Ingredients of
a Ritual
Suggestions for creating a structure & conscious container around your ritual.
Let’s talk about rituals. I’ve personally had a relationship with religious rituals since childhood. I volunteered as an altar server; bringing the holy items to the priest, ringing bells, kneeling, then standing, then kneeling some more. I was good at it. It had structure and purpose, but I found myself becoming numb to the intention.
After I stopped altar serving in high school, I slowly but surely drifted away from religion and all rituals in general. For years it didn’t have any place in my life. I’m not religious anymore, so why should I perform any kind of ritual? F*ck it!
Cut to: my sexual liberation…
As I began to gain confidence in the power and beauty of my body, rituals came naturally as a way to honor myself and my connection to the Divine. The power of intention keeps surprising me over and over again. When we create intentions and purposely release this into the universe, magick happens (seriously)!
I now find myself performing various rituals to honor the Divine; sex rituals, moon rituals, menstrual rituals, and many more witchy things that bring me joy and reverence. The true power is the energy and intention you give to the ritual. The power of YOU.
Below are a few suggestions to create a conscious container for your ritual, so that you have the most powerful and immersive experience.
It’s important to set a space, so your mind can be clear of all external distracting energies.
1. Set aside quiet time.
This one might be obvious, but making sure you have the proper time, with no distractions, is super important. Also making sure that no one is going to interrupt you during this time. If you have a partner, roommates, or children, let them know! Say, “Hey, I’m taking this time to myself, please give me X amount of time. Thank you.”
2. Set up your sacred space.
Creating a space that makes you feel comfortable and powerful is the foundation to a ritual. Perhaps you have a dedicated room that feels special to you, or you can rearrange some things in your bedroom to get comfortable and create the space needed. Or, another great idea is to go out in nature! Gather your items for your ritual; this could include many things. Some examples are candles, matches, music, incense, sage, essential oils, tarot cards, a cozy blanket or pillow to sit on, crystals, elemental objects, deities, etc. Consider items that activate the 5 senses. Really, anything you want that makes the space feel sacred and special to you.
3. Cleanse your energy.
This could be as simple as smudging yourself, the space, and your items. You could also wash your hands, or take a bath. Anything that helps you to feel clear of any residual energy from the day.
4. Create a container.
Something that people may often forget is to create a container that makes you feel safe, before diving in. I like to imagine a ring of white light surrounding my entire sacred space, and then visualizing a glowing, iridescent bubble around my body. This is your protection-state to yourself, “I am safe here.”
5. Set your intention.
This is key! Stating your intention out loud will set your mind, body, and spirit up for a powerful ritual. The energy you put out, will manifest itself into your actions. Some examples: for healing yourself, to honor your body, guidance for a particular situation, spiritual connection, calling in abundance or love, or perhaps it’s simply for fun. State your intention out loud to set the frequency of your vibration.
6. Call in protection & spiritual support.
Pick a force you’d like to work with that supports you in your ritual space. Some examples could be a Goddess or God, ascended Masters, Spirit, Mother Earth, Higher Consciousness, etc.
7. Meditate.
Sit for 5-10 minutes and meditate on your intention and clear your mind from any outside distractions. Any thoughts or concerns-leave them outside your protected bubble, they will be there for you when you are complete. Pray/speak to your spiritual guides asking them to guide you through your ritual. And so it is…
8. Close the ritual space.
After you have completed your ritual, close out the space by thanking yourself and your spirit guides. Imagine your container and protective bubble dissolving away. Then, clean up your space as soon as possible. This will seal and mark the completion of your ritual.
