The core of this ritual is chanting, one chant for each hemisphere:
- Southern Hemisphere:
As the time of introspection passes,
We greet the Light from the Northern half,
And celebrate Life;
As the Dark goes to the Northern half,
We wish our Northern kin wisdom and growth,
As they reflect within,
But here and now,
We greet Life and Light and renewal
With joy and merriment and dance
- Northern Hemisphere:
As the time of outward activity passes,
We greet the Dark from the Southern half,
And welcome wisdom and growth;
As the Light goes to the Southern half,
We wish our Southern kin joy,
As they celebrate Life,
But here and now,
We greet the Dark
With reflection, introspection and contemplation
The ritual in full, using a structure I was taught in the Correllian Tradition, is as follows (I will, by the way, one day work through these and add more correspondences - incense, candles, foods for the feasts, etc):
All rituals consists of 5 major parts, which you will notice below are segmented into the five elements. Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Spirit, but not in that order. Each Elemental correspondence has its own unique role within the ritual.
In most cases they are broken down as follows:
· East – Air – Athame – Opening – This is the basis of preparation, introduction of the ceremony.
· North – Fire – Wand - Invocations – This is the basis of invocations, prayers of the ceremony.
· Spirit – Centre – the ritual itself.
· West – Water – Chalice - Offerings – This is the time of offerings, libations, and honour
· South – Earth – Pentacle – Closing – This is the time of devocation and opening of the circle.
THE RITUAL
Phase
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Actions
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Words (if wish to provide guide or use particular words)
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People
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Overall direction of ritual:
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Ritual leader
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Collate items required:
· Cauldron and match
· salt, water
· athame
· copy of order of ritual / running sheet / speaking notes
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Ask for and brief volunteers
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Air – East - Athame OPENING
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Cleanse salt, water, incense and fire.
Charge salt, water, incense and fire.
Cleanse and charge area.
Participants waiting outside to Ground and Release, and make sure watches are removed and mobile phones are turned off.
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- hand over water, visualise yellow-white light from hand into water, 3 Clockwise, to the south, circles while say
“Behold, I exorcise you, O creature of Water, casting out from you any impurities which may lie within!”
- hand over water, visualise blue-white light filling water, 3 Sunwise (to the north, anticlockwise) circles while say
“And I do bless and consecrate you to this work!”
- hand over salt, visualise yellow-white light from hand into water to force out negativity, 3 Clockwise, to the south, circles while say
“Behold, I exorcise you, O creature of Earth, casting out from you any impurities which may lie within!”
- hand over salt, visualise blue-white light filling water, 3 Sunwise (to the north, anticlockwise) circles while say
“And I do bless and consecrate you to this work!”
- add three pinches salt to water (to make Holy Water) and say
“Behold, the salt is pure! Behold, the water is pure! Purity into purity then, and purity be blessed!”
Walk Sunwise (to the north, anticlockwise) and asperge (sprinkle with Holy Water) while visualise filled with yellow-white light.
“Behold I cleanse and purify this space.”
Turn to face inside of circle, visualise blue-white light and say.
“I bless and consecrate this space.”
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Cast circle
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“Behold I do cut apart a space between the realms of humankind and of the Might Ones – a Circle of Art, to focus and contain the power raised herein!”
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Invite participants into circle and smudge
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Fire – North - Wand
INVOCATIONS
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Invoke the Four Quarters
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East (air)
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Example only: “Hail unto You, O Guardian of the Watchtower of the East, power of Air and intellect. We pray that You will be with us this night in our circle, and that You will give Your blessing and Your aid to this our undertaking! We bid you hail, and welcome!”
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North (fire)
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Example only: “Hail unto You, O Guardian of the Watchtower of the North, power of Fire and manifestation. We pray that You will be with us this night in our circle, and that You will give Your blessing and Your aid to this our undertaking! We bid you hail, and welcome!”
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West (water)
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Example only: “Hail unto You, O Guardian of the Watchtower of the West, power of Water and emotion. We pray that You will be with us this night in our circle, and that You will give Your blessing and Your aid to this our undertaking! We bid you hail, and welcome!”
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South (earth)
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Example only: “Hail unto You, O Guardian of the Watchtower of the South, power of Earth and integration. We pray that You will be with us this night in our circle, and that You will give Your blessing and Your aid to this our undertaking! We bid you hail, and welcome!”
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Invoke the Goddess
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Example only: "Divine Mother Goddess, All-Bountiful, All-Beautiful, Source and Sustenance of Existence: we do invoke You, asking now for your aid and guidance in this our undertaking.– May Your Divine Love be as a light within our hearts, now and always! Light our path, guide and strengthen us, enfold us in Your love, Divine Mother – we thus pray! Holy One, we bid You Hail and Welcome!"
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Invoke the God (optional / depending on type of ritual)
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Example only: "Holy Father God –Son, Brother, and Consort of Our Lady- we do invoke You asking now for your aid and guidance in this our undertaking.–. May Your Divine Love be as a light within our hearts, now and always! Light our path, guide and strengthen us, enfold us in Your love, Divine Father – we thus pray! Holy One, we bid You Hail and Welcome!"
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Invoke your Patron Deity (optional / depending on type of ritual)
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Invoke the Ancestors (optional / depending on type of ritual)
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Example only: “O Mighty Ancestors, Beloved Ones Who have gone before, We invoke You and ask You to join us and to Bless us! Ancestors of the Correllian Tradition, Priestesses and Priests, Mothers and Uncles of the lineage, Spiritual family which aids and supports us –lend us Your inspiration and Your love, Your guidance and Your aid this night, we pray. Beloved Ones, we bid You Hail and Welcome!”
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Spirit – Centre
RITUAL
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For this ritual is to celebrate the equinoxes.
The ritual is in two forms:
- one for use in the Southern Hemisphere;
- one for use in the Northern Hemisphere.
The chants are:
- Southern Hemisphere:
As the time of introspection passes,
We greet the Light from the Northern half,
And celebrate Life;
As the Dark goes to the Northern half,
We wish our Northern kin wisdom and growth,
As they reflect within,
But here and now,
We greet Life and Light and renewal
With joy and merriment and dance
- Northern Hemisphere:
As the time of outward activity passes,
We greet the Dark from the Southern half,
And welcome wisdom and growth;
As the Light goes to the Southern half,
We wish our Southern kin joy,
As they celebrate Life,
But here and now,
We greet the Dark
With reflection, introspection and contemplation
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Water – West - Chalice
OFFERING
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This is traditionally done with a chalice of juice, wine or water passed around the company within the circle AFTER the dedicationary offering has been completed.
Then it is common practice to pour out a small libation, and dedicate that to your Ancestors, physical and spiritual, and to all your friends in Nature, seen and unseen.
Dedicate what remains in the Chalice to the Goddess and the God.
(After the ritual, the libations may be emptied outside, or otherwise respectfully disposed of.)
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Earth - South - Pentacle
CLOSING
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It is now time to give thanks, and close the ritual
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Devoke the Four Quarters
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North (fire)
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Example only: “Guardian of the Watchtower of the North, power of Fire and manifestation. We thank You for Your presence here tonight – we thank You for Your aid, and Your guidance. May there be peace between us now and always. Go if You must, stay if You will, we bid You hail, and farewell!”
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West (water)
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Example only: “Guardian of the Watchtower of the West, power of Water and emotion. We thank You for Your presence here tonight – we thank You for Your aid, and Your guidance. May there be peace between us now and always. Go if You must, stay if You will, we bid You hail, and farewell!”
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South (earth)
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Example only: “Guardian of the Watchtower of the South, power of Earth and integration. We thank You for Your presence here tonight – we thank You for Your aid, and Your guidance. May there be peace between us now and always. Go if You must, stay if You will, we bid You hail, and farewell!”
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East (air)
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Example only: “Guardian of the Watchtower of the East, power of Air and intellect. We thank You for Your presence here tonight – we thank You for Your aid, and Your guidance. May there be peace between us now and always. Go if You must, stay if You will, we bid You hail, and farewell!”
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Devoke the Goddess (optional / depending on type of ritual)
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Example only: "Divine Mother Goddess, All-Bountiful, All-Beautiful, Source and Sustenance of Existence: we thank You for Your presence here tonight – we thank You for Your aid, and Your guidance. May there be peace between us now and always. Go if You must, stay if You will, we bid You hail, and farewell!
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Devoke the God (optional / depending on type of ritual)
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Example only: "Holy Father God –Son, Brother, and Consort of Our Lady, we thank You for Your presence here tonight – we thank You for Your aid, and Your guidance. May there be peace between us now and always. Go if You must, stay if You will, we bid You hail, and farewell!”
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Devoke your Patron Deity (optional / depending on type of ritual)
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Devoke the Ancestors (optional / depending on type of ritual)
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Example only: “O Mighty Ancestors, Beloved Ones Who have gone before, we thank You for Your presence here tonight – we thank You for Your aid, and Your guidance. May there be peace between us now and always. Go if You must, stay if You will, we bid You hail, and farewell!”
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Take down the Circle itself.
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Example only: “As Above, So Below. As the Universe, so the Soul. As within, so without. Merry meet. Merry part. And merry meet again.”
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Ground and release all excess energy.
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Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear")
Tags: Sabbats, Beltane, Samhain,
First published: Sunnudagr, 30th October, 2011
Last edited: Sunday, 30th October, 2011
