I have structured each of these rituals
around my interpretation of the essence of each season. Others may have
different interpretations, which are equally valid or quite possibly even
superior to mine. The key to this is the information I found at the Museum of
Victoria page Forest Secrets: Seven Seasons of the Kulin People. There is a lot more information there than I have included
below – what is given below is meant to be just a teaser, to get you to go look
at their website (the illustrations in particular, are very interesting – as is
the information in the plants section).
More generally, wherever you live,
there is an opportunity to look at the world around you, learn from its cycles,
and then use those cycles to explore and enhance your life. This is just a
cycle of rituals based on the seasons near here I live – in one small part of
the wonderful world. There are many other cycles of seasons in this world, and
many other cycles more broadly (e.g. tidal and astrological), wherein learning
may be found, and celebrated and enhance through ritual.
As with all such work proper
preparation is essential. Read the ritual, and make your preparations
accordingly – particularly in relation to a harmonious combination of scents
and colours, and make sure you have a safe place to work with candles, away
from anything flammable (even if blown by wind or otherwise displaced, so no
curtains!) and with suitable protection (I have used up to three plates on top
of each other to make sure candles or cauldrons with flame will be safe – and
remember the ash from incense will be hot, and sparks may occur so include
protecting them in your plans) and obey all fire restrictions (no
outdoor candles on total fire days!!!) Don’t become so caught up in enthusiasm for any ritual that you
overlook simple, basic common sense and caution! Provide comfortable sitting to
match the mobility of participants, make sure there are no risks of slips,
trips and falls, or risks of bumping heads, etc, etc, etc.
The more thought and preparatory effort
you make, the more likely you are to get good results – and don’t forget to ask
for preparation during your sleep state. Read these posts to help you think
about the issue of preparation: here,
here,
here,
here
and here,
and the prayers in this post.
Poorneet - Opening/invocation
General
Comments: Poorneet
marks the time when tubers are hidden in the ground, but are ready to eat. This
is the time when the riches of the Earth are ready, and just have to be found –
it is warming, and flax lilies and yam daisies are flowering (from the Museum
of Victoria page Forest Secrets: Seven Seasons of the Kulin People, where
the Poorneet
page will tell you what the word means, what lyrebirds and other birds are
doing, and the lengths of day and night at this time of year).
In terms of a ritual, what powers and
energies of body, mind and spirit are ready to be drawn upon, and just need to
be found – perhaps by … an opening invocation?
Face the appropriate direction as you
say:
“In the east, we acknowledge the
spirit of Poorneet, the tadpole season when hidden tubers are ready to find and
eat, and acknowledge the coming into being of inner potential;
in the north-east, we acknowledge the
spirit of Buath Gurru, the season of flowering grass when butterflies come to
the flowers, and the spirit of fertility;
in the north, we acknowledge the
spirit of kangaroo-apple, the season of storms, the benefits and the testing
that can come with plentifulness, and the existence of the risk of conflict;
in the north-west, we acknowledge the
spirit of Biderap, the dry season, and the unavoidable need for tests of
endurance and strength;
in the west, we acknowledge the
spirit of Iuk, the eel season, and the easing of troubles by the spirit of
water;
in the south-west and south, we acknowledge
Waring, the wombat season, the value of inner reflection and rest, and the
times when we have to draw on our inner reserves;
in the south-east, we acknowledge the
spirit of Guling, the orchid season, and the value of healing.”
Return your focus to the centre of the
ritual area, and then, for Buath Gurru, place a flower onto your altar, and say
”may
all that we treasure be fertile, in the best possible sense”.
If you wish, chant Algiz to invoke the
rune of protection, and light a candle of whatever colour (or combination of
colours) you associate with protection (I use purple and orange). You could
also light incense that has associations of protection for you, or rub the
candle with oil of that scent (be careful not to overdo it – there are seven
stages to this ritual, and you could wind up with an overpowering or
disharmonious combination of scents (or colours) if you are not careful!
Buath Gurru – fertility
General
Comments (refer to the
Museum of Victoria pages Forest Secrets: Seven Seasons of the Kulin People): When kangaroo grass
flowers, it is advertising its fertility (here will tell you
about the weather, stars, insects and bats at this time). In other situations,
this same energy could be described as fertility, so the connotation is not
limited to the literal. What are the energies to be brought to a peak for this
ritual? That is the task for this phase of the ritual.
Consider having offerings of red
colours (candles, for instance) or seasonal fruit (to be left out on the earth
for the forces of Nature to deal with, as agents of the Goddesses and Gods) as
gifts of fertility to enhance the fertility (richness or fruitfulness) of that
which is to be worked with. You could also perhaps display and invoke (by
chanting) the runes Ingwaz and Berkana – and you should specifically call that
which you wish to enhance or strengthen in to the ritual by chanting, even if
only mentally), or perhaps writing what you want on paper, burning it and
allowing the smoke and ashes to carry your invitation or desire to “the
Universe”/the Goddesses and Gods.
Buath Gurru is about the peak of
fertility, so consider actions which symbolise increasing that which you seek –
for instance, if you were seeking to enhance your musical skills, play
something, or at least listen to someone playing as you wish. You could pick up
and add to the ritual area photos of people doing what it is you wish to, for
instance.
As you do this, chant
May I be fertile of body,
mind, emotions and soul,
in the widest possible sense.
May my life give forth
more and more of life.
Kangaroo-apple - storms and managing
abundance
General
Comments: This
is the season of changeable, stormy weather, when goannas and bats are active,
and days are long and nights short (see here, from the Museum of
Victoria page Forest Secrets: Seven Seasons of the Kulin People, for more
on the weather, birds – particularly in response to the weather, fruits and
goannas at this time).
This is a season of hunting, of
managing storms, and of protecting nests –in other words, about being
assertive, but also managing the dynamic aspects of this situation. So, just as
a storm marks the build up and release of tension, with watering of life as a
result, what are the dynamic aspects relevant to this ritual? All things pass,
so think of it as coming up with as many yin-yang types of polarity as apply to
the matter which is the core of this ritual, and which will lead to cycles of
change. This may lend itself to movement such as dance to represent or clarify
the dynamic forces at play here. Now work out how to manage those: what are the
balancing forces, and what are the points of resolution? Are there, for
instance, roles and limits of responsibility/accountability/duty to make clear
– on all levels, not just physical? Having a gift comes with obligations – much
as the wealthy person is tested, by having wealth, to see what they do
with that wealth: what are the obligations and tests that need to be managed as
a result of the fertility identified under Buath Gurru?
This is where you show your maturity
by acknowledging that you can have too much of a good thing, and set boundaries
about what you are going to do, much as indigenous people work at avoiding
over-hunting or over-exploiting an area, so that there will be more for the
future, and ensuring that all you do is done harmoniously. You may also need to
consider the issue of sharing …
You could write two lists of the
opposing attributes to be managed, or arrange symbols representing each of
these, and then, with care and thought, rearrange or simply contemplate these
aspects, and how to manage them. If it helps, stand up (or sit) and use the
bow exercise I posted about (towards the end of that post). Contemplate
these risks, how to know when one is going way or the other too far, and what
one can do to balance that. Could you have even overdone the fertility
exercises in the Buath Gurru section of this ritual, perhaps? If so, how do you
correct that? You have to decide!
At this time, as we enter the season of
Buath Gurru, it is worth keeping in mind what is called ‘eutrophication’. This
is where a lake or water body is choked by plant growth in response to
nutrients in water: so there can be such a thing as having too much fertility.
If one was to look at creativity, becoming obsessed with fully utilising a flow
of creative ideas could potentially become destructive. And if we take matters
literally, over-population is an endemic issue and problem in much of this
planet. This part of the ritual is where we set up checks and balances to
prevent us ‘going overboard’ and become unbalanced or extremist in our various
expressions of fertility. As stated, the bow exercise could be useful here, but
you may also wish to do something as simple as add a set of the old-fashioned
balancing scales to your ritual area, or perhaps to add photos of overgrown and
choked lakes or waterways, to remind you of the need for balance.
As you do this, chant
May all that comes
through, from and of me
be of Positive Balance,
and may it only call
to that which also is
of Positive Balance.
May all be
positively,
properly
balanced, sound and whole
As I recall that
just because
it can be so
does not mean it should be so;
may I have the will
to keep things sane,
and balanced and whole.
If you wish, chant Yr to invoke the
energies of balance, and consider the candles and incense you have lit: does
something need to be added, or taken away, or the positions rearranged (e.g.
symbolically move something away from the centre of the ritual area to signify
diminishing it’s influence in your life) in order to create balance?
Biderap – strengthening exercises
General
Comments: This the season
when tussock grass is dry, female Common Brown butterflies are flying, and
the Southern Cross is high in the sky at sunset (from the Museum
of Victoria page Forest Secrets: Seven Seasons of the Kulin People).
This can be a testing time of the
year. So, now that the ways to manage abundance have been worked out under the kangaroo-apple
phase of this ritual, what strengths are needed to accomplish that? What
strengths of body, mind and spirit are capable of being developed as a result
of the ritual, or the situation the ritual is about? How do you best develop
those strengths? Sometimes tests, such as tests of endurance, are unavoidable:
what tests come with this situation?
This season has some similarities with
the rune Ur, which signifies strength, but only after a test or initiation. In
the sense used for this ritual, how can you refine and strengthen your
advantages and skills? For instance, do you need to meditate to develop
calmness so you can react more quickly and effectively when stressed, or
perhaps learn Tai Chi so you can better tune in to ‘the flow’ of a given
situation?
For Buath Gurru, the key is developing
the depth or richness of whatever you are seeking to accomplish here. You could
try something ‘left field’ (radical) such as writing poetry for a new
perspective on the situation, for instance.
As you do this, chant
Strength to strength,
as by my will,
so mote it be,
may I have
all that it takes,
to be all
that I can.
If you wish, chant Ur to invoke the
energies of strength, and to acknowledge the energies of initiation and
testing. If you can do so without disrupting the balance, you may wish to light
candles and incense that have associations of strength or endurance to you (in
my case, green candles and Nag Champa incense). If you need to, adjust the
positions of the objects you are building in your ritual area to maintain a
proper balance.
Iuk – easing of troubles
General
Comments: Iuk
is the word for eel, and this is the season when hot winds cease and
temperatures cool, Manna gum is flowering, and eels are fat (from the Museum
of Victoria page Forest Secrets: Seven Seasons of the Kulin People, where this page will
also tell of things such as the stars at this time).
So, much as the arrival of the wet
season eases the build up at the end of the dry season, or the cooling rains
mark the passage of the long, hot, dry time, water marks the arrival of relief.
What could lead to relief, could lead to a celebration in the situation the
ritual is being built around? How could you obtain relief or celebrate?
What would the signs be of you
‘over-doing’ whatever it is you seek to work on? You should know them as a
result of the previous phase of this ritual. OK, so what other signs of stress
do you have now? What impacts are you receiving from other parts of your life
that need to be managed so you can work on this ritual properly? Are you
stressed from work, tired from family duties, worried about money through having
been too generous? What would heal that – both in your life generally, and –of
the symptoms and impacts, at least – as you go about this ritual? What must you
do, both in order to be able to do this ritual to the fullest extent possible,
and to manage your life so that you can live to the fullest extent possible in
the manner you desire?
At the time of Buath Gurru, something that
could result in an easing of stresses and strains is to have a fertile
abundance of energy and enthusiasm (with due balance, of course, from earlier
stages of this ritual :) ). What other things, if abundant or fertile, would
lead to relief from stress or strain? How can you bring those into your life,
or achieve those states in your life? How can you symbolise those now? For me,
I would probably place a small, healthy, young plant in a pot into my ritual
area, as I associate plants and greenery with ease from stress, and healthy
young plants with growth.
As you do this, chant
As the rain washes away dust
may the Universe
ease away
all blocks to creativity, and
ease away
what troubles it may.
As you do this, chant Dagaz to invoke
the energies of transformation, and consider lighting incense or a candle of a
colour that symbolises transformation, or overcoming problems to you (in my
case, I would use either green, gold or orange candles, depending on the
particular intent of the ritual, and sandalwood or frankincense).
Waring – meditation
General
Comments: Waring
is when wombats come out to sun themselves, male lyrebirds are displaying, and
the hearts of soft tree-ferns can be used if no fruit is available (from the Museum
of Victoria page Forest Secrets: Seven Seasons of the Kulin People, where this page
will also tell you of the stars, the mists and the lengths of days and nights
at this time).
This time of the year marks the time
of going within, of accessing and drawing on inner strengths – of sunning
oneself, in a sense. Meditate on all you have learned, and of how to implement
your knowledge – sun yourself with that knowledge, and take it all in to
generate what it is you need, just as sunlight – in the right amount, not too
much nor too little – can give us the Vitamin D we need.
This is the heart of the ritual. This
is where you tie together all that you have done so far, and integrate it into
your being and your life. Although the word ‘meditation’ has been used, you may
choose another form of ritual work for this section of the ritual.
For Buath Gurru, how can you enhance –
i.e., ‘make fertile’, or bring to a peak – the attributes or outcomes you are
seeking? What must you do or change or practice, both within yourself, and
without?
When you finish meditating, spend some
time contemplating all that you have done and learned, and particularly think
on how you are going to implement that, and make these lessons a part of your
very being, and of your life. When you have decided that, do what you must as
part of the ritual (probably more writing!), and declaim “So mote it
be.”
Guling –Healing and Closing
General
Comments: This season is
when the cold is coming to an end, orchids and certain other plants are
flowering and males koalas are bellowing at night (from the Museum
of Victoria page Forest Secrets: Seven Seasons of the Kulin People, which
will explain why the koalas are bellowing :) ).
Allow yourself to be healed, and then
it is time to close this ritual.
How can you get yourself ready to move
from this ritual to the rest of your life? In part this involves some fundamental
psychic disciplines, but it is also an opportunity to look at the issue of
healing, both in terms of the ritual, which may have been confronting,
challenging or difficult, and have left you in need of some healing so you can
return to living effectively, and in terms of your life more generally.
You must also remember that you have been working with some
very real nonphysical energies and entities: how do you give back to them for
what they have given to you?
This is simple manners, let alone proper gratitude in lieu of greed and
grasping. This is VITAL if the ritual
is going to have effect beyond the moment, so what can you do that is credible,
and realistic? Don’t be the spiritual equivalent of a selfish, or self-centred
or immature person. How do you give proper, dur payment? A thank you is an
expected starting point, and something as simple as lighting a candle to offer
energy for the use of those who have helped as
they wish also goes a long way, but what else can you do?
Buath Gurru is about bringing all the
healing in your life, all the healing you found during Poorneet, to a fertile
peak. So, the question to guide your planning here is: how can I enhance the
healing in my life, both now, and more generally in my life? Perhaps you may
wish to invite a friend to give you a healing or a massage, or you may need to
act firmly (assertively?) to resolve a problematic or troubling situation in or
aspect of your life.
As you do this, chant
As the rains heals a parched land,
may the Universe heal
my body, mind and soul
“May this circle be cleansed, cleared
and closed, and may we be assisted to centre and ground ourselves, to close our
auras and chakras and to close down, but may the protection, guidance and
healing continue for the Highest Spiritual Good. So mote it be.”
Flame,
ground
and shield yourself.
