Click these brown tabs to read about each Question. All additional inquiries to enquiry@pflondon.org

• Arrival, Events Teams, Event Format
• Dress code / what to bring / Late.
• Will I be able to sit down?
• Wheel chair access?
• Will I have to kneel/sit on the floor/run madly about? 
• I'm really new to this and have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing in the ritual.
• What are these open rituals? I.e. are they Wiccan or something else?
• Will I have to cast a Circle or other `acts’ in a ritual?
• How does calling the quarters work in a group?
• Do I have to be a certain path to attend? 
• Can I just come along and watch?
• How experienced do I have to be?
• I'm worried about going there by myself and not knowing anyone. 
• How can I get to talk to some of the people there?
• How many people will be there?
• Can I bring a friend?  
• Can I bring my baby/child/ teenager? 
• How will I identify who's in charge?
• Don’t Do:  No audio/video Recording:
• Don’t Do:  No inflammatory remarks pertaining to any other world religions!

Dress code / what to bring / Late. People arrive from about  7.30pm onwards, and gather in the foyer. During this time, they meet and greet friends and socialise.  People wear comfortable cloths, some wear robes, new-age or hypie attires. Some come straight from City jobs- so don’t be shocked to see people in business cloths! You’ll see advance publicity (flyers, announcements in pub moots, website) asking you to bring a home made or shop-purchased item of food/drink for sharing afterwards. If you arrive late and ritual has started, you’ll find the ritual room door closed. But don’t panic. Gently nudge door open and enter. There will be an Officer on the other side who will quietly greet you.  Join in the ritual with least disturbance as possible, and pay the entrance fee afterwards!

Events Team:   PF  Officers arrange, publicise and manage these Open rituals 

Ritual Team:     Special pagan groups/individuals come and run the individual rituals.

Participants:    Everyone joins in and participates in the ritual, once it starts.

The event is  in parts.

• Pre-ritual time (7.30pm-8pm)   (Ritual team arrives very early and sets up, and go through a practise inside. Attendees arrive and wait/socialise;  PF Officers arrive and help set up, as well as greet and talk to attendees.
• Ritual (8pm-9pm)-  Everyone enters the room and takes part (45mins-60mins).
• Social/Feasting- (9pm-9.45pm) After ritual, there will be 45mins to share food & drinks, socialise, make announcements, network.
• Tidy/ Departure: (9.45pm-10pm)Attendees leave the room by 9.45pm.  Some go to a nearby pub and continue socialising; Ritual team  & Events Team tidy up room (vacate by 10pm sharp!). .. and the  join the social in the pub!

Will I be able to sit down? Yes, we place 5-10 chairs inside the ritual room for anyone needing it. If in doubt, or if all the seats are taken by others, when you enter, you can ask one of the PFL Officers before the ritual to keep a seat for you. They will go out and get one for you.

Wheel chair access? These rituals take place on the ground floor, so they have Wheel  Chair access. If in doubt, contact PFL by e-mail or phone a day before and keep us informed. We can keep an extra eye out for you on the evening.

Will I have to kneel/sit on the floor/run madly about?  -Parts of some ritual may involve being seated on the floor, but if that’s uncomfortable, you may ask to sit on a chair, or stand.   Some rituals do involve movement (spiral dance) or gentle dance on the spot to drumming and other music. Some may involve playful games (Chasing in a Beltane ritual). You do not have to participate in any of these activities. You can stand in the back row and watch.

What are these open rituals? I.e. are they Wiccan or something else? Open rituals are just that..  Open to all, regardless of which path you follow.  We (PFL) try to arrange different types of pagan groups to facilitate these rituals, so that there is variety from month to month. Some rituals will be based on Wicca, others Druidic, Nordic, Egyptian, Shamanic, or eclectic. (But all will have a pagan spirituality underlying it).

I'm really new to this and have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing in the ritual. Don’t panic! In any one ritual, there are always a few new comers, a few beginners and a number of experienced attendees.  The Officers will try to meet and talk to newcomers to make them feel at ease before rituals start. The ritual team will usually give pre-ritual  instructions, so you will know exactly what to expect,  what to say (they will give the words or even do a practise run outside the ritual room) and when to say/do something.

Will I have to cast a Circle or other `acts’ in a ritual? The Ritual Team facilitating the ritual on the night will do most of the ritual work, such as consecrations, casting a magic circle, calling elements. Sometimes they may ask `all’ the people attending to help with some of the parts. This is usually where everyone will repeat lines or words.  In some rituals, participants will be asked to come one by one to the front (Altar) and perform a magical simple act- such as lighting a candle, tying a knot in a string, putting flowers on a  statue, bowing to a `God’ or a `Goddess’  (one of the members of the ritual team in a special costume, enacting that part!).   You do not have to any of this,  if you don’t want to. You can remain silent and watch.

How does calling the quarters work in a group? Calling a Quarter is really about inviting an elemental power (Air-spirit, Fire-spirit,  Water, Earth) into our Magic Circle (or Sacred Space). It is done by one or more people facing a particular direction and saying a few words of invitation. The `invoker’ (or Quarter Guardian) will hold a symbol (a feather, incense, candle, crystal) and say the words. Participants repeat those words and add `Hail and welcome’. 

Can I just come along and watch? Yes, absolutely.  If it’s your first time, or even 2^nd time and you are not sure or shy, please relax, stay in the background and watch. Maybe the next time you will be comfortable and participate. But each ritual will be slightly different, so expect variations. But after 1-2 you’ll get the idea, and start to enjoy!

How experienced do I have to be? No prior experience needed!  There will be enough friendly guidance and pre-ritual instructions by the PF Officers and ritual team.  You can ask others about it, while you wait. And soon, it will be you who will have experience, and you’ll be helping new comers!

Do I have to be a certain path to attend?  As long as you are open to pagan spirituality, you will be able to comprehend the rituals. Newcomers try to attend a number of these varied rituals, and decide which ones they like, which paths they may wish to explore further.

 I'm worried about going there by myself and not knowing anyone.  Why not get together with another pagan and go? Or attend with a pagan-sympathetic friend?  But don’t worry. Once you start attending, people will start recognising you, and before long you’ll be making pagan friends.

How can I get to talk to some of the people there? While waiting, just say Hi to the people next to you. Strike up a conversation.. ask if they are new or not?  Ask them what happens at these rituals. Most people will be very chatty and happy to explain. Some people may have had a tough day at work and just arrived so they may not seem talkative, but even those will be relaxed and talking after the ritual.  Try not to push for too many personal questions (such as, `are you in a coven?’ ).

How many people will be there? Usually 25 to 60 people, depending on each event.  It varies. On some busy months, there may be many rituals and events going on in London, so numbers may be low. Other times, due to a well-known ritual team/person, more people may attend.

Can I bring my baby/child/ teenager?  Usually there are no restrictions, but please make sure that young children do no make noises or move around and disturb the others.  Many pagans come to participate in the magic, meditation and prayer/worship. Some rituals may not be suitable for young children. The publicity (flyer/ website) will usually state this.  If in doubt, contact the PFL Officers in advance to check.

Can I bring a friend?  Yes, bring a friend, many friends, relatives or anyone you like. They do not have to participate. But they will still have to pay the entrance fee, and they must be willing to just observe and be respectful of the other people and the ritual!

No audio/video Recording: No recording of any kind allowed (no mobile phone cameras, video, tape, photos).   Only an authorised  PF Officer will be able to take photos.. at the end.

No inflammatory remarks pertaining to any other world religions!  In fact it’s best to avoid mentioning other religions. This is a pagan ritual, so keep it pagan!