2006 February Dark Moon Rubberband Ritual
besom
lavendar oil
"Prairie Ruins" by Gabrielle Roth and the Mirrors, song # 4 on the "Ritual" CD
"Rubberband Girl" by Kate Bush, song # 1 on the "Red Shoes" CD
"Hecate" by Wendy Rule, song # 9 on the "The Lotus Eaters" CD
hair rubberbands
gold plate
pencils
parchment
tongs
large cauldron
black taper candle
banishing mix: herbs - angelica, basil, clove, mint, rosemary, sage, birch (from "Solitary Witch" by Silver RavenWolf, pgs, 279, 503), oil - Soul's Journey Magickal Oils Banishing
Purification of Space
(music: "Prairie Ruins," with besom, around circle 3x, widdershins - counterclockwise)
Cleanse and purify
Cleansing and purifying
Cleansed and purified
Purification of People
Do you wish to enter the Circle?
Then enter and be cleansed
(with lavendar oil anoint forehead)
Casting Circle
(wand, deosil - clockwise)
Over the Earth that supports us
Through the Air that fills us
With the Fire that motivates us
Next to the Water that sustains us
This Circle is made
The Universe is our Circle
The Circle our Universe
So mote it be
Calling Quarters
(starting in North, deosil - clockwise)
(left hand flat parallel with ground)
Salutations in the North
Let the Elements of the ancient Land that supports us
and withstands the passage of time
be invited to attend
Hail and be welcome
(left hand upraised with fingers spread)
Salutations in the East
Let the Elements of the Wind that fills us
and blows through eternity
be invited to attend
Hail and be welcome
(left hand upraised in a fist)
Salutations in the South
Let the Elements of the Flame that motivates us
and lights the way through centuries
be invited to attend
Hail and be welcome
(left hand cupped)
Salutations in the West
Let the Elements of the Water that sustains us
and flows through millennia
be invited to attend
Hail and be welcome
(left hand over upper sternum)
Salutations that which is Divine
Let the Spirit of that which always was, is and will be
be invited to attend
Hail and be welcome
Calling Goddess and God
(in front of altar)
(light silver candle)
(arms held up)
Hail to thee Maiden, Mother, Crone
Awake Awake Awake
We light this flame
We seek your spark
Arise Arise Arise
Hail and be welcome
(light gold candle)
(arms crossed over chest)
Hail to thee Youth, Father, Sage
Awake Awake Awake
We light this flame
We seek your spark
Arise Arise Arise
Hail and be welcome
Altar Blessing
(with incense draw pentacle over altar 3x)
We ask the blessings of Crone and Sage upon these tools
That they may be used
Thoughtfully
Clearly
Lovingly
And Powerfully
So mote it be
May what we do be in perfect love (light red candle)
Perfect trust (light pink candle)
And purity of purpose (light white candle)
With harm to none
So mote it be
In honor of the moon
In her phase (light moon phase candle)
In honor of the sun
In his glory (light sun candle)
So mote it be
Ritual
(music: "Rubberband Girl")
(light incense on gold plate with rubberbands)
choose a band and pass through the incense smoke saying:
To know when
Not to be the Redwood but the Willow
Not to be the Breeze but the Tornado
Not to be the Ember but the Flame
Not to be the Wave but the Tsunami
Not to be the Meditation but the Action
Banishing Illness
(music: "Hecate")
light one black candle in large cauldron
burn parchment with herbs
Grounding
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and the haste
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly,
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexation to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter
for always there will be
greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career
however humble;
it is a real possession in the
changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you
to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit
to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the tress and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore, be at peace with God, Goddess,
whatever you conceive Him, Her, Them to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham,
drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
Copyright 1927 by Max Ehrmann, all rights reserved. Copyright renewed 1954 by Bertha Ehrmann.
Altar Ending
With honor (snuff moon phase candle)
With honor (snuff sun candle)
With harm to none
And purity of purpose (snuff white candle)
Perfect trust (snuff pink candle)
And perfect love (snuff red candle)
So mote it be
Thanking Goddess and God
(arms upraised)
Mother, Lady, Goddess
Thank you for joining us in our Ritual
Hail and farewell
(snuff silver candle)
(arms crossed over chest)
Father, Lord, God
Thank you for joining us in our Ritual
Hail and farewell
(snuff gold candle)
Dismissing Quarters
(left hand over sternum)
Our respects that which is Divine, Spirit
Our thanks for your presence
Hail and farewell
(left hand cupped)
Our respects in the West, Water
Our thanks for your presence
Hail and farewll
(left hand upraised fist)
Our respects in the South, Fire
Our thanks for your presence
Hail and farewell
(left hand fingers spread)
Our respects in the East, Air
Our thanks for your presence
Hail and farewell
(left hand parallel with ground)
Our respects in the North, Earth
Our thanks for your presence
Hail and farewell
Circle Dismantling
(with athame, widdershins - counterclockwise)
Over the Earth that supports us
Next to the Water that sustains us
With the Fire that motivates us
Through the Air that fills us
This Circle is open yet unbroken
The Circle is our Universe
The Universe our Circle
So mote it be
Merry meet, merry part, merry meet again
Blessed Be
END
