David Wood’s new Album Shades of the Hecate Tree is now available and can be purchased from his website www.davidwoodmusic.com. This albums is magickal and mysterious and it sure will bring in the powers of Hekate to your spiritual work and path.
He will appear live at Beltiane in the Forest 2010
More information at his website.
Photo by Katherine Griswold, copyright 2010
Hauk has emerged as one of the leading Heathen musicians in the country. To date he has released six albums; the four on CD and the last two are available for download from itunes, Amazon, and Rhapsody. Baconic is the most current release. Hauk is a man full of spiritually, art, and wisdom. I have had the honor of knowing him for the past several years and recently he agreed to do an interview for Panpipes and Lyre. Here are 20 questions with insights of Hauk’s spiritual path, music and creative output and his overall view of both world’s combined because for him it is one in the same.
1) Who are your musical and spiritual inspirations?
Musical- I listen to a lot of different styles and genres, from
country to metal to classical to folk. My favorite songwriters are
Justin Sullivan, Joey DeMaio, Josh Ritter, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash,
Paul Simon, Dave Mustaine- the list goes on for ages.
Spiritual- I’m Asatru. I follow the Norse Gods. They are my
inspiration, my heroes, my role models.
2) What classification do you consider your music?
I call it music and let the critics decide what it is. Some stuff is
metal, some folk, some country, some Celtic punk metal with a middle
Eastern flair. I write the song to tell the story, not the story to
fit the pigeon hole.
3) As a Heathen, how do you feel about the Pagan Community considering your music to be Pagan and how do you feel about your music performed/ played to a Pagan audience?
Pagan folks are good folks- they treat me well, and I’m honored to
play for them. I want my music to inspire people- to move people, to
help them out as they need it. A lot of my songs come from the darker
times of my life- if that can help someone deal with their own dark
times, then fantastic.
4) How old were you when you decided to be a professional musician? What are your future goals as a musician?
4th Grade. I was watching MTV and Guns N Roses came on. I decided then
and there, that’s what I want to do with my life. Future goals? I’m
going to keep writing my songs and doing my thing. It would be nice to
be a billionaire rock god and all, but I’m in this for the music.
5) Do you play your music during your rites and rituals or do you play
someone else’s or both? If you do play other music, what style of music do you play during your rituals?
Asatru rituals tend to be very simple. We don’t use music that often.
In fact, it’s pretty rare.
6) What styles of music do you enjoy listening during leisure? What kind of concerts do you attend?
A little bit of everything. Lately I’ve been on a country kick-
listening to Lady Antebellum, Jake Owens, and Taylor Swift. The other
week it was Dark Tranquillity, Manowar, and the Levellers. Before
that, New Model Army and Gorecki’s 3rd Symphony. Depends on my mood.
7) What do you consider to be Pagan and/ or Heathen music?
Music by Pagans or Heathens. Duh. 
What would I recommend your
readers check out? Now that’s a different question. Tru Spirit are
great, so is Hagalaz Runedance. You can’t go wrong with Tyr, either.
8 ) What was the most amazing concert you performed? Was it magickal? And what kinds of venues do you enjoy playing?
I’ve done everything from campouts to night clubs to large halls with
several thousand people. Pantheacon is always an amazing event. The
energy there is something else, especially when the crowd starts
screaming “Odin! Odin! Odin!” when we play Lamentation. But I love
playing small bars where I can see everyone afterwards.
9) Are you planning a tour of the country? Other counties?
Not currently. I want to though. I’ve got a few plans for West Coast
dates this fall, but that’s still being confirmed.
10) Where do you feel in your own visions where Pagan and/ or Heathen music is going? Do you feel that a larger audience knows it or do you feel that it’s going to stay static or grow?
I think once the recession eases up and people have more discretionary
income, we’ll see an increase in both sales and creative output. Do I
think we’ll have a Pagan artist outsell Taylor Swift on Itunes?
Well…. that would be a good day. It might just be a ways in coming
though…
11) Which of your albums/ songs are personal to you in relation to 1)
Spirituality 2) Personal life. Or are all songs a mixture of both, then
which would you consider to be?
Every song I’ve done has a little piece of me in it. Whether it be
deeply spiritual like “green” or more tongue in cheek like “Hookers
and Blow,” everything reflects a part of me- my faith, my beliefs, my
experiences, and occasionally my twisted sense of humor. Some songs
like “Gasoline” are overtly about my personal life, but have the touch
of the Gods in there.
13) Does any of your other family members practice Asatru or a Pagan
Religion? If not, how do they feel about your spiritual path?
Not my blood family. They don’t approve, but they know I am who I am,
and I’m a good person because of it. That’s all that matters really.
14) How long have you practiced Asatru?
9-10 years. give or take.
15) What are your top favorite Norse Myths? Do they play a role in the
topics of your songs? If so which songs?
It’s hard to say what is my favorite story of the Gods- there are
many, and they all teach different lessons. Many of my songs revolve
around Ragnarok and the death/rebirth of Baldur. “Lamentation” was
written to try and give human scope to the grief Odin feels for
Baldur. To try and put it in human terms and concepts, so that we can
understand Odin better. Many of my songs are like that- I try and get
inside the heads of the Gods, as best a mortal can, anyways.
16) For someone who is just starting out in Asatru, what suggestion would you give them? Any of your songs you would suggest too as a teaching of the
path?
Starting out? Do your reading- read the Eddas, read some of the sagas,
read the commentary. Then think about it. Think how it applies to how
you live your life, and what you believe. Make sure you believe in the
Gods. Also, steer clear of Jotun worshippers. And, Varg Vikernes is a
douchebag.
Songs as a teaching tool? Well, read the Eddas first, then see what
you can hear in my music. Don’t want to make this too easy now, do I?
17) You live in the East Coast now and your band lives in the West Coast,
any chance of all of you doing a tour together sometime in the near future?
I sure hope so! Just waiting for the right deal to come along. You
never know what the future holds. And I’m not married to the East
Coast- I get the right wind in my sails, I might just go somewhere
else.
18) Would you consider being a member of a musical group or band of another genre than your own? Would you pick up the saxophone and play in an 18 piece Jazz band, etc?
What is my genre? I’ve written Metal, Country, Folk, Punk, and
Classical. Would I pick up sax again? Sure, if I had the time. Jazz is
fun to play, but not something I’d be able to commit years to. I’m
honestly not really interested in playing “other peoples music” other
than covers around a campfire. The only band I would consider joining
as a session player would be New Model Army, just for the chance to
learn from them.
19) Have you thought about writing a book? If so what topic?
I’ve started compiling a book of poetry. Thought about writing my
memoirs/reflections on the industry, but that may have to wait a bit.
At some point I’d consider writing a book on songwriting, but that
will need to wait a bit.
20) Any chance of your music being published in music notation?
Sure- I’ve got charts for most of the songs. Just need someone willing
to put up the money to print parts.
You can visit him at his website http://www.haukmusic.com and you can also purchase his CDs right from Witchcraft Music at http://store.witchcraftmusic.com.
Here now is a video of I’ll Eat Bacon on your Grave from the CD Baconic, Enjoy!!!
Anne Hill is a creator of many wonderful songs. She composed and recorded a CD of children songs titled Circle Round and Sing. The CD can be purchased from the Witchcraft Music online store. Here is a video of the song. Enjoy.
It’s Sunday evening at PantheaCon and the third day of the Con is coming towards the end. The 9 o’clcok session comes near and Pandemonaeon is on stage working on sound check and getting ready to play their set. Many Pagans who have been attending the Con all weekend start arriving and preparing for the concert. The energy starts to peep giving the atmosphere that the concert will start very shortly. The band, consisting of Sharon Knight and Winter with Gari Hegedus, Bean, and Tim Rayborn, are joined by T. Thorn Coyle for the first few numbers. The beat of the drums and sound of the chords starts playing and in a manner of a few moments, the crowd starts dancing and get into the powerful energy that is created.
The music of Pandemonaeon is infused with sounds of Hard Rock, Middle Eastern modes, and a flavor and seasoning of Celtic sounds. Together they brought the audience into a trance mode and took them to the magickal realms of between the worlds. They are energetic with artistic creativity bringing Pagan themes into their music. That night they were the creators of music, one of the most powerful types of ritual, lifting the audience to a trance state of mind.
The flavor of Pandemonaeon is the perfect example of modern day Pagan Music. They please the audience with the current sounds of contemporary music with the personal touch of Paganism. The artistic expression of each member of the band is heard clearly, bringing passion and fire into the hearts of everyone in the audience. This band is a must to experience in a live performance. However, when it is not possible, they do have recordings. The recordings bring to life this passion they put on the concert stage. The latest CD Dangerous Beauty brings the magick to life in the living rooms, the automobiles, the headphones, and the rituals of individual people. The CD can now be pre-ordered at their website and is highly recommended.
If you are looking for good Pagan Music for your rituals, trance dancing, for your gatherings and parties, or just simply to enjoy, Pandemonaeon is a top artistic group to explore. It is highly recommended to hear their artistic expression and brilliance. The magick does not stop there, it continues and vibrates over and over. They are one of the best Pagan Bands that emerged from the San Francisco Bay Area.
Visit their website——> http://www.pandemonaeon.net/
Chants: Ritual Music and Second Chant are recordings of chants that have been sung at various Witch Camps (offered by Reclaiming). The recordings were done as if they were performed, in other words it’s not different sessions pasted together like a typical recording. This makes it more like a live experience and raises the magickal energy in a powerful spectrum. The CDs are great for learning the chants for those who can’t read music. The insert includes the lyrics and the performance includes drumming. They can be used for a group of pagans or for the solitary. They can be used either for learning or during the ritual itself. These CDs prove to be very popular among many Pagans are are a must to own in your library.
Let It Begin Now is the music from Starhawk’s The Spiral Dance. In 1979, Reclaiming introduced the first public spiral dance. These songs were used during that ritual. In 1992, it was recorded in the studio. Now everyone can experience this historical performance of the spiral dance by owning a copy of this CD. The content of the music is a Samhain Ritual and is yet another idea to incorporate into the ritual. Music in ritual has always been a powerful way to raise energy. Here is a perfect example of how powerful music can be during a ritual. The collection was put together in the five phases of a ritual.
Wiccans, Witches, Druids, Asatru, and Ceremonial Magickians are all different traditions and religions of the Pagan/ Heathen Community. Over the past half a century they have continued to enrich and flavor a strong foundation for themselves and a modern history. During the beginning there was many conflicts and searching for education, either through family lines and/ or publications and books. After many years a foundation was found in a craft for alternative religious practices. What has also come down in the Pagan Traditions is the element and the art of music. In the beginning however most of the music was melodies and songs from preexisting music set to text vocalizing the Pagan Views. The chants used text set to Christian Hymns and Gregorian chants. Various members of the Pagan Community also used folk songs with Pagan text. As time progressed, as new Pagan Traditions were founded, new music was composed. In the years to come “Pagan Friendly” artists and Pagan themed songs in different and diverse genres of music became a popular addition to the community. However, these artists and musical compositions were not identified as Pagan or promoted as Pagan.
Gwydion was the first musical artist creating original music who identified himself as Pagan. Pagans have always been people of the arts, searching and creating their philosophies and beliefs through poetry, painting, arts and crafts and music. Many of the forerunners of the religion were not trained musicians. They did what they were able to do and took what they knew and created new text from their knowledge. Is this a true valid form of art? Taking something that was created from another religious point of view? Some may say no, others may say yes. However, there is no right or wrong answer. The important point is that it was valid and continues to be valid. But in seeking a musical tradition, is this the only means for creation? From the patterns of what came to be in the last part of the 20th century, it seems that Pagans have been searching and creating music for ritual and performance. In the past two decades many new musical artists who identify themselves as Pagan emerged from the background creating original music with Pagan Views. Where did this start? How did it start? Where did it go? And where it going? These are the points and issues this paper will attempt to uncover. There may not be a simple answer. Pagan Music continues to create and enrich its people.
In the beginning of Gardnerian Wicca, Gerald Gardner and his followers created music for their traditional practices. Most of these songs and chants were set to melodies from preexisting music, Such as the song Lord of the Dance, first performed and recorded by Patricia Crowther. This was a song that was “Paganised” from the Syndy Carter original Christian version. With a minor change of wordings, the new text became a Pagan View and concept. So therefore, it now became a tradition in the Pagan Community as a Pagan Song. However, it still has its roots in the Christian Tradition.
Modern day Druid and Pagan Elder, Isaac Bonewits created many songs to which he recorded. He himself is not a trained musician, but possesses musical abilities. He took Irish and Scottish folk tunes and added new text to fit the Pagan Beliefs. But once again, this is not the creation of original music.
This form of composing is NOT invalid. Many composers of the early Christian Era and secular Classical genre used this method in their writing. It is called “Parody.” In the older definition of this word, Parody is a technique where the artist takes something that is old and creates something new. It is a technique used in art that has been used for centuries. It continues to be used in many genres of music. Elvis Presley and his song Love Me Tender, the melody was taken from the folk song Aura Lee. John Williams follows this tradition when composing his music for film. While this is valid and true in musical fashion, it still is not a foundation or growth in Pagan Music. It can therefore be viewed as a starting point and the chaos for which then slowly moves to an order and focused tradition.
During the 1970’s more artists and songs started to emerge. Selena Fox and Jim Allan created and composed an entire songbook of Pagan Music for their tradition. This songbook included songs for entertainment as well as rituals. This songbook is part of the beginnings of original music composition in the Wiccan community. In the mist of these original songs are those that fall in the category of Parody. One of which is called the Twelve days of Yuletide, a Christmas song reworked to fit the Wiccan Sabbat Yule. Holiday songs is something that will be discussed further later in this paper.
Not only were Fox, Alan, and Gwydion working on original musical compositions, but other Pagans were also starting to create original music. Lady Isadora is another early Pagan Musical Artist, creating original songs in the views and philosophies of Paganism. Like Gywdion and Bonewits, her music is under the category of Folk Music.
Chants were also starting to rise in the Pagan Community. Chanting was not for musical performance, but rather as part of magickal workings and ritual. Z. Budapest in 1970 composed the well-known chant We All Come From the Goddess. After the conception of this chant others followed, such as Hoof and Horn (The counterpart to We All Come From the Goddess, We Are A Circle Within A Circle, and many others. These chants, as opposed to the early chants were composed using original music.
Chants and Folk Music style were among the popular music in Pagan Music during this early period. Slowly as the community grew and more and more diverse groups of people from different backgrounds became a part of it, other genres of music started to emerge. There were also Pagan Friendly songs that became favored in the community. Such artists as Stevie Nicks and Jethro Tull were known as Pagan favorites. Whether these artists were Pagan or not, they were not identified as Pagan. Many other artists and genres of songs started to be appear as Pagan Friendly and Pagan favorites. Some resent additions are Loreena McKennitt, Kitaro, Blackmore’s Night, and Voltaire.
The concept of Parody did not stop among the music of the community. Christmas tunes were converted to Yule Songs. Such examples as White Christmas was rewritten as Real Solstice, and The Twelve Days of Christmas was changed to The Thirteen Nights of Yule and Silent Night, Holy Night changed to Silent Night, Winter Night. The reasoning behind the change of these songs to Yule was that they were reclaimed as Pagan and are now fitting the way it should be. Taking a look at these songs and the background, perhaps some such songs as Deck the Halls might have been Pagan, but the Twelve Days of Christmas is a song based on the arrival of the Three Wise Kings on the Twelfth day after December 25. Silent Night was composed in the mindset of Christ, and White Christmas is among the 20th century songs composed for the Commercialized Christmas holiday. Christmas historically was rooted from Pagan concepts, but the songs thereafter composed were not Pagan. So where does the rewritten versions of the holiday songs stand in the Pagan Community? Are they valid? Are they good enough for us to keep as a tradition? Have they been performed and recorded a million times in the commercial world? Are they remembered by the younger generation of the Pagan Community and are there elders who are willing to pass it down as a tradition? There is no right or wrong answer to these questions about the holiday songs, but one thing we should keep in mind. Do we want to create a standard and tradition of holiday songs in our community and if so, do we want rewritten songs or originally composed songs?
From what has been discussed thus far there seems to be a search for a tradition with the music of the Pagan Community. Some Pagans used their knowledge of the past to create new songs while others who were musically inclined created new songs. Is this a natural phenomenon of any particular group that is starting a tradition? And if so, is there a place where it will go?
Now let’s look at the music of the Pagan Community from the 1980’s to the year 2000. Rock n’ Roll is a brilliant new style of music that has existed as long as Modern Wicca has been around. As Wicca has a past, so did Rock n’ Roll. Wicca comes from past Pagan Practices and Rock n’ Roll comes from the folk style combined with Jazz and the Blues. Put both together and you get a new genre in Pagan Music with brilliant musical artists and songs. In the 1980’s two Pagan- identified artists came into the scene: Inkubus Sukubus and The Moors. Their music is progressive Rock of the era, original music with lyrics in the Pagan Philosophies. Then came Enchantress with her well-known and famous album Gypsy. Currently, we have two more musical artists added to the list of Pagan Rock: T. Thorn Coyle and the Heathen Metal Rock artist Hauk. We have now witnessed the progress and creation of a new style of music within the Pagan Community. Looking still in the past two decades and a half there are yet dozens if not hundreds of other musical artists who identify themselves as Pagan.
Other genres of music entered into the Pagan Community. Two of which are world and choral music. Many Pagans favor tribal drumming, as this is considered a long descendant of Pagan Ritual, therefore ethnic and gypsy style music became Pagan Friendly over the course of the last two decades. The musical group Libana, an all female vocal and instrumental group merged the two worlds of ethnic and choral music in their musical output. They have recorded and performed many known Pagan Chants, original music, and choral music. To date they have five recorded albums, one of which dedicated entirely to Pagan Music. They do not identify themselves as Pagan, however their output includes music that which is called and described as Pagan.
Over the years other Aritest have also come along into the Pagan Music Scene. Avalon Rising, Skyclad, and Three Weird Sisters are among the few. These artiest continue a founding tradition of creating music on Pagan Spirituality and Practices. Some of them are in the genre of Rock n’ Roll, Folk, and other diverse genres. They are usually in the mainstream categorized as New Age. However, are they really New Age? And what is the definition of the term New Age? To the mainstream there is no difference between the classification of New Age and Paganism. However, in the Pagan Community many know the difference. It is up to the Pagan Community to continue to educate and teach other Pagans and Non-Pagans the difference between New Age and Pagan Practices. They are also the ones to teach the difference between the classifications of the music of the religious practices. If the Pagan is not the one to teach, than who would it be left to educate?
The search for Pagan Traditional Music continues to grow. As the community becomes more diverse, more musical styles are added. New music is composed by musical artists and trained musicians, the concept of Parody has lessened but continues to be present, and Pagan Friendly music continues to be a part of the overall picture. What we have seen in the past that the need for music became a major factor in the religious practices. Parody concept was the only means by those who were participating. Then as the community grew, musical artists became involved. New music started to “hit’ the scene as these artists developed music that perceived the Pagan View. Some of these known artists have become not only popular among the community, but several if not many have become a Standard. Some such songs and chants are We All Come From The Goddess, We Are A Circle, Earth My Body, Lord of the Dance, and Burning Times. Many of these songs have been recorded over and over by different artists and have been included in printed music.
The chaos and disorder however continues to remain with Pagan Music. There are Pagans who still do not know what is Pagan Music nor the music that are Pagan Identified. An example back in 2001 of a Pagan Lady who said she was looking for Witchcraft and Mediation music was looking through New Age recordings. When she was given the education that there were actual music used by Pagans that are Pagan Identified she was surprised and excited. There are many who do not know that there is a difference between New Age and Pagan Music. Yet there are others who thought that Pagan Music is only chanting and drumming. This however is a misconception and stereotype. Chanting and drumming is a Pagan style of music, but there are many other genres. How are we as a community to educate our fellow Pagans and to promote the creative output that has been recorded and performed? It is up to us who have the knowledge of the music to unleash it to other Pagans as well as the younger generation of Pagans. How do we do this for the mass? There are no major record labels, major promotions, and mass media? The answer could be that we the Pagans need to support their fellow artists. Playing their audio CDs, placing links on websites, writing reviews and discussing reviews already printed in Pagan Magazines can do it. Allowing the links of already created websites to be linked up either on web rings or published in articles, flyers, and pamphlets. Some websites that have information for Pagan Music are Serpentine Music, Circle Sanctuary, Witch’s Voice, witchcraftmusic.com and paganmusic.com. Some of these are dedicated to pagan Music while others have sections on the website dedicated to pagan Music.
Another way to continue and progress Pagan Music is from publications and printed music. Sheet Music allows music to be passed down from generation to generation. Much of the music of the Pagans stated in the folk and oral tradition, however can’t always progress or continue to grow. Many Pagans are creative people writing poetry, stories, rituals, and creating Paintings. Music is not any different than any of these other art forms. Writing down the text and only having recordings available of the song are not a mass way for music to travel. It is up to the Pagan Musician or the music literate Pagan to transcribe the music down on paper and to help publish it and promote to the community. There has been several, but not many printed music available for Pagan Music. There is a need to create more of this in order to organize and create order in Pagan Traditional and Standard Music.
If the Pagan Community at large takes steps, the music will continue to grow and flourish. It may take yet several more decades, but allowing the growth will one day set to an organized and standard Pagan Music Tradition.
Introduction…
Imagine we enter into a time machine. We go back thousands of years into the primitive tribes of the world. On a hilltop, we see a group of people. They are dancing and chanting around a fire. These are our first known images of religious worship. Now as we go forward in time, we go to West Africa where the people of semi-arid bush country “depend on music to nourish nearly every phrase of their lives.” They use music in all their ceremonies and rituals celebrating birth, marriage, initiations and other formal religious worship. Each different occasion has a set of music performed for its own purpose. Now moving across the ocean, we go to the Americas. The North American Natives use similar rituals as in West Africa incorporating dancing and chanting. A minor difference is that the Native Americans invoke animal spirits in their rituals of worship. Returning to the Eastern Hemisphere, Europe in the Middle Ages developed Gregorian Chants in the Christian church services. Once again, these chants were for worshiping a deity.
Chanting occurs all through the ages and all over the world. What is the main purpose of chanting in religious and spiritual worship? It is a means of connecting and praying to a deity and the spirits. It has been used for thousands of years “as a means of awakening the inner self and achieving spiritual awareness.” Chanting and using music is a way of bonding and building community with others and is a powerful way of creating energies for working magick.
Chanting has many definitions. The basic structure is a rhythmic text set to quasi-singing. The text, centered and focused on a set of affirmations, directs energies to invoke spirits, deities and goals. Repetition in chants help empower and tune inner and higher self to achieving these goals. It bonds individuals into a single unit and brings focused goals to the conscious mind or to the physical state. Singing is a simple and natural form of physical behavior to create the vibrations needed to attune the inner self with higher powers and bring down the spiritual awareness to the set of goals in a ceremony.
Chants in Wiccan and Pagan Rituals
In the mid-twentieth century, Neo-Pagan Witchcraft, commonly known as Wicca, emerged. Over the second half of the twentieth century, Wicca evolved a set of ritual designs. One such part of the rituals was the use of chants. Over the years, many chants were composed for different reasons and purposes. There are virtually countless numbers of chants published and unpublished. Many of these chants created sacred space, invoked the elemental spirits, invoked deities and enhanced spell work. The primary focus of these chants was to raise energies for praying to deities and working magick.
Gerald Gardner used many chants. Two of these chants were the Aradia Chant and Cernunnos Chant. Mercury Publishing first made recordings of these chants available to the public in the re-print editions of Gardner’s books Witchcraft Today and The Meaning of Witchcraft. The purpose of these chants is to invoke the Goddess and God. The repetition of the text empowered and raised energies within the casting of the sacred space. The chants did not have a set of melodic pitches. The text, written in a poetic and rhythmic form, brought the vibrations from the inner self and up towards the higher end of the cone of power. Other chants were used in Gardner’s Witchcraft tradition. Among them was the famous Witches’ Rune to empower and raise energies before doing spell work or magick.
As the Wicca movement evolved and new traditions emerged, new chants were created within the religion. Chants fit the purpose of a part of the ritual. Today, Starhawk’s Reclaiming Tradition publishes a chant book that includes many different chants used during their public rituals. The book is divided into five sections including chants for invoking the elementals, the Goddess, both the Goddess and God, the God, and various other chants. Members of the Pagan community have composed these chants. We All Come from the Goddess by Z. Budapest and Hoof and Horn by Ian Corrigan invoke the Goddess and God. The famous chant Air I Am is included in the section on elemental calling and invoking. The last section of the chant book includes various chants for different purposes in a ritual.
Ellen Cannon Reed published a collection of Pagan songs and chants entitled Come and Sing With Me. Not only does Reed have chants for invoking a deity and creating sacred space in this collection, but also chants and songs used for the Sabbats. These chants were used in her group for many years. The publication of the book enabled the use and passing down to the Pagan community at large.
Performance Practice of the Chants
Chants are performed in multiple ways. A group can sing them a cappella or accompanied by instruments. Standing in a circle facing one another and holding hands is the simplest way. Yet, some chants are enhanced with movements, dancing, and hand gestures. The basic concept is that each of these various ways of performing the chants helps create and empower the energies needed to work magick and pray. The chants do not specify how they should be performed. Therefore, the performance depends greatly on the individual groups and the mood and ambiance they want to create.
A cappella is the simplest method of singing. Since there is neither accompaniment nor a beat in the background, this type of singing relies on the musical skills of each individual. It may require more skills from the group, but it can be a very powerful method of performance. It can also be a great way of doing ritual with chants when there are no instruments available or when taught in the oral tradition. It is also a great way of raising energies at any given time.
Percussive and woodwind instruments are the most popular and most often used methods of accompaniment. Drums are popular because they will keep the beat as well as add a rhythmic pulse. This can also help keep a good steady beat when accompanied by a dance. Rattles add a nice flavor with drums, further enhancing the flow of energies. Woodwind instruments, such as the recorder or flute can add body and reinforce the melodic line, aiding those who are new to the chant. Woodwinds can help add a nice flavor to the magickal experience. Other instruments can be used depending on the musical abilities of the individuals involved in the group. There are countless numbers of ways that chants can be accompanied with the use of individual creative ideas.
Dance, hand gestures and movement add and intensify the energies of chant. The origin involved in dance, movement and instruments with chants is “that the first outstretched hand reaching for moon, stars, or sun, and the subsequent cry of awe, was mankind’s first dance, ritual and prayer.” In modern times, when we are chanting and dancing and involved in the experience, we are continuing this act of prayer and ritual of humankind. An example of movement would be the participants moving in a clockwise direction while singing. A simple dance step can be used during the movement. This is a way of creating the sacred space using the inner energies of the participants. The dance step, the holding of the hands and the clockwise motion then would help and intensify energies. Another example of hand gestures in ritual would be using the Goddess and God symbols while singing chants during the invocation. The group moves their hands into the Goddess position while the Priestess is invoking. Then the chant is sung while their hands are up towards the moon, reaching and bringing down the energies of the Goddess. The same can be done for the God chant.
Example of Ritual Design with Chants
The Wiccan/Pagan liturgy has five different phases. The phases are as follows:
1) Creating Sacred Space
2) Invoking of The Elements
3) Invoking of Deity
4) The Main Worship
5) Clearing and opening the circle.
As previously described, many chants can fit in each of these categories. They can be used at each section of the ritual. A basic ritual design can include a chant for each sub category. The following list is an example of how one can divide the chants:
1) Sacred Space Chant
2) Elemental Chant
3) Goddess Chant
4) God Chant
5) Main Ritual Chant/s
6) Blessing and Closing Chant
This outline can be used to create a ritual. For example, the monthly Full Moon Rituals can use these chants in the five phases of the ritual. The following is an in depth example of how this can be done.
The first phase of the liturgy is the creation of the sacred space. This is where the Sacred Space Chant comes into its purpose. After cleansing the space and casting the circle, the participants sing a chant to raise the energies of the cone of power. Any chant using specific text to create the sacred space can be sung, such as We Are a Circle within a Circle. The members can hold hands and raise the energies of the sacred space in a clockwise movement using simple dance steps. Instruments can be used during this stage. An issue to remember is that people who play the instruments cannot hold hands in the circle with the group. However, they can stand in the center of the circle while drumming or playing a musical instrument to help empower the raising of the energies. This type of circle casting can be done only if there are enough members in the ritual since there needs to be enough space for them to stand in the center of the circle. Any number of other creative ways can be done in the Sacred Space Chant. Other chants can also be used, both well known or newly composed, so long as the text is focused on the creating of the sacred space.
The next phase of the liturgy is the invoking of the elements. There are several ways chanting can be achieved in this section. The simplest method is by invoking all the elements then chanting the Elemental Chant. Here, the best type of chant would be that which includes all four elements in the text, such as Air I Am and Earth My Body. A more complex way would be to have four separate chants that are sung while the quarter callers call the elements, and then the group chants the corresponding element of that quarter. One word of advice would be a chant that uses the same melody for all four quarters. This will create the proper mood and keep the energies focused to the purpose of the section of the liturgy. Other chants of course can be used. Another good example would be to combine two chants, such as singing Air I Am three times then singing Earth My Body in a canon, then completing the chanting with Air I Am once again three times. Performance is limitless however, keeping in mind what the purpose at hand is at this moment of the ritual: raising of elemental energies and invoking them into the circle.
The third phase of the liturgy is one of the most important of the Wiccan Ritual, invoking a deity. This can be done in several different manners. A simple method is to sing a chant for the Goddess and God right after the Priestess and Priest invites them into circle. The Priestess invites the Goddess while the group keeps their hands raised with the Goddess symbol. Then right after the Goddess is invoked, the group sings a corresponding chant. The best chant to use would be the name of the Goddess being invoked into the circle. Some examples are the name of the Goddess of a tradition, sabbat, moon phase or a general Goddess chant for a public ritual. This all depends on which Goddess is being invoked into circle. The God chant works in the same manner. The Priest invites the God while the members have their hands in the God position. Then afterwards a chant is sung that corresponds to the proper image of the God. Another way to invoke a deity is to use the chant(s) that combines both the Goddess and God, such as We All Come from the Goddess and Hoof and Horn. In this type of performance, the invoking of both is done before the singing starts. Sometimes the Goddess is only invoked in a ritual. For example, Dianic traditions usually call only the Goddess. In some rituals like dark moon, Samhain, and moons between Samhain and Yule also might invoke the Goddess only. For these rituals, then of course only one chant is needed to call on the Goddess. Drumming and rattles can be used in the deity chant. However, in this manner the hand gestures are not used. There are countless ways the Deity Chant can be used. There are as many ways as there are creative minds in writing rituals.
The next phase, the main body, of the liturgy is the most creative and most intricate part of the ritual. The chants in this section are countless. Any number of chants can be used, from one up to five depending on the type of ritual that is done. For a full moon ritual, perhaps one for drawing down the moon. A good example would be Kore Chant. This chant is a powerful way of connecting the energies of the members with the powers of the moon, thus raising energies for magick and other workings in a full moon ritual. It can also be a powerful way of starting spell work. The famous Witch’s Rune, written by Doreen Valiente, can be sung in this section of the ritual. Perhaps a healing spell is being done during the ritual. A healing chant can be utilized at the start of this phase of the ritual. In sabbats, when doing a multiple of works, a focused chant corresponding to the sabbat is a great way of raising energies of the ritual. Musical instruments and dancing is a powerful accompaniment for this phase as well. This is the main “beef” of the ritual and the use of chants is limitless. A medley of chants one after the other is another more complex but yet a nice addition to the ritual. The one main important aspect to remember is that the text of the chant should be in correspondence to the ritual. Since the text helps the mind click with the body and with the other participants, it is important to use a proper chant.
The last phase of the ritual is the closing of the circle. In this section, the cake and ale or the great rite, thanking of the deity, and thanking of the elements is done. The energies during this phase are lowered and grounded. A simple chant at the end can open the circle bringing a joyous mood to all members of the circle. The well-known chant, May the Circle Be Open, is a good example. Other chants can also be sung, or combining May the Circle Be Open with another chant. Singing at a slower tempo and not using drums would probably be the best way to sing since musical instruments create too much energy to lower and ground the energies. A cappella is the best method of singing. The Antelope Valley Pagans in Lancaster, California, once did this chant at the end of the ritual while spiral dancing to open the circle. It helped not only open the circle but to also bring all members of the ritual to combine and communion with one another.
Teaching Methods of Chants
Music notation is the strongest way to teach and pass chants in the Pagan Community. When a chant is only available in text form, there are only two possible ways to learn the actual melodic line: 1) oral tradition or 2) sound recording. However, if these are not available, then the melodic line cannot be learned. If the chant is available in music notation, then the actual melody that was composed can be learned by anyone who knows how to read music.
There are several different ways to learn music notation. Taking basic music theory classes and/or one year of a musical instrument is more than enough education to learn simple chants. If a member of a coven or Pagan group is musically proficient, he/she can teach the rest of the group how to play and sing using music theory. From the Middle Ages to about the 19th Century, music has been taught as part of education. This tradition has been lost in the past century. It is not hard to learn to read simple music notation and anyone can learn it. The music is as simple as learning a foreign language. It can also provide two important aspects: 1) placing the music notation of chants in the book of shadows and 2) individuals can compose new chants using music notation.
Conclusion
The purpose of chants in ritual is for directing and raising energies. A pattern or design incorporating chants into a ritual can provide a powerful method of worship. Using known chants or newly composed chants, and being familiar with them during ritual can be a powerful asset to the empowerment of the Wiccan/ Pagan rituals.
**This article was first published by Witchvox on July 23, 2006**
