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you’ll gain an understanding of the true nature of Wicca.
    Many people say they want to practice Wicca, but sit back and tell themselves that they can’t observe the full moon with ritual because they don’t have a teacher, aren’t initiated, or don’t know what to do. These are merely excuses. If you’re interested in practicing Wicca, simply do so.
    To the lone Wiccan, the creation of new rituals can be an exciting practice.You might spend nights with reference works, piecing together bits of ritual and invocation, or simply allow the spirit of the moment and the wisdom of the deities to fill you with inspiration. No matter how they’re created, all rituals should be done out of joy, not obligation.
    If you wish, time your rites with the seasons, pagan feast days, and phases of the moon (For more on the subject, see chapter 8, “The Days of Power”). If you feel particularly attracted to other sacred calendars, feel free to adapt them. There have been highly successful adaptations of Wicca utilizing ancient Egyptian, American Indian, Hawaiian, Babylonian, and other religio-magical systems. Though most of Wicca has, until recently, been primarily European and British-based, this needn’t limit us. We’re free to do what we will as solitary Wiccans. So long as the rituals are fulfilling and effective, why worry?
    Instructions on designing your own rituals are included in chapter 13, but some words regarding preparation for ritual are appropriate here.
    First off, make sure you won’t be interrupted during your religious (or magical) rite. If you’re at home, tell your family that you’ll be busy and aren’t to be disturbed. If alone, take the phone off the hook, lock the doors, and pull the blinds, if you wish. It’s best if you can ensure that you will be alone and undisturbed for some time.
    A ritual bath commonly follows. For some time I almost couldn’t bring myself to do a rite without having a quick dip first. This is partly psychological: if you feel clean and refreshed from the day’s worries, you’ll feel comfortable contacting the Goddess and God.
    Ritual purification is a common feature among many religions. In Wicca, we see water as a purifying substance that strips off the disturbing vibrations of everyday tensions and allows us to stand before the deities with purity of body as well as purity of thought.
    On a deeper level, immersion in water links us with our most primal memories. Bathing in a tub of cool, salted water is akin to walking into the waves of the ever-welcoming ocean, the domain of the Goddess. It prepares us spiritually and physically (have you ever felt different in the tub?) for the coming experience.
    The bath often becomes a ritual itself. Candles can be burned in the bathroom, along with incense. Fragrant oils or herbal sachets can be added to the water. My favorite purification bath sachet consists of equal parts of rosemary, fennel, lavender, basil, thyme, hyssop, vervain, mint, with a touch of ground valerian root. (This formula is derived from The Key of Solomon. ) Place this in a cloth, tie the ends up to trap the herbs inside, and pop it into the tub.
    Outdoor rituals near the ocean or lakes and streams can begin with a quick swim. Of course, bathing isn’t possible prior to spontaneous rituals. Even the necessity of ritual bathing is questioned by some. If you feel comfortable bathing, do so. If you don’t feel it’s necessary, it isn’t.
    Once bathed, it’s time to dress for ritual. Among many Wiccans today (particularly those influenced by the writings and ideals of Gerald Gardner, or one of his students—see bibliography), nudity is a preferable state in which to invoke the deities of nature. It is certainly true that this is the most natural condition in which the human body can be, but ritual nudity isn’t for everyone. The Church did much to instill shameful feelings regarding the undraped human figure. These distorted, unnatural emotions survive