There are so many ways to add music to our rituals. We can drum, hum, strum… you get the idea. These all work well in our circles and the act of making the music connects us and brings focus and power.
There is another way to add music to ritual. You can make a playlist that will pump out of your stereo or Bluetooth speaker (headphones if you cannot openly practice your craft. This allows you to focus on the music being played and can be just as moving as if you were making it yourself. The biggest upside is that one song can transition to the next without interruption; adding a nice flow to the ritual.
One of my favourite artists for this purpose are The Dragon Ritual Drummers. They have so much music to choose from and there is a piece for each type of mood and atmosphere you want to create. This way you can have each song represent the energy of each layer of the ritual.
For instance you can start with a song that begins low and slowly builds. This is perfect for casting the circle and raising the energy needed to create sacred space. Of course adapt this idea for whatever tradition you follow.
To get started, go through your intended ritual and time how long each part runs for. Then you can pick music that closely matches that time frame. If the songs are a little too long, it is very easy to just hold your visualizations a touch longer to sync up with the music. Make a note in your BOS to remember. Then you can line up your playlist in order from beginning to end for the entire ritual.
It is a little time consuming at the beginning, but once you have the playlist you can use it whenever you want. I really like to do this for rituals that I repeat frequently. Full moons, new moons, Sabbats, my weekly ritual and daily prayers.
Do you want to share your favourite musician for ritual playlists? Leave their info in the comments section!
May music infuse your life and feed your spirit.
Many blessings,
Lady Black