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vulnerable. A very simple type of opening ritual
from the Norse tradition is to light a candle, signifying the beginning of the
ritual, and then do a form of hammer-hallowing. A sample opening ritual might go
as follows:
Chant Ansuz—Laguz—Uruz and light a single candle to begin the
ceremony. These are the names of three runes whose initials together spell alu (“ale”). Together they form an old rune charm for general vitality,
magical force, and inspiration.
Sit before the candle and relax, composing yourself and centering your
energies and will on the ritual. As you do this, chant Woden—Wili—We three times. These are the names of Odin and his two brothers, often thought to
be aspects of Odin, in their roles as shapers of the universe. The names can be
roughly translated as “divine inspiration,” “will,” and “holy space.” They are
used here to call upon Odin as the god of magic and inspiration, since you are
about to perform a magical ritual. They also symbolize the fact that you are
about to shape your own private universe, as these three god-forces shaped the
greater universe.
Stand and face the North. With your ritual knife or sword, wand, hammer, or
the first two fingers of your right hand (or any other magical tool suitable for
hallowing the rite at hand), draw a hammer shape before you. Start at a point
overhead and draw the vertical bar toward the ground, stopping at roughly the
same level as your solar plexus. Then begin the horizontal bar at a point to
your left and continue across to the right (see fig. 4.1).
    The hammer is used as a symbol of Thor, the guardian of the
homes of the gods and goddesses and of Midgard, our world. Thor’s hammer
protects the worlds of order from the forces of chaos. It is used here to
protect the boundaries of your sacred space from unwanted and chaotic
influences.
    As you draw the hammer, say or chant: “Hammer in the North,
hold this place from ill, hallow this place for good.”
Repeat this process in the East, South, and West. You might also draw a
hammer above and below you, visualizing a kind of globe of protection around
you. I prefer to draw the hammers above and below in a vertical manner, so that
the shaft of the hammer is coming straight down toward the head or up toward the
torso, and the head of the hammer extends horizontally toward either side (see
fig. 4.2).

    Figure 4.1. Protecting your sacred space by drawing a single
symbolic hammer.

    Figure 4.2. Protecting your sacred space by drawing a double
symbolic hammer.
    This is just one simple version of a common ritual done by
some Germanic Pagans. You can substitute any similar ritual to set apart and
protect a magical or ritual circle. I would recommend using those symbols and
ceremonies with which you are most familiar and which make you feel most secure
and comfortable. Again, this is not a public ritual, but a very private one, in
anticipation of your tranceworking. This type of practice is hard enough to
achieve, so anything you can do to make yourself more secure should be done. If
you feel you need a very elaborate circle-casting, use whatever is necessary to
achieve a safe sacred space for you. Whatever you use, be sure to perform some
sort of rite to set apart a ritual space before you begin the trance.
    A CALL OR INVOCATION
    The next thing you should do is to recite a call or invocation to
the god or goddess you intend to visit on your trance. This can be an elaborate,
poetic invocation you’ve already written out or a simple, impromptu one you make
up on the spot. The kind of call you use depends on your skills as a poet and
writer, how much information you have on the deity, and the nature or style of
the god or goddess you are addressing. For example, Odin is the god of poetry;
you probably want something pretty snappy for him. On the other hand, Frigg, his
wife, is a