The various offerings, prayers, songs, stories, and any other ritual techniques that were employed before the occurrence of fortunate events were duly noted and used again and again. The most successful of these rituals and myths became a basic part of all religions, and have survived until this day in a surprising number of secular customs as well.

Today, the popular conception of the word ritual has come to conjure up images of indigenous (native) peoples spending their time and resources performing quaint, albeit beautiful, ceremonies that do not seem to benefit them. Others may think of the dry litany of words recited by rote in houses of worship, or the mysterious incantations of witches. Like so many other aspects of modern life, ritual does not so much need a new definition as it needs to recapture the essence of its original meaning.

The indigenous peoples are not wasting their time when performing traditional ceremonies; they are re-affirming their connection to the natural world. The litany heard in our houses of worship was originally designed to re-affirm the faith and to awaken the religious experience in the participants. Witches' chants use words and practices descended from the earliest days of The Goddess, though changed and sometimes distorted as a result of past persecutions.

In our society, we are faced with the increasingly complex demands of daily life. Yet we have no myths and rituals to guide us. How can we adapt our natural predisposition to live in harmony with Mother Nature's timeless cycles to our age of information overload, relentless change and sudden surprises?

Rituals acknowledge the existence of a Higher Power in us and in our world. One of the primary functions of ritual is to build a spiritual connection in our daily lives. They also reinforce our desires and strengthen our intent as we work to materialize those desires. At the same time, they remind us of our inseparable connection to the natural world. Rituals can help us to remember that we are part of the rhythms and cycles of Nature.

The following gentle rituals are taken from The Oracle of The Goddess book and card set (St. Martin's Press), one of the art-filled, award-winning divination systems from artist Amy Zerner and her author husband, Monte Farber (The Alchemist, Karma Cards, The Enchanted Tarot, The Psychic Circle and The Instant Tarot Reader). Like their other “personal inner-guidance systems,” The Oracle of The Goddess is meant to answer your questions and guide you to accomplishing your goals. It does so, according to its instructions by "using the wisdom of twelve multi-cultural Goddesses whose names and legends span the boundaries of time, nation and race to offer their special guidance to us today."

Says Farber, “Many people use our Oracle every day as part of their daily spiritual practice. We put these rituals in the book to help you reinforce the answers you receive from the words on the cards, as well as the impressions you get from the images on them, which are taken from Amy's beautiful fabric collage Goddess tapestries.”

Adds Zerner, “These rituals can be performed when you feel the need to reinforce your intention regarding a specific goal you have. You can use the ritual associated with the Goddess whose specialty you need help with, i.e., Romi Kumu for getting your way, Brigit for making a decision, and so forth.”

They both counsel that you should not be concerned if you cannot do the ritual exactly as it is written. According to this very successful East Hampton power-couple, self-criticism and perfectionism have no place in empowerment or healing. In fact, if you are so inclined, they say go ahead and design your own rituals. They have designed their rituals to call for the use of commonly available items, but if you would prefer to use something else then providing it is in keeping with the *safety reminders stated below, go for it. It is another way of acknowledging that you have the power to design your life and your way of connecting to what you hold sacred.

Like an increasing number of people today, you may want to create a personal altar in your home composed of meaningful symbols, flowers, stones, pictures, books, etc. Place images of yourself, tarot cards, amulets, talismans, colors, scents, the Oracle of The Goddess cards and anything else you feel evokes the empowerment that you need at a particular time.

Says Zerner, “Ritual is a way of both reminding us of our immense capabilities and of calling them into being for our use. This is true spiritual power.”

Adds Farber, “Much is made about the supposedly small percentage of the brain's available power that we all actually use. The ancient sages, who were both women and men, knew that to use all of your brain's amazing capabilities you must first believe that those capabilities exist and then create ways of using them. That's why we invented The Oracle of The Goddess.”

Get your way!
ROMI KUMU's ritual
The Amazonian Goddess of Willpower

To get your way, tie a red scarf around your head or wear the color red in some way. Light a red candle to represent the fiery nature of your desires and a pungent stick of incense to carry your words through the air to all the world. Make a fan by folding a rectangle of red paper over and under several times. Upon the folds of this fan write the following words:

Strength of heart, strength of will
Can my dearest dreams fulfill.

Fasten the fan at the bottom with a paper clip. Firmly wave this fan to intensify the aroma of the incense. Say the words you have written aloud one time for each fold in your fan. Feel as strong and focused as the color red, the pungent incense and the candle's flame before you.

Place the fan under your pillow to empower your strength of will during your slumber. When you dream that night, attempt what is known as "Lucid Dreaming". Try and remember, as you fall asleep and even while you are actually dreaming that it is your dream and you can will it to turn out the way you want it to. This is a powerful way of reinforcing the fact that you have the power to control your life.

Fall in Love!
APHRODITE'S ritual
The Greek Goddess of Love

To invoke the affection of the Goddess APHRODITE and bring love into your life, make a small altar covered with a pink or white cloth to represent the earth covered by the clouds. Place upon it a dish of rose-scented pot-pourri, a white feather, and a pink candle. Carve the image of two hearts joined together into the candle. This represents your ability to carve reality with the power of your attuned Head and Heart. Place your hands palm-to-palm and recite the following incantation two times:

Guide me to my purest love
My truest heart, my turtle dove.

Gently breathe in and as you do, see and feel pink colored Love-energy flowing into your heart. Gently exhale, visualizing your breath flying around the world to mingle with the breath of your soul mate. Carry the feather with you to remind you of your heart's desire. Try to keep your heart as light as this feather, and the Love you radiate and attract is bound to be pure.

Make a decision!
BRIGIT's ritual
The Celtic Goddess of Communication

In order to remain flexible, or when you must chose from two or more courses of action, this ritual will allow you to be comfortable with your indecision and to seek inspiration from other sources. Let Mother Nature, the most widely known aspect of The Great Goddess, take a hand. Select two ribbons of different colors to represent your two courses of action stretching out into time and write the choices upon them. Tie them to a tree branch, symbol of the Sacred Grove of The Goddess and recite the following incantation three times as you do so:

I take these ribbons
And tie them to a tree.
Which ever way the wind blows
Reveals my path to me.

In a few days, return to the tree and check the ribbons. As you approach the ribbons, take careful note if the condition of the words written upon them has changed or if their position has changed. The ribbon whose words are clearer to you is the one to make. If there is no change then postpone your decision. Stay flexible.

Feel secure!
DIVIANA's ritual
The Etruscan Goddess of Protection

In the dark of the New Moon, wear a protective amulet in the shape of the Moon and have a white candle standing by. Focus your attention on your breath, feeling it nurture your whole body with the primal energy of Life. Take pen and paper and write down the names of any who you think have caused you harm or pain. Fold the paper and hold it to your heart, feeling it grow warm with mutual forgiveness. As this healing glow radiates throughout your body and into the universe, repeat these words four times:

Mother Goddess
Take from me
Hurt, Despair, Uncertainty.
In their place
Please bring to me
Peace, Love, and Tranquility.

Place the paper under the candle holder and anoint it with four drops of lavender oil. Light the candle. Know that as the ever-changing Moon grows fuller in light, so will the protective love of The Goddess that surrounds you even now. Know that as the candle burns away, so will your dark thoughts diminish and be purified.

Stand out and shine!
FREYJA's ritual
The Scandinavian/Germanic Goddess of Leadership

On a Friday, the day named for the Goddess FREYJA, you may invoke her leadership abilities by wearing a golden token. Choose a potent incense and light it. As it burns in its incense holder, take a moment to center yourself. Breathe in the pungent odor five times as you watch the smoke rise. Using yellow paper cut out a five-pointed star and inscribe these words upon it: "Lead the way". Repeat the following invocation five times:

Gracious Goddess lead the way
Guide and council me today.
Let me emulate your role
and lead us proudly to our goal.

Fasten the yellow star to your bathroom mirror where you will see it every day beside your image. Look up at the stars each night for at least five minutes. You will remember the part you are to play.

Stop worrying!
ARTEMIS's ritual
The Greek Goddess of Discernment

To ground your worries, find a stone or rock that seems to draw you to it, one that is large enough for an inscription. Purify it with scented soap and water and dry it well. Apply the following words to its surface with colored paints:

Worry Be Gone
Also My Fear
Dear Mother Earth
Will Ground Them Here.

Walk in a straight line to a place where you can bury this rock in the Earth. A flower pot will do. Bury it with conviction, knowing that what you are doing will have practical results. As you bury it, recite the words inscribed on the rock six times. Turn around and walk away, knowing that you have left your worries behind you.

Get along!
T'AI YUAN's ritual
The Chinese Goddess of Partnership

To clear your thoughts and prepare yourself to receive guidance, draw a circle on white paper using the base of a clear drinking glass as a template. Inside this circle draw the twin symbols of Yin and Yang, completely filling the space. Cut out the circle and tape it to the bottom of the drinking glass so that you see the Yin/Yang symbol when you look into it. Fill the glass with water, remembering that the human body is mostly water. Place it between two lighted candles, one white, and the other black. Chant these words seven times, looking from one candle to the other:

Black - White, Day - Night,
Wet - Dry, Earth - Sky,
Moon - Sun, Started - Done,
Bring together in my Soul
What was rift now is whole.

Put out the candles with drops of water from the glass and then drink the remaining water. You are now ready for messages to come to you.

Make magic!
HEKAT's ritual
The Egyptian Goddess of Mysteries

To invoke the protection and power of HEKAT, light a black candle in your bedroom at midnight. Have a fireproof brass vessel nearby. Carefully carve a phrase, word, or sign into the soft wax. This is symbolic of your will impressed upon reality. Cut out a paper crescent Moon the size of your heart. Scent it with your favorite perfume and write this incantation upon it:

Life is The Great Mystery;
Never what it seems to be.
Light to Dark, Dark to Light,
Bring my secret Love tonight.

Burn this message in the brass vessel (without saying a word) and blow out the candle. Sleep and dream. Upon waking, reflect upon your feelings, which will shed light on your goals. Take the ashes from the brass vessel outside and release them into the sunlight. Realize that you have just released a block to your subconscious.

Get wise!
LAKSHMI's ritual
The Hindu Goddess of Wisdom

"Charge up" a glass of water with energy by placing a small, clean amethyst crystal in it and leaving the glass on a window sill in the moonlight (if possible) overnight. In the morning, remove the crystal and face the sunlight while drinking the water which has absorbed LAKSHMI's wisdom. Now close your eyes and imagine a beautiful lotus opening up; from a bud to a mature open flower. See it unfolding in the center of your forehead between your eyes, the place where the mystical third eye is found. Recite the following words nine times:

Unveil my eye and let me see,
Reveal what has eluded me.
Let freedom, faith and honesty
Take me far on land and sea.

Whenever you need to rise above your situation or gain perspective, imagine the lotus blooming as you see your third eye opening as well. Be open to the answers you will receive.

Pass that test!
PASOWEE's ritual
The Native American Goddess of Endurance

To invoke the Goddess PASOWEE's ability to see through cultural stereotypes and endure the time needed to remove all obstacles, fill a bowl with un-popped corn as an offering to Mother Earth. Burn some sage in an earthen bowl to clear the air of any clinging attachments and negativity. Wrap yourself in a blanket as PASOWEE wrapped herself in the first buffalo skin. Turn to the Four Directions; North, South, East, and West, and as you face each direction recite these words:

North, South, East, West,
Give me strength to pass this test
And if I start to feel downcast
Remind me that this too shall pass.

Whenever a stressful time seems too severe to endure, wrap yourself in your blanket and repeat the ritual ten times to reinforce your connection with PASOWEE's strength and protection.

Make that change!
ATLANTIA's ritual
The Atlantean Goddess of Invention

Use at least three stones or crystals to form a triangle on the ground large enough for you to sit within it cross-legged. Hold a small drum, rattle or other percussion instrument which represents woman's inseparable connection to the rhythms of Life. Breathe deeply as you visualize new and exciting changes entering your life and your triangle of power with every inhalation. With every exhalation imagine the old and outdated leaving you and your triangle. Strike your drum or shake your rattle as you recite the following words:

Goddess of the New
Goddess of all Change
Help my situation
Watch it re-arrange.

Keep reciting these words in time to the drum until you lose yourself in the chant. You will find that when you have stopped dwelling on your situation you will be struck with a new idea on how to proceed. Move eleven things in your home that you have not moved in a year. Give away eleven articles of clothing you have not worn in a year. You will encounter unexpected, positive results from your efforts to change your life.

Release that pain!
EURZULIE's ritual
The Haitian Goddess of Sensitivity

On a moonlit evening, fill a bath with warm water and a few drops of sweet-scented oil. Add a cup of sea salt. Enter the bath and, as you soak, use your finger to write your name on the surface of the water as you say twelve times:

I am a part of the waters of Life,
Where they flow, I will go,
Ending discord, hurt and strife.

Feel relaxed and at ease. Float like a child in the pre-birth state. Feel your insecurities being absorbed by the healing waters. Let the water drain out and know that any negative energy that has recently been absorbed will be washed away, as tears release pain and wash away sadness.

Rituals acknowledge the existence of a Higher Power in us and in our world. One of the primary functions of ritual is to build a spiritual connection in our daily lives. They also reinforce our desires and strengthen our intent as we work to materialize those desires. At the same time, they remind us of our inseparable connection to the natural world. Rituals can help us to remember that we are part of the rhythms and cycles of Nature.

*IMPORTANT Please Note: Always remember to make safety a priority when you perform any ritual, either outdoors or in an enclosed space. Always use stable, fireproof candle holders and/or incense holders. Exercise caution and common sense with the use of scissors, matches and all the other means described in the following rituals. Do not let children perform any of these rituals.

Win The Oracle of The Goddess book and card set in this month's FREE PRIZE GIVEAWAY. Click here for more details.

© Jenni Fleming, 2005