CIRCLE MAKING THROUGH THE SEASONS By Selena Fox - Copyright 1985 Reprinted with the expressed written permission of Selena Fox/Circle Sanctuary Whether you celebrate the Pagan seasonal holidays indoors or outside, alone or with others, you can enhance the beauty and effectiveness of you Sabbat ceremonies by decorating your circle with gifts of Nature appropriate to the season. Marking the circle space and the four directions on the ground or floor aids in visualizing the circle of energy that forms in a place during a ritual. Doing this is very helpful for beginners in ritual, for new groups, and for ecumenical workings which include people of many paths. Using seasonal decorations to mark the circle and quarters strengthens the connection of the participants and the ceremony with Nature and the particular energy of a holiday. For the same reason, it also is good to have some seasonal decorations on the altar, whether it is positioned centrally as we do or at some other place in the circle. When possible, those taking part in a Sabbat ceremony should ritually collect decorations for the circle from Nature themselves. When collecting plant parts, be they dried or fresh, from gardens, parks, or the wilds, before you begin, be sure to honor the Spirits of the Plants and the Spirit of the Place you are visiting. Pause a few moments, commune with them through silent meditation, state your need for circle decorations, and ask for their help. Then, let them intuitively guide you during the gathering process. When you are done, give thanks for the gifts you have received. Remember that the decorations you gather are parts of other life-forms here on Planet Earth, rather than non-sentient things for you to manipulate for your own purposes. Respect Nature Spirits and they will become you friends and bring special blessings to your seasonal celebrations. Spending time in natural settings to collect decorations before a rite can greatly help you spiritually align yourself to the season. This is especially important for you to do if you spend a lot of your waking life inside buildings and traveling around in heavily urbanized areas. However, if circumstances are such that you cannot gather decorations from Nature for a holiday, you can still ask Plant Spirits for guidance in your selection process when you shop in the marketplace. Once you have obtained the decorations, as you place them in and around your circle focus on honoring the space, the plants, the season, and the ritual about to happen. This can be done silently as a meditation or by jubilantly singing and moving to a seasonal song. For group rituals, outlining the circle is a wonderful way to get all participants, including children, involved in preparing for the ritual. The shared experience of creating the space aids in attunement and in developing a strong group spirit necessary for effective ceremonies. When everyone is responsible for bringing a particular kind of decoration to outline a circle, such as pine boughs for Yule, not only does the circle take form with greater ease, but more importantly, marking out the circle with everyone's contributions symbolizes the blending together of the individual energies of participants into a harmonious whole. After a seasonal ritual is over, remove decorations from the circle with the spirit of thanksgiving. These decorations not only embody the energy of the Nature Spirits worked with during their gathering, but also contain the energy of the ritual. They have served as ceremonial tools and should be taken away with respect, not hurriedly swept up and thrown into a trash can. Often, we return the natural decorations we have used to Mother Earth, letting wildlife feed on fruits and grains, and mulching the plants in our gardens with flowers and greens. Decorations also can be placed on personal altars after the ceremony as reminders of the season or given as healing gifts to friends who were not able to be present at the ceremony. If they have been energized for a particular purpose during a ceremony, decorations can also serve as charms. The suggestions I present here for each holiday are drawn primarily from my own experiences doing Sabbats with groups of people in these Northlands, and should be adapted to suit your own circumstances, such as local climate and vegetation cycles, ceremonial place, number of ritual participants, and type of spiritual path. I've included ideas for outlining the circle space itself, marking the quarters and decorating a central altar. SAMHAIN / HALLOWEEN Outline the circle with dry colored leaves and perhaps some nuts and sprigs of dried herbs such as curled dock flowers. At each of the four quarters, stand a shock of dried corn stalks with a lighted carved pumpkin or jack-o-lantern at the base. On the altar in the center, place a large jack-o-lantern to symbolize the Spirit of the holiday and the Otherworld, and surround it with acorns, symbols of rebirth, and with photographs and other mementos of dead friends, relatives, and ancestors you would like to honor. You might also place a lit votive candle by mementos of each loved one to represent their Spirit which lives on. YULE / WINTER SOLSTICE Outline the circle with pine cones and freshly cut pine boughs. Set tall red candles at the four quarters with holly at their bases. In the center, lay a Yule wreath of evergreens, preferably one you have fashioned yourself. In the center of the wreath, place a large red candle to represent the reborn Sun. Place it in a small cauldron, if you have one, to symbolize the Goddess of Rebirth. Around the outside of the wreath make another circle with sprigs of mistletoe which can be energized during the rite and later given to participants and friends to bring blessings to their homes in the New Solar Year. Our community Yule altar also contains eight red ribbons representing the Wheel of the Year, eight plates for Sabbat cakes, and personal blessing candles brought by participants. IMBOLC / CANDLEMAS Outline the circle with white votive candles, symbolizing the purification aspect of this holiday. Place large white candles at each of the quarters and at the center. Surround the central candle with any early greens and buds that have appeared in your area, and with sunflower seeds to represent the promise of renewed life in coming Spring. The seeds can be later set out for wild birds. White candles also can be set in the center by participants to symbolize self- purification and spiritual awakening. OSTARA / SPRING EQUINOX Outline the circle with any greenery that has appeared already in the Spring, such as budding willow branches, ground ivy and other herbs. If Winter snows still abound, which often is the case here in Wisconsin, use a green cord or green ribbons to form the circle and represent the greening of Spring. You could also outline the circle with packets of seeds which will later be planted in gardens. At each of the four quarters, place a green candle. In the center of the circle, place a basket with brightly colored hard-boiled eggs in it, representing the Spring Goddess and the resurrection of life. These eggs can be eaten as part of the rite or later buried in gardens as fertility charms. BELTANE / MAY DAY Outline the circle with a variety of flowers and tree blossoms, symbolizing the blossoming of life. For group ceremonies, have everyone exchange some of the flowers they bring with other participants before the outlining of the circle begins. This ancient gesture of friendship aids in group attunement, generates a festive mood, and strengthens connection with the love energy of the holiday. At each of the four quarters, place a basket or vase of flowers. In the center, set a Maypole decorated with brightly colored ribbons to represent the activating principle of Nature. The ribbons should be an even number of streamers if the traditional Maypole dance will be done. Otherwise, each participant should tie a bit of ribbon around the pole to symbolize wishes for personal growth in the coming Summer. Free-form ecstatic dancing can then be done around the pole to energize the wishes. After the rite, take flowers to gardens to bless them and promote fertility. LITHA / SUMMER SOLSTICE Outline the circle with candle lanterns or candles set in earth in wide-mouthed jars. A beautiful and powerful way to create the circle space with these lights is to have participants carry the candles in a ritual procession at dusk to the ceremonial spot, circle it several times clockwise, come to a standstill once a comfortable sized circle is made, and then set them down behind them. This works very well especially with large groups and it is a part of each year's opening ritual at the International Pagan Spirit Gathering we sponsor at Solstice time. Luminarias, which are candles set in sand in small paper bags, are another stunning way to create a ring of light for an evening Solstice ceremony. However, the ring of light is made, torches or large candles work well in the four quarters. In the center of the circle, kindle a large bonfire of sacred woods and herbs, if your location permits. You might want to feed the fire as it rises with the dried wreath from Yule as we do each year to symbolize the peak of the Solar Year. Otherwise, set a large red candle in the center, and surround it with oak boughs, yarrow flowers, and other sacred plants of the season growing in the area. LUGHNASSAD / LAMMAS Outline the circle with stalks of wheat or other grains, if available. Or, if you prefer, make the circle with sprigs of sweet smelling herbs such as mint and basil, and with wildflowers such as Queen Anne's Lace and red clover blossoms. Set baskets of herbs and Summer flowers at the four quarters and in the center, representing the productiveness of Nature. Also on the central altar, place a freshly-bakes loaf of bread to symbolize the Spirit of the holiday. The bread can be shared among participants and with the Earth as a form of communion. MABON / FALL EQUINOX Outline the circle with gourds, apples, nuts, and other foods of the season. Preferably, these are ones grown in your own gardens or in fields in the local areas. Set a large gourd or pile of fruits and vegetables at each of the quarters to represent harvest abundance. In the center, place a thanksgiving cornucopia or cauldron filled to overflowing with offerings of harvest produce and herbs. Ears of multi-colored Indian corn also are an excellent seasonal altar decoration. The foods that ring the circle can later be eaten in a Harvest feast. The central offerings should be returned to the Earth in thanksgiving.