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I really fancy getting into some sort of monthly esbat ritual practice. To give my path a little structure and discipline but, for the life of me, I cannot fathom what sort of ritual to do.

I just don't even know where to begin.
How do you observe the esbats (if you do at all)? And what sort of practices do you incorporate?

xxx Aria

I use the esbats for lots of things. Right now I am working with a group of women and we explore a different Goddess every month. since we are an eclectic group we honor different Goddesses and try to understand what they have to teach us. Its an interesting group and the Goddesses from different traditions so far have been very generous in giving to those who are just asking and not necessarily following.

I see the Sabbats as more celebratory and the esbats more as working rituals. I look hard and long at myself, I try to have a set of standards to live by that makes sense to me, make me a better person, but yet a strong person. I work on these at esbats.
I often look at the things I need in my life and work for these at esbats. At new moon I look at the things I need to let go of, at full moon I try to work any magick I need to achieve my personal goals.

There are spells that I feel need done, in my life, my neighborhood, my country, the Earth, I do these at esbats.


I hit the post button before I was done, maybe its a sign I said too much! icon_lol.gif

I observe my private esbats by meditating on what needs to be done and making a decision beforehand sometimes even a week earlier. I cast circle, do a meditation for the purpose of my esbat, do what ever magick I had intended ( which sometimes is as simple as asking for answers or guidance), then I spend a little bit of time thinking about what I did on the last esbat and was it a worthwhile cause, Am I finished with it, is there something more important I should be doing, how well did the spell work, is there something else i should be doing? (yeah ok sometimes I over-think things But I believe in looking honestly at things I have done, especially magickally.) Its not unusual that I do a cone of power to protect what I have done or to add power to my spell work. I do a bit of cakes and ale to help ground, then I deconstruct circle do libations and am on my merry way.


Does that answer you question???? If not just ask me in another way. Once you just begin to do them they make more sense.

I hope this helped

Loona edit: I combined the two posts into one posts

Well you guys have certainly given me some food for thought so thank you smile
I think at this point in my spiritual path I need to focus on building relationships with my Deity so I could perhaps do that during esbats?

As far as my practice goes I tend not to use Circles unless they're longer-lasting. Like, I've got one on my window sill at the moment that I'm using to focus solar energy into a jar of honey that I'll offer to my Deity. But I rarely put one around myself...odd that hehe smile .

Great ideas smile Thanks again
xxx Aria

It may help if people explained what they believe the term Esbat to mean.

The commentary on what it is and is not in modern witchcraft greatly when addressing the works of the Farrars, Doreen Valiente, Margaret Murray or Charles Leland.

Please make this mean something, my brain hurts reading it.

"THE ALL IS MIND; The Universe is Mental."--The Kybalion.

I'd change that to say that an esbat is a dull ceremonial meting of working both magic and of worshiping. Can and is most commonly held on full moons but they can be held any time.

By the power of the mind much is possible

I'd find it fascinating.