Magick for Australia: A Rite for Rain
Updated: Jun 27, 2022
As I write this article (on January 10, 2020) there is an enormous megafire in Australia raging over 1.5 million acres. The ecosystem in Australia has suffered irreparable; and we have the rapid increase of greenhouse gases to thank. Yet another sign of humanity’s disaster and ignorance. Yet – as witches – we are called to tend, care, and protect the earth. It is our duty as witches to see that our local, regional, national, and global environment is appreciated and protected. We do this by being physically active, mentally aware, and spiritually there for our Earth.
Practice with Understanding: Oya
Ọya (Yoruba: Ọya, also known as Oyá or Oiá; Yansá or Yansã; and Iansá or Iansã in Latin America) is an orisha of winds, lightning, and violent storms, death and rebirth.
Source: Adeoye, C. L. (1989). Ìgbàgbọ́ àti ẹ̀sìn Yorùba (in Yoruba). Ibadan: Evans Bros. Nigeria Publishers. p. 303. ISBN 9781675098.
Intention Setting
This rite is a calling and summoning for rain to descend upon the scorched and burning landscape of Australia; as well as a working to send a storm of healing and protection to all of creation suffering in Australia. For this I will be asking the Orisha Goddess, Oya, for Her assistance in these matters. This ritual will apply the use of Sympathetic Magick to assist in sending a rainstorm to put out the bushfire.
Preparation
Begin by setting up a small altar or working space facing the West for this Rite. Use the items I have provided and place them where you feel it is correct. However, make sure that your picture of Australia is under the clear glass bowl, this will come in handy later in the ritual.
Gather:
I welcome you to join me in preparing sacred space by gathering the following:
Magical cleansing tool of choice (I personally use garden sage, but feel free to adjust).
Rain and Musk scented incense
Incense burner
Blue and purple candle
Carving tool of choice
Lighter
Glass of water
Clear glass bowl
Icon of the Orisha Goddess, Oya.
If you cannot acquire these things with ease, please improvise and substitute where needed. Intention goes where energy flows.
Allow yourself the freedom to add decorations and other sacred items to assist you in accessing a magickal state of being. Create a space that is reflective and invocative of water, healing, and magick.
After having set your space go take a salt bath. Simply add a pinch of salt to your bath water and soak for a few minutes. If you don’t have a bath, simply take a pinch of salt and mix it into your body wash and then lather up and wash off. This will help cleanse your physical and spiritual bodies, which aids in achieving the goal of this ritual. You become a clean slate with fresh energy.
Adorn (or don’t, skyclad is a thing) your robe, or clothing that makes you feel relaxed and magickal.
Not–So–Fun Fact
I personally smudge using sage from by own garden. I don’t use White Sage/Salvia Apiana because it is approaching endangerment.
Rite for Rain
Begin by clearing your ritual area with the chosen cleansing technique. This rids the area of any unwanted energies regardless of what technique you use for the working. Using your right index finger begin casting a Circle beginning in the West and walking clockwise say:
“I conjure you, oh Circle of Power, that you will be for me a space between the worlds where Gods, Spirits, and Magick might work freely and unto my desired goal. Wherefore, I do cast this sacred Circle in perfect love and perfect trust, with harm towards none, So Mote It Be!”
Now, place your seashells in the four directions of your Circle: North, East, South, and West. Return to your altar and begin inviting the Watchtowers (Elemental Spirits of each direction) starting with West and ending with South. If you do not have your own Elemental Salutations, I have provided the following:
“Hail the Watchtowers of the West, Spirits of Water, I call to you that you might come to my aid in this ritual space. Help bring healing and rain to Australia. Hail and welcome.”
“Hail the Watchtowers of the North, Spirits of Earth, I call to you that you might come to my aid in this ritual space. Help bring safety and restoration to Australia. Hail and welcome.”
“Hail the Watchtowers of the East, Spirits of Air, I call to you that you might come to my aid in this ritual space. Help blow out and extinguish the bushfires in Australia. Hail and welcome.”
“Hail the Watchtowers of the South, Spirits of Fire, I call to you that you might come to my aid in this ritual space. Help absorb and subside the bushfires in Australia. Hail and Welcome.”
Now light the purple candle and invite the Orisha Goddess, Oya, by saying:
“Ashe Oya, Ashe Oya, Ashe Oya. Goddess of the storms, bringer of the rains, Queen of the skies, hear me and be here now! I call unto your mighty name and ask that you assist in bringing Australia rain! Ancient Goddess dance across the skies and let the rains fall! Blessed Be!”
Take your musk incense and light it from the flame of the candle and say:
“Oya, to you I burn this incense of musk. Please accept my offering and hear my prayer. Ashe!”
Circle the icon of Goddess nine times with the smoke. This is a sympathetic gesture of the smoke going to Oya; and carrying your prayer.
Sit before your altar and begin thinking about the ecosystem of Australia. Start carving the blue candle with the words or images that come to your mind. Try to focus on healing, recovery, and protecting the environment and all its creatures. Humans included. This candle is the storm you will be sending, and these words are infusing the rain drops. For as the wax melts and drips so too shall the rains fall upon the lands of Australia. The flame of this candle is not a destructive fire, but the light of your magick and the unity of everyone’s thoughts, prayers, and actions to end the megafire.
Once your candle is carved take up your glass of water. Hold in your minds eye a vision of a mighty storm. See the lightning, hear the thunder, feel the pounding of the rain. Work this vision of the storm into your glass of water. See the storm infusing your water. The lightning flashes through the bowl. The thunder vibrates the glass. The rain becomes one with the water. This is your storm.
Breath three times upon the surface of the water. Take your right index finger and pierce the water saying:
“I NAME YOU RAINSTORM!”
Say this with the force of a deity. For what you speak is what shall be.
Now, place the image of Australia and the empty bowl in a place you can easily work with it.
Take up the glass of water and begin sprinkling it into the empty bowl that sits on the image of Australia.
Begin chanting as you sprinkle the water into the empty bowl:
“Aid, Heal, Fall, Quench, Soak, and Extinguish!”
After placing the image in the bowl, you may light your rain scented incense. Circle the bowl with the smoke and hold a vision of the smoke becoming storm clouds and sending rain to Australia.
I like to allow my candles to burn out naturally; but dispose of them how you feel is appropriate. After closing your ritual space, take the bowl of water outside and toss the water up at the sky. Do this with the intention of it being the final sympathetic gesture of sending rain to Australia.
Stand at your altar and hold your hands a lot and speak something from your heart in thanks to the elementals, Oya, and to the energies that are being projected to Australia.
Starting in the West, hold your hand out flat and walk counterclockwise saying:
“I release this Circle and the Energy worked within to the Gods and Spirits of appropriate influence. Thank you for being a Sacred Space and a boundary between the worlds. All is returned as it was. Blessed Be.”
Take up your shells and clean up your space. The ritual is over and the magick has been worked.
Thank you.
Zachary Crain is a staff contributor at WHE. He has studied Paganism and Traditional Witchcraft for over fifteen years and has served in his local community as a Pagan Minister for six years. Zachary has been a speaker at colleges and universities on the beliefs and practices of modern Paganism, including sustainability and conservation. His college focuses are Religion and Organizational Leadership.
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