-
Ritual One
The altar cloth and candles shall be white.Set out your altar with your usual tools. Include a white ribbon and a red ribbon. Light your incense and the altar candles, and proceed to cast the sacred circle.
Then invoke the God and the Goddess.
Kneel before the altar, facing East. Place the ribbons on the pentacle, the end of the white ribbon covering the end of the red one. Speak these words:
"Oh Father God, oh Mother Goddess, now is the time of your joining. Through your happiness, may all be happy, and through your fruitfulness, may all in nature be fruitful."
Begin plaiting the ribbons together. This is a simplified and solitary version of the traditional maypole.
While you are doing this, say: "All life in all the world springs from the union of the God and the Goddess. Blessed are they, the creators, the Ancient ones!
When this is finished, you may do with the ribbons whatever you wish. Any magic or other seasonal activities may follow. If you are outdoors in a fairly safe place, You may wish to light a small balefire. After such festivities are completed, you may hold the simple feast, and banish the magic circle.
By Nyx Wolfwalker
Ritual Two
This rituals' purpose is to honour the bonds that we have with others: deities, elements, animals and any other relationships that deserve respect at this time.
Altar setup:
facing west, adorn with flowers, red ribbon, rhodocrosite stones (or rose quartz/carnelian), scented oils in small vials, red fruits, red wine
Incense:
rose, rosemary, damiana, chamomile, and myrrh
Chant:
Io Evo He
Anoint covenors
Priest Casts
Handmaiden Sweeps
Quarter Cleansings
Chant: Air I am
Quarter Calls
West:
Guardians of the West, Element of Water
We call upon you this eve
To help us appreciate both happiness and sadness,
Solitude and togetherness, pleasure and pain,
Knowing always that these make our bonds in life much stronger.
Your wine strengthens our hearts and gives power
To the spring of love energy inside us all.
Welcome and Blessed Be
North:
Guardians of the North, Element of Earth
We call upon you this eve
To help us heal all wounds
Connected with the sensuality of the body.
Your blooming flowers teach us of the physical senses,
Reminding us of the need for closeness to the ones we love.
Welcome and Blessed Be.
East:
Guardians of the East, Element of Air
We call upon you this eve
To help us communicate effectively
Without the need to fight or blame.
Your mirror teaches us the reflecting nature of human relationships.
And gives us a greater understanding of each other.
Welcome and Blessed Be.
South:
Guardians of the South, Element of Fire
We call upon you this eve
To help us intensify our experiences
To the point where all the impurities
Are burned away and the only fragrance left is that of ultimate love.
Your burning flame lights the way
For rekindling the strength and love within our bonds with each other.
Welcome and Blessed Be.
Call to Shakti
Shakti, Lady of Sensuality
Lover to Shiva who creates the perfect balance.
You are the supreme force,
The active aspect of eternity.
Shower us, your children, with your love and intensity
So that we may feel the creative force
That you bring into our lives.
Celebrate with us, your children,
As we experience your gifts
In order to fulfill our relationships with those we love.
In this way, we honour you.
Welcome and Blessed Be.
Call to Shiva
Shiva, The Divine Dancer
Lover to Shakti who creates the perfect balance.
You are the benevolent one,
The essence of life
Bestow upon us, your children your joyous and forgiving nature,
So that we may feel the cosmic rhythm
That you bring into our lives.
Celebrate with us, your children,
As we experience your gifts
In order to fulfill our relationships with those we love.
In this way, we honour you.
Welcome and Blessed Be.
Wine Blessing
-use red wine for the blessing
P:
I exist within you and you within me.
We hold hands when discouraged,
But release them to stand on our own
For life is created between us.
PS:
We exist with the universe
The Gods, Nature, and the Elements
We create life and destroy it
For the cycle of life, death, and rebirth
Continues through our love.
Both: Blessed Be
Cake Blessing
-use red fruits for this blessing
-as priest reads, coven sings "Thanks turns the wheel"
P: These cakes were once grain
Planted by the phases of the moon
And nurtured by the elements four
Tilled by human kind
And blessed by the gods
By receiving these cakes
We become attuned to the sacred processes of life
May all who gather here experience their essence
Blessed Be.
Working
-Priest reads:
Rhodocrosite: 4th chakra, heart. Cleanses the heart chakra and emotional body, reprograms the emotional body to receive joy, heals chronic self-blame, provides extra energy when involved in extreme physical activity, used to attract love. Projective, Mars, Fire, energy, peace and love.
-Priestess reads:
"This is the Greenwood Marriage, a union in which the Horned God has impregnated the Goddess, so a new tide of life begins. Everywhere is bloom and greenery. Warmth and sunlight are still growing and all things seem possible. This is a time for creativity, to revel in the pulse of the blood and the rising of the sap, and join the Old Ones in the dance of love. Witches need to remember that the strong emotional sex gives rise to put us in touch with our own depths. So the lady is the Maiden and her young phallic Horned God embrace in a reconciliation of opposites in love and pleasure."
-Everyone sits in a circle and faces left so that they are looking at someone's back in front of them. The coveners receive a small vile of scented oil to use to paint shapes, words, etc on everyone's back. While this is happening, we will be chanting "We are one with the Lady�" Once the energy is raised, we will all put that energy into the stones on the altar.
-Handmaiden hands out a piece of red ribbon to each covener. They will then hold it and say what bond they would particularly like to honour at this time. Then the person will tie a knot in the ribbon and pass it on to the next person deosil. This continues until all of the ribbons are tied together creating a circle of tied ribbons. Then they will be thrown into the cauldron and burned to release the energy.
-All coveners take their rhodocrosite stone to add their own personal energy. The stone is to be used whenever they want to honour the bonds they have with others or receive love energy from the stone when needed.
Farewell to Shakti
Shakti, Lady of Sensuality
Lover of Shiva who creates the perfect balance.
For this sensual celebration
You have blessed us with your creative force.
And we learned of your love.
Tonight we thank your for this experience.
Go if you must, stay if you will
And may you join us when next we call.
Hail and Farewell
Farewell to Shiva
Shiva, The Divine Dancer
Lover to Shakti who creates the perfect balance.
On this wondrous occasion
You have bestowed upon us your cosmic rhythm.
And we have learned of your desires.
Tonight we thank your for this experience.
Go if you must, stay if you will
And may you join us when next we call.
Hail and Farewell
Quarter Farewells
West:
Guardians of the West, Element of Water
You have given us your loving emotions.
As your tides of happiness roll around us,
We become calmed and relaxed.
Our hearts thank you for your blessings
And we receive them openly.
May your love surround us always.
Hail and Farewell.
South:
Guardians of the South, Element of Fire
You have given us your intensified passion
As your flames of desire dance around us
We become motivated and inspired.
Our spirits thank you for your blessings
And we receive them openly.
May your strength surround us always.
Hail and Farewell.
East:
Guardians of the East, Element of Water
You have given us your whispering thoughts
As your winds of understanding sway around us
We become limitless and free.
Our minds thank you for your blessings
And we receive them openly.
May your caresses surround us always.
Hail and Farewell.
North:
Guardians of the North, Element of Earth
You have given us your quiet touch.
As your comforting silence embraces us,
We become patient and secure
Our bodies thank you for your blessings
And we receive them openly.
May your sensuality surround us always.
Hail and Farewell.
Priestess Closes Circle
Coven sings: "May the circle be open.."
By Bunny Rabbit
Ritual Three
Decorate the circle with spring flowers
Yellow, orange or white
Bake a loaf of bread to offer to the Goddess
Cast circle
Light a white candle in the Goddess' honour,and a green one to represent the God.
Offer your bread in your normal cakes and wine ritual.
Light a fire and leap over flames to show your enthusiasm for all that you will undertake this season.
Close circle
by Sarah Allan
updated April 16, 2000
Net Sisters� �
1998, 1999, 2000 - by Diamonds Sisters
No unauthorized duplication of our graphics Images are digitally watermarked
Net Sisters� has been optimized for 800 x 600 monitor resolution and for 16 bit or better
color.