Seasons of Wicca: The Essential Guide to Rituals and Rites to Enhance Your Spiritual Journey - Ambrosia Hawthorn 2020
Appreciation
Wiccan Rites
Rituals to Enhance your Spiritual Journey
A Wiccan appreciation rite is a great way to show your gratitude and thanks for nature, divinity, and spirits. This is a formal ceremony in which you give thanks and voice your appreciation for all that Wicca stands for. Some Wiccans use this rite to honor deities of their chosen pantheon or pantheons.
APPRECIATION CEREMONY
This ceremony can be used to celebrate nature, deity, the elements, or gratitude. You can perform this rite any time of the year, but an excellent time is during one of the harvest sabbats because the theme of gratitude is in the air.
Rite Setting
Altar or outdoors
Tools and Supplies
Wand or athame
Elemental representations—bowl of salt, to represent earth; bowl of water, to represent water; feather, to represent air; candle or incense, to represent fire; clear quartz or other white crystal, to represent spirit
Deity representation—statues, candles, or symbols of the God and Goddess or deity of your choice
Fire-safe plates or candle holder or incense holder
Lighter or matches
Cauldron or bowl
Offering of choice—bread, baked goods, crafted items, or foraged flowers and herbs
PRIOR TO THE RITE
1.Shower or bathe, visualizing all old or unwanted energies leaving your being.
2.Wear a special outfit or a ritual robe to distinguish and elevate this rite from other rituals.
3.Cleanse the altar.
PREPARING THE ALTAR
Place the tools and supplies on the altar. Place the elemental objects in a pentacle configuration or facing their respective cardinal directions (place the spirit representation in the center). Place the deity representation at the top of the altar.
THE RITE
1.Cast a circle of protection. Hold the wand or athame as an extension of your hand to gather and direct energy as you call upon the elements. Starting from the east and ending north, call upon the element of air for mental clarity, the element of fire for power, the element of water for fluidity, and the element of earth for stability.
2.Invoke your deity of choice by saying something like: “Deity, I welcome you to my circle of appreciation tonight so that I can share with you my gratitude.”
3.Sprinkle the salt into the cauldron and say: “Thank you, element of earth, for the strength and stability you give.”
4.Sprinkle the water into the cauldron and say: “Thank you, element of water, for the fluidity and emotions you share.”
5.Drop the feather into the cauldron saying: “Thank you, element of air, for the clarity and guidance you give.”
6.Light the candle. Hold the candle above the cauldron and tilt it until wax begins to pour into the cauldron, and say: “Thank you, element of fire, for the power and spark you share.”
7.Place the crystal in the cauldron and say: “Thank you, element of spirit, for being within and all around me.”
8.Close your eyes and say: “Diety, I thank you for the wisdom you share and the blessings you give.”
9.Meditate for 10 to 20 minutes, remembering all the things you’re thankful for.
10.Hold your offering up to the sky and say: “Deity, go if you must or stay if you like, but accept my offering of gratitude for all that you do.”
11.Release the elements in reverse order. Begin facing the north and ending east, thanking each element for their assistance and bidding them farewell.
12.Turn back to the north to release spirit and open the circle: “Spirit, I bid you farewell. I open this circle and release the energy back into the earth.”
13.Extinguish the candle. Cover the offering and leave it on the altar overnight. Dispose of any cooked or foraged items by returning them to the earth or burning them. Take any offerings with inorganic materials to a landfill or recycle them appropriately.