Alcohol in ritual

Drinking and magic are kind of a potent combination.  There are many reasons why someone might want to drink in combination with ritual work....and equally many reasons why people might avoid it.  As with many things, it is more a matter of making an informed choice, doing what is best (and healthiest) for you, and respecting boundaries than it is about ultimate right or wrong.

First, let me say that I firmly believe there is NO ritual (or other magical work) that requires alcohol.  There are many paths to every goal, and while some may involve imbibing, there is always another way.  I will also say, right from the start, that your reasons for choosing to drink (or not to drink) are absolutely your own.  You don't owe your reasoning to anyone, and if alcohol is a part of a ritual, everyone should be informed and no one should be pressured in any way to participate.

This can be a tricky thing to manage in group work.  Some people are quite fine passing the glass and being around people who are drinking, while others may need to avoid situations with alcohol entirely.  There is absolutely no shame in knowing that you would be tempted and just staying away.  On the other hand, just because you don't (or can't) drink doesn't mean you can demand everyone else not drink (again, it is completely your right to choose not to attend if a ritual structure doesn't work for you).  It is up to the people hosting the ritual to determine (and inform everyone invited) whether alcohol will be a part of the ritual, allowed or forbidden.

Like with most things, alcohol can become a crutch, and this is something that I feel most practitioners would prefer to avoid.  One of the common reasons I've heard given for why to include alcohol in ritual use is that it lowers inhibitions and opens doors (by putting you in an altered state).  This can lead to interesting experiences and connections that might be harder to get to without the alcohol...I've often heard it likened to a short cut.

Now, this makes it sound a bit like cutting corners, like taking the easy way.  But sometimes, when you are really struggling with something, using tools to make things easier for a bit can be a big help.  Perhaps you can think of it more like training wheels..it's a guide to help get you on your way, so that you can do things on your own.  The danger comes in becoming reliant upon it, so that you can no longer function without it.  Then the tool becomes a crutch, and you are crippling yourself.

Alcohol can also be a ritual tool in the sense that it is something we use to differentiate ritual space from non-ritual space.  Many faiths consider alcohol as something that is favored by the gods, and specific drinks may be sacred to this deity or that deity.  These are things that are often left as offerings, or drank 'in their name', as a way to honor a deity you are working with (or call them into you, if you are invoking).  This effect can be heightened by reserving these specific drinks for ritual purposes...even if you drink other things socially at other times.  

But, we also often use (especially group) rituals as times of celebration, and alcohol has a strong link to celebration.  Here, it is very helpful to remember that, at least during the actual ritual, it is best to stay this side of actual drunk...the purpose is to enhance the experience, not to overwhelm it.  I would also add that, at least in my book, ritual etiquette would ensure that everyone is on the same page as to the degree of drunkenness that is permissible, even after the ritual.  It's not always the right time or place to be passing out drunk, even if the ritual itself is over.  

Ritual actions are deliberate.  If you are including alcohol in your rituals, it should be done with a purpose in mind.  And that purpose should be kept in mind throughout the whole ritual.  Alcohol messes with our perceptions, and that can be a two-edged sword.  It can make us more open to things, but it can also make us think things are different from how they actually are.  It is very common for someone to feel, a few drinks in, that they are much more capable than they actually are (and that they are less drunk than they are...).

Absence of alcohol (or it's deliberate and obvious replacement) can also be a powerful ritual action.  If you are wanting to specifically exclude alcohol, you might go through the motions, but with an empty cup, so that you are reinforcing the fact that you chose to omit the drink.  If you are replacing it, make your replacement special.  This doesn't necessarily mean expensive or hard to come by, you can use water as a replacement, but perhaps you will charge the water ahead of time, or get your favorite bottled spring water.  You could also use another favored drink, a fancy juice or a lovely tea.  Make the drinking a ritual action, don't just chug down whatever you have.

Many older rituals (especially group rituals) include alcohol, but just because it was written that way doesn't mean we need to perform it to the letter.  Think about what role the alcohol plays in the ritual, decide if that is something you are comfortable with, and if it isn't, then figure out what you can use to create the same ritual impact...without the alcohol.  Above all else, make it a deliberate choice, and choose what is truly best for you.