From: angelai@wam.umd.edu (Angela I.)
Newsgroups: alt.pagan
Subject: Re: Ritual Help For a Sick Friend
Date: 16 Oct 92 00:13:44 GMT
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park

In article <16881E7D6.PA142138@utkvm1.utk.edu> PA142138@utkvm1.utk.edu (Nancy Proctor) writes:
>In article <1992Oct15.152553.7728@panix.com>
>jimoates@panix.com (Jim Oates) writes:
>
>>                                   (deleted)
>>Here is my request:  Is there a simple protection or ritual
>>anyone can recommend concerning health and relief of pain?
>>                                  (deleted)
>>I really would like to help him, in a "spiritual" way, which
>>is the only way left to help.
>>
>>Any comments or suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>>Blessings to all,
>>Jim
>>
>>
>Jim, have you tried anything like "laying on of hands?"  
>I have used this technique several times with success.  However, I have not
>worked with anyone suffering the intense pain that your friend is enduring.
>
Actually, it is technically illegal to do "laying on of hands" or
even using mental imagery techniques on an individual in your presence
unless you are licenced to do so.  If you want to be legally correct
about it, you could do the visualization techniques from the next room,
and even lay your hands on the door or the adjacent floor or wall to send
the energy that way.  However, it's perfectly legal to send them that
same energy in an "indirect" form, such as sitting and talking to the
person, and any "friendly" (as opposed to "psychic-type") physical contact.

I would also suggest praying to any/all deities, making offerings as
desired & appropriate, & some kinds of music & reading materials tend
to be reasonably uplifting to anyone who has to spend periods bedridden
with illness  (the music/books would depend on the person's taste)...
I personally would suggest: Peter, Paul, & Mary's 1990 album, and 
a good book on astral projection.  (Astral projection is a fun thing
to try when you're stuck in bed for extended periods of time, and it
doesn't tire you out at all...)

As far as specific rituals, my rule of thumb is to write one yourself:
whatever occurs to you as being magickal enough to get you into the
right mindset and appropriate for the intent of your ritual  is probably
going to be a lot better than anything someone else could tell you...
But general guidelines for inventing a ritual/spell are:
1)What would seem to be to satisfy the bare essentials of a magickal
ritual?  (Some people would just not feel right unless there were
candles lit for the 4 directions, others feel the need to cast a circle
or pentacle, etc...)
2)What is the most powerful symbolism I can envision for what I am trying
to achieve?  (This one requires some divine inspiration, I think... For
example, for a money spell, burning a dollar in your central candle
might be just the thing for generating the emotional reaction/power
to make the ritual/spell really work well...)
3)What else might help?  (Generally, the "extras" that will help you
get even more in sync with what you're trying to do.  Special prayers,
etc....)
4)Meditations are always good...

The above guidelines can be used for an elaborate ritual/spell to generate a
lot of power at once that would dissipate over time, or you could devise
something that would be more simple and could be used more frequently...
Or you could charge up an appropriate object for the sick person to keep...

Sorry, I'm lousy at suggesting rituals 'cause there are so few limitations,
and each situation's needs are different.  Good luck, though.

I have lost several loved ones to various types of cancer.
But I do have a friend who completely recovered...  And he hasn't had
a relapse in 5 years, so I don't think he's going to...  :)

Sympathy & healing energies...
Blessed be.
Angela  (The Eclectic Witch)