"OSTARA"
*Acknowledgement of new life begins with A Ritual for “Spring's Beginning”
(Spring Equinox)
in Australia, approx. September 21
Performed at Dawn or early morning
ITEMS NEEDED:
ALTAR/FEAST TABLE/CHAIRS (indoors) & ENTRANCE TABLE (if outdoors.)
*Barbecue meat (optional/midday feast) or egg or seed foods (cereals/breakfast feast), sundries for feast. Alcohol (optional)
*Bread and milk for libations. Libation bowl.
*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 for Anointing.
*White ribbon 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)
*Plant , shrub or tree for planting.
Spade.
*Semi-precious gemstones (optional).
*Leaf and flower decorations for Altar.
*Tools for Divination. Torch for reading, if necessary.
*Chocolate, or painted boiled, eggs. Egg-shaped or round lollies and chocolates. (Place these in a “cool” container beneath the Altar.)
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/leaves 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.
*At the North side of the Altar, put the Salt.
*Between the Water and the centre, place the Plant, (and put the Spade below the Altar).
*Lay the libation bowl, milk, bread, and the chocolates/painted eggs (in a cool container, if the climate is hot) to the South of the centre.
*Lay the Druid Staff on the Altar when not in use.
*Lay the Torch (if needed) next to the Druid Staff when not in use. Divination tools also lie here.
*Lay gemstones in a circle around the Altar.
*Put the Washing bowls/sponge/cloth/watering can beneath the Altar.
THE RITUAL AREA:
*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 (except for barbecue, which can be set up ready for cooking outside the circle). *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)
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:
The Priest/Priestess recites:
We are come to Celebrate the Renewal of Life in our realm of the Earth and of our own Life Force. Birds are singing and nest building, the buds on the trees are
opening their light green leaves, the colour which signifies Spring.
The Priest/Priestess recites:
This is a time of Beginnings, of Action, of planting the seeds and wishes of future gains and of Tending the Gardens of our Life and Habitats. At this time, we
delight in the Abundance of Nature. We Nurture its tender new growth with Gentleness and Perseverence, as we must nurture all beginnings in our life lest we crush their fragile essence with Impatience.
The Priest/Priestess recites:
Now is the Greening, when the fragrance of flowers drifts on the breeze. This is the Beginning. Life renews itself by your Magic, Mother-Father God, and bursts
forth with the promise of Summer.
He/she touches the plant and says:
By touching this plant I connect with its energies and, through it, all Nature. I travel inside its leaves and stems through my Visualisation - from the centre of my
consciousness, out through my arm and fingers and into the plant itself. I explore its inner nature and sense the miraculous processes of life at work within it.
He/she turns to the other participants:
I ask each of you now to repeat my action and touch this plant with Reverence and Wonder. And as you do so, repeat after me.
One by one, sunwise around the circle, the participants touch the plant and repeat after the Priest/Priestess as he/she says:
I walk the earth in Friendship not in dominance.
Mother-Father God instil within me,
through this plant, a warmth for all living things.
Teach me to Revere the Earth and all its treasures.
May I never forget.
When all except the Priest/Priestess are once again seated,
the Priest/Priestess says:
Let us meditate upon the changing of the seasons.
Feel the rousing of energies around you in the Earth.
The Priest/Priestess makes a milk and bread libation and says:
Mother-Father God, I thank you for the Blessing of Life.
I share with you these libations to Acknowledge your Graciousness and to Remember that I must not take for granted what is given but must always remember to return some to the
Cycle of Life.
The other participants follow his/her example and repeat the recitation.
The Priest/Priestess says:
We ask the Blessings now of all our Guests, mortal and Divine, and Their Protection as we move from the Circle of Prayer to
Partake of our Feast meal.
We hope they may enjoy our gathering and find it a merry one.
All participants then move to be seated at the Feasting table
to cook the food (optional) and set the table to eat and drink. There is a relaxed and happy atmosphere of joy and play.
When the food is brought to the table, some is put aside on a plate to honour the the Divine. (It is later buried/emptied in/on the ground. It doesn’t really matter if
animals/birds eat it...)
The Priest/Priestess says:
Accept our offering in your honour, Divine Spirit, we thank you.
STORIES:
When all are seated and eating, the Priest/Priestess asks for stories
to be aired of places people have been in touch with Nature, of walks and trips and tours, of sights and scenery, of
gardens and lakes and oceans and mountains, etc., to remember what it is they want to remember about them, anecdotes, etc.
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. When the divinations are done, an Ostara Blessing is
ad-libbed by the Priest/Priestess or chosen participant. He/she then takes the plant from the Altar. The Priest/Priestess/Aide digs a hole to place it in, plants it tand covers its roots with soil.
The Priest/Priestess says:
May you grow strong and healthy. Blessed be!
All return to the circle.
The Priest/Priestess/Aide brings the Eggs.
The Priest/Priestess says:
O Mother-Father God, Bless these symbols of the seeds
of our Manifesting Prayers.
The Priest/Priestess/Aide hands out an Egg (chocolate or boiled) to each participant.
The Priest/Priestess says:
O Fertile Divinity, as we hold these (Symbolic) Eggs
and fill them with our Desire for a Specific Fulfilment,
Let your Will for Creation fertilise the Wishes we
place within their Shells.
But let your Law of Right Action be paramount,
so that We are Protected from the manifestation of
that which is not for our good or Betterment
or the good and betterment of others.
And, if there is a Fertile Place, a Rightful Place and Time
in our lives for These Wishes to be Manifest, then
Bless these Eggs with your Love and,
In this time of your Growing Abundance,
Flow your Beneficence into us as we Consume them
So that our Wishes become Manifest in our Lives
Through your Direct Purpose, Activated by our own Deeds
Or by the World, as it Affects us in its Clearest and Best Manner.
The Priest/Priestess says:
And may we All, upon the God-given Manifestation
of our Rightful Desire,
Honour your Wondrous Gift with the Gift of
our own True Growth and
With your Blessed Worship, as we Acknowledge
your Miracle and Magic.
All dwell now upon your Eggs, imbuing them with one Wish you really, really want to happen - a Wish which can
do no harm to anyone, not even yourself.
And, when you feel the Egg is as full as it can be, eat it.
All wish into their Eggs, and eat them.
The Priest/Priestess then recites:
We thank Mother/Father God and the Angels, for coming among us in Peace and Blessing our rites. May the plant we sowed this day flourish under your Auspices and be a
reminder of Beneficence.
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.
DISPERSING THE ALTAR:
The offerings for God, etc. are poured on the ground and/or buried.
The plant decorations on the Altar are dispersed on the ground. All other items are put away, as well as the
Altar, chairs and tables.
REVELRIES:
*After all ceremony is cleared and dispersed, revelries may continue for as long as the participants wish.
*Eggs, or round lollies, may be hidden around the house and garden and children sent out to search for them (treasure hunt).
*Hard-boiled eggs may be rolled down-hill, with the fastest egg winning the race (eat them afterwards); or they may be painted with pictures of things you want to manifest in the coming year, and
then buried in the Earth.
*There may be an exchange of gifts.
*Feasting may continue all day and night.
*Seeds may be sown in pots of earth which are then carefully nurtured and the seedlings
transplanted when they are strong.
*New projects may be embarked upon.
*Walks, or rides, in or through parks, gardens, or forests may be taken in groups or alone,
possibly gathering wildflowers or seeds.
*Or flowers may be bought from a florist.
*The theme is a celebration of life.
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