Sabbat Outline 1996 CO1

Ritual Outline Sabbats, 1996

Altar Devotions

Purify the Area

Smudge/Anoint Participants

Introductions

History

Cast Circle

Call Quarters

Unite energies

Invocation

Community Working

Raise Power

Cakes and Ale

Release Quarters

Open Circle

Feast

Ritual Outline

What is the main Season/Reason/Intent behind the Ritual/Ceremony?

How will you support that intent energetically?
Date?  Time?  Who will you invite?  How will you promote it?

Basic Supplies: Cookies/napkins, Juice/3oz cups 

Circle Assignments

Which Priestess/Priest/Participant will be responsible for:

Setting up the Altar

Cleansing/Purifying the Space

Welcoming, Smudge/Anoint participants

HP/HPS Introductions

History of the Sabbat

HP/HPS  Cast Circle

Calling the Quarters (Four Directions)

Grounding the Participants and unifying the group

HP/HPS Invoking the God/Goddess

Community Working

Raising energy
HP/HPS Focusing energy

Earthing/Grounding the participants

Cakes and Ale

Releasing the Quarters (Four Directions)

HP/HPS Opening the Circle

Feast   

Go Mbeannaigh

          (Gaelic, Ireland - Blessed Be)

Sonqongi Apukuna Wak'aychasunkiku

          (Quechua, Peru - May the Heart of the Mountain bless you)

Xut Kala Xetl

          (Tlingit, Alaska - Blessed Be)

Aura Colors 1995 CO1

Aura/Chakra Colors 1995

WHITE/CROWN   Purity & Innocence   

Spirituality, Enlightenment, Pure Awareness 

    White - Purity, Truth

PURPLE/BROW   Spirituality & Imagination  

Intuition, Imagination, Foresight, Intellect, Clairvoyance 

    Indigo - Healing Ability, Morality

    Lavender - Magical, Spirituality

    Violet - Intuition, Visionary

BLUE/THROAT   Trust & Loyalty   

Communication, Self-Expression, Truth 

    Blue - Calm, Communication

    Light Blue - Softness, Imagination

TURQUOISE/THROAT   Calmness & Clarity   

Communication, Self-Expression, Truth

GREEN/HEART   Harmony &Health   

Love, Compassion, Wisdom, Trust, Forgiveness, Generosity 

    Green - Growth, Healing

    Light Green - Sympathy, Friendliness

    Dark Green - Jealousy, Adaptability

PINK/HEART   Love & Compassion   

Love, Compassion, Wisdom, Trust, Forgiveness, Generosity 

    Pink - Sensitivity, Femininity

 

YELLOW/SOLAR PLEXUS   Happiness & Optimism   

Esteem, Confidence, Action, Power, Strength, Will 

    Yellow - Wisdom, Intelligence

    Light Yellow - Ideas, Psychic Abilities

ORANGE/SACRAL   Enthusiasm & Emotion   

Desire, Procreation, Sexuality, Emotions, Pleasure, Creativity 

    Orange - Creativity, Happiness

    Orange-Red - Pleasure, Worry

    Orange-Yellow - Self-Confidence, Industriousness

RED/ROOT   Passion & Energy   

Survival, Financial Independence, Stability, Security, 

Self-Confidence 

    Red - Energy, Vitality

    Light Red - Sexuality, Passion

    Dark Red - Anger, Leadership

BLACK/HANDS-FEET   Power & Sophistication   

Giving, Receiving 

BROWN/NEW   Stability & Reliability  

 Technology 

GRAY   Compromise & Control   

Grief

Go Mbeannaigh

          (Gaelic, Ireland - Blessed Be)

Sonqongi Apukuna Wak'aychasunkiku

          (Quechua, Peru - May the Heart of the Mountain bless you)

Xut Kala Xetl

          (Tlingit, Alaska - Blessed Be)

Midsomer Sabbat 2011 CO1

 Midsomer Sabbat, 6/25/11

Purify

Smudge/ Anoint

Grounding 

Cast circle

Three times round this Circle’s bound. From the North and the East to the South and the West then back to the North again. 

The first is a Circle of Protection - as we ask Dragon to cast a protective eye upon all who gathers within these walls.

The second is a Circle of Hope - as we understand that all who pass through these doors will find hope in themselves and in their futures.

The third is a Circle of Love - as we know that our Divine Mother shines the light of Her love upon all who celebrate here with us.

Three times round this Circle’s bound. North, South, East and West from edge to edge this Circle is cast. So Mote It Be.

Call Quarters

North:    Isis – The One Who Is All - Join with us and share with us your ability to create and to bring life from that which is lifeless. Enter and be Blessed.

East:    Athena –The Great Protectress – Share with us your wisdom and strategy so we may protect our way of life.  Enter and be Blessed.

South:    Amaterasu - Bringer of the Dawn - come to us with your beautiful light our crops will blossom and grow into a beautiful bounty of food.  Enter and be Blessed.

West:    Cerridwyn - Goddess of wisdom, knowledge and divine inspiration - join us and inspire us to create, teach us so that we may live in the light.  Enter and be Blessed.

Spirit:    Great Spirit which lives in each of us - awaken this beautiful day, guide us each to create that which will fill our souls with the brightness and beauty of the divine. Blessed be our spirit.

Invocation

Asarte – Goddess of Fertility and  Apollo – God of the Sun. We call to you to join us this night and share with us your magic to bring our dreams to fruition. Enter and be blessed. 

History

Midsummer or the Summer Solstice is the most powerful day of the year for the Sun God. Because this Sabbat glorifies the Sun God and the Sun, fire plays a very prominent role in this festival. The element of Fire is the most easily seen and immediately felt element of transformation. It can burn, consume, cook, shed light or purify. 

Midsummer Night, is a time when elves, sprites and faeries abound, making this a great opportunity to commune with them. Litha is considered a time of great magickal power.  Spells and magick for love, healing and prosperity are especially effective now. This is also a very good time to perform blessings and protection spells for pets or other animals. 

This is the day of the Summer Solstice, the day of Litha, "Light." The sun dances at dawn, stands still in the heavens at noon, and lingers into the night. Light fills the world. This is the Time of Brightness, the Moon of Light. Light fills our dreams and lingers behind our eyelids as we sleep 

At dawn on Midsummer Day, three rays of light can be seen shining over water. They are the Awen of Cerridwen, in Druid tradition the source of magic power and poetic inspiration. Druids celebrate the Summer Solstice as Alban Heruin, "Light of the Shore." The liquid light of Midsummer fills Cerridwen's cauldron of inspiration and rebirth. 

Working

In the British Isles, Midsummer bonfires were built on hilltops on St. John's Eve, June 23. Straw giants were burned. Families carried torches three times sunwise around standing stones. In 1929, the Old Cornwall Society revived the British custom of lighting a chain of fires in sequence. The first fire overlooks Land's End. As the light from each fire is sighted, the next is lit, until a fiery chain runs 80 miles through Cornwall to the Devon border. A woman called the Lady of the Flowers casts garlands of herbs and flowers into the fire and speaks a Cornish invocation to bless the crops and wither the weeds 

Raise Energy

Tonight, I would like to make our own fire chain.  Each of us will have a candle. And I will light mine from the goddess candle and then light my neighbors candle and so on around the room, three times sunwise as we say this crop blessing….. and as we are doing this focus the energies we are raising on the “seeds” we planted at the Ostara. So come Lughnasadh, we will have bountiful harvests.

As sun light and summer rains nourish our crops and our souls. We ask you great Mother to bless that which we have sown so that we may reap bountiful harvests. 

Wish Box

Cakes and Ale

(Sun Tea and crackers)

As We share these cakes and ale - we share the warmth of the sun and the clarity of the light. May all that you sow, flourish.

All that we do is in service and in honor to the God and Goddess. May we never hunger - May we never thirst. So Mote It Be! 

Thank Spirit

Astarte and Apollo, we honor you and thank you for your presence in this our sacred circle. You are with us always.

Release Quarters

North, East, South, and West: We thank you, for your presence here tonight. We bid you well as you depart, may there be peace between us.

Great Spirit, we thank you for joining us in our circle. As we walk each day we honor your presence within. Forever in us may you reside. Blessed be.

Release Circle

May those who guide us with their light, protect us in the dark and walk beside us on the roads traveled - this Circle is open but unbroken, merry meet, merry part and merry meet again.

Welcome to the CircleOfOne Archives

https://circleofone1.blogspot.com

Go Mbeannaigh    (Gaelic, Ireland - Blessed Be)

Beannaichte Be    (Gaelic, Scotland - Blessed Be)

Sonqongi Apukuna Wak'aychasunkiku

   (Quechua, Peru - May the Heart of the Mountain bless you)

Xut Kala Xetl     (Tlingit, Alaska - Blessed Be)

Seja Abençoado     (Portuguese, Portugal - Blessed Be)

Broom Blessing CO1 2024

Broom Blessing Esbat, 3/24/24

Community workings

Altar Set-up/Devotions

(Dedicants) 

(Brooms on a white cloth, in the center of sacred space near the altar)

Cleanse the Area

(Dedicants)

Smudge/Anoint Participants

(Dedicants)

Challenge; Do you enter this Circle in perfect love and perfect trust?

Cast Circle

HPS; We will be casting Circle tonight as Shawn directs us with 3 consecutive Ohm’s. But first we’ll begin with envisioning a beautiful stand of large grand Oak Trees surrounding us all along the outer perimeter of the property. Starting from the roots, deep down below the ground, networking, tightly together, protecting us from harm. Now rise up, through their enormous tree trunks of strength, that surround and guard us. Then all the way up and out, through their extended arms, their branches and leaves, that enclose and encase us, with their loving embrace. Now, while you visualize those trees, we will follow HP through 3 consecutive Ohm’s

HP; We’ll begin with a low soft pitch and end with a higher, deeper, pitch for three consecutive Ohm’s. Once you start, don’t wait for others to catch up, just continue until you’ve completed all three. Let’s begin with a deep breath in through the nose, out through the mouth, and relax. Take a second deep breath and begin…

HPS; Now we are protected and guarded in a loving embrace. Welcome to our Sacred Space.

 

Call Quarters, E/S/W/N

EAST; I call to the guardians of the east, the powers of air. Come to our circle with your cleansing breezes and blow away all negativity and worry so that we might perform this rite with a clear mind. Welcome and blessed be.

(Light the yellow candle)

SOUTH; I call to the guardians of the south, the powers of fire. Come to our circle with your bright warmth and burn away all fear and doubt so that we might perform this rite with an open heart. Welcome and blessed be. 

(Light the red candle)

WEST; I call to the guardians of the west, the powers of water. Come to our circle with your cool waves and wash away all the cares of the day so that we might be fully present in mind and spirit as we perform this rite. Welcome and blessed be. 

(Light the blue candle)

NORTH; I call the guardians of the north, the powers of earth. Come to our circle with your rock-solid strength and help us to be grounded and centered as we perform this rite. Welcome and blessed be. 

(Light the green candle)

Invocation God/Goddess

HP; (HPS Hold arms up, palms turned up to the sky)
Great Goddess, Blessed Lady of the Moon, who watches over all with grace and beauty, I call to you now and ask that you honor my circle with your presence. Welcome and blessed be. 

(Light the goddess candle.)

HPS; (HP Hold arms crossed, palms on shoulders)
Great God, Lord of the Animals and Guardian of the Earth, I call to you now and ask that you honor my circle with your presence. Welcome and blessed be. 

(Light the god candle.)

Spell Work instructions

(Allow time for everyone to pick up their broom)

HPS; Take a moment to look at your broom. Admire its sturdy construction, knowing that it will work well for you. Feel the energy simmering inside it, waiting to be used and attuned to your own particular form of Magick. Run your hand lightly over it, from the top of the handle down to the bottom of the bristles. Talk to your broom, ask if it has a preferred name. Tell it what you want or need it to do. Send you broom thanks for coming to you.

Perform the Work

(Invite everyone to approach the altar with their broom)

(With HP/HPS helping, allow each person time to consecrate their broom)

SMOKE; (Waft smoke over the broom from top to bottom)
I consecrate you with the power of air.

FIRE; (Move candle flame over the broom from top to bottom)
I consecrate you with the power of fire.

WATER; (Sprinkle water over the broom from top to bottom)
I consecrate you with the power of water.

SALT; (Sprinkle salt over the broom from top to bottom)
I consecrate you with the power of earth.

SPIRIT; (Hold the broom over the God/Goddess candles)
I ask the blessings of the God and Goddess on this broom, a sacred tool that I now claim. I promise to use it wisely and well, and wield it only as I work my Craft.

(Allow everyone time to return to their chair with their broom)

(Begin in the East and approach each participant with ribbon and markers)

HPS; Write your name, and your broom’s name, on white ribbon. Then tie the ribbon around the broom handle where it meets the bristles. 

(Give everyone time to tie the ribbons)

HP; Please repeat after me - And so, we are bound, my broom and I, Blessed Be.

HPS; Now take a few drops of the anointing oil that’s being passed around and rub it into the broom handle, starting at the top. If you want, you can also touch the bristles with a bit of the oil.

HP; Pick up the broom in both hands and hold it up to the sky at shoulder height. Please repeat after me - See my Magickal broom, consecrated and blessed for me and me alone. May I use it well and wisely. So, mote it be.

HPS; Now please gently place your broom back down on the cloth near the altar.

Sacred Space

(Ask if anyone has any special requests or thanks)

(Wish Box)

Cakes & Ale

HP/HPS; (Hold hands over the food/drink)
May we never hunger. May we never thirst. All that we do is in service and honor of the God and Goddess. So, Mote it Be.
 

Thank God/Goddess

HPS; (HP Hold arms crossed, palms on shoulders)
Great God, I thank you for your presence here in this Sacred Circle and in our lives. Stay if you will, go if you must, in perfect love and perfect trust. So, mote it be. 
(Snuff out candle.)

HP; (HPS Hold arms up palms turned up to the sky)
Great Goddess, I thank you for your presence here in this Sacred Circle and in our lives. Stay if you will, go if you must, in perfect love and perfect trust. So, mote it be.
(Snuff out candle.)

Release Quarters, N/W/S/E

NORTH; I thank you, powers of earth, for your help and guidance during this rite. Blessed be. (Snuff out candle.)

WEST; I thank you, powers of water, for your help and guidance during this rite. Blessed be. (Snuff out candle.)

SOUTH; I thank you, powers of fire, for your help and guidance during this rite. Blessed be. (Snuff out candle.)

EAST; I thank you, powers of air, for your help and guidance during this rite. Blessed be. (Snuff out candle.)

Open Circle 

Tonight, we open this Circle by lowering it to the ground. Where it will remain until the next time we meet here. This Circle is open, but unbroken. Merry Meet, Merry Part, and may we all Merry Meet again. Blessed Be.

Feast

Children Sabbat 2001 CO1

 Children, Ostara 

Tampa CUUPS 3/24/01

 

Smudge

(With Bubbles)

Welcome and Bright Blessings

 

Anointing

(With Stickers)

Those who walk in Love and Truth, Shall grow in Honor and Strength, Blessed Be.

 

Statement of Intent

(Begin with everyone standing in the main circle with the other participants.  As each person speaks those in that quarter step forward into the circle.)

HPS:     Long have we been Adults. We have spent a lifetime becoming Adults.

                We grow boundaries, of responsibility, and need.

                We assume the aura of power, ordained by our Parents

                And their Parents before them. Long have we felt lost.

                Long have we felt need.

                Long have we dreamed

 

All:        Tonight we relinquish the mantle, tonight we are one, Tonight we are free.

 

HP:     Too soon, we leave the child behind us. Long have we felt the child within us.

            The child we were, the child we wanted to be. The scared and happy being.

            The adventure. The openness. The wonder.

 

All:    Tonight we relinquish the mantle, Tonight we are one, Tonight we are free.

 

 

Maiden:    For too long we have carried our burdens.

                      Too long we have lived alone, the child within, Suppressed and silenced.

                   For too long we have carried the weight of the world, Upon our shoulders.

                    Too long we have been what others expected us to be. Now we awaken!

 

All:    For tonight we relinquish the mantle, Tonight we are one, Tonight we are free.

 

Warrior:    In this circle we are safe. In this circle we are children.

                        In this circle we are free.

 

Casting the Circle

(Each person steps forward separately and takes their item from the altar...moving to stand in the center of the Circle before casting their part of the Circle.  They each stand facing out.)

Maiden:    Using Pin Wheel

I cast this circle in the name of the Maiden. Holy Maiden Huntress, Artemis, Artemis, Maiden, come to us.

 

Mother:    Using Sand Shovel

I cast this circle in the name of the Mother. Silver shining wheel of Radiance, Radiance. Mother, come to us.

 

Crone:    Using Pixie Stix

I cast this circle in the name of the Crone. Ancient Queen of wisdom, Hecate, Cerrwiden Old One, come to us

 

Maiden, Mother & Crone  

(All standing back to back, holding hands skyward saying)

We are a Circle within a Circle, With no beginning, and no ending.

We are the fire that keeps returning, The eternal flame, forever burning.

 

Warrior:    The Circle has been cast 3 times. In the name of the Maiden, Mother and Crone. So Mote it be

 

CALLING THE QUARTERS

(North, Earth)   We call upon the elements of the North, Creatures of Earth, Keepers of the Bodies of Life;   We call upon you, Open our Selves, Inspire our Lives - Be with us now!

 

(East, Air)   We call upon the elements of the East, creatures of Air, keepers of all Knowledge;   We call upon you,  Open our Minds, Lift our Thoughts - Be with us now!

 

(South, Fire)   We call upon the elements of the South, creatures of fire, keepers of the Flames of Life;   We call upon you, Open our Eyes, Focus our Energies - Be with us now!

 

(West, Water)   We call upon the elements of the West, creatures of Water, keepers of the Spirits of Life;   We call upon you,  Open our Hearts, Enrich our Feelings - Be with us now!

 

GROUNDING THE PARTICIPANTS

(game of Simon Says)

 

INVOKING THE GOD\GODDESS

(Facing the moon, holding Athame over head, in the East by the altar)

Welcome and Hail to Our Golden Lord and Silver Lady.

By You, this universe is born, By You, this universe is created,

By You, this universe is protected. You are eternal.

You are the energies of Nature. Join us this festive night

Teach us how to take the time to play once more. So mote it be.

MEDITATION: INNER CHILD

Walking slowly around the circle

 Make yourself comfortable, close your eyes or look at the moon.  Begin by taking three deep breaths ... slowly inhale and then slowly exhale, inhale and exhale, inhale and exhale.  Let your mind become blank.  Envision the Golden light of Healing, floating above your head, about the size of a baseball.  Slowly, pull the golden light down.  (Pause)

Each time you inhale, draw the light down deeper into your body.  Feel its warm glow fill your body until it reaches the base of your spine.  Relax here and feel the warmth of the golden light, if a few stray thoughts enter your mind, gently push them aside for now.  (Pause)

Now you begin to see trees, many trees, just like a huge forest.  You walk into the forest for a few minutes, following a path that you may use in the future.  (Pause)

Up ahead of you a large gate begins to materialize, a golden light glows softly behind it.  Walk over to open the gate.  Reach out to pull on the large handles.  As it opens, you gradually become aware of noises, people talking, sounds of children playing, swings swishing through the air, and the smell of freshly cut grass and wildflowers.  (Pause)

You look down at your body and notice that you are now a child, the child you were, the child you always wished to be.  With light, carefree steps you walk over to a sandbox.  Inside you see a few toys, sifters, funnels, pales, shovels and such.  You then notice a small pile of toys over to the side.  (Pause)

You reach over there for a toy.  You have just picked up your favorite toy of this childhood.  Play with it, handle it carefully, rock it, love it, and tell it all the things you remember, all the things you would have liked have heard as a child.  (Pause)

You look up and notice someone standing above you speaking.  It is a short message, perhaps from a family member, or a friend or someone you've never seen before.  Take this message and remember it.  (Pause)

Now put your toy down and slowly walk back to the large open gates.  Turn and wave good-bye to everything and everyone in this playground.  You can see them waving and smiling back to you.  You hear a child's voice call out, asking when will you come back to play more.  You know that you will return, but for now you must come back.  (Pause)

As you turn and walk through the gates, they close softly behind you.  Walk back slowly through the trees, filled with a sense of contentment.  That the child inside of you has given to you.  Once again you become aware of your current surroundings.  Inhale, feel yourself returning to the here and now.  When you are ready, open your eyes and rejoin our circle.  (Pause)

 

CHANT

Itsy Bitsy Spider!!

 

On Children

Our children are not our children.  They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.  They come through us but not from us, And though they are with us yet they belong not to us.  We may give them our love but not our thoughts, For they have their own thoughts.  We may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which we can not visit, not even in our dreams, We may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like us.  For life goes not backward, nor tarries with yesterday.  We are the bows from which our children as living arrows are sent forth.  The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends with us His might that His arrows may go swift and far.  Let our bending in the archer's hand be for gladness; For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves the bow that is stable. Will everyone please stand up and bring your inner child  with you…we’re going to have some fun.

 

THE DANCE

(Chicken Dance - Get all the participants up and standing in the Circle before beginning the dance)

(All:    Pass out bottles of bubbles after the dance)

When you are ready...create an image of your Child Self, the Child you were, the Child you wished to be.  As you blow the bubbles, project that image into the bubbles and set the Child Within free.  Send your Child Self up into the Loving arms of Mother Moon.

Get participants drumming

 

BEFORE TIME WAS

Before time was, there was The One; The One was all, and all was The One.   And the vast expanse known as the universe was The One, all-wise, all-pervading, all-powerful, eternally changing.  And space moved.  The One molded energy into twin forms, equal but opposite, fashioning the Goddess and  the God from The One and of The One.  The Goddess and the God stretched and gave thanks to The One, but darkness surrounded them.  They were alone, solitary save for The One.  So They formed energy into gasses and gasses into suns and planets and moons; They sprinkled the universe with whirling globes and so all was given shape by the hands of the Goddess and the God.  Light arose and the sky was illuminated by a billion suns.  And the Goddess and the God, satisfied by their works, rejoiced and loved, and were one.  From their union sprang the seeds of all life, and of the human race, so that we might achieve incarnation upon the Earth.  The Goddess chose the Moon as Her symbol, and the God the Sun as His symbol, to remind the inhabitants of Earth of their fashioners.  All are born, live, die and are reborn beneath the Sun and Moon; all things come to pass thereunder, and all occurs with the blessings of The One, as has been the way of existence before time was.

THE GREAT RITE

Let it be known that nothing masculine is greater than the Feminine

And that nothing feminine is greater than the masculine.

Together:    Each is part of the other and only the balance of the two can lead to enlightenment.

 

As the Athame represents the masculine

And the Chalice represents the feminine

Together:    Only when they are joined can perfect balance be found. For only through balance can the Magick of unconditional love be realized.

 

BLESSING OF THE CAKES & WINE

All life is your own,

All fruits of the earth,

Are fruits of your womb,

Your union, your dance.

Blessed be!

 

CHANT

Bingo!!

 

RELEASING THE QUARTERS

(West, Water)   We thank you Elements of the West, For your presence here tonight.  Stay if you will, Go if you must.  Hale and farewell!

(South, Fire)   We thank you Elements of the South, For your presence here tonight.  Stay if you will, Go if you must.  Hale and farewell!

(East, Air)   We thank you Elements of the East, For your presence here tonight.  Stay if you will, Go if you must.  Hale and farewell!

(North, Earth) We thank you Elements of the North, For your presence here tonight.  Stay if you will, go if you must.  Hale and farewell!

 

OPENING THE CIRCLE

Morrighann: Silver Lady, Golden Lord, we thank you for joining us this night in everlasting laughter and friendship.  Go if you must, stay and play for awhile if you will.  Earth will crumble our circle.  Water will cause it to fall.  Fire will burn what’s left in the urn and the Winds will scatter it all!  May this Play Ground remain open and it’s gates never close!  Merry we meet Merry we part and Merry may we meet again.

CHANT

Barney Song!  X3

Ostara Sabbat 1999 CO1

Mooncoast CUUP’s, Ostara 3/19/99 

Statement of Intent

Welcome to our CUUP’s Ostara Ritual.  Ostara is a Northern European name for the Goddess Astarte.  Astarte also means womb - for the Goddess as the Earth is fully pregnant now with animals being born and vegetation starting to awaken all over the Northern Hemisphere.  In the story of Demeter and Persephone this is the time when Persephone reappears on the Earth and Demeter, the Grain Mother, now permits vegetation to grow and virgin grain to sprout. Sun Bear, a sacred teacher of Chippewa descent, was the founder and Medicine Chief of the Bear Tribe, a multiracial educational society. Tonight, we'll be working with the directions as used by the Bear Tribe, founded by the late Sun Bear.  They will be a little different than what most people work with.  Celebrate Springtime with me by reconnecting to the Web of Life and help to heal our Mother Earth.

Grounding the Participants

Imagine yourself as a tree - a great oak standing in the sunshine, with your blood as the sap.  Your head and arms are your branches.  Bring the sunlight from above you down through your branches into your limbs, and then down into your trunk.  Now flow the energy down into your roots, and from there into the Earth below.  Send that light even further into the Earth, all the way down to her core.  Feel your light blending with that of Mother Earth.  Now bring that energy up through the Earth into your roots, then your trunk, now up your limbs into your branches.  Send your light, now mixed with the light of Mother Earth, back up into the sky to reconnect with the Sunshine above to complete the Circle of Life.

Casting the Circle

By the Earth this is her body, By the Air that is her breath, By the Waters of her living womb, By the fire of her bright spirit,

This Circle is cast.  We are between the worlds.  Beyond the bounds of time where day and night, birth and death, sorrow and joy meet as one.

Calling the Quarters

EAST:    Wabun, guardian of the East - place of spring, time of dawn.  Come to us on the wings of Eagles.  May your breezes bring clarity, wisdom and illumination.  Be with us now.  So Mote It Be!

SOUTH:    Shawnodese - guardian of the South - place of summer, time of midday.  Discover with us the stealth and cunning of the coyote. Illuminate us with experience, introspection and strength.  Be with us now.  So Mote It Be!

WEST:    Mudjekeewis - guardian of the West - place of Autumn, time of twilight.  Join us with the solid grace of the bear. May your waves wash over us with  growth, trust and love.  Be with us now.  So Mote It Be!

NORTH:    Waboose - guardian of the North - place of winter, time of midnight.  Come to us on the thundering hooves of the buffalo.  Ground us with cleansing, renewal and purity.  Be with us now.  So Mote It Be!

Invoking the God\Goddess

HPS:    Gaia - Our primordial Earth Mother, we ask you to be here this night as we celebrate your rebirth.  Blessed Be!

HP:    Green Man - primordial Consort of the Earth Mother, Guardian of all plants and trees, be with us now.  Blessed Be!

Workings

We need to reconnect ourselves to the Web of Life and remember that everything is inter-connected.  I am going to read a poem that may move you in some way, possibly even to the point of tears.  Tears are OK in this safe place between the worlds and there is Kleenex on the altar if needed.

Bestiary

Joanna Macy

Short-Tailed Albatross,   Whooping Crane,   Gray Wolf,   Peregrine Falcon,   Hawksbill Turtle,   Jaguar,   Rhinoceros...

In Geneva, the international rally of endangered species, kept up to date in loose-leaf volumes, is becoming too heavy to lift.  Where do we now record the passing of life?  What funerals or farewells are appropriate?

Reed Warbler,   Swallow-Tail Butterfly,   Manx Shearwater,   Indian Python,  Howler Monkey,   Sperm Whale,   Blue Whale...

Dive me deep, brother whale, in this time we have left.  Deep in our Mother ocean where once I swam, gilled and finned.  The salt from those early seas still runs in my tears.  Tear are too meager now.  Give me a song…a song for a sadness too vast for my heart, for a rage too wild for my throat.

Anteater,   Antelope,   Grizzly Bear,   Bactrian Camel,   Nile Crocodile,   American Alligator...

Ooze me, alligator, in the mud whence I came.  Belly me slow in the rich primordial soup, cradle of our molecules.  Let me wallow again, before we drain your swamp, before we pave it over and blast it to ash.

Gray Bat,   Ocelot,   Marsh Mouse,   Blue Pike,   Red Kangaroo,   Aleutian Goose,   Audouin’s Seagull...

Quick, lift off, sweep me high over the coast and out, farther out.  Don’t land here.  Oil spills coat the beach, rocks, sea.  I cannot spread my wings glued with tar.  Fly me from what we have done, fly me far.

Golden Parakeet,   African Ostrich,   Florida Panther,   Galapagos Penguin,   Imperial Pheasant,   Leopard,   Utah Prairie Dog...

Hide me in a hedgerow, Badger.  Can’t you find one?  Dig me a tunnel through leaf mold and roots, under the trees that once defined our fields.  My heart is bulldozed and plowed over.  Burrow me a labyrinth deeper than longing.

Thick-Billed Parrot,   Zone-Tailed Pigeon,   Desert Bandicoot,   Southern Bald Eagle,   California Condor,   Lotus Blue Butterfly...

Crawl me out of here, Caterpillar.  Spin me a cocoon.  Wind me to sleep in a shroud of silk, where in patience my bones will dissolve.  I’ll wait as long as all creation if only it will come again - and I take wing.

Atlantic Ridley turtle,   Pearly Mussel,   Helmeted Hornbill,   Sea Otter,   Humpback Whale,   Monk Seal,   Harp Seal...

Swim me out beyond the ice floes, Mama.  Where are you?  Boots squeeze my ribs, clubs drum my fur, the white world goes black with the taste of my blood.

Gorilla,   Gibbon,   Sand Gazelle,   Swamp Deer,   Musk Deer,   Cheetah,   Chinchilla,   Asian Elephant,   African Elephant...

Sway me slowly through the jungle.  There still must be jungle somewhere, my heart drips with green secrets.  Hose me down by the waterhole, there is buckshot in my hide.  Tell me old stories while you can remember.

Fan-Tailed Flycatcher,   Flapshell Tortoise,   Crested Ibis,   Hook-Billed Kite,   Bobcat,   Frigate Bird...

In the time when his world, like ours, was ending, Noah had a list of the animals, too.  We picture him standing by the gangplank, calling their names, checking them off on his scroll.  Now we also are checking them off.

Ivory-Billed Woodpecker,   Brown Pelican,   Florida Manatee,   Canada Goose...

We reenact Noah’s ancient drama, but in reverse, like a film running backwards, the animals exiting.

Ferret,   Curlew,   Cougar,   Wolf...

Your tracks are growing fainter.  Wait.  Wait.  This is a hard time.  Don’t leave us alone in a world we have wrecked.

(HPS Count each person in the circle, 1 2 3, 12 3)

HP:    Now is the time to take that sadness you might be feeling and direct it into healing our Mother Earth. I need everyone to make two circles.  All the ones will create the inner circle, and the two’s and three’s will create the outer.  The inner circle will move widdershins, to your right, with your right hand extended out.  The outer circle with move doesil, to your left, with your right hand extended in to meet the hands of those in the inner circle, and your left hand extended out and up to send the energy directly out into the universe to be used where ever Mother Earth might need it.

HPS: Now that our dance is done, as you return to your places in the circle, you will each receive a shell from the Earth to remind you of your connection to all things on this planet.

Blessing of the Cakes & Wine

HPS:    Gaia, Bless this wine and infuse it with Your love.

May we never thirst.

HP:    GreenMan, Bless these cakes and infuse them with Your love.

May we never hunger

Announcements

Releasing the Quarters

NORTH:    Wabun - we thank you for bringing your clarity, wisdom and illumination to us.  Leave us if you must, walk beside us if  you will, know that you are always welcome in our lives.  Hail and farewell.

WEST:    Mudjekeewis - our appreciation for sharing your experience, introspection and strength with us.  Leave us if you must, walk beside us if  you will, know that you are always welcome in our lives.  Hail and farewell.

SOUTH:    Shawnodese - we thank you for bringing your lessons of growth, trust and love.  Leave us if you must, walk beside us if  you will, know that you are always welcome in our lives.  Hail and farewell.

EAST:    Waboose - our appreciation for grounding us with cleansing, renewal and purity.  Leave us if you must, walk beside us if  you will, know that you are always welcome in our lives.  Hail and farewell.

Releasing the Circle

Gaia, we thank you for being here with us this night.  Stay if you will, leave if you must.  Hail and farewell.

Green Man, we thank you for being here with us this night.  Stay if you will, leave if you must.  Hail and farewell.

Tonight as we open this circle we will each in our turn touch our right hands to our hearts and then touch the shoulder of the person next to you.  “May the love I feel in my heart travel to my hand and into your heart.” 

May this Circle be open but never broken.  Merry Meet and Merry Part and Merry Meet again.  Blessed Be!

Go Mbeannaigh

          (Gaelic, Ireland - Blessed Be)

Sonqongi Apukuna Wak'aychasunkiku

          (Quechua, Peru - May the Heart of the Mountain bless you)

Xut Kala Xetl

          (Tlingit, Alaska - Blessed Be)