Not everyone has all that much time to devote to long, drawn out magical rituals, and so much mumbo jumbo has been generated on this subject that many people simply throw their hands up in the air and forget it! However, performing magical ritual is akin to doing something positive for or against a given situation or condition that is one way or the other affecting your life and general quality of living. Therefore such activity is psychologically positive and beneficial for the individual who will take the time to develop his or her magical skills. The more we do, the more we can do.
The below work will aid the novice magician in acquiring a basic working knowledge of simple ritual magic that can be set up and worked just about anywhere. Now just you remember, this is a quick and dirty endeavor and does not intend to delve deeply into all of the nuances of every kind of possible magical thought. It's basic and better than nothing! Consider it "Plug and Play!" You have the basic matrix, so you can plug in various traditions, requests, curses, or blessings. You can also Plug in various opening and closing ceremonies or offerings or libations-- whatever. The intention here is to get you kick-started.
THEORY: Magic might be defined as developing personal power to the extent to where you can command the forces of nature, spirits or daemons to obey your desires. Or it might be defined as soliciting aid and assistance from friendly or helpful spirits or entities to perform tasks on your behalf out of compassion. Also, It might be defined as making a deal or working an exchange with a powerful entity to achieve a particular outcome to some task of interest to you. It might even be construed as to mean gaining power over certain individuals of lesser stature to do your bidding. Then too, it could mean manipulating an ordinary chain of events to achieve a satisfactory culmination to a particular process. There are scores of books written on this subject, but the trick is to find out what works for you and to polish your skills until you achieve consistent success.
CONCEPTS: Magic is magic. There is no such thing as white or black magic. There is no such thing as Karma or come back, unless you believe that there is and draw it to you. However, you have to live with yourself and your neighbors, so it is always best to hold high ideals and to consider well your intent and purpose before performing magical endeavors toward any end. Always ask yourself: Do I really want this? Is it worth it? Does it matter? How will it affect others? Is there a better way? Be careful of what you ask for, as you just might get it!
There is strength in numbers, so if you have the power to draw a coven unto yourself or be fortunate enough to become a member of one, then you will have allies to aid and assist you in your magical endeavors. One would think that the more the better, but that is not always true. Often, a few focused individuals who are of the same heart and mind can accomplish more good work than a grab bag of people of varying interests and diverse agendas. Select your ritual partners with great care!
BANISHING OR CLEANSING: The idea of banishing or cleansing is to remove any unwelcome entities (spirits) from your tools, your self, your car, your house, your temple or circle-- anything that you can think of. Your real intention is to rid your selected item or form of any and all interfering spirits, thought forms or whatever, as you want absolutely no adverse competition to degrade your magical endeavor. You may banish any unwelcome entities if you have enough personal power, by the word of your mouth or a waive of your hand. Failing that, you can introduce an essence, intolerable to them in order to drive them away. Sea Salt and water from a running stream (faucet) has traditionally been used as cleansing agents. You bless the salt and bless the water and then cast it about or on whatever you want to cleanse. There are other concoctions such as eucalyptus oil that are said to do similar service.
TOOLS: The less you have to depend upon magical paraphernalia (junk) the better. If you need candles to do magic and if there are no candles, you are out of magic. Use whatever tools you want, but become dependent upon none of them. Do you need a magic wand? Pick up a stick and let it be your wand. Do you need a sword or knife? Let any such tool do, even a butter knife will do in a pinch or just use your finger. Clothing? Naw. Who do you know that was born with clothing? Wear whatever you want or nothing at all. Alters? Mother Earth or anything she offers is your alter. A rock or a stump can't be beat! Everything you need to do magic should be in your mind, not in your tool box. However, use whatever is at hand and whatever pleases you at the time, but no more than you can carry in both hands at a dead run! I tell you true that to do otherwise will bog you down with so many limitations that you will spend more time sorting and carrying around a lot of junk than doing any useful magic.
DEDICATING TOOLS Perform a simple cleansing ritual either verbal or with salt and water or whatever... Lay out your tools and claim them for your own and dedicate them to your purpose. Make up any words or mumbo jumbo that suits you. The important thing is to let your primal mind know that it has a link with these objects and that they are for it's use. If nothing else, say: "I cast out any spirits or entities from these working tools-- be gone! I now proclaim that they are mine and for my use only-- So be it!"
SCRIPTS: Use the Kiss principle! Keep it simple, silly! Learn to rhyme if you can. Such devices work with the subconscious primal mind and aid in focusing your intent on your purpose. Remember the movie, "The Dirty Dozen?" They used a rhyme to remind the participants of what to do next! The practice has worked for a long time, it works now, and it will continue to work for a long time into the future. Rhyming like chanting drives home the point, deep into the psyche, triggering those reserves of stored psychic energy that can make all of the difference in casting a spell or throwing a curse. However, don't make your script long. Keep it a verse or two that can scroll over and over in your mind, building pressure and raising the fires of Hell to new heights! Make it something that either inspires compassion or rage as is the object of your intent. The idea is to build emotional energy. If your script is too long, then you'll probably have to read it-- forget that! One does ritual on the fly-- it is a spontaneous entity that unfolds as it gains a life of it's own.
MAGICAL PROCESS: Such magical thinking is a process. It begins with a reason to do magic. You either love something or you hate it. People don't do magic for luke- warm reasons, as it is a waste of time. You either want something beyond belief or you want to destroy something real bad. That's right, real bad! What the Hell-- be honest. I want money or love or lust! What's wrong with that? Mary Sue ran off with the preacher and stole my stuff while she was at it. I want the bitch destroyed. Why not? Joe Shmuck got me pregnant and then ran off with my sister! I want his ass fried-- a reasonable request! Quit being bashful! Get with the program!
Once you have your reason, you must intend to do something about it. Go ahead and work up a sweat! Decide if you love whomever or whatever it is or you hate it/them. Do you want to bless whomever or whatever it is or do you wish to destroy it/them? Well, now we are getting somewhere! The hog's out of the pen!
Once your have your reason and intend to do something about it. Figure out just what you want to do! Now is where focus comes in to play! Focus on your intent! Turn it into a red, screaming ball of raging fire that throws sparks as it spins through space toward it's target. Focus on the missile and focus on your target or victim as the case may be. Invision what your intent is supposed to do and focus on the outcome. See the drama unfold in your mind's eye and let it encompass your very soul! Let the flames rise higher until the aroma of burning brimstone fills the air and the blue sparks crackle in the ether.
By now, all of the entities you have collected around your astral temple should be frothing at the mouth, holding their crotches and howling like Banshees! Call them in on it. Command them to lend their energy to your plight. Get them so hot that their fur smokes, and then sick them on your target for better or worse.
Now is the time for will! Will your intent along with all of the energy you can collect to your target and force it do it's job whether to bless or curse. Let your intent slam home with the force of a mile-wide asteroid impacting the Earth, sending rocks and clods high into the Tropisphere. After your let her rip, your emotions should be drained and you should be shaking like a dog crapping a peach seed. Don't pull your punches and don't be bashful. Have a drink!
SELECTING A TEMPLE: Means to set aside a secure place to do your magic. Your temple is a link between the Earth plane where you stand and the Astral or the Abyss where exists the abode of the entities from which you wish to enlist aid. Such a temple is generally circular in nature as right angles are near non-existent in nature. Too, a magical temple generally appears to be cone shaped, as it reaches out into the infinite.
SELECTING AN ALTER: find a place to work and set up an "alter" to work from. Or find an alter and cast your temple around it! An alter is whatever you claim to be an alter. It can be a rock, a stump, a table or a bail of hay-- whatever. It doesn't matter. In the old days, who the Hell had a trapezoidal alter? In a hogs ear! Remember, Mother Earth is your alter, and if you don't mind, you can spread your stuff out on the ground-- it will work just as well. There are some tough old shamans and witch doctors in the outback who throw their bones on the ground and think nothing of it. It works for them!
ADVERTISING: The more astral entities who know that you are going to do magic, the better! When you start out doing magic, your magical fire in the Astral or Abyss is pretty dim. The more you do, the more power you will generate and the more entities you will attract. Your light grows brighter. The more entities you attract, the more will support you, and the stronger you will become. Don't be bashful. "Hide not your light under a basket."
CASTING A TEMPLE: All right, you have selected a place from which to do magic and either chosen an alter or decided to use Mother Earth. Bring anything you need into your temple area and set it down. Perform a simple banishing or cleansing ritual (see above). Use your finger, knife, stick, or sword to outline a circle around your alter that is large enough to work from. About nine feet wide is about right for one person. Make it larger if you have more people. Let's say, if they all formed a circle, joining hands, that would be about the right size-- but no smaller than nine feet. Why be chincy?
Anyway, stand before your alter, feet flat on the ground and hold your implement high. Start drawing primal energy up through your feet, legs, guts breast, head up your arm and into your finger or implement. Now when you feel yourself charged, ( you will feel a warm sensation) walk to the perimeter of your circle (temple) and visualize a bright blue energy flowing from the tip of your finger or implement. Walk around your circle in a clockwise manner and mark the outline of your circle with that blue energy. You travel clockwise to make something and counter-clockwise to undo something. In the case of doing a curse, you would walk counter-clockwise, in doing a blessing, you would walk clockwise. After outlining your temple, return to your alter. You stand in the South and face North. Lucifer is in the North (Sides of the North) as there lies the abyss. Once you have returned to your alter, make a noise. Ring a bell, strike a gong, blow a horn, break a stick or clap your hands. say: "I now declare that this temple is duly cast and open for ritual business."
DEDICATE YOUR TEMPLE: In Lucifer all things are possible, so it follows that you should dedicate your temple to Lucifer in the North. Say: "Hail Lucifer in the North, please preside and bring order to my temple. I ask for your aid and assistance and that you sanction my work here this night. Let all outcomes be to my liking as per my desires!" If you have an offering or libation, this would be a good time to present it...
CALLING YOUR HELPERS There are any number of ways to do this. There is the libation ritual, the candle ritual, the incense ritual, the sacrificial ritual or the simple verbal method of simply calling entities to your circle. The simplest method is to simply say: "I am here to honor Lord Lucifer and to do a magical work in my interest. I call all interested and helpful entities, spirits or daemons to draw near my temple and back in the glow and warmth of my temple fires. I enlist and seek the aid of all helpful spirits to aid and assist me in my work." You can call all of the principalities and powers of Hell if you wish.
DOING BUSINESS: It is at this point that you do your blessings, requests, and curses. You can also initiate members, banish members, introduce new traditions, dedicate tools and equipment, hand out awards, confer honors or do any other coven business including making war. Make a noise and announce the opening of coven business. When it is done, make a noise and announce the close of coven business.
HONORING LUCIFER: Thank Lord Lucifer for his presence and all aid and assistance He has bestowed upon you and your various causes. If you have a closing offering or libation, this is the time for it. If not, He will understand. Raise your whatever and holler: "Hail Lucifer, Lord of the Infernal Kingdom!"
ENDING RITUAL: Once the coven business is completed, you may begin closing down the temple. In simplest form, thank all the entities, spirits or daemons who have aided and assisted you in your endeavor and invite them back. Ask them to bring any helpful friends and cohorts too! At this time, an offering of incense and or a libation is in order if you have such. If not, then they will understand. Also, thank your members for coming and for their support, inviting them to come to the next ritual. If you have candles burning from a candle ritual, then blow them out, beginning in the West and proceeding counter-clockwise (widdershins) to the South, to the East, saving the North candle that honors Lucifer for later. Don't turn the lights off on the Boss until the party is over.
CLOSING THE TEMPLE: Finally, shut down your temple. This time, walk counter-clockwise around your We circle (temple) and draw the blue fire (energy) back into your finger or implement. When finished say: "I now proclaim this temple closed. Hail Lucifer!" Now blow out the last candle in the North if one is used. If you have a number of people in attendance, you may proclaim a social hour and serve cakes and ale as per tradition.
Notes:
POWER: Each time you do a magical ritual, your power will grow, and your Astral fire will grow brighter, attracting more and more helpful entities to aid and assist you in your endeavors. Your self confidence will increase with each endeavor and you will grow greater in stature. The more you do, the more you can do!
FORMS: As you grow in power, wisdom and knowledge, you will have experience with several sorts of magic such as seals, necromancy, candle magic, verbal magic, poppets, talismans, amulets, spells, curses and more. Just do the work, watch and listen for signs, and learn as you go. In time, you will develop charisma, style and class. You will grow in stature and become an astral attraction. It's all a part of becoming, so start now, even if you have to use a carrot for a wand. What the Hell, you can eat it later.