RITUAL TOOLS AND

BASIC RITUAL
STRUCTURE

BY
WILLOW "THE BLACK
WIDOW"
RAVENFEATHER

Basic Ritual Structure

Rituals are performed in a step by step structure that is used in every ritual, some
rituals may add steps, others may not include certain steps, depending on the ritual
being performed, and the individual performing them. The purpose or topic at
hand also plays a role in what steps are added to or removed from the ritual.
The structure of the ritual is what tells the individual what is done at each
particular step, when the candles are lit, when the Invocation is performed, and so
on. One of the most important things for this is ritual tools (Athame, candles,
incense, some sort of depiction of the entity being worked with, etc...). The
following is a "ritual tree", or a typical depiction of the organization and order of
many of the rituals within within my personal craft. However, in the end, how
your rituals are written and performed is up to you. Always do what feels right in
your craft, and let none tell you different.

THE RITUAL
OPENING RITES
The opening rites in this structure regards the casting of the circle by turning
clockwise 3 times with your athame pointed to the ground. The chiming of the
bell/gong three times also occurs at this point to declare the rite of ritual.
LIGHTING THE CANDLES
This is simple and speaks for itself. However, I oftern times will include the
lighting of the candles within the opening rites.
OPENING PRAYER/HYMN
After the lighting of the candles I will either give a hymn, or an opening prayer.
MOMENT OF SILENCE
After the opening prayer/hymn I will give a moment of silence, or a moment of
focus to direct my power and energy more towards my work.

LIGHTING OF INCENSE

After the moment of silence I will light the incense which I use to both purify the
air, and give the deity I am working with a pleasing scent.

INVOCATION OF ENTITY
After the work with the incense is completed, is the invocation, evocation or
conjuration of the deity.
MOMENT OF SILENCE
After the invocation I give another moment of silence so that I can really focus on
the deity that I'm working with.
BURNING THE OFFERING (Ritual powder, herbs, fresh bread, etc)
This is the point where the offerings are burned within the offering bowl so that
the smoke may bring it to the gods.
SECOND PRAYER
At this point is the second prayer, or if a hymn was used at the previous part, this
would be the primary prayer which would be asking for things such as guidance,
enlightenment, and so on.
CONSUMPTION OF "COMMUNION CAKE" AND ELIXIR (If used)
This is simple to understand, it is basically equal to when Christians consume
bread and wine during their masses. This step is a step I will often times take out,
or just have an elixir.
MEDITATION
At this point is the meditation. This is where one will meditate and focus on the
things that have been requested in the ritual, such as guidance and so on. This can
last different lengths depending the person. I usually will meditate until the
incense or candles have burned out, unless what I have seeked in that ritual has
been achieved before any of those instances.
FINAL PRAYER
The final prayer or closing prayer in my rituals usually are always a prayer of
thanks.
CLOSING RITES/EXTINGUISHING OF CANDLES

This point is the extinguishing of the candles, which should never be blown out.
When Magick is performed, the power is drawn towards the candle and altar, and
when you blow out the candle, you're blowing that power away. You can use a
candle extinguisher, or lick your thumb and finger and put your candles out that
way.
The bell/gong will also be chimed three times at this point to mark the closing of
the rite of ritual, and the circle will also be uncast at this point by turning counterclockwise 3 times with your athame pointed to the ground.
That is the primary structure I use in most of my rituals, however, rituals written in
ancient times often had different ways of performing them. One thing the
individual must take into account is that they should make sure all tools,
incantations and such are in the ritual area before beginning.
They should also make sure that the offering is put together BEFORE starting the
ritual, this ensures that your mind is not wandering in tasks that should already
have been done, while you are performing the ritual.
BASIC RITUAL TOOLS
ALTAR: The foundation in which your work is performed, in the path of Theistic
Satanism, I refer to it as the Satanist's "personal gate" into Hell. Your candles,
incense, offering, and so on are placed on your altar.
ATHAME: The athame is a knife (that is generally not sharp, as it is symbolic, not
for literal cutting), the use of the athame is generally used in the opening and
closing of rituals to create the foundation in which your Magick is centred. It is
also used when one must leave the "Magick circle" by carving a door.
RITUAL BELL: Used to open and close rites to perform rituals, the bell can be
chimed three times before or after the circle is cast the first time, and before or
after the circle is uncast, it is up to the individual. The ritual bell may also be a
gong.
CANDLES: Candles of various colours are used on the path of Satanism, the
colours represent the colours sacred to the entity. For example, for Satan, black
candles represent the black flame of knowledge and power (mantle of radiance),
however, the sacred colour of Azazel is red, because he is associated with war.
MORTAR AND PESTAL: Simply, the mortar and pestal are used to mix offering
powders and herbs and such.
INCENSE: Incense is pretty much well self explanatory when it comes to knowing

what it is, everyone's mothers have likely lit some at some point in your
household. In Satanism, it's generally made using a mix of ingredients that is
deemed sacred to the entity, or that is made for the art being practiced.
DEPICTION: Self explanatory, can either be a statue, altar banner, a picture, or
even all three.
OFFERING BOWL: This is where the offering is burned.
Those are only but simple tools used in rituals, and the individual is likely to
discover many more down the road on their path. There however are some
instances that the individual may work around these items, as no practitioner has
access to their ritual chamber 100% of the time. Thus they will resort to their
"astral temple" when they cannot use their own personal ritual chamber.