Ritual of hope and healing

The corona virus pandemic is hitting the world hard. Here in Finland, where I live, a state of emergency resembling martial law has been declared today. We are literally at war with the epidemic, with the goal of slowing it down and protecting the people most vulnerable to it. The past week has been more or less chaotic, with events being cancelled, schools closing and gatherings of more than ten people being banned.

Amidst all the people hoarding food and toilet paper (for which a special place in hell has been reserved if they do it without good reason, especially here in Finland where paper never runs out), and the neighbors who turn their back at you in the stairwell out of fear of infection, what can we as a magickal community do?

In the Finnish Wicca group on Facebook, the following video was posted today. It is a call to action by Chi Nami for the magickal and spiritual community to raise energy to heal, help and create hope in the world during this pandemic. The ritual will take place on Friday 20th March at 8.00 p.m. UTC +2 (= 2 p.m. EDT).

If you are not into doing ritual, you can send a prayer as well. However, if you do want to do a ritual, but do not know how to structure it, here is what I will do, presented as a complete ritual structure.

Ritual of hope and healing

Prepare your ritual space and set up an altar. Here is how I will do it:

• Elemental representation for Water and Earth: a bowl of salt water
• Elemental representation for Air and Fire: smoldering incense
• Any representations for your deities*
• A white candle. You could also opt for three different candles: 
• Light green for healing
• White for helping 
• Yellow for hope
• Cakes and ale (aka. some food and drink to help you ground after raising and sending energy)

Here are the ritual steps:

1. Ground and center
2. Magickally cleance your space and yourself by asperging (springling salt water) and censing (wafting incense).
3. Cast the circle in your preferred manner
4. Call the quarters, starting with the East
5. Invite Deity* and state the intention of the the ritual
6. Meditate for a moment on the goal of this ritual, visualizing it in your mind: 
• See before you how healing and help comes to everyone in need, and how hope is born.
7. Keep this visualization firmly in your mind as you start raising energy. You could use a number of methods:
• Drumming
• Chanting/singing
• Dancing
• or others
8. While you keep the vizualisation going in your mind, as the energy rises and comes to a peak, release it and send it out into the world to do its work.
9. If you have any residual energy left you can earth it 
10. Next, bless the cakes and ale (or whichever food and beverage you have) and relax for a  moment. If you invited Deity, share some with them.
11. When you feel ready, and it is time to end the ritual, start by thanking Deity for their presence and help.*
12. Release the quarters
13. Open the circle

Now that the ritual is done, it is time to act in accord with the intention. Do what you can to help keep others and yourself safe (wash your hands, follow the directions of you country's health department, etc.) and create hope by sharing positive moments with friends and loved once on social media.

*Skip if you are not into deities or are not religious

***

After the ritual on Friday, I will be hosting a chat (in Swedish) on my Discord channel Hexagram for anyone who wants to talk and share experiences. 

Stay safe and hopeful, everyone!

Blessed be!

~Stella