Image

 

So you’ve gotten a group together, and you want to celebrate the lunar cycles and the solar Sabbats. However, you can’t string two words together, and everyone else is too shy to take charge. On top of it, you have a Gardnerian, a Dianic, three Eclectics and a fam-trad Witch (not Wiccan, thanks) in your merry collective. How on earth are you going to manage a ritual that’ll make everyone happy?

Well, while magic and paganism aren’t one size fits all, Deborah Blake has offered a nice collection of prefabricated rituals for the Sabbats and the full and new moons. They’re designed for groups that aren’t necessarily made of one single Wiccan tradition who want to celebrate together. Along with a full year’s worth of rituals divided by month, there’s auxiliary information (including another rehash of Wicca 101 that probably wasn’t necessary, but wasn’t terrible either) to support your own customizing efforts.

Blake is an excellent writer, both of ritual poetry and of prose. I enjoyed how she worked natural imagery into some of the rituals, and made them truly interactive instead of “Okay, the HP/S and I are going to do the work, and the rest of you just stand there and watch”. It’s obvious she’s had plenty of experience with a group setting, and conveys what she’s learned quite well.

I do have the occasional quibble with the book. For instance, in the Beltane ritual she suggests cutting down a tree as an option for obtaining a Maypole, at which I literally cringed. Also, one of her appendices includes the Elder futhark of runes, written by an associate of hers. Unfortunately, the associate also includes the blank rune which, if she’d researched respected Norse pagan authorities, she would have found was created in the 1980s by a less-than-respected author rather than being an original part of the futhark.

Still, these are pretty minor complaints buried in what’s a pretty good book, particularly for the beginning group. It’s largely composed of rituals, so if you’re looking for a book on pagan group dynamics, this isn’t it. But if you want some convenient rituals to use throughout the year, this is a great choice.
 

~review by Lupa

Author: Deborah Blake

Lllewellyn Publications, 2007

pp. 254, $14.95

34.648MBMemory Usage739msRequest Duration
Joomla! Version4.4.8
PHP Version8.3.21
Identityguest
Response200
Templatert_ambrosia
Database
Server
mysql
Version
10.6.22-MariaDB
Collation
latin1_swedish_ci
Conn Collation
utf8mb4_general_ci
$_GET
[]
$_POST
[]
$_SESSION
array:1 [ "joomla" => "***redacted***" ]
$_COOKIE
[]
$_SERVER
array:49 [ "USER" => "facingnorth" "HOME" => "/home/facingnorth" "SCRIPT_NAME" => "/index.php"...
session
array:3 [ "counter" => 1 "timer" => array:3 [ "start" => 1747465356 "last" => 1747465356...
registry
array:3 [ "data" => [] "initialized" => false "separator" => "." ]
user
array:18 [ "id" => 0 "name" => null "username" => null "email" => null "password" => "***r...
  • afterLoad (459.03KB) (1.93ms)
  • afterInitialise (810.01KB) (23.19ms)
  • afterRoute (544.37KB) (9.46ms)
  • beforeRenderComponent com_content (34.19KB) (1.02ms)
  • Before Access::preloadComponents (all components) (33.46KB) (694μs)
  • After Access::preloadComponents (all components) (107.34KB) (1.34ms)
  • Before Access::preloadPermissions (com_content) (1.57KB) (25μs)
  • After Access::preloadPermissions (com_content) (1.99MB) (8.64ms)
  • Before Access::getAssetRules (id:1456 name:com_content.article.577) (66.65KB) (157μs)
  • After Access::getAssetRules (id:1456 name:com_content.article.577) (8.72KB) (122μs)
  • afterRenderComponent com_content (257.63KB) (11.41ms)
  • afterDispatch (2.28KB) (112μs)
  • beforeRenderRawModule mod_finder (Search Module) (1.52MB) (17.25ms)
  • afterRenderRawModule mod_finder (Search Module) (279.35KB) (4.52ms)
  • beforeRenderModule mod_finder (Search Module) (720B) (9μs)
  • afterRenderModule mod_finder (Search Module) (1.28KB) (96μs)
  • afterRender (9.79MB) (659ms)
  • 1 x afterRender (9.79MB) (89.14%)
    658.88ms
    1 x afterInitialise (810.01KB) (3.14%)
    23.19ms
    1 x beforeRenderRawModule mod_finder (Search Module) (1.52MB) (2.33%)
    17.25ms
    1 x afterRenderComponent com_content (257.63KB) (1.54%)
    11.41ms
    1 x afterRoute (544.37KB) (1.28%)
    9.46ms
    1 x After Access::preloadPermissions (com_content) (1.99MB) (1.17%)
    8.64ms
    1 x afterRenderRawModule mod_finder (Search Module) (279.35KB) (0.61%)
    4.52ms
    1 x afterLoad (459.03KB) (0.26%)
    1.93ms
    1 x After Access::preloadComponents (all components) (107.34KB) (0.18%)
    1.34ms
    1 x beforeRenderComponent com_content (34.19KB) (0.14%)
    1.02ms
    1 x Before Access::preloadComponents (all components) (33.46KB) (0.09%)
    694μs
    1 x Before Access::getAssetRules (id:1456 name:com_content.article.577) (66.65KB) (0.02%)
    157μs
    1 x After Access::getAssetRules (id:1456 name:com_content.article.577) (8.72KB) (0.02%)
    122μs
    1 x afterDispatch (2.28KB) (0.02%)
    112μs
    1 x afterRenderModule mod_finder (Search Module) (1.28KB) (0.01%)
    96μs
    1 x Before Access::preloadPermissions (com_content) (1.57KB) (0%)
    25μs
    1 x beforeRenderModule mod_finder (Search Module) (720B) (0%)
    9μs
32 statements were executed, 3 of which were duplicates, 29 unique31.11ms380.05KB
  • SELECT @@SESSION.sql_mode;68μs968B/libraries/vendor/joomla/database/src/Mysqli/MysqliDriver.php:334Copy
  • SELECT `data` FROM `facv2_session` WHERE `session_id` = ?129μs1008BParams/libraries/vendor/joomla/session/src/Handler/DatabaseHandler.php:261Copy
  • SELECT `session_id` FROM `facv2_session` WHERE `session_id` = :session_id LIMIT 181μs1.3KBParams/libraries/src/Session/MetadataManager.php:187Copy
  • INSERT INTO `facv2_session` (`session_id`,`guest`,`time`,`userid`,`username`,`client_id`) VALUES (:session_id, :guest, :time, :user_id, :username, :client_id)12.15ms944BParams/libraries/src/Session/MetadataManager.php:260Copy
  • SELECT `extension_id` AS `id`,`element` AS `option`,`params`,`enabled` FROM `facv2_extensions` WHERE `type` = 'component' AND `state` = 0 AND `enabled` = 1349μs1.61KB/libraries/src/Component/ComponentHelper.php:399Copy
  • SELECT `id`,`rules` FROM `facv2_viewlevels`105μs656B/libraries/src/Access/Access.php:955Copy
  • SELECT `b`.`id` FROM `facv2_usergroups` AS `a` LEFT JOIN `facv2_usergroups` AS `b` ON `b`.`lft` <= `a`.`lft` AND `b`.`rgt` >= `a`.`rgt` WHERE `a`.`id` = :guest143μs1.33KBParams/libraries/src/Access/Access.php:868Copy
  • SELECT `folder` AS `type`,`element` AS `name`,`params` AS `params`,`extension_id` AS `id` FROM `facv2_extensions` WHERE `enabled` = 1 AND `type` = 'plugin' AND `state` IN (0,1) AND `access` IN (:preparedArray1,:preparedArray2) ORDER BY `ordering`588μs3.48KBParams/libraries/src/Plugin/PluginHelper.php:294Copy
  • SELECT `m`.`id`,`m`.`menutype`,`m`.`title`,`m`.`alias`,`m`.`note`,`m`.`link`,`m`.`type`,`m`.`level`,`m`.`language`,`m`.`browserNav`,`m`.`access`,`m`.`params`,`m`.`home`,`m`.`img`,`m`.`template_style_id`,`m`.`component_id`,`m`.`parent_id`,`m`.`path` AS `route`,`e`.`element` AS `component` FROM `facv2_menu` AS `m` LEFT JOIN `facv2_extensions` AS `e` ON `m`.`component_id` = `e`.`extension_id` WHERE ( (`m`.`published` = 1 AND `m`.`parent_id` > 0 AND `m`.`client_id` = 0) AND (`m`.`publish_up` IS NULL OR `m`.`publish_up` <= :currentDate1)) AND (`m`.`publish_down` IS NULL OR `m`.`publish_down` >= :currentDate2) ORDER BY `m`.`lft`900μs133.17KBParams/libraries/src/Menu/SiteMenu.php:166Copy
  • SELECT `c`.`id`,`c`.`asset_id`,`c`.`access`,`c`.`alias`,`c`.`checked_out`,`c`.`checked_out_time`,`c`.`created_time`,`c`.`created_user_id`,`c`.`description`,`c`.`extension`,`c`.`hits`,`c`.`language`,`c`.`level`,`c`.`lft`,`c`.`metadata`,`c`.`metadesc`,`c`.`metakey`,`c`.`modified_time`,`c`.`note`,`c`.`params`,`c`.`parent_id`,`c`.`path`,`c`.`published`,`c`.`rgt`,`c`.`title`,`c`.`modified_user_id`,`c`.`version`, CASE WHEN CHAR_LENGTH(`c`.`alias`) != 0 THEN CONCAT_WS(':', `c`.`id`, `c`.`alias`) ELSE `c`.`id` END as `slug` FROM `facv2_categories` AS `s` INNER JOIN `facv2_categories` AS `c` ON (`s`.`lft` <= `c`.`lft` AND `c`.`lft` < `s`.`rgt`) OR (`c`.`lft` < `s`.`lft` AND `s`.`rgt` < `c`.`rgt`) WHERE (`c`.`extension` = :extension OR `c`.`extension` = 'system') AND `c`.`published` = 1 AND `s`.`id` = :id ORDER BY `c`.`lft`445μs3.88KBParams/libraries/src/Categories/Categories.php:375Copy
  • SELECT `id` FROM `facv2_content` WHERE `alias` = :alias AND `catid` = :catid202μs1.34KBParams/components/com_content/src/Service/Router.php:263Copy
  • SELECT `id`,`home`,`template`,`s`.`params`,`inheritable`,`parent` FROM `facv2_template_styles` AS `s` LEFT JOIN `facv2_extensions` AS `e` ON `e`.`element` = `s`.`template` AND `e`.`type` = 'template' AND `e`.`client_id` = `s`.`client_id` WHERE `s`.`client_id` = 0 AND `e`.`enabled` = 1347μs880B/administrator/components/com_templates/src/Model/StyleModel.php:773Copy
  • SELECT s.id, s.template, s.home, s.title AS long_title, s.params FROM facv2_template_styles AS s WHERE s.client_id = 0 AND s.template = 'rt_ambrosia' ORDER BY s.id234μs800B/libraries/gantry5/src/classes/Gantry/Joomla/StyleHelper.php:69Copy
  • SELECT * FROM `facv2_languages` WHERE `published` = 1 ORDER BY `ordering` ASC201μs1.59KB/libraries/src/Language/LanguageHelper.php:142Copy
  • SELECT `id`,`name`,`rules`,`parent_id` FROM `facv2_assets` WHERE `name` IN (:preparedArray1,:preparedArray2,:preparedArray3,:preparedArray4,:preparedArray5,:preparedArray6,:preparedArray7,:preparedArray8,:preparedArray9,:preparedArray10,:preparedArray11,:preparedArray12,:preparedArray13,:preparedArray14,:preparedArray15,:preparedArray16,:preparedArray17,:preparedArray18,:preparedArray19,:preparedArray20,:preparedArray21,:preparedArray22,:preparedArray23,:preparedArray24,:preparedArray25,:preparedArray26,:preparedArray27,:preparedArray28,:preparedArray29,:preparedArray30,:preparedArray31,:preparedArray32,:preparedArray33,:preparedArray34,:preparedArray35,:preparedArray36,:preparedArray37,:preparedArray38,:preparedArray39)962μs7.44KBParams/libraries/src/Access/Access.php:357Copy
  • SELECT `id`,`name`,`rules`,`parent_id` FROM `facv2_assets` WHERE `name` LIKE :asset OR `name` = :extension OR `parent_id` = 05.41ms181.48KBParams/libraries/src/Access/Access.php:301Copy
  • SHOW FULL COLUMNS FROM `facv2_content`514μs3.02KB/libraries/vendor/joomla/database/src/Mysqli/MysqliDriver.php:625Copy
  • UPDATE `facv2_content` SET `hits` = (`hits` + 1) WHERE `id` = '577'1.6ms48B/libraries/src/Table/Table.php:1325Copy
  • SELECT `a`.`id`,`a`.`asset_id`,`a`.`title`,`a`.`alias`,`a`.`introtext`,`a`.`fulltext`,`a`.`state`,`a`.`catid`,`a`.`created`,`a`.`created_by`,`a`.`created_by_alias`,`a`.`modified`,`a`.`modified_by`,`a`.`checked_out`,`a`.`checked_out_time`,`a`.`publish_up`,`a`.`publish_down`,`a`.`images`,`a`.`urls`,`a`.`attribs`,`a`.`version`,`a`.`ordering`,`a`.`metakey`,`a`.`metadesc`,`a`.`access`,`a`.`hits`,`a`.`metadata`,`a`.`featured`,`a`.`language`,`fp`.`featured_up`,`fp`.`featured_down`,`c`.`title` AS `category_title`,`c`.`alias` AS `category_alias`,`c`.`access` AS `category_access`,`c`.`language` AS `category_language`,`fp`.`ordering`,`u`.`name` AS `author`,`parent`.`title` AS `parent_title`,`parent`.`id` AS `parent_id`,`parent`.`path` AS `parent_route`,`parent`.`alias` AS `parent_alias`,`parent`.`language` AS `parent_language`,ROUND(`v`.`rating_sum` / `v`.`rating_count`, 1) AS `rating`,`v`.`rating_count` AS `rating_count` FROM `facv2_content` AS `a` INNER JOIN `facv2_categories` AS `c` ON `c`.`id` = `a`.`catid` LEFT JOIN `facv2_content_frontpage` AS `fp` ON `fp`.`content_id` = `a`.`id` LEFT JOIN `facv2_users` AS `u` ON `u`.`id` = `a`.`created_by` LEFT JOIN `facv2_categories` AS `parent` ON `parent`.`id` = `c`.`parent_id` LEFT JOIN `facv2_content_rating` AS `v` ON `a`.`id` = `v`.`content_id` WHERE ( (`a`.`id` = :pk AND `c`.`published` > 0) AND (`a`.`publish_up` IS NULL OR `a`.`publish_up` <= :publishUp)) AND (`a`.`publish_down` IS NULL OR `a`.`publish_down` >= :publishDown) AND `a`.`state` IN (:preparedArray1,:preparedArray2)370μs6.12KBParams/components/com_content/src/Model/ArticleModel.php:215Copy
  • SELECT `c`.`id`,`c`.`asset_id`,`c`.`access`,`c`.`alias`,`c`.`checked_out`,`c`.`checked_out_time`,`c`.`created_time`,`c`.`created_user_id`,`c`.`description`,`c`.`extension`,`c`.`hits`,`c`.`language`,`c`.`level`,`c`.`lft`,`c`.`metadata`,`c`.`metadesc`,`c`.`metakey`,`c`.`modified_time`,`c`.`note`,`c`.`params`,`c`.`parent_id`,`c`.`path`,`c`.`published`,`c`.`rgt`,`c`.`title`,`c`.`modified_user_id`,`c`.`version`, CASE WHEN CHAR_LENGTH(`c`.`alias`) != 0 THEN CONCAT_WS(':', `c`.`id`, `c`.`alias`) ELSE `c`.`id` END as `slug` FROM `facv2_categories` AS `s` INNER JOIN `facv2_categories` AS `c` ON (`s`.`lft` <= `c`.`lft` AND `c`.`lft` < `s`.`rgt`) OR (`c`.`lft` < `s`.`lft` AND `s`.`rgt` < `c`.`rgt`) WHERE (`c`.`extension` = :extension OR `c`.`extension` = 'system') AND `c`.`access` IN (:preparedArray1,:preparedArray2) AND `c`.`published` = 1 AND `s`.`id` = :id ORDER BY `c`.`lft`391μs3.92KBParams/libraries/src/Categories/Categories.php:375Copy
  • SELECT `m`.`tag_id`,`t`.* FROM `facv2_contentitem_tag_map` AS `m` INNER JOIN `facv2_tags` AS `t` ON `m`.`tag_id` = `t`.`id` WHERE `m`.`type_alias` = :contentType AND `m`.`content_item_id` = :id AND `t`.`published` = 1 AND `t`.`access` IN (:preparedArray1,:preparedArray2)231μs3.97KBParams/libraries/src/Helper/TagsHelper.php:388Copy
  • SELECT `c`.`id`,`c`.`asset_id`,`c`.`access`,`c`.`alias`,`c`.`checked_out`,`c`.`checked_out_time`,`c`.`created_time`,`c`.`created_user_id`,`c`.`description`,`c`.`extension`,`c`.`hits`,`c`.`language`,`c`.`level`,`c`.`lft`,`c`.`metadata`,`c`.`metadesc`,`c`.`metakey`,`c`.`modified_time`,`c`.`note`,`c`.`params`,`c`.`parent_id`,`c`.`path`,`c`.`published`,`c`.`rgt`,`c`.`title`,`c`.`modified_user_id`,`c`.`version`, CASE WHEN CHAR_LENGTH(`c`.`alias`) != 0 THEN CONCAT_WS(':', `c`.`id`, `c`.`alias`) ELSE `c`.`id` END as `slug` FROM `facv2_categories` AS `s` INNER JOIN `facv2_categories` AS `c` ON (`s`.`lft` <= `c`.`lft` AND `c`.`lft` < `s`.`rgt`) OR (`c`.`lft` < `s`.`lft` AND `s`.`rgt` < `c`.`rgt`) WHERE (`c`.`extension` = :extension OR `c`.`extension` = 'system') AND `c`.`access` IN (:preparedArray1,:preparedArray2) AND `c`.`published` = 1 AND `s`.`id` = :id ORDER BY `c`.`lft`409μs3.92KBParams/libraries/src/Categories/Categories.php:375Copy
  • SELECT DISTINCT a.id, a.title, a.name, a.checked_out, a.checked_out_time, a.note, a.state, a.access, a.created_time, a.created_user_id, a.ordering, a.language, a.fieldparams, a.params, a.type, a.default_value, a.context, a.group_id, a.label, a.description, a.required, a.only_use_in_subform,l.title AS language_title, l.image AS language_image,uc.name AS editor,ag.title AS access_level,ua.name AS author_name,g.title AS group_title, g.access as group_access, g.state AS group_state, g.note as group_note FROM facv2_fields AS a LEFT JOIN `facv2_languages` AS l ON l.lang_code = a.language LEFT JOIN facv2_users AS uc ON uc.id=a.checked_out LEFT JOIN facv2_viewlevels AS ag ON ag.id = a.access LEFT JOIN facv2_users AS ua ON ua.id = a.created_user_id LEFT JOIN facv2_fields_groups AS g ON g.id = a.group_id LEFT JOIN `facv2_fields_categories` AS fc ON fc.field_id = a.id WHERE ( (`a`.`context` = :context AND (`fc`.`category_id` IS NULL OR `fc`.`category_id` IN (:preparedArray1,:preparedArray2,:preparedArray3)) AND `a`.`access` IN (:preparedArray4,:preparedArray5)) AND (`a`.`group_id` = 0 OR `g`.`access` IN (:preparedArray6,:preparedArray7)) AND `a`.`state` = :state) AND (`a`.`group_id` = 0 OR `g`.`state` = :gstate) AND `a`.`only_use_in_subform` = :only_use_in_subform ORDER BY a.ordering ASC841μs4.81KBParams/libraries/src/MVC/Model/BaseDatabaseModel.php:166Copy
  • SELECT `c`.`id`,`c`.`asset_id`,`c`.`access`,`c`.`alias`,`c`.`checked_out`,`c`.`checked_out_time`,`c`.`created_time`,`c`.`created_user_id`,`c`.`description`,`c`.`extension`,`c`.`hits`,`c`.`language`,`c`.`level`,`c`.`lft`,`c`.`metadata`,`c`.`metadesc`,`c`.`metakey`,`c`.`modified_time`,`c`.`note`,`c`.`params`,`c`.`parent_id`,`c`.`path`,`c`.`published`,`c`.`rgt`,`c`.`title`,`c`.`modified_user_id`,`c`.`version`, CASE WHEN CHAR_LENGTH(`c`.`alias`) != 0 THEN CONCAT_WS(':', `c`.`id`, `c`.`alias`) ELSE `c`.`id` END as `slug` FROM `facv2_categories` AS `s` INNER JOIN `facv2_categories` AS `c` ON (`s`.`lft` <= `c`.`lft` AND `c`.`lft` < `s`.`rgt`) OR (`c`.`lft` < `s`.`lft` AND `s`.`rgt` < `c`.`rgt`) WHERE (`c`.`extension` = :extension OR `c`.`extension` = 'system') AND `c`.`access` IN (:preparedArray1,:preparedArray2) AND `c`.`published` = 1 AND `s`.`id` = :id ORDER BY `c`.`lft`388μs3.92KBParams/libraries/src/Categories/Categories.php:375Copy
  • SELECT `a`.`menutype`,`a`.`title` FROM `facv2_menu_types` AS `a` WHERE `a`.`client_id` = 0140μs608B/libraries/gantry5/src/classes/Gantry/Framework/Menu.php:138Copy
  • SELECT m.id, m.alias, m.path AS route, m.level, m.parent_id FROM facv2_menu AS m WHERE m.menutype = 'mainmenu' AND m.parent_id > 0 AND m.client_id = 0 AND m.published >= 0 ORDER BY m.lft568μs1.98KB/libraries/gantry5/src/classes/Gantry/Framework/Menu.php:791Copy
  • SELECT `m`.`id`,`m`.`title`,`m`.`module`,`m`.`position`,`m`.`content`,`m`.`showtitle`,`m`.`params`,`mm`.`menuid` FROM `facv2_modules` AS `m` LEFT JOIN `facv2_modules_menu` AS `mm` ON `mm`.`moduleid` = `m`.`id` LEFT JOIN `facv2_extensions` AS `e` ON `e`.`element` = `m`.`module` AND `e`.`client_id` = `m`.`client_id` WHERE ( ( (`m`.`published` = 1 AND `e`.`enabled` = 1 AND `m`.`client_id` = :clientId AND `m`.`access` IN (:preparedArray1,:preparedArray2)) AND (`m`.`publish_up` IS NULL OR `m`.`publish_up` <= :publishUp)) AND (`m`.`publish_down` IS NULL OR `m`.`publish_down` >= :publishDown)) AND (`mm`.`menuid` = :itemId OR `mm`.`menuid` <= 0) ORDER BY `m`.`position`,`m`.`ordering`508μs1.83KBParams/libraries/src/Cache/Controller/CallbackController.php:51Copy
  • SELECT `name`,`element` FROM `facv2_extensions` WHERE `type` = 'plugin' AND `folder` = 'finder' AND `enabled` = 1337μs656B/administrator/components/com_finder/src/Helper/LanguageHelper.php:135Copy
  • SELECT `title` FROM `facv2_finder_taxonomy` WHERE `parent_id` = 1 AND `state` = 1 AND `access` IN (1,5)168μs584B/administrator/components/com_finder/src/Indexer/Taxonomy.php:314Copy
  • SELECT SUM(CASE WHEN `a`.`next_execution` <= :now THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) AS due_count,SUM(CASE WHEN `a`.`locked` IS NULL THEN 0 ELSE 1 END) AS locked_count FROM `facv2_scheduler_tasks` AS `a` WHERE `a`.`state` = 1269μs1.37KBParams/administrator/components/com_scheduler/src/Model/TasksModel.php:466Copy
  • SELECT `session_id` FROM `facv2_session` WHERE `session_id` = ?173μs1KBParams/libraries/vendor/joomla/session/src/Handler/DatabaseHandler.php:291Copy
  • UPDATE `facv2_session` SET `data` = ? , `time` = ? WHERE `session_id` = ?1.89ms592BParams/libraries/vendor/joomla/session/src/Handler/DatabaseHandler.php:318Copy