This outline is intended to serve as a guide to constructing Magickal Circles in the Selohaar tradition. It contains all the major elements which appear in Selohaar ritual; however, it does not encompass all of the possible permutations, nor should it be inferred that all of these steps will be used in every ritual performed by the Order. This is a very fleshed-out outline and often enough some elements will be missing in an actual working. Lastly, it should be noted that not all Selohaar ritual is performed in the circular configuration described here.

Roles of the Participants

The Celebrant performs the rite and sets the tempo of the working. While he or she may have numerous assistants to draw upon, the working’s success will ultimately depend on this person.

Assistants may be used as needed. They may annoint the participants, proffer the chalice, or invoke entities during the rite.

The Congregants are those people in attendance at the rite but not taking any active role in its performance.

Magickal Tools and Their Significance

Selohaar magick tools fall into two categories. The first is comprised of the Regalia of the Order: the Sword, Crown, and Grail, which are the substance of the symbolism of the Triquetra, the Order’s chief emblem. They are treated in depth elsewhere in this Book. They are desribed briefly below:

The Sword of Power is an extension of the one wielding it, symbolizing the active, masculine principle and the Order’s aggressive stance against injustice. It may actually be Aredayne, the Sword of Selohaar, or another may be used in its stead if wielded by a member other than the Grand Master.

The Chalice of the Grail, or a cup representing it, is used to symbolize the feminine or passive principle. Its energy is receptive and is symbolic of the hidden mysteries and the wellspring of creation and inspiration.

The Crown of Carcosa is a binding force for the polarities represented by the Sword and Grail. It is neutral in its aspect and symbolizes command and mastery. If unavailable, the crown may be substituted with a simple metal headband.

The other group of tools are the lesser tools, common to many magickal systems, which include any other accessories needed for the working’s performance, such as candles, incense, torches, annointing fluid, bells, a gong, or flame pots. Many of these tools are interchangeable, depending upon the desired dramatic effect.

Performance of the Ritual

1 Prepare the Ritual Area

If a central altar is used, it is placed in the center of the circle area. If held outdoors, candles or torches should be placed at the four points of the compass outside the circle. Any devices needed for the rite may be placed upon the altar.

2 Assemble the Participants

The participants gather in a circle, preferably with the Celebrant standing in the northernmost area of the circle.

3 Begin the Rite by Tolling the Bell or Gong

The gong or bell may be tolled to begin the ritual, thus providing a sharp contrast between the objective reality dominant before the rite and the subjective, magickal reality necessary for the working. Either may be tolled three times, symbolizing the Triquetra and three aspects of the Regalia, or nine times symbolizing the Nine Sacred Inborn Rights. Usually, an assistant will toll the gong or bell.

4 Invoke the Four Elemental Powers

The spirits of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth are invoked ( in that order) by the Celebrant or an assistant by moving to each of the four corners of the inside of the circle and facing that direction. Facing the West first, then moving to the other points, the Celebrant intones:

"Boul, Regent of the West, Lord of Earth, come ye forth"

"Eltzen, Regent of the North, Lord of Water, come ye forth"

"Oriens, Regent of the East, Lord of Air, come ye forth"

"Amemon, Regent of the South, Lord of Fire, come ye forth"

Another assistant may trace the standard invoking triquetra as each of the powers are invoked.

5 Invoke the Deities

The deities required for the rite are now invoked by the Celebrant, who also states the ritual’s purpose. Invoking summons the collective energies of the Order symbolized by that particular entity’s attributes. For an aggressive working, the energies of Vorthr might be more appropriate; for a healing working, those of Verena would be of the most use for the purpose at hand; for one focused upon good works or progress, Volnar would serve best. When the group is performing a general empowering rite, all three entities - Vorthr, Verena, and Volnar - are invoked. For this step the appropriate invoking triquetras may be traced in the air by one of the assistants.

6 Purify the Participants with the Elements

The assistants move through the inside of the circle in a clockwise direction, purifying the participants with ingredients symbolizing the elements. These may be a bowl of water for the participants to dip their hands in, symbolizing the Water elemental; incense to inhale, symbolizing Air; some soil to touch, symbolizing Earth; and a candle flame to pass the hands over, symbolizing the Fire elemental. For a less elaborate procedure, and one requiring fewer assistants, a form of shorthand may be used in this operation: Earth and Water may be combined in the form of salt water, and Fire and Air may be combined in the form of a burning incense stick. Either of these purifying procedures serves to attune the participants with the elements and act as a purifying agent.

7 Annoint the Participants

The annointing is done with some essential oil which is associated with a particular entity or type of entity. It is performed by the assistants in the same way as the purification detailed above: the assistants stop to annoint each participant as they move in clockwise fashion within the circle. Annointing allows the participants to better attune themselves with the collective energies of the group as represented by the deity associated with the annointing fluid.

8 Unite the Three Aspects

It is here that the Regalia of the Order conjoin in sacred union. An assistant bears the filled Grail Chalice before the Celebrant (or another assistant) who lowers the point of the Sword of Power into it. The Crown should then encircle the union of the two polarities of Sword and Grail, sanctifying their union. This is a very powerful operation, lending extra potentcy to the Grail’s symbolism, and is generally confined to more serious workings and perhaps the occasional springtime rite, on account of its fertility undertones.

9 Proffer the Grail to the Participants

An assistant once more travels the circle, this time proffering the Grail Chalice to the participants. In drinking from the chalice, or inhaling the odours of its contents, the participants partake of the fellowship of the Order. If Step 8 was not performed first, some words may first be spoken requesting the presence of Verena be present within the chalice, thereby enhancing its inherently feminine potential.

10 Create the Radiant Vortex

This is the crucial step in the ritual. The participants join palm to palm, envisioning as they do a swirling of energy in their midst. This energy is produced by a combination of the energies of the participants and whatever natural energies they have called forth into the circle. The Celebrant directs this energy by speaking as the participants share the energy. The purpose of the rite must be stressed here strongly, so that the resulting energy finds the proper direction. As the energy peaks, the participants raise their joined hands skyward for a few moments, then release the energy outward (if the rite is directed outwardly) or pull it in (if the rite is one to empower the participants in some way).

11 Ground and/or Center

At this time the participants should be allowed to disperse or shake off any excess energy left over from the working’s climax. It is advisable for the participants to re-center their thoughts, to regain their equilibrium.

12 Banish the Deities and Elemental Powers

The summoned deities are thanked and bid to depart in peace. The banishing triquetra appropriate for each deity may be used in conjunction with the dismissal of each entity. The process of invoking the elemental powers is also then done in reverse, starting with the south (Fire) point and working counter-clockwise. The accompanying assistant for this task may now use the general banishing triquetras to enhance this procedure. The deities and powers are dismissed to return to the same energy state as what was present before the working began: what was done is undone, thus completing the cycle.

13 Toll Bell or Gong to Close the Ritual

The bell or gong are tolled just as they were at the ritual’s beginning, adding a note of completion to the rite and forming a definite end to the ceremony.

Last Updated December 20, 2007