Ostara Ritual The following is the ritual that MoonDance and others presented at SP&M for Ostara '96. It was designed by interested members and is an eclectic joining of our traditions. Jenna Tigerheart wrote up the script, transcribed the chants and wrote the quarter calls... which [Moondance hasn't] changed here (although, in practice, [he] said "Thou art" and made other subtle changes). I've also added info in brackets. This is the group's 4th ritual, although several of them work regularly with Celebrate the Circle (the local CUUPS chapter) and/or other groups. [MoonDance has] been writing and co-facilitating group rituals for about 2 1/2 years. Joey is an accomplished ceremonial magician. Donna is well trained in her trad and one of the founders of SP&M (over two years ago) and Jenna has been working seriously for maybe 1 - 1 1/2 yrs now. We had nine people there tonight plus another member who stopped in afterwards when she got off work. We had decided to just have Joey and call quarters rather than try to assign them without knowing who was going to be able to make it. Dress was mostly ritual garb with some people in "street clothes". Moon Eostara Ritual [As presented by NCSU's Society of Paganism & Magick on 3/20/96] [Altars have egg-shaped candles in yellow, pink, light blue and light green, in addition to symbols which people have brought for the elements/direction and extra flowers from the HPS. Note: No flames are allowed where we work (on NCSU's campus), so we just decided to raise the candles to the direction with intent.] We will begin our celebration by cleansing our ritual space. MoonDance will sweep out the ritual space while the rest hold hands. After the cleansing, MoonDance will lead us in a grounding to help focus us for the ritual. [I swept around the outside of the circle widdershins several times as people called out things to get rid of, such as stress, work, deadlines, being angry, etc. Then I lead a "tree" grounding, reaching deep into the Earth and reaching out toward the stars and feeling the connection and balancing. ... And no, I'm not gonna try to type it all out right now. :-) I can tell you that this is based on a style that my Goddess-mother learned from Starhawk at "Witch Camp" and that I have seen both of them do. I spoke it free form anyway. ] Jenna reads the lead in to the ritual: Eostara, the Vernal Equinox. Once again the sun is over the equator and day and night are equal. The light ascendeth as the wheel of the year turneth. Now is the time for letting go of the darkness and limitations and looking toward the Light and finding new strengths. May the light illumine our path and give us strength to overcome limitations. We welcome the elements into our Sacred Circle to help us ward this space for a time: [Donna approaches the east and stamps her staff three times to awaken the earth in an old Celtic tradition... Tapping it nine times is traditionally done by the youngest, and it is explained that her baby (Ian, due 4/15) was decided to be the youngest in our circle. :-) (Also, this is from her trad.) She then passes the staff to MoonDance who takes it with her around to the directions.] HPS (MoonDance)[With HP by her side]: Hail East!Power of Air Thouest the time of morning, of dawn. Bring to us thy gift of vision and join us in our Sacred Circle that we may see the vision of our path and strive to walk it. Welcome East (lift candle and replace) Blessed be! Jenna: All those who wish to offer a flower of thanks to East, do so now. [HP & HPS proceed together around to the South] HP (Joey): Hail South! Power of Fire Thouest the tide of noontide. Bring to us thy gift of passion and join us in our Sacred Circle that we may rid ourselves of limitations and look for strengths along our path. Welcome South (lift candle and replace) Blessed be! J: All those who wish to offer a flower of thanks to South, do so now. HPS: Hail West! Power of Water Thouest the time of evening, of dusk. Bring to us thy gift of dreaming and join us in our Sacred Circle that we may find new dreams along our path. Welcome West (lift candle and replace) Blessed be! J: All those who wish to offer a flower of thanks to West, do so now. HP: Hail North! Power of Earth Thouest the time of midnight bring to us thy gift of knowing and join us in our Sacred Circle that we may find new knowledge to help us on our path. Welcome North (lift candle and replace) Blessed Be! J: All those who wish to offer a flower of thanks to North, do so now. [Moon returns staff to Donna in the East, who stamps it three more times.] All now join hands and sing: She changes everything She touches And everything she touches, changes. She changes everything She touches And everything she touches, changes. Change is, Touch is, Touch is, Change Is. Change Us, Touch Us, Touch Us Change Us. Her name can never be spoken, Her face was not forgotten, Her power is to open, Her promise can never be broken. She changes everything She touches And everything she touches, changes. She changes everything She touches And everything she touches, changes. Change is, Touch is, Touch is, Change Is. Change Us, Touch Us, Touch Us Change Us. HP & HPS: By our hands, and by our hearts, the Circle is cast and sealed. So mote it Be. HP: (Call God) [The God called was the Green Man and the call was written by Joey separate from the script so I don't have it. I also thought later, because he was named in the meditation and is associated with the Sun, that Lugh would have been another good choice.] HPS: (Call Goddess) [The following was written by me (MoonDance) and was also not included in the script, as the calls were left to the HP & HPS' discretion.] Eostre, Ostara, Goddess of the Spring Whose name means "Radiant Light", Goddess of fertility & guardian of children, We ask you to join us in this sacred circle, As we honor you and your day. Welcome Eostre! Blessed be! [Donna stamps the staff (the third set of) three times. We now dye our eggs in the center of the circle. The water [w/ dye in it] should be under the West altar and the eggs in a basket under East altar. [Bring out eggs and dye and have social/sharing/fun/creative time while dying them and place them in a stand to dry during the meditation.] As we near the time of mediation, we sing the first verse of Ancient Mother: Ancient Mother, I hear you calling. Ancient Mother, I hear your song. Ancient Mother, I hear your laughter Ancient Mother, I taste your tears. Repeat several times if necessary to calm and center everyone. Next we move into the meditation. [Donna reads meditation (from one of her Celtic/Witta/? books ???) in which we walk on the astral plan and learn to use a simple key word to bring us "Home"... then go meet Merlin who sends us on a journey to face our greatest fear and then to get a talisman to bring back with us. Yes, it was a LONG meditation. :-)] At the end of the meditation, we sing the second verse of Ancient Mother: Ancient Mother, I hear your calling. Ancient Mother, I sing your song. Ancient Mother, I share your laughter. Ancient Mother, I dry your tears. We now silently transition to drawing the representation of our talisman and other symbols on the eggs. The quiet is essential to keeping the mood of the mediation for everyone. When everyone is done, we begin a slow [free form] circle dance singing "Air Moves Us". [Actually, it didn't stay quiet at all and we forgot the crayons & markers for the eggs so we wound up using felt tip pens and chatting. Then we ate the eggs if we wanted them and had "cakes" of scones, since eatting was suggested after the meditation. Then we got around to singing and dancing. :-)] Air moves us, Fire transforms us, Water shapes us, Earth heals us. And the balance of the wheel goes round and round And the balance of the wheel goes round. The dance will slowly move inward and pick up speed. While turning the circle, everyone chooses the flower(s) that represents the element(s) with which they wish to work. We slowly move inward, gaining speed, ending the dance by gently clasping hands [so as not to crush the flowers] and grounding. Release Goddess: [Again, this is mine and not part of the script.] Eostre, This is your time, The time when the Earth awakens from her sleep, Bursting forth, Like the daffodils and crocus. The Earth is fertile once again. We see the symbols of your blessing - In the eggs...the rabbit...the chicks...the flowers.. Through these images, We remember your gifts and show our appreciation. We thank you for your light, Even as you depart. Hail and farewell. Blessed Be! Release God [Again, I don't have what Joey wrote for this.] Now we sing the last verses of Change is, Touch is: All sleeping seeds She wakens, The rainbow is her token, Now winter's power is taken, In love, all chains are broken. She changes everything She touches And everything she touches, changes. She changes everything She touches And everything she touches, changes. Change is, Touch is, Touch is, Change Is. Change Us, Touch Us, Touch Us Change Us. Everything lost is found again, In a new form. In a new way. Everything hurt is healed again, In a new life. In a new day. In a new life. In a new day... J: We thank the elements for their presence in our Sacred Circle. HPS:[with HP by her side] Farewell, East! Power of Air May thy gift of dawning vision live ever in our hearts. Farewell East (lift candle, replace) Blessed Be! [HP & HPS go around deosil (for continued growth).] HP: Farewell, South! Power of Fire May thy gift of bright passion live ever in our hearts. Farewell South (lift candle, replace) Blessed Be! HPS: Farewell, West! Power of Water May thy gift of dreaming live ever in our hearts. Farewell West (lift candle, replace) Blessed Be! HP: Farewell, North! Power of Earth May thy gift of knowing live ever in our hearts. Farewell North! (lift candle, replace) Blessed Be! All, but led by HPS: This Circle is open and yet unbroken. May the peace of Eostara and the Green Man go in our hearts. We merry meet, and merry part, And merry meet again! Blessed Be! FEAST!