Post No. 361 - March equinox (Southern Mabon, Northern Ostara)

INTRODUCTION

The March equinox. In the Southern Hemisphere, this is Ostara; in the Northern Hemisphere, this is Mabon.

In the tropics - well, the tropics are an interesting situation, one that I have personal experience of. You see, between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Antarctic Circle, and between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle, the sun comes closer, then further away, once each year, with two days when night and day are of equal length (i.e., the aforementioned equinoxes). But in the tropics, the sun is overhead TWICE in each year, so it gets closer, is overhead, goes further away, then comes back, is overhead, then goes further away - all in the space of one year! ... Maybe the solution is to find what seasons the indigenous people in that zone divided the year up into, and work rituals to suit that - as I am trying to do for Melbourne (see here and here).

Typically, each hemisphere does its own thing, which has a certain amount of sense to it, given that will be celebrating a different season. However, when I was helping to run a global on-line Wiccan group, we tried to come up with rituals that could be used by everyone. I've decided to start having a go at those again, and here is one for the March equinox.

ESSENCE

Chant:

Southern Hemisphere:

From light to dark and dark to light,
Onwards turns the wheel,
Both parts equal, light and dark,
We celebrate the peak
of this time of harvest,
and reap the results
of seeds sown.

From dark to light and light to dark,
Onwards turns the wheel,
We share the joy
of the Northern harvest,
growing Southern warmth and light,
and this time of balance.

From light to dark and dark to light,
Onwards turns the wheel,
Both parts equal, light and dark,
Onwards turns the wheel,
as Earth’s outward life,
migrates from North to South,
opening for the inward time
opening for the inward time
to pass from South to North,
Mother, be thou well!

Northern Hemisphere:

From dark to light and light to dark,
Onwards turns the wheel,
Both parts equal, light and dark,
We celebrate the peak
of this time of growth,
and plant the seeds
for future reap.

From dark to light and light to dark,
Onwards turns the wheel,
We share the joy
of growing Southern warmth and light,
the Northern harvest,
and this time of balance.

From dark to light and light to dark,
Onwards turns the wheel,
Both parts equal, light and dark,
Onwards turns the wheel,
as Earth’s outward life,
migrates from North to South,
opening for the inward time
to pass from South to North,
Mother, be thou well!

The ritual in full follows:

THE RITUAL

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.

Phase	Actions	Words (if wish to provide guide or use particular words)
	Overall direction of ritual:
	Collate items required: ·         Cauldron and match ·         salt, water ·         athame ·         copy of order of ritual / running sheet / speaking notes
	Ask for and brief volunteers
Air – East - Athame OPENING	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.	- 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, in the Southern Hemisphere) 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.”
	Cast circle	“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!”
	Invite participants into circle and smudge
Fire – North – Wand INVOCATIONS	Invoke the Four Quarters
	East (air)	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!”
	North (fire)	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!”
	West (water)	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!”
	South (earth)	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!”
	Invoke the Goddess	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!"
	Invoke the God (optional / depending on type of ritual)	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!"
	Invoke your Patron Deity (optional / depending on type of ritual)
	Invoke the Ancestors  (optional / depending on type of ritual)	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!”
Spirit – Centre RITUAL		Southern Hemisphere: From light to dark and dark to light, Onwards turns the wheel, Both parts equal, light and dark, We celebrate the peak of this time of harvest, and reap the results of seeds sown. From dark to light and light to dark, Onwards turns the wheel, We share the joy of the Northern harvest, growing Southern warmth and light, and this time of balance. From light to dark and dark to light, Onwards turns the wheel, Both parts equal, light and dark, Onwards turns the wheel, as Earth’s outward life, migrates from North to South, opening for the inward time opening for the inward time to pass from South to North, Mother, be thou well! Northern Hemisphere: From dark to light and light to dark, Onwards turns the wheel, Both parts equal, light and dark, We celebrate the peak of this time of growth, and plant the seeds for future reap. From dark to light and light to dark, Onwards turns the wheel, We share the joy of growing Southern warmth and light, the Northern harvest, and this time of balance. From dark to light and light to dark, Onwards turns the wheel, Both parts equal, light and dark, Onwards turns the wheel, as Earth’s outward life, migrates from North to South, opening for the inward time to pass from South to North, Mother, be thou well!
Water – West - Chalice OFFERING	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.)
Earth - South - Pentacle CLOSING	It is now time to give thanks, and close the ritual
	Devoke the Four Quarters
	North (fire)	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!”
	West (water)	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!”
	South (earth)	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!”
	East (air)	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!”
	Devoke the Goddess (optional / depending on type of ritual)	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!
	Devoke the God (optional / depending on type of ritual)	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!”
	Devoke your Patron Deity (optional / depending on type of ritual)
	Devoke the Ancestors  (optional / depending on type of ritual)	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!”
	Take down the Circle itself.	Example only: “As Above, So Below. As the Universe, so the Soul. As within, so without. Merry meet. Merry part. And merry meet again.”
	Ground and release all excess energy.