A Dionysian Friday the 13th Ritual
For breaking down and transforming bad habits, ineffective coping mechanisms, and unhelpful thought/behavior patterns.
Please note that this is an eclectic ritual, reconstructionists don’t come at me! 😆 This was also written to take place at the upcoming 3/13/26 Friday the 13th, in the northern part of the Northern Hemisphere, but could be used at any Friday the 13th (or any other date you feel is appropriate). Verbiage may need to be changed if you don’t experience all four seasons or get snow.
~🍇~🐆~🍷~🐂~🎭~🐬~🩸~
What you will need:
- 5 candles (one for the main altar and one for each “Temple Pillar”, can be any type of candle, but real will work better than LED)
- an equal amount of spring water and sea water in two separate containers (if you can’t get sea water, add approx. a heaping ¼ tbsp of sea salt per ½ cup of clean water)
- a bay leaf (or a sprig of a dried fragrant herb)
- a few cookies, rolls, pastries, muffins, small cakes, etc (enough for each participant to have one, plus a few extra)
- red wine and/or grape juice
- a self igniting charcoal disc (like used for hookah) and a censer (or heat proof container suitable for burning in)
- loose incense (I’m using a blend of pine resin, mugwort, patchouli, lemon balm and finely minced raisins, but any loose incense is fine)
- a lighter or box of matches
- 2 additional bowls or containers, one to hold offerings and one to pour your spring water and sea water into (to make Lustral Water)
- a hand bell
- a ritual knife or athame
- a wand sized thyrsus (can be made by attaching a pine cone to the end of a stick, if you have ivy this can be wrapped around it as well)
- any statues, crystals/stones, and miscellany that remind you of Dionysus, to decorate the main altar
- small cups (disposable Dixie cups are ideal) of damp soil, enough for each participant to have one, additional ones can be used for wine/juice or you may want mugs or glasses instead
The Set-Up:
Set up your main altar in the center of the room, so that when you are in front of it, you are facing North. If you will be covering it with an altar cloth, red, maroon, or dark purple would be ideal. Place one candle in the center of the altar and arrange your Dionysian altar dressings around it in a pleasing manner, leaving room for censer, incense, water containers, ritual knife, bell, lighter/matches, and thyrsus. Set your “cakes”, wine/juice, and cups of dirt beneath the main altar.
At the edges of the room, place four small altars with a candle in the center (folding TV tray stands work great), or sit the candle on the floor, to mark the cardinal directions. These are the “Temple Pillars”. Have all participants in front of the main altar or arranged around it as space allows.
The Ritual:
*Grab the bell and lighter/matches. Starting at the North “Temple Pillar”, walk toward the West “Temple Pillar” while ringing the bell, stop in front of it and declare:*
“Zephyrus, who dries the sodden snow, and brings Spring’s mildness, descend and guard our Temple’s western pillar!”
*Light the candle and declare:*
“The torch on the western pillar is now lit!”
*Walk from the West “Temple Pillar” to the South “Temple Pillar” while ringing the bell, stop in front of it and declare:*
“Notus, who whips up the thunderheads, and brings Summer’s heat, descend and guard our Temple’s southern pillar!”
*Light candle and declare:*
“The torch on the southern pillar is now lit!”
*Walk from the South “Temple Pillar” to the East “Temple Pillar” while ringing the bell, stop in front of it and declare:*
“Eurus, who shakes free the leaves, and brings Autumn’s rain, descend and guard our Temple’s eastern pillar!”
*Light candle and declare:*
“The torch on the eastern pillar is now lit!”
*Walk from the East “Temple Pillar” to the North “Temple Pillar” while ringing the bell, stop in front of it and declare:*
“Boreus, who blusters and blasts, and brings Winter’s snow, descend and guard our Temple’s northern pillar!”
*Light candle and declare:*
“The torch on the northern pillar is now lit!”
*Return to the main altar and hold up the bottle of sea water and declare:*
“Water of the sea, water of the womb of Gaia, from which all life emerged.”
*Pour into the dish for the Lustral Water. Then Hold up the bottle of spring water and declare:*
“Water of the spring, the milk of Gaia, by which all life is sustained.”
*Pour into the dish. Then hold up a bay leaf and light it while declaring:*
“Prometheus brought us the Sacred Flame to be a bridge between the Divine and the mundane.”
*Drop the lit bay leaf into the dish and declare:*
“Behold the Lustral Water which cleanses all miasma.”
*Hold hands over the dish of Lustral Water and recite:*
“Theban princess, universal queen,
O beauteous Semele, I call upon thee;
Deep-bosom and lovely flowing locks are thine,
Mother of Dionysus, joyful and divine,
The mighty offspring, whom Zeus’s thunder bright,
Forced immature, and frightened into light.
Born from the deathless counsels, secret, high,
Descendant of Zeus Saturnian, king of the sky;
You, whom Persephone permits to view the light,
And visit mortals from the realms of night.
Constant attending on the sacred rites,
And feast triennial, which thy soul delights;
Thy son’s wondrous birth, a story mankind relate,
And secrets preserved, and holy celebrate.
Now I invoke thee, great eternal queen,
To bless thy mystics, come lenient and serene.”
*Begin to sprinkle the Lustral Water around in a circle starting in front of the North “Temple Pillar” and moving sunwise around the room until back at the North “Temple Pillar. Then return to the main altar and have each participant anoint or sprinkle themselves*
*Light the charcoal in the censer and wait till it is done sparking and begins to glow at edges. Then declare:*
"Prometheus brought us the Sacred Flame to be a bridge between the Divine and the mundane.”
*Sprinkle incense over lit charcoal, hold hands over the censer and recite:*
“Dionysus of the Winnowing Fan, bearer of the vine,
Thee I invoke to bless these rites divine:
Florid and gay, of Nymphs of blossom bright,
And of fair Aphrodite, Goddess of delight,
‘Tis thine mad footsteps with maenads to beat,
Dancing through groves with lightly leaping feet:
Blasted from Semele and sewn into Zeus’s thigh,
And born the dread of all the powers divine.
Come, blessed God, regard thy supplicants’ voice,
Favorably come, and in these rites rejoice.”
*Add more incense to the censer, then starting in front of the North “Temple Pillar” and moving sunwise around the room, carry censer around in a circle, ending back in front of the North “Temple Pillar. Return to the main altar and add more incense and then have each participant cense themselves*
*Take the ritual knife and hold it with tip pointing at the floor and begin circumscribing a circle, starting in front of the North "Temple Pillar” and moving sunwise around the room until back in front of the North “Temple Pillar”. Once complete declare:*
“The circle has been cast thrice about,
To keep all benevolence in and all malevolence out,
And now we stand in a liminal place,
Outside the bounds of time and space,
Where the Divine can walk and our will be worked.
As above so below, as the soul, so the universe.”
*Instruct everyone to turn and face each “Temple Pillar” as you call out the directions*
“We turn now to face the North, the direction belonging to the element of Earth.”
*Using the ritual knife, draw an invoking pentagram of Earth in front of you and declare:*
“Come all benevolent spirits and daemons from the Earthen Plane, lend us your might and bear witness to this rite.”
“We turn now to face the East, the direction belonging to the element of Air.”
*Using the ritual knife, draw an invoking pentagram of Air in front of you and declare:*
“Come all benevolent spirits and daemons from the Airy Plane, lend us your might and bear witness to this rite.”
“We turn now to face the South, the direction belonging to the element of Fire.”
*Using the ritual knife, draw an invoking pentagram of Fire in front of you and declare:*
“Come all benevolent spirits and daemons from the Fiery Plane, lend us your might and bear witness to this rite.”
“We turn now to face the West, the direction belonging to the element of Water.”
*Using the ritual knife, draw an invoking pentagram of Water in front of you and declare:*
“Come all benevolent spirits and daemons from the Aqueous Plane, lend us your might and bear witness to this rite.”
*Light main altar candle and holding thyrsus aloft declare*
“I call now upon that bull-horned youth,
Fair of face with girlish locks,
Sharp of fang with devilish beard,
Dionysus!
Oh sensual destroyer!
Oh monstrous liberator!
You know that a new beginning,
Is only possible,
By embracing the current end.
Help us renew all that has stagnated,
Help us prune all that we have outgrown,
Cut us down so that we may raise again!
Better,
Stronger,
And more vigorous for it!
For yours is the life of the vine,
And rebirth is only through death,
By design.
Aid us in this endeavor we ask of you,
Oh terrifying,
Oh awe inspiring,
Dionysus!”
*Give each participant a small cup of dirt and explain the working: Each participant will identify some obstacle to their growth and success, be it a bad habit, ineffective coping mechanism, unhelpful thought/ behavior pattern, etc. They will name their dirt this while packing it tight, thinking of all the ways this obstacle is hindering them. Through the aid of Dionysus this ritual’s goal is to break down this obstacle and make room for new growth and success.*
*Declare:*
“Dionysus,
You are the bull that wears the yoke,
That pulls the plow that breaks the ground,
The old is torn asunder,
So that the new may emerge.”
*Have each participant take the thyrsus and using the butt end (not the pine cone tip) break up their dirt. Explain that they should visualize how their life will be changed with his obstacle broken down*
*Holding hands over the “cakes” and wine/juice declare:*
“Dionysus,
You are the vine,
The grape is your body and your blood is the wine,
Remind us that we receive so that we may give,
And that we give so that we may receive.
May all who eat of these cakes (cookies, rolls, pastries, etc) never hunger,
May all who drink of this wine (juice) never thirst.”
*Hold a cake (or whatever) and the wine aloft and declare:*
“Offerings first to the Mother and Son, Semele and Dionysus, forever blessed be thy names.”
*Pour a bit of the wine and crumble a bit of the “cake ” into the offering bowl. Hold aloft again and declare:*
“Offerings next to the mighty Winds who spin the Wheel of the Year and for whom the seasons change.”
*Pour a bit of the wine and crumble a bit of the “cake” into the offering bowl. Hold aloft again and declare:*
“Offerings last to all other spirits and daemons who have gathered here, whether they hail from this land, the Elemental Planes, or the realms of the Dead, we welcome your guidance, your assistance, and your witness to our rites.”
*Pour a bit of the wine and crumble the last bit of the “cake” into the offering bowl*
*Hand out the “cakes” and pour the wine/juice, all participants may partake and may make additional offerings as well*
*Add a final pinch of incense to the censer and declare:*
“The Divine has walked among us tonight, but now it is time for their return to their Heavenly realms.”
*Snuff altar candle and ring bell. Instruct everyone to turn and face each “Temple Pillar” as you call out the directions*
“We turn now to face the North, the direction belonging to the element of Earth.”
*Using the ritual knife, draw a banishing pentagram of Earth in front of you and declare:*
“Depart all gathered Earth spirits and daemons, return to your Earthen Plane, thank you for your might and your witness to this rite.”
*Ring bell*
“We turn now to face the East, the direction belonging to the element of Air.”
*Using the ritual knife, draw a banishing pentagram of Air in front of you and declare:*
“Depart all gathered Air spirits and daemons, return to your Airy Plane, thank you for your might and your witness to this rite.”
*Ring bell*
“We turn now to face the South, the direction belonging to the element of Fire.”
*Using the ritual knife, draw a banishing pentagram of Fire in front of you and declare:*
“Depart all gathered Fire spirits and daemons, return to your Fiery Plane, thank you for your might and your witness to this rite.”
*Ring bell*
“We turn now to face the West, the direction belonging to the element of Water.”
*Using the ritual knife, draw a banishing pentagram of Water in front of you and declare:*
“Depart all gathered Water spirits and daemons, return to your Aqueous Plane, thank you for your might and your witness to this rite.”
*Ring bell*
*Hold the ritual knife above your head, face the North “Temple Pillar”, and sweep the knife in a counter sunwise spiral (starting in a wide circle and spiraling in, to directly above you). Then starting in front of the North “Temple Pillar” begin walking counter sunwise while ringing the bell, blow out each “Temple Pillar” candle (West first and North Last), ringing the bell between each one as before. When done declare:*
“The circle is open and the temple is empty once more, the Winds that guarded the pillars have departed, and this place is, as it was before.
*Ring bell*
