Ritual
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An Atheopagan Life–High Spring and the Renewal of the World
Here at the end of February, it is finally obvious that the Sun is coming back. The sunset has pushed back a full hour, and there is still light in the sky at 6:30. The drought hasn’t left us here in California this year, despite some encouraging storms early on. The mild winter has meant that already daffodils and narcissus bloom, and fruit trees burst into color. Willows budded out along the creeks in January. Such beauty is tainted by what it portends—a planet warming, and fast—but it’s lovely to be able to sit outside again comfortably, to breathe the sexy perfume of the young spring flowers. We have come…
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The Jewel—A Solitary Ritual
This is a solitary ritual for personal growth and healing work. It is especially recommended for those who struggle with suffering due to past abuse or neglect. Arrange a Focus with a mirror in the center, flanked by candles, and a cup or chalice of wine or flavorful juice. Burn a delicious-smelling incense: I recommend Russian Orthodox incense (available at most Orthodox book stores) for this ritual. It may help to print the meditations on little cards and prop them against the bottom of the mirror so you can read them while maintaining your gaze on your reflection. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breath–going in, and out, your…
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Music for Atheopagan Ritual Use
The music below was recommended by members of the Atheopagan Facebook group for use in Atheopagan rituals. Particularly in solitary rituals (when, obviously, having live accompaniment isn’t possible), the addition of a musical “soundtrack” can be tremendously powerful. Also listed are some sources for chants which can be used in group rituals—singing is one of the most powerful ways to bring people together and build the sense of energy in a ritual! This list will grow as new music is suggested. Adiemus (Karl Jenkins): The Journey Anonymous4: Many disks of this a cappella women’s medieval music ensemble could work well for ritual; I prefer 11,000 Virgins: Chants for the Feast of St. Ursula by…
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Atheopagan Ritual: Gratitude and Benediction
This is one of a series of articles about creating Atheopagan rituals. They expand on the Atheopagan Ritual Primer, to which they will be added after the whole series has been published online. The previous articles in the series are Arrival, Qualities and Intentions, and Deep Play. There are also some notes on proper settings for rituals (and why we do them) here. Gratitude When the Deep Play is done, it is time to express Gratitude. Gratitude is such a key element of a happy life that even when our rituals are to assuage fear or sorrow, we must always remember the many gifts with which we are showered by the Cosmos…
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Atheopagan Ritual: Working or “Deep Play”
This is the third in a series of articles about creating Atheopagan rituals. They expand on the Atheopagan Ritual Primer, to which they will be added after the whole series has been published online. The ritual structure outlined in the Primer is: Arrival, Qualities, (Intention), Working or “Deep Play”, Gratitude and Benediction. This article focuses on the third phase: Working or Deep Play. The Working is the “meat” of the ritual–it can be the hardest phase to write about, because it can be nearly anything. It can be free-form dancing with spontaneously offered chant, song, spoken word, and music, or line or spiral dancing; it can be laying of hands on an ailing celebrant; it can…
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Atheopagan Ritual: Invoking Qualities and Intentions
This is one of a series of articles about creating Atheopagan rituals. They expand on the Atheopagan Ritual Primer, to which they will be added after the whole series has been published online. The ritual structure outlined in the Primer is: Arrival, Qualities, (Intention), Deep Play, Gratitude, and Benediction. This article focuses on the second and optional third phases: Invocation of Qualities and Declaration(s) of Intentions. 1) QUALITIES “Calling the Qualities” is often just that: A designated celebrant encourages the circle to call out the Qualities they would like to be a part of the circle, and celebrants call them out (examples: the Ancestors; Compassion; Grief; Courage; Adventure, Strength, Health, Wisdom). It is more effective if,…
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Atheopagan Ritual: Denatured? Some Notes.
I’ve been thinking and writing about rituals recently, as I roll out a series of pieces detailing each phase of the Atheopagan ritual structure described in the Atheopagan Ritual Primer. Some naturalist Pagans express concern about the ability of humanistic/naturalistic/Atheopagan rituals to create truly transcendent experiences. Faith, it is suggested, sets the table for a far deeper experience; as atheists, we will inevitably have our rituals denatured by our lack of belief. It is fair to acknowledge that Atheopagans could potentially experience this problem. But I don’t think the characterization has to be true. I think we just have to work a little harder. Yes, we must create ritual space which enables us to background the…
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Atheopagan Ritual: Arrival
This is one of a series of articles about creating Atheopagan rituals. They expand on the Atheopagan Ritual Primer, to which they will be added after the whole series has been published online. It should be pointed out that the Atheopagan ritual structure described in the Primer and in my essay “How I Became an Atheopagan” is only one of many possible ways to structure effective ritual. The structure is a reliable way to induce the Ritual State, to do the transformational or celebratory work, and to resolve into a state of gratitude, empowerment, peace and/or energy. This, in a nutshell, is what ritual is and does. So while experimentation with structure can be fruitful,…
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Three Percent: a Riverain Blessing
Three percent is all they say The sweet water of a water planet Three percent The cool drink, the soft rain Rare as blood, rare as luck, rare To our wet hands, shining. From the far sky, adrift in curds and blankets Whips and knots, anvils towering thunder hammers Rain the hand of kindness down To our fields, our mouths, the dancing springs And cold rivers, snaking the glens of Earth to the sky again. Do we take you for granted, o three percent? Do we curse you for flooding, pop our grumbrellas On a wet walk to the office? Not I. Not when puddles leap for joy and silver…
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The Focus
This piece is excerpted from the Atheopagan Ritual Primer. A Focus is what Atheopagans call an altar. We choose a different word because “altar” implies worship—or even sacrifice—and we want to be clear that that isn’t what we are doing. The Focus is a work of art: a still life assemblage of symbols and meaningful objects. It can be central to the enactment of a ritual, or it may be off to one side. Multiple Foci may be used if desired, designed around different themes. Building a Focus is a fun and creative activity and can itself be done as a ritual, in an intentional, Present and “focused” manner. Typically, a…
