Fall Equinox Ritual 2008

Welcoming Statement 

Welcome to our fifth time of doing this.  Yes, we've been together officially for five turns of the Wheel.  Doesn't seem like it could turn that fast, but it does, and here we are.  We continue to gather to honor that turning and to renew our bonds as a tribe, no matter how very different we may seem, no matter that we are not all walking exactly the same path--we walk side by side and that's a joy.  I am honored and glad to see each of you today and to know that I am a better person for having walked by your side.

We have gathered today to honor the Fall Equinox.  It is the day when light and dark are the same length of time and it is marked by the sun entering the astrological sign of Libra, the scales.  This makes it a celebration of balance.  It is also a time of intense change as the harvest is coming to an end and we prepare to head into the dreamtime of the Goddess, the introspective time of winter.  Because the Mother’s energy is being drawn into the Earth, we may feel drained.  The awareness of this lassitude forces us to pay more attention to ourselves and turns our focus inward.  It gives us a chance to pause and take stock of our lives.

This is a time to give thanks to the gods for the fruits of our labor and our ability to provide for our family over the coming year. It is also a time to prepare for the new life and the light that eternally begins. We go into the darkness to gather strength and wisdom. We gather with friends and loved ones to renew our reserves. We feast on the gifts of the harvest. We know that sometimes there is sorrow, sometimes joy. We know that the light will win again, but we must enter the darkness to get there.

Grounding and Centering 

We begin with grounding and centering our energy, to prepare ourselves for sacred space.

Take a deep breath slowly and just as slowly, release it.  Breathe again.  Breathe once more.  If you are right-handed, your left hand is receptive to gather the energy and the right is projective to send it out again.  If you are left-handed, then your right hand receives and the left hand projects. 

Hold your hands out, palms down.  Feel the energy come up from Mother Earth into your receptive hand and into your body, through it and out your projective hand.  Let it flow like a river through you, reminding you of your connection to She Who Sustains Us.  Breathe in.  Breathe out. 

Turn your hands palms up, towards the Universe.  Feel the energy that comes down from the Father Sun, into your receptive hand and through you to pass out your projective hand.  It flows like the fires of the stars, reminding you of your connection to He Who Strengthens Us.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.

Now hold your receptive hand down, towards the ground and hold your projective hand up, towards the sky.  Feel the Earth’s energy flow up through you and out up to the Father.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.

Flip your hands over, so that your receptive hand is up, towards the sky and your projective hand is down, towards the ground.  Feel the Universal energy flow down through you and down into the Mother.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.

Bring your hands together in front of you, palms touching.  Feel your own energy, flowing in a circle through you.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.  Keep your hands together.

Casting the Circle: 

Now we are going to work together to cast the circle.  Move your hands about 3 or 4 inches apart and hold them like you are cupping a ball.  Picture all this energy that you have had moving through you as a sphere of light between your palms. It can be any color you like.  Picture how bright it is, how it glows like a little sun between your hands. 

Slowly begin to pull your hands apart, seeing that little sun getting bigger and bigger as you do.  It is still so bright, so shining.  It is the deepest, truest representation of the color you have chosen: vivid and pulsing with the energy you are putting into it. 

As you continue to pull your hands apart, begin to lift them up.  Look at your sphere, bright and pure and glowing with the energy of the Universe, the Earth and you.  When I say three, we will all throw the balls up into the air and they will combine like soap bubbles, to surround us and protect us while we celebrate this ritual.  One, two, three!

Thank you!  Feel it like a giant bubble, around all of us?  We are between worlds and in sacred space with each other.

Calling the Quarters:

North: (Loki) Welcome Ye Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, denizens of the Earth in all your forms.  We call You, Loki, to stand as protector and witness of this ritual.  We honor You as The Trickster, using humor and deception as tools to goad others into change or to complete their tasks.  We ask that You use Your powers to prevent any negativity from entering our circle, to keep us safe from the true evil that seeks only to destroy.  Hail and Welcome!

East: (Kwan Yin) Welcome Ye Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East, denizens of the Air in all your forms.  We call You, Kwan Yin, to stand as protector and witness of this ritual.  We honor You as the Queen of Compassion, showing mercy and kindness to all.  We ask that You use Your powers to prevent any negativity from entering our circle, to teach us to forgive the thoughtless hurts caused by those who do not know you.  Hail and Welcome!

South: (Horus) Welcome Ye Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South, denizens of the Fire in all your forms.  We call You, Horus, to stand as protector and witness of this ritual.  We honor You as the Warrior King, using righteous force to fight for the truth.  We ask that You use Your powers to prevent any negativity from entering our circle, to show us how to persevere through all adversity, even using violent means if necessary to uphold our Truths.  Hail and Welcome!

West: (Mother Bear) Welcome Ye Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West, denizens of the Water in all your forms.  We call You, Tob Tob, to stand as protector and witness of this ritual.  We honor You as the watchful Mother Bear, Spirit Keeper of the West, a guide for spiritual truths.  We ask that You use Your powers to prevent any negativity from entering our circle, to open our own powers of intuition and introspection so that we will recognize the alternate paths we can walk on our journey.  Hail and Welcome!

Welcoming Guests and Invocation of the Divine:

At this point, we usually invite the God and the Goddess to join us.  But since we are celebrating our anniversary, part of that celebration will be a rededication of the clergy and the Circle, so there are some honored guests joining us today as well.  You may be seated.

(Donna stands)

We welcome Athena, goddess of wisdom, weaving and crafts and goddess of war.  She called Donna to her many years ago and has guarded the path for Donna ever since.  Welcome, Athena, be with us now.  (Donna sits)

(Marielle stands) 

We welcome Ted, Spirit guardian, who is also known as Acolhnahuacatzin {A-kol-h-nah-hua-cat-zin}; he has indicated that he acknowledges "Ted" so that we may speak to him.  He walks with Marielle and guards her on her path.  Welcome, Ted, be with us now.  (Marielle sits)

(Gary stands)

We welcome Pan, Lord of the Forest and the Hunt, the Greenman.  He travels often with Gary and is a loyal guardian for him.  We have been blessed to have seen him at many a ritual.  Welcome, Pan, be with us now. (Gary sits)

We welcome Ma-at, goddess of justice and balance.  She was the first to greet me on my journey and continues to guard the path for me, along with the other protectors I have gained.  Welcome Ma-at, be with us now.

We welcome Tata Inti, Inca spirit of the sun, and Mama Quilla, spirit of the moon, as guests from our Inka friends and their path.  Their names may not be familiar to us, but we recognize them and honor them as aspects of the Divine.  Welcome, Tata Inti, welcome, Momma Quilla, be with us now.

We welcome Kali, Mother Creator, protector of her children, she whose name means Truth.  She has been a source of knowledge and strength for us since we first met her.  Welcome, Kali, be with us now.

We welcome Queen Mab and King Oberon, whose children live in this place.  We acknowledge and honor the existence of all beings who are not human but who also live on Mother Earth and we are blessed to share this sacred space with them.  Welcome, King Oberon, welcome, Queen Mab, be with us now.

Having welcomed our guests, please stand as we welcome Deity.

We greet you, O Divine Being, in all of your aspects.  We recognize them no matter what form, no matter what gender or ethnicity.  We see You in all that surrounds us for You are everywhere.  We hear Your voice in every sound, we touch You in every moment.  Thank You for being with us, not only here and now, but each moment of each day.  We open ourselves to recognizing You more fully and we welcome You to this celebration.  Hail and welcome!

Mysteries:

We are here today to mark the turning of the Wheel, to celebrate the second of the Harvest feasts, the Fall Equinox, called Mabon.  We are thankful for the abundance of harvest in our lives and we prepare for Samhain and then into the dreamtime of winter.  Part of our celebration today is based on the South American Inka tradition.  We will create an altar, then place offerings, representations of the abundance we are blessed with, then bless and offer them to the Divine. We are also going to do an energy exchange with Ricardo and his group, who are in Peru and also doing this ritual at this time.

After the energy exchange, while the juice is still flowing, we will have the rededications.  Once those are done, we burn the offering (which includes a written copy of the dedications) in order to send our intentions, prayers, etc. as well as the essence of our gifts to the Creator in the Higher Dimension.

(Kathy and the Inka despacho)

Altar making

Offering making

Blessings 

Dedications 

Dedication of the Maiden:

Crone says: "I remember my days as a Maiden, the impetuous energy, the sureness of my purposes.  I remember the feelings of lust for all that was around me, the joy of discovery and the sheer exuberance of being alive."

Mother says: "I, too remember my days as a Maiden, the lack of responsibility for anyone but myself and the gradual learning of who I was.  I recall the delight of all the "firsts" as I explored the world."

Maiden says: "I acknowledge my power as Maiden and I dedicate myself to Diana, also known as Artemis; Maiden Goddess, be my guide.  Open me to the discoveries, teach me to trust in my own wisdom, help me to preserve the passion of the newly-aware as I walk this path.  I seek to find the Divine within myself and within those around me."

Mother says: "Bless the Maiden, O Divine, help her to reach her fullest potential as the aspect of Your being that is associated with Spring, with fresh energy, with the pureness of a clean slate, open to the experiences You will give her."

Crone says: "Bless the Maiden, O Divine, guide her to wisdom and knowledge.  Teach her the joy of learning without preconceptions, show her the way to Truth within herself."

Dedication of the Mother:

Crone says: "I remember my days as the Mother, the creative energy, the stability of my purpose.  I remember the feelings of love for all that was around me, the joy of family and the sheer pleasure of being alive."

Maiden says: "I look forward to my days as the Mother, knowing that the cycles come and go and that we change with each season.  I anticipate my children, learning how to balance my own being with the responsibilities of family and gaining in the wisdom that comes through experience."

Mother says:  "I acknowledge my power as Mother and I dedicate myself to Kali, also known as Gaia; Mother Goddess, be my guide.  Open me to the discoveries, teach me to trust in my own wisdom, help me to preserve the balance of the family as I walk this path.  I seek to find the Divine within myself and within those around me."

Crone says: "Bless the Mother, O Divine, help her to reach her fullest potential as the aspect of Your being that is associated with Summer, with abundance, with the flowing of the seasons and the surety of life."

Maiden says: "Bless the Mother, O Divine, guide her to confidence in her powers.  Teach her the joy of loving responsibility, show her the way to Truth within herself."

Dedication of the Crone:

Maiden says: "I look forward to my turn as the Crone, I acknowledge the finite days of life and the wisdom that comes from learning life's lessons.  I am the promise, the Crone is fulfillment."

Mother says: "I prepare for my turn as the Crone, I recognize the change from caring for my children to caring for the tribe.  I anticipate the chances to share what I have learned and to provide a sense of continuity even as the seasons pass."

Crone says: "I acknowledge my power as the Crone and I dedicate myself to Hecate, also known as the Cailleach; Crone Goddess, be my guide.  Open me to the discoveries, teach me to trust in my own wisdom, help me to preserve the knowledge of my experiences as I walk this path.  I seek to find the Divine within myself and within those around me."

Maiden says: "Bless the Crone, O Divine, help her to reach her fullest potential as the aspect of Your being that is associated with Winter, with wisdom, with a sense of connection with those before and after our own time, and the joy of deep self-knowledge."

Mother says: "Bless the Crone, O Divine, guide her to speak to those who need to hear her words.  Teach her the joy of a life fully lived, show her the way to Truth within herself."

Dedication of the Masculine:

There is no Goddess without the God, there is no female without male, no night without day.  We know a thing by its opposite and having opposites gives us the balance we seek.  While we acknowledge the majority of the Circle is female, we also honor and worship the male aspect as well.  We pay homage to the Youth, the Father and the Sage each time we invoke the threefold Goddess, for the Divine has no gender.  We use these words to mark the specific phases in any being’s life and to recognize in ourselves the ebb and flow of time in the Universe.

Maiden:  “I welcome and honor the Youth, the male counterpart of the Divine that represents the Spring, the newness of life and the beginning of the journey.”

Mother: “I welcome and honor the Father, the male counterpart of the Divine that represents the Summer, the fullness of the harvest and the middle of the journey.”

Crone: “I welcome and honor the Sage, the male counterpart of the Divine that represents Winter, the fulfillment of promise and the end of the journey.”

Gary: “I acknowledge my power as the male aspect of the Divine; at this point in my life, I represent the Sage but I have known the joy of discovery as the Youth and the responsibilities of the Father as well.  I dedicate myself to Pan, also known as The Greenman;  Lord of all, be my guide.  Open me to the discoveries, teach me to trust in my own wisdom, help me to fulfill my greatest potential as I walk this path.  I seek to find the Divine within myself and within those around me.”

Maiden: “Bless the Youth, O Divine, guide him to wisdom and knowledge.  Show him the way to Truth within himself.”

Mother: “Bless the Father, O Divine, guide him to creative power and abundance.  Show him the way to Truth within himself.”

Crone: “Bless the Sage, O Divine, guide him to teach from his own experiences and life.  Show him the way to Truth within himself.”

Dedication of the Circle:

Five years ago, we were solitary practitioners of various spiritual paths who chose to gather together and form a group.  I would like to read for you now the “mission statement”, our statement of purpose that is posted on our website and describes our group.

We are a circle.  
 --No one person holds more power than anyone else, each of us has a voice in the processes and decisions.
 We are an open circle.  
 --Each and every person is welcome.
 We are an eclectic circle.  
 --No one path is the only way and we encourage the seeking of alternate routes.
 We are all students.  
 --Each person can learn more than they know today.
 We are all teachers.  
 --Each person has lessons to share.
 We are a resource to each other and to the community at large.  
 --We share what we have and what we know and what we can do.
 We are a spiritual group that celebrates our beliefs through shared ritual observances.  
 --We know that all acts of love and pleasure are acts of worship. 
 We are magickal beings who can create wondrous things.
 --We work together to improve our world, always mindful of the three-fold law.  

Five years later, we are a tribe, a cohesive family.  Our paths are not identical and I for one truly appreciate the diversity as it offers us a chance to learn that might not come in a more like-minded crowd.  We explore the Sacred in so many forms and so many ways that it expands our concepts of what is sacred.  This is turn opens us up even more to recognizing and honoring the sacred, no matter what form it might take.

As with other committed relationships, sometimes we do a renewal of vows and so I ask you to repeat after me these words:

I honor the Circle as a holy and sacred entity.  I honor the safety it gives me as I walk upon my spiritual path.  I honor the precepts of its existence and respect each path that is represented.  I honor the lessons it holds and the knowledge I gain from it.  I honor the commitment it represents to the Pagan community as well as to each person who is a part of it.  I honor the concepts of sacred space and shared celebration of our rituals.  I honor the Circle as a sign of my journey and those who share it.

Triple Blessing:

Maiden: Bless this Circle, O Divine; bless the beings that are the living representations of the Circle.  Grant them your sacred joy, the delight of newness and discovery and the passion of Springtime energy.

Mother: Bless this Circle, O Divine; bless the beings that hold Your creative powers.  Grant them the knowledge of the Universe, the fullness of love given and returned and the abundance of the Summertime energy.

Crone: Bless this Circle, O Divine; bless the beings that live a finite time and face their own mortality secure in Your love. Grant them the wisdom that comes from experience, the ability to share their learning with others and the fulfillment of Wintertime energy.  

Fire and the consumption of the offerings

Cakes and Ale:

We have made our offerings to the Divine as well as the offering of dedication.  Let us share with each other the bounty of the sacred harvest as we honor the Mother and Father who grant us this abundance.

I share with you the grain of the Earth, proof of the Mother’s generosity.  From the ground and from the sun, from seed grown into ripened wheat which is harvested at the right time, this bread is a source of nourishment for our physical bodies. Let it also be food for our souls as we partake of it.

Thank you, Mother, for the gift of the harvest.  We know that your gifts will overflow in our lives if we but accept them.  We eat this bread in remembrance of your love.

(May you never hunger)

I share with you the juice of the vine, proof of the Father’s generosity.  From the ground and from the sun, from the seed grown into ripened grape which is harvested at the right time, this juice is a source of nourishment for our physical bodies. Let it also be food for our souls as we partake of it.

Thank you, Father, for the gift of the harvest.  We know that your gifts will overflow in our lives if we but accept them.  We drink this juice in remembrance of your love.

(May you never thirst)

Farewell to Honored Guests, Divine and Dismissing Quarters:

Please stand to bid farewell to the Divine:

We thank You, O Divine, You who are called by many names.  We have felt Your presence in our lives and especially here today.  Stay if you will, go if you must.  Hale, and Farewell!

We also bid farewell to our honored guests.

We thank you, King Oberon and Queen Mab, for your presence with us today.

We thank you, Kali, for your presence with us today.

We thank you, Pan, for your presence with us today.

We thank you, Tata Inti and Momma Quilla, for your presence with us today.

We thank you, Ma-at, for your presence with us today.

We thank you, Ted, for your presence with us today.

We thank you, Athena, for your presence with us today.

We thank all of you for standing witness to the ritual.  Stay if you will, go if you must.  Hail, and Farewell!

West: (Mother Bear) We thank you, Ye Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West, denizens of the Water in all your forms.  We thank You, Tob Tob, for standing as protector and witness of this ritual.  Stay if you will, go if you must.  Hail, and Farewell!

South: (Horus) We thank you, Ye Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South, denizens of the Fire in all your forms.  We thank You, Horus, for standing as protector and witness of this ritual.  Stay if you will, go if you must.  Hail, and Farewell!

East: (Kwan Yin) We thank you, Ye Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East, denizens of the Air in all your forms.  We thank You, Kwan Yin, for standing as protector and witness of this ritual.  Stay if you will, go if you must.  Hail, and Farewell!

North: (Loki) We thank you, Ye Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, denizens of the Earth in all your forms.  We thank You, Loki, for standing as protector and witness of this ritual.  Stay if you will, go if you must.  Hail, and Farewell!

Opening the Circle:

Remember the bubble we made, to create the circle?  It’s time to open it. 

We send the energy back into the Universe, from whence it came.

The circle is open but unbroken

May the peace of the Goddess be forever in our hearts

Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again.