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Ritual One
In addition to your magickal tools you will need:
A Red Altar Cloth
A Wicker Basket
A Red Apple
Assorted Fruits and Vegetables of the Second Harvest (Berries, Squash, Corn, etc)
A Bell
A Fallen Tree Branch
A Bolline
A Sprig or Two of Ivy
An Autumn Blend Incense
Any other Personal items of choice
Preparation:
Sweep area, moving in a deosil (clockwise) manner. Outline your Circle with a red cord, low vibration stones, or various Harvest items such as wheat, corn, beans, etc. Set up your altar and place the red altar cloth over it. At center top, place the wicker basket, filled with the assorted fruit and vegetables. Place the apple and the bolline on your Pentacle or a plate. Place the tree branch to the right of the basket. Place the rest of your tools and props according to your personal preference.
Take a shower or bath for purity. Sit quietly and meditate to ground and center. When you are ready, begin by playing some soothing music associated with the Sabbat and your ritual.
Cast the Circle and call Quarters.....Pick up your Wand in your right hand, face your altar, and with arms stretched out above your head, say:
"I honor Thee, Autumn Queen, and Thy consort, the God of the Harvest.
The Wheel has once more turned, and the change of season begins.
What will be is. What was will be.
The Equinox is upon us, and the time to reflect, at hand.
All time comes together, here and now in this sacred space.
And I, but a moment in time, feel the change as I pass From one season to the next.
The Second Harvest has been reaped, and the time of rest is deserved.
Go now My Mother and slumber.
Go now My Father and dream of re-birth.
I shall be here to greet Thee on Your return."
With arms still out-stretched lower your head and close your eyes. Contemplate what you have just spoken. When ready, open your eyes and lower your arms. Pick up the apple and place it in the center of the Pentacle/plate. Cut it crosswise with the Bolline, to reveal the natural pentagram at it's core. Then lift half the apple, pentagram up, as if in offering, while saying:
"As the Wheel turns, the seasons pass, and the years give 'way To the next,
Guide me most Wise Ones,
Lest I forget
Every beginning has an ending
And every ending is a new beginning."
Take a bite of the apple. Put the rest aside to share later with the wildlife. Pick up the tree branch and shake once at each direction, starting with North, saying:
"As the days grow colder, and the nights last longer,
May I remember the summer past.
With sunlight fading, and hearth inviting,
My memories will warm my soul.
From a season of hard work and hard play,
I hear Mother's voice calling me forward.
While I rest, shall She lull me, with songs of a dream,
As close to Her bosom I cling."
Face the altar and hold the branch out in front of you with both hands, saying:
"With memories of the summer, least I never forget,
And aspirings for the colder months to come,
Least I never stop striving,
I honor Thee with this symbol of Nature,
Keeping it and Thee in my home and heart,
That I may see it and pause,
To reflect on the Ancient Mysteries,
Leading me to a better understanding of myself,
And of others, and all that is Life."
Put the tree branch on the altar, into the basket of fruit so that it sticks out, back in your direction. Contemplate on the various memory symbols that you have attached to it. Also contemplate on the various projects for autumn and winter that you have attached to it. Close your eyes and feel the seasons pass within the circle from summer to autumn. When ready, say:
"Between the worlds I stand in this sacred place.
All time is here and now.
As I leave this circle, the season shall have changed,
And I will have changed with it.
May I use the short time of Winter Finding
To draw the strength and power from within
As I quest for vision, understanding, and peace."
Pick up the sprig(s) of ivy, and wrap around your arms, from the elbow to the wrist. Pick up the Bell with your right hand, and ring thrice, to toll the passing of the first 3 seasons of the year. Now place it in your left hand and ring once to usher in the 4th and last season of the year. Place the bell on the alter and the ivy in your cauldron (for burning later).
"In Life is Death, and in Death is Life.
The Sacred Dance goes on and on
From whence we came, we shall return,
And come again.
Seasons pass, and pass again,
The circle stays unbroken
Heed the words of your child, here,
Through Your wisdom I have spoken."
It is now time for meditation and spellworking. Associated spellworkings would include those for protection, wealth, security, and self-confidence. If there is no spellworking, celebrate with Cakes and Ale, then release the Circle. Clean up. You are done. Find an appropriate place in your home to display the decorated tree branch.
*Find a fallen tree branch. It need not be a large one, for it will adorn your alter, then go on display in your home. The more smaller offshoots from the main branch, the better. Next, take a couple of pine cones, small shells, dried flowers, or any other item that reminds you of the late spring-summer months. With some string, tie each to the offshoots. Also take yarn or ribbon of yellows, oranges, reds, and gold and tie one end to the offshoots. Then, on very thin strips of (colored) paper, write down some projects to work on during the upcoming ' dark ' months. Wrap these around the offshoots (like little cocoons) and tie closed with silver thread. These you will open over the next couple of months when you start feeling lethargic or without a sense of direction. I tie on a couple of small bells, to add some ambiance to my ritual...
Ritual Two
You will find in this ritual places for adlibbing.� This is where you open and let the Gods speak through you.� Don't worry. The words will come to you.
Altar: Dress with Reds, golds, browns, hunter green. Autumn leaves, pumpkins, squash, corn, wheat....let the altar reflect the abundance of the harvest. Place fruits and vegetables in a bowl or basket. Also decorate the quarters with the harvest fruits. Scales will also be on the Altar.
Incense: Put corn, wheat and/or oats into a heavy floral base. The mood is the last blast of summer and the fullest time of the harvest.
Oil: Rosemary/Hyacinth/Bergamot/Patchouli--a heavy, heady floral
Cast Circle in the usual way.
Invoking the Lady and the Lord:
High Priestess (HPS): Now is the time of the harvest Gathering in for the darkness ahead Demeter, mother of the maiden, join us. Follow the sound of your children laughing And come to our (coven name) circle Lady, be welcome in our circle.
High Priest (HP): Now is the time of the hunt When the moon lights your way Lord Herne, come to our circle And sound your ethereal horn. We seek the balance in life and death Lord, be welcome in our circle.
High Priest should be prepared to talk about the balance of what is inner and what is outer. Looking back and Looking ahead....looking within. Honor the balance that is the spiral.
High Priest will now take the bowl or basket of fruits and vegetables from the Altar and pass it deosil. As the basket passes from hand to hand, he says....(ad libbing is always welcome) Enjoy the riches of the harvest. Rejoice in the last warmth of summer. Welcome the first hint of winter in the air. This is a night of balance.........(ad libbing)
High Priestess now picks up the scales from the Altar and says...
(ad-libbing) In our lives we constantly measure ourselves against other people's standards. Our flaws appear enormous and our good points seem miniscule. The Lady in her wisdom offers us balance. Take a moment to get comfortable and we will examine and readjust if necessary our own scales.
Balancing the scales---a meditation for Autumn
(Open with a trance inducing meditation....the Tree or the Rainbow from Starhawk's _The Spiral Dance_ are both excellent or use one that you are comfortable with.)
Open your inner senses. You are in a large room. There is a table along the Eastern wall. Someon is motioning for you come there. As you approach, take time to look at the person standing there. This is your inner guide who will always help you balance yourself. You may talk to your guide for a moment. (pause for five to ten long breaths)
Now see the table....there is a set of scales. On the left side of these scales is a red feather. Beside the table to the right is a pile of different sized stones.(pause for three breaths)
Now think of where you feel there are imbalances in your life. As you name them, the guide will place a stone on the right side of the scales. Consider (space the following with four to eight breaths) Family........Friends.......Work....Home.......Physical....... Emotional........Mental........Spiritual............(add others as necessary)
(When the meditation reader feels ready...) Now look at your stones and how the scales are balanced. Remember what the stones are for. Now listen to your guide who can show you ways to balance....(ten to fifteen breaths at least)
Know that you are a whole and useful person. Reflect on that which is balanced in your life. The guide will add a stone to the left side for each........Consider (space the following with four to eight breaths at least. The key here is to let the listeners have time.) Family... Friends... Work... Home... Physical... Emotional... Mental... Spiritual... (add others as necessary)
Look at your scales now. They are balanced more evenly. The red feather is in your guide's hand. The guide hands you the feather. You are the balance---you are the harmony. Take a moment to thank your guide (ten breaths) Know that you may return to this room whenever you need to meditate on the scales.
Now find the door you came through. When you feel ready to return, walk through the door and up the stairs you will see there. Retun to this room feeling energized and awake.
Balance is the harmony of nature....Nature is the harmony of the Goddess....Goddess is the harmony of you....You are the harmony of balance.
Take some time to talk about the meditation if the covenors need to process the experience.
High Priestess: (taking a small bowl of bulbs from underneath the Altar)
Autumn is also our inward deepening time. Just as a bulb needs the winter dark and cold to grow in the springtime, so do we need the quiet and reflective time to look at ourselves. (ad lib) Take a bulb from the basket and plant it. Let it remind you of the growth you can gain during the winter months.
High Priest: (holds up a sheaf of wheat)
And the balance is this........... The grain of autumn shall be the seed of spring.
Take time to talk about what everyone hopes to do over the winter. When everyone seems ready, move on to Cakes and Wine. And close the circle in the usual way. Encourage covenors to take home some of the vegetables and decorations from the Altar and quarters.
by Arwen Nightstar
updated August 31, 2000
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