A spell or ritual consists of a specific series of actions, words, and other events which end in the movement of energy. In magic, the two words are interchangeable (though in religion, rituals are spiritual expressions of faith - not magical actions.)

There are many types of rituals. We perform some rituals every day. We may sit down to dinner at a certain time, read the paper in the morning, put on one shoe before donning the other. These rituals produce needed change: they feed us, inform us, and protect our feet. These are personal rituals.

In the US, we drive on the right side of the road, wait for a table in a restaurant, pass persons walking toward us on the right, and shake hands or hug upon meeting a friend. Doing these things ensures that we drive safetly, won't be thrown out a restaurant, won't bump into others, and that we acknowledge the presence of someone we know. These are social rituals.

In attending religious services, we may wear special clothing or headgear, speak in unusal languages, pray in unison, sing specific songs, and do many other things. Performing such actions enriches our spiritual experience.

These are religious rituals. We might also set a specific goal in our minds, take up needle and thread and create a craft. Or we may light a candle and say a short chant. We do these things to create a positive change in our lives. The are magical rituals.

Ritual is nothing new: we're performing rituals every day of our lives. Magical ritual is simply a different type of ritual, but it's as real and as effective as any other type discussed above, and produces just as specific effects.

Magical rituals are sometimes dramatic representations of our magical goal. They may also be quite subtle. They have three purposes: to put us into the proper frame of mind, and to allow us to combine personal power with earth power, and eventually, to send that power to do it's task.

Old spells aren't necessarily more effective than new ones. Published rituals don't tend to be ineffective simply because they've been published. All properly designed spells will work if they're properly performed.

In magic, the world of energies is just as real as that of kittens, bills, and rainbows. Spells and rituals allow us to penetrate the illusion that the physical world is the ultimate reality; that are lives are predeterminded; that we have no control over them. They give us control.