Music in Wiccan Ritual

Music in Wiccan ritual has many uses. It can be used to cast or dissipate a circle, call elements or deities, or even raise and direct energy for a specific purpose. Wiccan music can be celebratory, comic, or deeply spiritual. It can be lusty, mournful, grateful, or reverential.

One use of music in Wicca that I believe is unique is raising energy using chant. In many forms of Wicca, it is believed not just that energy is in every living thing, but that it can be manipulated and used to achieve a specific goal or purpose. A chant is chosen and it is repeated several times, each adding something different to it. It gets louder, harmony is added, a counter melody appears, an instrument begins to play along, and more people join in. The music and the energy rise until it reaches the pinnacle and it is ended. The energy that is created is sent to its destination and the music echoes in the hearts and minds of the people who created it. 

In cases like this, Wiccan chants are often improvisatory. An experienced group can feel when something needs to be added to the music. They can also tell when it is time to end. It is a subtle journey that leaves many novices confused, especially when they are the only one left singing when everyone else has ceased. 

Wiccans have eight holidays, also called Sabbats that vary greatly in nature and purpose. With the lusty fertility rites of Beltane, the mournful and solemn rituals of Samhain, the celebratory carols of Yule, and the meditative stillness of Imbolc, each of the eight Sabbats has music that accompanies the mood and sets the stage for each celebration.