*It is suggested previous to conducting this Ritual, to spend the day focusing on the body, and on how you’re will effects your body. Are you feeding your body what it needs? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you tending to any wounds/illnesses that you are suffering from? Remember, there are millions of living organisms existing within you; some of them lend you Strength in ensuring your body’s proper function. Are you doing what need to do to ensure you are reaping the benefits of these "co-existences?" Are you being DIVINELY RESPONSIBLE? If you practice any form of physical grounding, such as Yoga, or Reiki, take the time to balance yourself out as much as possible before beginning this Ritual. Conducting this Ritual during illness, or when you are physically exhausted will most likely detract from its overall effect.
In this particular Ritual, I will only be addressing the Divinity of the Self…
*Of course, whatever Deity/Entity/Ideology that you find personally fulfilling should be included within the Ritual when you perform it for yourself. (Modifying the Ritual in such a manner can only add to its benefit, as long as focus on the Self remains intact within the Ritual.) (I would like to suggest that if you are finding yourself squeamish about calling yourself Divine; take the time to explore that before beginning the Ritual. If you are not feeling good about who and what you are, the effect of the Ritual will not be as great.) This Ritual can be conducted alone, or in acceptance of those that you trust. I would not suggest performing this Ritual with persons you have only just met, or with anyone with whom you share any animosity. Focusing on the Self in such a fashion can be a highly personal thing, and self-consciousness will most likely distract from the key moments of Focus
Just before Gathering your tools together, sit down and meditate. *Stretch your whole body, feel the vitality in the very Core of you stretch along with the muscles of your flesh. This Ritual is for Affirmation of Strength within your WHOLE SELF. You've got to wake up every bit of you for a little "exercise"…
(Don't get started until you get that vibratory feeling with every movement, use that momentum to begin). Gather something that represents the following to you:
1. Water 2. Fire
3. Earth 4. Air/Wind 5. Strength
6. Balance
Suggested Items (Can include any and/or all):
Bowl of Water/Chalice filled with Water/Location near/on the water
Candles/Fire/Symbol for Fire/Runes for Fire/Burning Incense/Herbs/Oils
Clay/Fresh Earth/Wood/Stone/Naturally Formed Gems and Crystals/Runes
Runes/Symbol/Wind chimes/Wind instrument/*It should be noted to the followers of Lilith that she is well known as a Wind Goddess, and therefore could be appropriately honored here*
What makes you think of the word Strong? It's a big strong bodybuilder? Well, then if you can convince one to stand in your first inclination may not be feasible obviously, but there are many types of strength and as many different things that can be representative of it to any one individual. (If you are performing this Ritual indoors and are trying to be relatively discrete, a drawing would suffice just as easily. Or even a symbol for strength, or even just the word.)
I would highly suggest scales. It is highly symbolic for most people, but if you have an image/symbol that you associate with Balance more readily, then by all means, use what is the most meaningful to you (Yin and Yang, Chalice and Blade Any or all combinations, as you see fit). Think about how these tools strengthen: Resolve, Awareness, and how they affect the Strength of your Focus. As you perform the Opening Phase of your Ritual for Affirmation of Strength, take the time to also focus on the ability you have to protect yourself from harm. Pay careful heed to the ways that you set about "protecting" the sacred space in which you intend to hold the Ritual.
*I make no suggestions here as to how to do this.
(Each method is highly personal to the individual I feel, and trying to encompass the true scope of what this can entail would only deter from the rest of the Rite. Use whatever is best for you.) Once you have set your protections, called your corners, or hailed your patron Gods/Goddesses (as you would), it is time to perform the Rite of Affirmation of Strength.
Center yourself and pull your Focus away from the distractions of the Mundane.
*Really examine the Symbolism of that which you have set before you. (Try to understand that just as you have found Strength within the External, there is Strength within you as well, and it is time to face that Strength and claim it as your own.) Voice that out loud. "I possess Strength, both within my physical body, and within the limitless bounds of myself." Do you feel Strong after saying this?
My guess is that many of you who had/have trouble with the concept that you are yourself Divine are ALSO feeling a little odd with the notion that you are STRONG but now you must say something even more unsettling now you must reveal to yourself a very important TRUTH…
"I possess DIVINE STRENGTH. I am DIVINELY STRONG." Say it until you are practically (or better yet ARE) screaming at the top of your lungs.
Granted that it won't get the authorities called to your door but as loudly and confidentially as you can, affirm to yourself that you are both divine and Strong. *You may find yourself balking, this is rather like the reaction a lot of Self Help "tell yourself you love yourself in the mirror" exercises go, and in this case it is generally because you have yet to face the Weakness that you feel is stopping you from seeing yourself as an individual capable of Divine Strength.
(If you feel as though you cannot retain you’re Focus, and you begin to react negatively while attempting to do this portion of the Ritual, it is perfectly acceptable to substitute verbally speaking the words with writing them down.) It is certainly more effective to speak them, but this Affirmation of Strength can be repeated as many times as you need to achieve the desired result (Perhaps you will feel more confident the next time you conduct the Ritual).
Once you have completed your affirmations, it is time to visit your individual Strengths and Weaknesses.
*In this case, it is best not only to speak these aloud, but to also write them down (Just a short description will do, and it should be tucked away for the next Affirmation of Strength that you perform, to show yourself the progress you have made toward developing those Strengths, and warding against those Weaknesses.
Knowing the ways in which we are weak is half the battle toward the prevention of falling victim to our own self-sabotage.
Visit each of the tools that you chose to represent the Concepts listed above.
*As you do so, reflect upon ways that you can use those tools (and what they stand for) toward Strengthening yourself even further. Now it's time to do that all over body stretch again, let yourself revel in the space you are in, allow the physical to encompass you for as long as you are comfortable with it.
*Celebrate that vibratory momentum, dance, sing, have sex.
(Allow yourself physical release of some kind whether its pushups, a mile run, or just taking a nice stroll through the park get moving! Let yourself explore freely the Strength of your body, and never mind if you can't do what that Olympic Bodybuilder does, allow yourself to be proud of what you ARE able to do..) When you have wound down complete the closing down of the ritual.
*Once again, I make no suggestion as to how this should be done, as each will have their own. (But I would hang on to that list of Strengths and Weaknesses until you perform the Ritual again.) Try to keep in mind throughout the rest of your "day" that you are indeed Strong, that you possess Divine Strength, and that you bare a Divine Responsibility to yourself to afford yourself those things that lead to the maintenance and further development of that Strength. © Rev. Samilyn and Rev. JP DDG