"IMBOLC"
(pronounced I-VOLC)
*The Feast of Torches - A Ritual for “Winter’s End”,
performed in Australia
approx. July 31/August 1
Performed in the early morning, into Dawn;
or in the afternoon, into Sunset.
ITEMS NEEDED:
*ALTAR/FEAST TABLE/CHAIRS (indoors) & ENTRANCE TABLE (if outdoors.) BRAZIER.
*A stuffed roast, and sundries for feast, including spicy and full-bodied foods; curries, peppers, onions, garlic, chives, sour cream dishes, cheeses, yoghurts, cheesecakes, mousses, fruit cakes, etc. Alcohol (optional, possibly spiced
wine).
*Sponge fingers or cakes, and milk for
libations. Libation bowl and cup.
*Druid/Celtic music, playing softly in background.
*Jug of purified/filtered water and a cup for each participant.
* A washing bowl for feet and a washing bowl for hands. Sponge and wash-cloth.
*Watering can with salted water.
*Essential oil (Orange, for enlightenment, optional) for Anointing.
*White ribbon or gold lurex thread for head bands, one for each participant (optional).
*Druid Staff.
*SALT in a container. Representative of EARTH/NORTH.
*INCENSE in a holder. Representative of AIR/EAST.
*OIL LAMP/CANDLE. Representative of FIRE/SOUTH.
*Cup of WATER. Representative of WATER/WEST.
*Quartz crystal (GOD/MALE/ACTIVE ASPECT/the Infinite)
*White/Pearly Seashell (GODDESS/PASSIVE ASPECT/the Integral)
*2 White Candles (God/Goddess)
*Semi-precious gemstones (optional).
*Flowers to represent the season of new life, for the Altar.
*Tools for Divination. *Lay the
Torch (optional, outdoors) next to the Divination tools.
*Candles lit throughout the house/home to welcome Summer’s return,
(at ceremony’s end).
*An orange candle. Two to four braziers (if outdoors), or a bonfire.
*Burning Bowl. Matches and Plate/Gas-lighter stick. Tongs for the bale-fire. Bell.
*Written Negativities for burning. (Negative actions, guilts, grudges, mistakes, fears, indulgences, obsessions,
restriction, things we wish to leave behind us, etc.)
*Individual votive candles, (one for each participant), and saucers
to light them on. (Lay one saucer and one votive candle for each participant around table/altar where they will stand).
CREATING A SACRED SPACE:
With the Druid Staff, the Priest/Priestess, and Aides (optional), go throughout
the area which is to be used and needs to be protected from ill-will and cleansed of negative energies. E.g., If a house and yard, go throughout the house and yard, including the street frontage. Waving the
switch up, down and around, the Priest/Priestess recites (with intensity of feeling and power):
Mother/Father God,
Cleanse this place of Negative Energies.
Fill it with your Life Force,
Your Love, and Wisdom.
Protect it and All within it from harm or negativity.
As Above, So Below,
As Within, So Without.
Repeating this over and over, wherever they walk or stop until the whole area is covered.
LAYING THE ALTAR & FEAST TABLE:
THE ALTAR: (While facing North, with the
altar in front of you)
*Lay flowers around the Altar’s edge.
*To the Left of the centre, put the Seashell, and then a White Candle.
*To the Right of the centre, put the Quartz Crystal, and then a White Candle.
*At the East side of the Altar, put the Incense.
*At the South side of the Altar, put the Oil Lamp/Candle (this position can be reversed with the salt if you live south of the equator, as
Australians do; follow your personal preference) .
*At the West side of the Altar, put the Water. *Inside
the Water, place the Bell, the Burning Bowl, Prayers, & Matches&Plate/Gas-stick. *Lay
gemstones in a circle around the Altar, or around the
Burning bowl.
*At the North side of the Altar, put the Salt. *Put the
Orange candle at the North end of the Altar, or the Head of the dining table.
*Lay the libation bowl, milk and cakes, to the South
of the centre.
*Lay the Druid Staff on the Altar when not in use.
*Lay the Torch next to the Druid Staff when not in use. Divination tools also lie here.
*Lay gemstones in a circle around the Altar, or around the Burning bowl.
*Put the Washing bowls/sponge/cloth/watering can beneath the Altar. [Note: This ritual can be acted indoors around a dining table.
In this case, forgo the washing part of the ritual, and set up the Altar at one end of the table. Circling can be visualised, holding hands, rather than actually moving.]
THE RITUAL AREA:
IF OUTDOORS:
*Place a chair for each participant in a circle around the Altar and
Feast Table.
*Place the Feast Table South of the Altar, within the circle. Put all
cutlery/plates/cups/food and drink on it.
*Make sure there is plenty of room for movement within the circle of chairs around the Altar and
Feast table.
*Place the Entrance Table just outside the circle, and place upon it the
purified water/cups/anointing oil, and a torch for reading.
(The torch can be carried into the circle later, once it gets dark).
IF INDOORS:
*Set Dining table for a feast and have a separate Altar table, or place Altar at the Head of the dining table and lay the rest of the table as for a feast. There is no need for movement around the table or altar. Movement in this instance may be visualised by the group instead.
CALLING THE ANGELS:
Taking up the Druid Staff, the Priest/Priestess stands pointing it to the North as
the Priest/Priestess recites:
Angels of the North, of Earth, of Taurus/Virgo/Capricorn,
Of Pentacles and Worldly Issues,
Of Protection, Nurturing and Growth,
Bless our Ritual and
Attend our Circle:
Heed our Prayers and carry them into the world,
That they may be Manifest
By the Laws of Right Action.
The Priest/Priestess stands pointing the
Druid Staff to the West,
(Sun-wise), as the Priest/Priestess recites:
Angels of the West, of Water, of Cancer/Scorpio/Pisces,
Of Cups and Issues of the Heart and Psyche,
Of Feeling and Inspiration and Refreshment:
Bless our Ritual and
Attend our Circle:
Heed our Prayers and carry them into the world,
That they may be Manifest
By the Laws of Right Action.
The Priest/Priestess stands pointing the
Druid Staff to the South,
(Sun-wise), as the Priest/Priestess recites:
Angels of the South, of Fire, of Aries/Leo/Sagittarius,
Of Wands and Issues of Creativity and Endeavour,
Of Light and Brightness and Love:
Bless our Ritual and
Attend our Circle:
Heed our Prayers and carry them into the world,
That they may be Manifest
By the Laws of Right Action.
The Priest/Priestess stands pointing the
Druid Staff to the East,
as the Priest/Priestess recites:
Angels of the East, of Air, of Gemini/Libra/Aquarius,
Of Swords and Issues of Knowledge and Balance,
Of Intelligence, Exploration and Union:
Bless our Ritual and
Attend our Circle:
Heed our Prayers and carry them into the world,
That they may be Manifest
By the Laws of Right Action.
ANOINTING & CLEANSING:
The Priest/Priestess stands at the entry point to the circle, where
the participants queue for entry. All participants have washed and may be bare-foot and bra-less (optional), with light-coloured clothes. (Men may be bare-chested) Each participant wears a
white ribbon tied across their forehead. The officiating
Priest/Priestess/Aides may also have a blue crescent marked on their
forehead.
The Priest/Priestess recites, with intensity/power, while the
Priest/Priestess/Aides pours water into a cup for each participant.
Drink this water to Cleanse yourself of Negative Energies,
That you may Recognise the Divinity within you
without Obstruction.
The Priest/Priestess/Aides gives the water to the participant, who drinks it all.
The Priest/Priestess recites with intensity/power, while the
Priest/Priestess anoints the Third Eye of the participant with a smear of
essential oil on their thumb.
This Oil Anoints your Psychic Centre so that you may
Communicate with the Divine more easily.
The Priest/Priestess recites:
Leave the troubles of the Mortal World behind you now
as you enter the Sacred Space.
Walk Sunwise, East to West, around the Circle
until you find your seat.
The ceremony continues until all are seated. When all are seated, the Priest/Priestess/Aides collect the washing bowls/sponge/wash-cloth/watering can from beneath the
Altar.
The Priest/Priestess/Aides pours water into the foot
bowl in front of the first participant (East of the circle entrance). He/She bathes the
feet of the participant as the Priest/Priestess recites:
Let this Water cleanse your Feet
so that the Energy of the Divine Earth
Flows into you more easily,
filling you
With Healing and Love.
The Priest/Priestess/Aides carries the used
bowl to behind the participant’s chair and solemnly empties it onto the ground, as the Priest/Priestess recites:
Let the Earth accept this soiled water
And restore it the Cycle of Life.
The Priest/Priestess/Aides places the foot bowl in front of the next participant (moving sun-wise, to the West), and places the hand bowl on the lap of the first participant, pouring
water into it, and washing the participant’s hands (wiping them dry with the squeezed sponge/cloth), as the Priest/Priestess recites:
Let this Water cleanse your Hands so that the Divine Energy
That flows through you from the Earth
May flow out more easily into the World around you,
Bringing Healing and love to All you touch.
The Priest/Priestess/Aides again carries the used
bowl to behind the participant’s chair and solemnly empties it onto the ground, as the Priest/Priestess recites:
Let the Earth accept this soiled water
And restore it the Cycle of Life.
This process continues around the circle, until all participants are bathed with salted water. (The Priest/Priestess/Aides wash each other or, if there is only one
leader, a member of the washed participants may wash the leader). Once all are bathed, the Priest/Priestess/Aides
sit in their chairs.
ENERGY RAISING:
The Priest/Priestess recites:
Now we are gathered together in this Sacred Space
To honour the Divinity within us and without Us.
Let us close our Eyes and meditate upon the Joy of Life’s Spirit.
Let us feel it’s Energies coursing around our Circle
from East to West and back again.
Around and around, building it’s Energy within us
Until it’s Colours blend into White
And fill us with Healing and Power.
Let this Energy link us together,
Making us One as we are naturally One.
As we have always been One
with each other
And with the Divine.
All meditate. When the Priest/Priestess feels ready and rested,
he/she rises and says:
All stand and move forward to join hands in a Circle.
The Priest/Priestess recites, looking up at the sky:
O Mother/Father God,
Answers to All Mysteries and yet
Mysteries Un-Answered,
In this Place of Power
We have opened ourselves to your Essence.
We have breathed your energies into our bodies -
Co-mingling, blending, mixing them with ours,
So that we may see the Divine in Nature and
Nature in the Divine, and
Divinity within ourselves and
All else.
All repeat after the Priest/Priestess:
Make us One with your Essence.
Make us One with your Essence.
Make us One with your Essence.
The Priest/Priestess says:
All shut your eyes and breathe in the Essence of God. Let it flow through you, through your heart centre and into the centre of our Sacred Space.
CIRCLING:
When the Priest/Priestess is ready, he/she says:
Three times around the Sacred Space
We circle sun-wise, holding hands and chanting:
All hold hands and move around the circle, sun-wise (East to West), three times, chanting with the Priest/Priestess:
O Gracious Divinity,
Bathe us with Enlightenment in this Magical Time.
Charge us with wonder and joy.
Help us to attune to the Energies adrift on
The Enchanted Air.
At the end of the circling the participants, except for the Priest/Priestess/Aides, resume their seats.
RECITALS AND WELCOMING:
The Priest/Priestess says:
This is the time of the Feast of Torches.
When every lamp blazes and shines
To welcome the Renewal of Life at Winter’s End.
We celebrate the Divinity of All Manifest and UnManifest,
All which is Awake and Asleep,
For Divinity never sleeps, and ever celebrates the
Cycles of It’s Life.
The Priest/Priestess/Aide lights the Orange Candle on the Altar, and says:
I bid you to hold your torches to be ignited by the Light of Life.
Each participant places their candles on the saucers and hold
them, to be lit by the Orange Candle as the Priest/Priestess/Aide moves around the Circle/Table with it.
The Priest/Priestess says:
Our Land is wrapped in Winter.
The Air is chilled, and
The Earth is enveloped in cold.
But the Cycle of Life moves on,
Even when we cannot see it’s Movement,
And Change has already begun.
We welcome the Warmth of the Sun into our lives,
And Rejoice in it’s Divine Gift.
He/she stops before the Altar, holding aloft the
Candle, gazing at it’s flame:
Hold aloft your Torches, and gaze at their Flame.
Visualise your lives blossoming with Creativity,
With Renewed Energy and Strength.
After a time, he/she moves forward to the table and places the Candle upon it:
Place your Torches on the Table and
Look into your Future,
Or your Past.
See what must be Cleansed,
What must be Processed;
See what must be begun,
Moved Forward,
Activated.
Settle these things in your Mind and Heart
And let them Bear Witness to your New Life in the Coming Year.
The Priest/Priestess says:
I call now for Bale-fire Offerings, to cleanse ourselves in preparation for the Incoming Gifts of Life.
Each participant takes up their Burning Letters and holds
them with tongs over the Burning Bowl as the Priest/Priestess/Aide ignites it (as often as necessary to completely char it all...) The Priest/Priestess/Aide rings the Bell throughout each burning. As each participant burns their prayers, the Priest/Priestess recites, and the participant repeats after the Priest/Priestess:
Burn away the rubbish,
By the Powers of the Divine!
Heal what is unhealthy,
By the Powers of the Cosmos!
Progress what should move forward,
By the Powers of the Mortal World!
Let Right Action be the Path of My Life, and
Right Knowledge be my Guide.
Heed me!...
Heed me!...
Heed me!...
I shout and scream at all that negates me! (shout or scream)
I laugh with joy for all God has given me! (laugh)
I laugh with pleasure on this day
for the Knowledge that All Life is a Circle of Oneness,
and that there is always a new beginning ahead of me.
The participant laughs until all the prayer paper is
thoroughly burnt, then recites:
By the Laws of Right Action,
May Success be made Manifest,
On all levels of my Life, and in the lives of those I care for
In this world or the next.
Once all the prayers/letters have been burnt, the
Priest/Priestess recites:
May God heed our prayers, and
Like the Best of Parents,
Know what is best for us, and
Help us to understand
What can be Manifest,
and What cannot,
By the Laws of Right Action.
The Priest/Priestess breaks cake and pours milk into the libation
bowl. He/she recites:
Light of Life, I welcome your return.
May you shine brightly upon me, upon my life,
and upon the world I live in,
scattering your seeds and fertilising them wherever they land.
Blessed be!
He/she eats/drinks his/her portion of the Libations as the
Priest/Priestess, followed by other participants, do and recite the same.
The Priest/Priestess says:
We ask the Blessings now of our Divine Guests, and
Their Protection, as we move from our Circle of Prayer to
Cook and eat our Feast meal.
We hope they may enjoy our gathering, and find it a merry one.
The Priest/Priestess says:
Accept our offering in your Honour, Divine Spirit, we thank you.
STORIES:
During the Feast, the Priest/Priestess invites participants to tell Stories of their Dreams for the Future, and of Dreams from their Past which have come to fruition, to enliven
all with the potential Energies of the Unmanifest, and to know that all Dreams have possibility.
After the Feast, the table is cleared and the tools of Divination are
brought out, (optional), and those who wish to do so can give or receive readings for the coming year.
The Priest/Priestess then recites:
We thank Mother-Father God, and the Angels,
for coming among us in peace, and blessing our rite.
DE-CIRCLING:
The participants join hands again in a circle and circle thrice in an anti-Sunwise direction, (West to East), as the Priest/Priestess
recites and the participants repeat after him/her:
We disperse the energies of this Circle,
Returning them to the Cycle of Life,
To the Divine Mind,
So that our Prayers may Progress and
Balance may be Restored.
We send the Energies of this Circle on their Way
Into Us, into Our Lives and
Into the Lives of those we care about.
All stop and reflect as the Priest/Priestess recites:
We thank you, Mother/Father God, again, for attending us,
For all the guidance and knowledge given us
and all the wisdom, strength and support of your
healing love toward us.
We give thanks for all you have done for us and with us, and
For all you will be to us and in us
As our lives unfold.
The Priest/Priestess recites:
We thank the Angels of the North, the West, the South and East; of Earth, Water, Fire and Air for attending us. May you heed our prayers for Right Action manifest in
our world.
We thank you for your Blessings upon us.
The Priest/Priestess recites:
We thank again all spirits who have attended our rites.
Go in Peace to God and rest.
DISPERSING THE ALTAR:
The offerings for God, etc. are poured on the ground and/or buried.
The flower decorations on the Altar are dispersed on the ground.
All other items are put away, as well as the Altar,
chairs and tables. |
