Some people enjoy the anticipation of the unknown, the thrill of an experience unfettered by expectations. For others, a lack of preparatory information is a barrier preventing them from turning up.
In order to properly consent people must be aware of what they are agreeing to. This can be done in a manner that does not detract from the enjoyment of those wishing to avoid ‘spoilers’. Attending a public or semi-public ritual for the first time can be daunting, and details posted about pagan events are often sparse. Differently abled, neurodiverse, and autistic individuals, as well as people with mental health concerns, people in recovery, and many others would benefit from more information being made available by event organizers. This would enable them to more easily make an informed choice about whether an event is appropriate for them.
Ritual can be an intense, confronting and even perilous affair. Trust is paramount in creating an atmosphere in which people can open themselves up to mystery, and that trust is gained through clear communication.
To aid in ritual planning and to encourage the consideration of access needs, the SGP have released a template for use in describing the contents of a ritual, what elements are likely to be present, and what will be asked of participants. It is intended for this info to then be distributed as a pdf or document to be shared on event pages, included in information packs, invitations, ext.
This template has been made free for all to use with compliance to a Creative Commons By Attribution license.
-Dorian (Apocastasis)