The meaning of the number 13

The meaning of the number 13

I thought this to be an interesting read.

Creating Sacred Space

Sacred space is the difference between somewhere that you could hold a ritual and somewhere that is worthy of your ritual.

The term "Sacred Space" can mean many things to may people and the methods for creating it can vary from tradition to tradition. Some religions will have temples or churches that are built and are sacred spaces unto themselves, and some Pagans will similarly have a temple set up in their house, if they are lucky. But for many Pagans the matter of creating Sacred Space involves doing so each time they hold a ritual.

Sacred Space is basically taking the area of your ritual and before you begin, marking it in some way in order to consecrate it to your purpose. This can be a simple symbolic act, perhaps involving a small dedication to the Gods, or it can be a significant part of the ritual itself, in which surrounding and personal energies are drawn together in order to align the space to your working.

The act of creating Sacred Space is common to a good majority of Pagan paths and they all have their own ways of doing it, which despite appearing different in their methods, remain extremely similar in their theory and intent. Here are a few examples:

Asatru: The most common method in Asatru for creating Sacred Space before a ritual is called "The Hammer Rite". This rite itself is a Neo-Pagan development, but believed by many to be based around the symbolism of Mjollnir, the hammer of Thor.

This rite usually involves a dual declaration, one towards the altar and one facing away from it (covering both directions of the ritual space), in which the person calls upon the hammer to sanctify the space. This is sometimes coupled with the striking of a hammer in each direction.

Kemeticism: In the Kemetic religion, the Sacred Space is created by purifying the Shrine (akin to the altar, here). This is done by physically cleaning the Shrine and the area around it and then touching each object on the Shrine with a mixture of water and Natron. Natron is a substance natural to Egypt, but can be made at home by combining baking soda and salt. As the objects are touched and cleansed, the Kemetic concentrates on making the area a place that is suitable for the Gods to visit.

Wicca: Ritual Sacred Space is created in Wicca through the casting of a Magic Circle. This is done by magically drawing in the energies that naturally surround the caster and projecting them into a protective circle. The area within this Circle will be the Sacred Space of the ritual. In addition to this, Wiccans call upon the services of supernatural beings of the Elements to act as guardians and observers at the four cardinal points of the Circle; North, East, South and West.

The building of the Circle is very much a ritual unto itself and as such forms a significant part of the greater ritual workings that will take place within it.

When we create Sacred Space we are seen to do so on multiple levels, cleansing the area on the physical plane and on the spiritual plane, while also clearing our own minds so that we may be better disposed towards what we are about to do. It is an act of purification and consecration, making the area worthy of our ritual and aligned towards it, while simultaneously doing the same to ourselves.

Preparing the Altar

The altar is the work-space of a ritual and the usually the central point of the ritual's Sacred Space. As the focal point of the ritual, the altar becomes the place the gives your ritual direction, as it is a place to keep your ritual tools, ingredients and any offering that you may be using.
Depending upon your tradition, the placement of your altar may be significant. It has become common custom in many groups to place the altar facing North, however some people may find more significance in having a South facing altar. Others may change the position of their altar depending on the rite that is being performed.

North: North is customary to some Traditions as it was seen as the home of the Gods and so any altar that is facing North is automatically aligned towards the Gods and ready to worship them.

East: The East is the point from which the Sun rises every day and so a lot of Traditions place their altar facing East and begin their rituals in that quarter, as the origin of light and revelation.

South: The South is the high-point of the sun, associated with passion and energy. Not many Traditions place their altar in the South, but some groups may choose this position for certain rituals.

West: Altars in the West are suited to workings of deep emotion and the subconscious. The sun sets in the West and as the place of darkness it is associated with the Mysteries.

When preparing your altar, make sure that you have placed upon it or around it, all items that you will need for your ritual, including any tools, effigies and seasonal adornments.

Before You Begin

Before you begin your ritual it is common to take time cleaning your tools, the ritual space and cleaning yourself. Much of the time this is a method for focusing your mind towards the work you are soon to engage in.

Cleaning Tools: Spending time in silence cleaning your tools is a way to focus your mind as a method of meditation. As you sit cleaning your ritual tools you rest your mind upon them, contemplating what they are and how they are about to be used. You will consider their symbolism and reaffirm your connection to these items, charging them with your own energies as you clean them.

Bathing: Ritual bathing can be a significant part of preparing for your ritual. It allows you to not only clean yourself but also to "cleanse" your mind of distractions. This is like a small purification ritual before moving into your larger working.

Cleaning the Ritual Space:  Sweeping, anointing and preparing the space for your ritual is in itself a significant act. It announces that something special is about to take place there and that the area is being made suitable for it. This cleansing is not just for brushing away dust and dirt, though, it is more about ridding the area of any energies that may be unwanted in the space of the ritual.

Step Four

What do I need?

Preparation really is the key to any successful ritual. Really, there is no worse situation to be in than to reach a crucial moment in a ritual only to discover you have left something important in your kitchen or forgotten to prepare appropriate words for that part.

Preparing a ritual is in itself a very significant part of the entire process, not only for the obvious need to know what you are going to do, but also because in the preparation of a ritual you are forced to give some thought into what each and every step in that ritual signifies and consider why you will be performing each bit.

For the solo practitioner this gives a situation where there shouldn't be anything in the ritual that doesn't hold some kind of personal significance, while for the group based ritual the members have the opportunity to attain an understanding of a ritual from many different perspectives and even learn about new things in context to the ritual.




What items you want to use in your Ritual are your personal choice I have done a post about Tools of the Trade this will introduce you to some of the basic tools that may be used. None have be used it its a personal choice as to weither you use them or not.

Blessed Be

Night and Day

To some, the different hours of the day hold different astrological connections. However, listing these out as well could take up a severe amount of space that just isn't constructive to this post, so instead we'll look at the basic principles of Night and Day.

Day time: As the Sun is in the sky, this is obviously the best time for any kind of working that relates to the Sun. But that doesn't mean that it is the only time when you can work with these energies. The daytime is light and exposed, so it is a good time for open celebrations, especially those that you don't mind being public. As a very male orientated time it is well disposed for celebrations of virility and athletic activities.

The Sun is also very significant for Solstice and Equinox rituals, in which the entire point is to use the passage of the Sun as the ritual focus, marking the shortest and longest days of the year, as the Sun enters its lowest and highest phases.

Night time: Night is for private functions and secret gatherings. As a time of darkness it is closely connected to the Mysteries, so it is well suited to these kinds of rituals. The Moon is the ruler of the night, serving as the light in the darkness. As mentioned, the moon is aligned to feminine energies and so the night is well disposed to working with feminine energies. But there is no reason you shouldn't work with these energies at other times, too.

The night also reveals to us the constellations of the stars and so it is a good time for considering other astrological works.

One may wish to take into account other aspects of timing, such as astrological alignments and mystical numerology. If these things interest you at all then I would recommend looking into books on these subjects or otherwise checking the internet. Various paths may place different significance to different numbers, times and heavenly events, so to make things easier, first look to see if your specific religion/path has any teachings regarding these things.

Days of the Week

The days of the week are seen as significant in many ways. Firstly, the days themselves are names after certain Gods and so if working with these Gods that might be a good time to petition them. Otherwise, the days also have other correspondences.
Monday: The day of the Moon. Thusly it is good for work that involves female issues, emotions and the Mysteries. Unsurprisingly, this day is ruled by the Moon.

Tuesday: Tyr's Day. Tyr was a Norse God, noted for his great valour in combat and his incredible honesty. He was willing to sacrifice his hand so that the Gods could bind the great wolf Fenrir. The Romans marked this day by the God Mars, who is still the planet associated with Tuesday. Workings for this day have definitely picked up the traits of Tyr and Mars, as today is regarded as a good time for works of discipline, courage, athletics and passion.

Wednesday: Odin's Day (Woden's Day). Odin was the All Father, chief among the Norse Gods. He was seen to be the wisest of the Gods and tore out his own eye so that he might obtain the secrets of the Runes, which were later gifted to mankind. Wednesday is ruled by the planet Mercury, who also shares some connection to the naming of the day from the Latin. This day has attained correspondences with both Odin and Mercury. It is seen as seen as a good day for workings regarding wisdom and artistic pursuits, but also communication and travel.

Thursday: Thor's Day. Thor was a God of Thunder and struck down his enemies using the magical hammer, Mjolnir. Thursday was attributed to Jupiter by the Romans. Jupiter, as an equivalent to Thor in the naming of the day, also wielded the power of the thunderbolt. The alignment of this day has kept more in connection to Jupiter (which is its ruling planet), than it has to Thor. Thusly this day is good for workings that focus on leadership, prosperity, wealth and health.

Friday: Frigg's Day. Frigg is the wife of Odin and a Goddess associated with love, marriage, fertility and motherhood. It is no surprise then that she should become the equivalent to Venus who marked this day for the Romans. Venus is still the ruling planet of this day, which is why this day is best used for workings of love, romance, friendship, sex and beauty.

Saturday: Saturn's Day. This is the only day that has retained a directly Roman name, in their God Saturn. Saturn was the God of the harvest and so this day can be seen to be a time to reap rewards of labour and to put an end to work for a time. Pretty appropriate for the start of the weekend, really. However, Saturn is comparable also to the Greek God Cronus, the ruler of the Golden Age of man. Cronus' mythology shows him as a conqueror who attempts to gain and maintain his power. This day mirrors that to a degree, as it is seen as good time for workings that involve removing obstacles and addressing problems.

Sunday: The Day of the Sun. Of course this day is rather unsurprisingly aligned with the Sun. As the Sun is the ruler of the sky, today is a day for authority, success and sovereignty. Preceding the feminine alignment of Monday, Sunday has masculine connections and so is a good time for performing workings that relate to men.

Moon Phases

New Moon Used for personal growth, healing and blessing of new projects or ventures. It's also a good time to cleanse and consecrate new tools and objects you wish to use during rituals, ceremonies for an upcoming festival.




Waxing Moon, This is a time when rituals and rites of attraction, or positive magic, are typically performed. In other words, it's a time when you can do workings to draw things to you. Rituals for love, prosperity, healing energy, or wisdom are all appropriate at this time.



Full Moon, this is known as an Esbat ceremony. The time of the full moon is when the lunar energy is at its most powerful. It's also known as a time of enhanced intuition and wisdom. Used to banishing unwanted influences in your life. Creating protection magik and performing divination. Setting up plans and releasing old patterns or issues are all. Full Moon magik can be conjured during the 3 days prior to the rise of the Full Moon, the night of the Full Moon and during the 3 days after.



Waning Moon, This is a time when rituals and rites of banishment are appropriate. Use this time to send things away from you -- eliminate a toxic relationship, send away your financial problems or cast off all the things in your life that are negative. Negative emotions, diseases, ailments, and bad habits can all be let go and special spells for clearing can be performed at this time.



Dark Moon, this period occurs 3 days prior to the New Moon. This is the time when you can't see the moon in any phase. Typically no magik is performed during this time. This is the time to give yourself a break, to turn to self and pamper or replenish your own energies. Vision quests and deep meditations are called for at this time to focus on personal matters, questions and answers.



Lunar eclipse, this occurs when the moon passes into the Earth's shadow. This type of eclipse does not occur every year. But when it does, it's a wonderful and magikal night. When it does occur it lasts for only a few hours, so you need to plan your rituals well in advance. This one night is perfect for all purposes. Simply plan your spells to coordinate with the passing shadow. When the moon is in full eclipse, treat those few moments as if the moon was in it's Dark phase. Some witches forego magik work all together and use this time to honor the Goddess in a special ritual.

Step Three

When should I perform it?
Rituals are generally held in order to mark an event of some sort, so of course it makes sense to perform your ritual to coincide with the event you are marking. Seasonal Rituals are perhaps the most obvious examples, held in order to mark the significance of the changing seasons or some other celestial event. For rituals with a little more flexibility, there are other aspects that you may want to consider when determining the timing of your ritual. Some examples may be the day of the week, the position of the Moon (or other planets) and the time of day or night. Considering these kinds of things can also be useful for magical works, so if you intend on working magic in your ritual, it may be a good idea to take timing into account for that reason.

Step Two

Where shall I hold my Ritual?

Among many Pagan traditions there is a practice in which the place that you hold a ritual should either have sacred significance, or otherwise be prepared as sacred space for the purpose of the ritual.

For our ancestors this may have involved worshipping in sacred groves or maybe amongst the standing stones across Europe. But these days such things aren't too easy to come by. While it is true that you can feel free to practice in a woodland clearing that provides you with a sense of spiritual significance, it is often far more practical to simply set aside some easily accessible space and sanctify it. In modern witchcraft, this practice is usually achieved through sweeping an area to rid it of negative energies and then casting a Magick Circle.

Ceremonial Magicians, on the other hand, tend to set aside some space in their home to use as a permanent temple or sacred space. For some of us this isn't a practical option and so a temporary temple can be made that may be quickly erected when needed.

We'll discuss how to create Sacred Space shortly.

Step One

What do I want to do?

This is the most obvious first consideration. There is no point in even considering a ritual if you haven't a clue of what it is that you are trying to achieve. Look into the beliefs of your religion and use the examples above as a way to steer you onto the kind of thing that you wish to do.

Remember, entering into a ritual practice is not just a dull repetition of words and actions that you have written down in advance, it is an expression of your inner self, as such, ritual is a way to adjust your mindset and use the practice to not only impact your own psychology, but also a way to leave a lasting mark on the spiritual environment around you.

If any ritual is done correctly, then the person or people doing it will be putting their energies, thoughts and feelings into the ritual, speaking from their heart and attempting to really make it mean something. Because of this, a successful ritual can't help but leave an impression upon the surrounding spiritual landscape, even if only for a short time.

So when asking yourself what you want to do in your ritual, remember to consider what that means. Once you understand that, you will have the groundwork for where the rest of your ritual is heading.

Creating a Ritual

This will be a series of post on Rituals. As I don't want to overwhelm anyone.

Ritual is belief in action. It is taking theory, idea and spiritual commitment, and moving them into the realm of being. Through Ritual we express our beliefs and give them life.

Rituals serve all manner of purposes, from the mundane to the magical, but ultimately they serve to express what is within us; to give us an outlet for our spirituality that reveals not only what we believe, but also what those beliefs mean in grand scope of the universe. So we will be focusing on rituals and magical workings in this regard, providing an insight into what they mean and how to construct your own.

I will only give you the information on things a Ritual is based around. It is up to the individual to what will work for them and what won't. Just go with what feels right for you.