by Reverend Gina Pace
Right from the start, I’d like to explain that while it is a valid topic in its own right, using recorded music as background material during a ritual is not my intended topic here. Many people like to play recorded music during a ritual, and I myself have done so on several occasions—with good results. However, what I’m discussing in this article is the use of music within the ritual structure itself.
Having been raised Catholic, song and music were always considered an integral part of my early religious upbringing. The priest would often sing various parts of the Mass, with the congregation singing in response to him. I can honestly say that I have always felt that the Mass seemed a little more “special” or “sacred” when the parts were sung.
There are several intervals in which songs are also inserted. This is also true of other mainstream Christian services, as well as other religious services. I remember a music teacher of mine back in sixth grade who always used to say that singing was praying twice. I guess it’s a belief that stuck.
There is no need to feel musically perfect or superior when offering one’s ritual to the God and Goddess. I think it’s safe to say, if they gave you a voice, they’d rather you lift it up in prayer to them than feel embarrassed that you can’t carry a tune as well as you’d like. After all, freeform singing is not a precise talent. Priests in churches don’t dwell on how they sound. Nor do you have to feel as though you are being judged. Lift your voice up and don’t be afraid to use it.
Another way of using music in ritual is to use various instruments to symbolize, call upon, or simulate the different elements for the circle. When I am working a ritual circle, I always begin by calling the four elements to witness the ritual. This does not have to be a terribly formal event. In fact, you can do it without saying a word if you use musical instruments to bring in each element. Let’s say, for example, you wish to open your circle by calling in the element of air. A woodwind instrument, such as a flute, can represent air. There are many types of indigenous native flutes available, pan flutes, zen flutes, and cedar flutes among these. I use a tin penny whistle, which is in an old Irish favorite that I bought many years ago at a local music store for about five dollars. The memories alone make it a worthwhile addition to ritual. And its close affiliation with air makes it a perfect instrument with which to summon the element to the circle.
I begin in the east corner, which belongs to air, and I move slowly about the ritual space in a clockwise or sunwise, direction, playing my flute in a freeform manner. It tends to have an eerie kind of sound that adds to the ambience of the ritual. When I have completely the circle, I place the flute in the eastern corner, and move to the southern corner to call the next element, fire.
It is more difficult to come with a good instrument for the element of fire. I thought of the various traits of fire—passion, excitement, energy, momentum, ambition, and joy—and I chose a pair of Mexican maracas that I found on eBay. They are elaborately carved out of a pair of gourds. Many different native traditions have similar instruments. Shaking a pair of maracas has a primitive feeling of passion and joy to it that fits perfectly with the fire element. I begin in the southern corner of the circle and again, moving clockwise through the circle, shake my maracas, and welcome in the passion of fire. When I am back to the south again, I place them down and move to the west.
The west represents the element of water, which for me is a softer, emotionally nurturing element—so its instrument will have a softer, gentler sound. I have always associated the sound of bells and chimes with water, so I use a Tibetan singing bell, which is a handheld bronze bell that comes with a wooden wand (as opposed to a clapper). Or those who have never seen a singing bell before, it works like a singing bowl, only you hold the bell and you rub the wand around the edge of it and the bell’s song becomes louder and louder as you continue. Its song will eventually fill the room with a pure sound that is less jarring than if you rang the bell. I walk with the bell slowly as I make it sing along the entire circumference of the circle, and then place it back in the west when I am done. Finally, I move to the north.
The north corner is the home of the element of earth. This is also a nurturing energy, but in a grounding, growing sense. I like to use a drum for the earth that is made with a natural skin head and a carved wooden body. The style of drum you use is not important, but you should feel comfortable walking around with it. Mine is an African djembe that has a somewhat hourglass-shaped body. Any kind of drum works, as long as you feel a kinship with it. Again, beginning in the north corner, and moving clockwise, I drum the entire circle round, coming to a stop in the north again. There, I set the drum down. I am now ready to begin my ritual.
Many people like to use their instruments during the ritual itself. I find this a bit cumbersome unless you are doing a group ritual. In that case, you would have four people chosen to each represent an element, and each stop described above would be carried out by its respective person in turn. During the ritual itself, each person may play their instrument when the element is invoked. Whenever my circle meets to do a ritual, we have a period of time when we each reflect deeply on what we are grateful for in our lives, what we would like to ask for, and what we have seen come to pass that we had wished for previously. During these times, it is a wonderful thing to have the circle mates playing their instruments softly in support while you are talking about things that often become quite emotional.
After the prayers come the cakes and ale. I like to have everyone play their instruments again during this time, only this time we play more joyfully. One person will begin a rhythm, and each person will add to it until everyone is playing. This freeform music takes on a life of its own and helps to express great joy and happiness.
When I am doing my solitary ritual, I drum a single powerful rhythm at this point in the ritual, starting more slowly but gradually increasing in frequency till I feel I have released my energy properly. I always feel greatly satisfied after this.
If you have other instruments that you are interested in—a guitar, a tuba, you name it—feel free to incorporate them into your own ritual in a similar fashion. Even a piano can be used creatively. I have a friend who moves her piano into the center of the circle as the altar table, and then pounds away on it brilliantly near the end of the rite.
As with any ritual circle, when you are ready to close, reverse all your directions to release the circle. Begin by releasing earth, which you called in last. Move counterclockwise, and drum the circle round till you come back to the north, thank the earth for its energy, and release it.
Moving to the west, releasing water in a counterclockwise motion as well. Follow suit with each of the other elements until you have completed the circle.