Rites of Worship: A Neopagan Approach

Isaac Bonewits understands that rituals are more than a method by which a participant plugs into the Divine. Rituals require lots of mundane planning, organisation, direction, and co-ordination. They also require co-operation, both of the leading team and of the participants.

Rites of Worship: A Neopagan Approach is a text every ritual leader or would-be ritual leader should read. At its most basic, this book is a handbook of practical information. At its best, it is an excellent analysis of the psychological steps involved in ritual.

The concept of "progressive witchcraft" is not new for Janet Farrar and Gavin Bone. When Janet and Stewart Farrar left the Alexandrian tradition, they did so because of the limiting structure they saw as being imposed over a much freer practice. From that departure came years of experimentation and distillation of "traditional Wicca" into what has now been dubbed "progressive witchcraft."

In his introduction to this book, Isaac Bonewits addresses the concept of liturgy and how the structure of a ritual can enhance or impede the ritual's purpose. While many Neopagans might bristle at the use of the term "liturgy," it is in fact the correct term for Bonewits to use throughout the book. He defines liturgics as the "field of study and practice that deals with the design, preparation, and performance of public worship ceremonies" (36). Bonewits spends a remarkable amount of time carefully defining the terms he uses in the text, which further helps the reader to pinpoint the definition of these terms in the context of their own ritual activities.

Two main themes arise is the book. The first stresses "effective use of the arts." Bonewits states that artistic and dramatic elements "can be the critical determinants of how much psychic, magical, and/or spiritual energy gets raised by the participants, and of how well that energy is maintained, focused and discharged" (42). As a ritual leader, this fact is something that I wish more people understood. Theatre is an essential element of ritual which has sadly been expunged or abandoned in much modern spiritual practice. Bonewits discusses the modern ritualist's reluctance to let go, the understandable reliance on the logos of a script. However, Bonewits stresses that emotion and gut instinct are what drive successful ritual, within a structure. Self-consciousness and a fear of awkwardness are what stifles the modern ritualist's use of drama within a ritual context. Sacred drama is a time-honoured method of teaching which allows participants to understand the mysteries in a completely different fashion. They are not being told; they are understanding by living it.

The second theme revolves around following form simply for the sake of tradition. Throughout the book, Bonewits demonstrates the fact that a ritual leader who does not understand the precise function of every aspect of the ritual is cheating him/herself, and his/her participants, by creating a "fuzzy" ritual. In this case, fuzzy refers to the unfocused nature of the ritual. Bonewits states (and correctly) that every word, action, song of a ritual should support the ultimate the ritual's ultimate goal. Nothing should be done "just because," otherwise it can (and does) detract from the carefully focused energies raised and shaped during the ritual experience. By separating and addressing the steps of a basic liturgical ritual one by one, Bonewits shows that most rituals can be shown to follow a standard pattern. Understanding this pattern is one of the fundamental ways to build strong and successful ritual which meets the needs of the practitioners.

Throughout this book, several key issues connected with rituals are addressed, include dealing with physically and mentally challenged participants, logistics of planning, the use of theatrical elements, and handling large rituals with hundreds of participants. The careful delineation of each step within a ritual and the accompanying exploration of why it is performed are insightful and valuable for any ritual leader or teacher of liturgics. It is equally valuable to students or ritual participants, for in understanding how good ritual is put together and performed, they in turn become informed participants and can get more from their ritual experiences. All in all, this book is highly recommended.

(Note to readers: Parts of Rites of Worship: A Neopagan Approach have previously appeared in the Druidic journals The Druids' Progress, Oak Leaves, Pentalpha Journal & Druid Chronicler, and The Druid Chronicles (Evolved), as well as the author's personal website. Parts may be familiar to you if you have had exposure to any of these sources. Having all the information assembled in one place and woven together with skill and attention is invaluable for any reader.)

(c) 2004 A. Murphy-Hiscock. Originally published in Wyntergreene, Summer Harvest (August) 2004.