Whether it be smoking, drinking, drugs, nail-biting or putting the phrase "you know" into ever sentence uttered, many of us have what can only be called bad habits that we would be far better off without. If we are able to acknowledge these bad habits, that's half of the battle; but then to actually take steps to get rid of them can be far from easy. Here is a ritual that can help you focus on what you want to achieve, and which will magickally aid you in getting rid of the bad habit.
TIMING: To be started in the wining cycle of the Moon and repeated ever Monday for seven weeks.
DAYS: Monday
HOUR: Moon
CANDLES: 1 - Astral for Petitioner
1 - 7-day White Candle 3 - Light Blue inscribed "patience"
3 - Green inscribed "health"
INCENSE: Bay, thyme or juniper berries with rosemary
OIL: Cinnamon, myrtle, and olive or carnation, rosemary and sandalwood
KEY WORD: No More
SUPPLEMENTARY ITEMS: Poppet stuffed with vervain and cloves. Brown wool or brown silk ribbon (21" long); Dish
BATH: Frankincense, rose geranium, and rosemary or clove, frankincense, rosemary, and sandalwood
The Poppet, representing the Petitioner, should be made ahead of time, and stuffed with vervain and cloves
Breathe deeply and build your ball of protective light. While soaking in your ritual bath, meditate on the whole ritual, concentrating on being free of the bad habit. Enter the circle in the hour of the moon on the first Monday and stand, kneel or sit before the altar.
Light the incense.
With the oil, dress the altar candles and the 7-day candle, while concentrating on the purpose of the ritual. Light your taper, then from that, light the altar candles and the day candle.
State your intent:
"I am her to help ____ overcome a bad habit: to gain full control of his/her life and to live it to the fullest, with love and enjoyment."
With a nail or sharp object, inscribe the petitioner's name on the Astral candle, then dress the candle with oil. With your taper, light the petitioner candle and say:
"This is ______, who has the strength to overcome all negativity. Let his/her spirit burn as surely as does this flame; a symbol of the inner strength that will prevail in all things."
Take up the incense and swing it, incensing the whole area around the altar, while rhythmically repeating the Key Words "No more!" and building up the energy to that focus. Replace the incense on the altar. Take up the poppet and hold it in the smoke of the censor and say:
"I am this poppet _________. It is him/her in every way. Anything I do to this poppet I do to him/her."
With the length of the Wool or ribbon, bind the poppet, tying its arms and legs tightly to the body. Again hold the poppet in the smoke of the incense and say:
"Here is _______ as he/she is now: bound by a habit that he/she would break. As the time passes, the bonds will fall away and he/she will be free"
Place the poppet on the let side of the candles. With the nail or sharp object, inscribe the light blue #1 candle with the word "Patience". Dress it with the oil. Light the light blue #1 candle and say:
"Here do I light the first Lamp of Patience,, knowing that a long-held habit cannot be broken overnight. May this light ease the burden of the habit that is still strong."
With the nail, inscribe the green #1 candle and say:
"Here is the health that will be improving as the habit is lost. It will grow and burn steadily as the flame, bringing peace and joy to _______"
With the nail, inscribe the light blue #2 candle with the word "Patience" then dress with oil. Light the light blue #2 candle and say:
"Here do I light the second Lamp of Patience, knowing that a long-held habit cannot be broken overnight. May this light add to the first and ease the burden of the habit that is still strong."
With the nail, inscribe the green #2 candle with the word "health" then dress with oil. Light the green #2 candle and say:
"Here is the health that will be improving as the habit is lost. It will grow and burn steadily as these flames bringing peace and joy to ______.
With the nail, inscribe the light blue #3 candle with the word "patience" then dress with oil. Light the light blue #3 candle and say:
"Here do I light the third lamp of patience, knowing that a long-held habit cannot be broken overnight. May these three lights ease the burden of the habit that is still strong."
"Here is the total health that improves as the habit flees. It grows and burns steadily, bringing peace and joy to _______."
Take up the incense and swing it or move it all over & around, again incensing the whole area around the altar, while rhythmically repeating the key words "no more!" and building up the energy to that focus. Replace the incense on the altar.
Sit quietly in meditation, seeing the petitioner free of the habit and living happily in love and enjoyment. Extinguish the candles in reverse order.
For the following weeks, repeat the ritual leaving the poppet bound, on the left side of the candles, as it was after the first time through the ritual. Simply repeat the section as follows:
Hold the poppet in the smoke of the incense. Say:
"Here is ______ as he/she is now. bound by a habit that he/she would break. As time passes the bonds will fall away and he/she will be free."
Lay the poppet on the left of the candles. On the final week, repeat the ritual, but when you light the blue #3 candle say:
"Here do I light the third lamp of patience knowing that the long-held habit of ______ is finally broken. May the light from these lamps shine forward on life of love and joy."
Take up the poppet and unbind it Say:
"Here once again is ______. Now free and unecumbered. The habit has gone and life is full and happy once again."
Lay the ribbon/wool in the dish and burn it.
With the nail, inscribe the green #3 candle with the word "health" then dress it with oil. Light the #3 green candle and say:
"Here is the total health now complete and whole. The habit is fled; gone never to return. As these candles burn steadily, so is ______'s life steady and robust with peace joy, and love."
Take up the incense and incense the entire area. Sit quietly and contemplate life without the habit, knowing it to be full, healthy and happy. Extinguish the candles in reverse order.
(DON'T FORGET TO THROW "SO MOTE IT BE" IN THERE AFTER EVERY INCANTATION)