kept it covered in some way for sanitary reasons.

 

To sprinkle your holy water around the house, use a twig or your fingertips to flick the water.

 

 

Rainbow Water 

 

Believe it or not, one way to internalize color is to drink it. Gather at least 7 or 8 glass jars or bottles (with covers). Colorful wine bottles will work just as well. You can wrap clear bottles in colored cellophane. You may also purchase colored filters from color therapy suppliers to wrap your bottles in if you can't find suitable colored bottles.

 

Fill your bottles with pure water and place them on the windowsill for at least one hour in daylight. Make sure the bottle tops are covered so insects can't get in. Bless the water with a prayer of thanks for its healing properties (as indicated below). After your hour is up, drink it down. You can also store it in the fridge for later, but it is best to discard it after 24 hours.

 

  • Red or Orange water helps sciatica, cold extremities, anemia, and lethargy. It is not for those with high blood pressure.
  • Yellow water helps constipation, motor nerves, and digestion.
  • Green water helps to relieve head colds, allergies, skin rash, and a broken heart.
  • Blue water helps with kidney, throat, and mouth problems, colitis, hot flashes, and sunburn.
  • Indigo water helps with headaches, tired eyes, and tension.
  • Violet water helps rid the body of tension and the mind of emotional difficulties.
  • Magenta water helps with energy and circulation.

 

 

Using Rain, Sand & Willow

 

  • Rain - Spring rain is for love and attraction, Summer rain is for playfulness and sexiness, Fall rain is for enthusiasm, thankfulness, and closure, and Winter rain is for courage and endurance. Use leftover rainwater as a hair rinse after shampooing. It makes hair so very soft and smooth!

 

  • Sand - Use sand to bring like-minded people into your life. Sprinkle it in your plant pots and watch your friendships grow, or place sand under candles as an attractive centerpiece.

 

  • Willow - Have you ever seen those wonderfully curly, naked branches they have in gift shops that have crystals or tree ornaments hanging from them? They are willow branches, although you can use grapevine branches similarly. Although dead flowers and plants can bring negative energy into the home, Willow helps us to adjust to new situations. Use a branch or two in your ritual, perhaps as a wand, to dispense holy water. When out in nature, standing under a willow tree can strengthen you. Tell the tree about your problems. Trees offer much wisdom. Be sure to thank the tree if you remove a small branch or a few leaves.