Creating Circles & Ceremonies: Rituals for All Seasons And Reasons (Paperback)

~ (Author), Morning Glory Zell-Ravenheart (Author)
Key Phrases: hey yon yon, rhyme before the rite, medicine skull, Creating Circles, Mother Earth, Oberon Zell (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Creating Circles and Ceremonies is the accumulation of decades of circles, ceremonies, rituals, Mystery plays, initiations, rites of passage, and other magickal workings co-created by the Zell-Ravenhearts, today’s foremost Wizard/Witch couple.

For more than 30 years, Oberon and Morning Glory have traveled widely throughout the worldwide magickal community—participating in gatherings, conducting workshops, and creating rituals for groups large and small. They have met and made Magick with the leaders of many traditions: Celtic Shamanism, British Dianic, Italian Strega, Welsh Witchcraft, Faerie Trad, Ceremonial Magick, Ozark Druidry, the New Reformed Order of the Golden Dawn (NROOGD), Hinduism, Native American tribes, Greek and Egyptian mythology, and the futuristic Church of All Worlds.

Here, in one easy-to-read volume, is their collection of chants, invocations, circle-castings, quarter-callings, spells, and ceremonies. It is also a "kit" to use to assemble your own rituals, for any season or reason:

Book I presents a basic ritual outline. Each element is followed by numerous examples which may be "plugged in" to customize your own ceremony.

Book II gives numerous examples of actual ceremonies: Esbats (full Moons) and special occasions; Rites of Passage; Mysteries and Initiations; spells and consecrations. These can be adapted and modified as needed for any size group—from small family gatherings in your living room, to huge outdoor celebrations involving thousands of people.

Book III provides an assortment of full rituals and ritual elements for celebrations of the eight great seasonal festivals called the Wheel of the Year. Versions of these have been commemorated for millennia in most traditional cultures of the Northern Hemisphere; and today are universal throughout the worldwide Pagan community.

From the Publisher

"Innovative, Enchanting, Powerful & Essential – This book is another fine web weaving from the Ravenhearts, one that builds community and brings us together in celebration and renewal."

—Abby Willowroot, Goddess 2000 Project "An excellent primer for Pagan ceremonies and a helpful resource for Pagan clergy and teachers."

—Ellen Evert Hopman, author of A Druid's Herbal "Oberon has been touched by an angel – his words are pure gold."

—Lynn Santer, author of Professor Midnight "Morning Glory is a charismatic ritual priestess with a great sense of humor."

—Z. Budapest, author of Grandmother of Time

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Product Details

• Paperback: 287 pages
• Publisher: New Page Books; 1 edition (August 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564148645
• ISBN-13: 978-1564148643
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #349,323 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Compendium of Ritual Lore, November 9, 2006

By	Anodea Judith (San Rafael, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, April 11, 2007

By	K. Vining "katyv" (The Mythical State of Jefferson) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent guide embraces all new age ceremonial traditions., November 6, 2006

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

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