Customer Reviews

Creating Circles & Ceremonies: Rituals for All Seasons and Reasons

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Creating Circles & Ceremonies
By Oberon & Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart
New Page Books, 2006

Review by Anodea Judith

Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and his wife, Morning Glory, have done it at last. Compiling decades of experience in creating rituals and ceremonies for all occasions, from the celebrations of the seasons to blessing your dinner or a new home, this book will provide ideas, information, theory, and practice to bring a sense of the sacred into everyday life.

Author of the acclaimed Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard, Oberon has written a Pagan bible that every practitioner of magic and ritual will want to have on a shelf within easy reach. With spells, chants, invocations, herbal recipes, and more, you won't want to go through a moon cycle without using this book.

From my many years of working together with this magical couple in the Church of All Worlds, I am delighted that our vast treasury of Pagan liturgy has finally been written down. Collected from many contributors, this compilation brings together the best of the Pagan community in poetry and song, innovation and invocation, including our Magic 101 class that was offered for many years as a primer in magical training.

The wealth of information herein is divided into three smaller sections. Book I, "The Magic Circle" outlines the basic theory and practice of creating ceremonies, such as creating sacred space, calling the quarters, invoking spirits, deities, or helpers, and basic ritual etiquette. Book II, "Rites and Rituals" describes ceremonies for all occasions, including rites of passage, marriages, and initiations. Book III: "Wheel of the Year" then applies these principles to the eight seasonal holidays that mark the solstices, equinoxes, and cross-quarter days of the year. The final Appendices contain information you will use as a reference for years to come.

Lavishly illustrated with Oberon's unique artwork, this book is destined to be as classic a book for ritual recipes as "The Joy of Cooking" was to the culinary world.

Anodea Judith, author of Wheels of Life, and Waking the Global Heart

This book is the ultimate guide to the solitary. It can be quite difficult to organize your family celebrations without the aid and expertise of a priest/ess. This book helps me to create rituals and circles that the whole family can participate in (children and Christians alike) at a level that everyone is capable and comfortable with. It has also been a great help in organizing my private ceremonies. Even when there is no reason to cast a circle or perform a ceremony the book contains a great deal of daily inspiration. It's truely herbal tea for the pagan soul.

This is an incredible resource for anyone who is organizing, conducting or writing a ritual. I had always been a solitaire, but when I was asked to perform a sabbat ritual for a group of beginners, I jumped on the opportunity. Because my own personal rituals were highly impromptu, I knew the group ritual needed more structure. I shopped for a few good books, and I am very glad I bought this one. I highly recommend it for both beginners and those with more experience. It's not a book you would necessarily read from cover to cover (although you could), but is more of a useful collection of writings you can turn to every time you wish to create a ritual.

If the authors' names sound familiar, it's because they've spent over thirty years traveling the world's magical communities and meeting with leaders of varying traditions: CREATING CIRCLES & CEREMONIES: RITUALS FOR ALL SEASONS AND REASONS stems from these travels and blends three books under one cover: the fist outlining basic principles, the second following actual ceremonies and rites, and the third compiling full rituals for the eight seasonal festivals. An excellent guide embraces all new age ceremonial traditions.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I am really enjoying this book. I wish there were more out there like this. I have several of the authors sculptures and found the same attention to detail within the the pages of the book. I highly reccomend it to anyone interested in Wicca/Witchcraft. It give real information about many subjects that are not often written about. It was a joy to find some of the older and well remembered rites and stories within.

Headmaster Oberon of The Grey School of Wizardry has done it again! 'Creating Circles and Ceremonies: Rituals For All Seasons And Reasons' is the difinitive research tool for those seeking the how-to's for creating Sacred Space, Altars of all types, Ritual, and much more. I've been a practicing Pagan for years and learned that you can indeed teach an old dog new tricks. A must read for anyone regardless of chosen Path.

This is a must have for Initiates into the Craft, whether part of a group, self-initiated, or those of you thinking of starting and organizing a new coven. The explanations are concise and detailed, and Oberon and Morning Glory really do have a lot of talent, skill, and thoughtfulness that they have poured into this book. The book focuses on group ritual, but I would recommend it even for solitaries who are embarking on their path, as many aspects of the rituals can be applied to small groups of three or four, and the authors provide guidance on interacting with the larger pagan community. Fare well and w/blessings, you who seek this path.

This is a collection of the writings of Oberon Zell-Ravenheart and the people associated with him. So while the book is attributed to Oberon it is really a collective work.
While the title says "Creating Circles and Ceremonies" it really doesn't tell you how to do this. It teaches by example, and consists of many wonderful rituals and ceremonies that help fuel your own creativity. It is a republication of three volumes he has published in the past, and the various authors have had a chance to freshen up their work prior to it being republished here.
I've enjoyed the other works published by Oberon and this volume is an excellent collection of ideas and usable rituals that would be a worthy addition to any pagans library.

My friend kept telling me that I MUST get this book. I finally broke down and got it and was surprised at how much I like it so far. I haven't read every page but so far it seems like a great reference book for people that like to create their own rituals. Some of their ceremonies are fun and a little out there, others are more serious. There are a ton of chants, quarter calls and lots of other stuff to give you ideas. Overall I would recommend this book. :)

A book I refer to again and again. I lack for nothing with this book when it comes to creating circles and ceremonies. Wonderful poems and readings. This book is a coffee table staple for me!