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Spring Equinox 2004

 

 

  1. Everyone starts at edge of circle – northeast? Light one candle at each station. Use source candle if more light needed.
  2. Purification --while mixing salt and water, say, “Salt of the earth, water of the stream – when joined, they bring forth new life.” Sprinkle edge of space with blessed salt water to cleanse, counterclockwise; someone else processes with smudge stick.
  3. Personal cleansing --Ask: “How do you enter this circle?” Traditional answer: “In perfect love and perfect trust.” Smudge with smudge stick.
  4. Grounding
  5. Cast circle –“By the earth that is her dark body, by the air that is her starry breath, by the fire of her bright spirit, by the waters of her living womb, by all that is above, and by all that is below, and by all that swirls in the center, the circle is case. We are between the worlds. So mote it be.” Response: “So mote it be.”
  6. Summon elements  (improvised invocations) (response: “Welcome, <element>!”)

--Air

--Fire

--Earth

--Water

--Spirit

  1. Statement of intent: “This is Ostara, the time of spring’s return when winter at last loses its grip. Light and darkness are now equal. It is a time of balance, when all that is within us must be brought into a new harmony. It is also a time of new beginnings, when the earth itself is reborn and seeds begin to sprout. We meet tonight at the time of the new moon to turn the wheel, to shake the cold from our bones and the darkness from our hearts. May our spirits welcome spring!” Response: “The wheel is turning. Welcome Spring!”
  2. Joys and Concerns for Others (candle lighting)
  3. New Beginnings for the Coming Year – meditation and drawing on eggs with crayons (background music: “Dark of the Moon”)

[decorate eggs with symbols of hope for the coming season] “We hold all these hopes and concerns in our hearts as we raise energy for the turning of the wheel. We are not outside of nature – we are part of nature, and we participate in the turning of the seasons, the play of light fading into darkness and again giving birth to light.” [eggs to be eaten in after-ritual potluck]

  1. The Dance

--3 deep breaths

--opening liturgy

--chant/drone: OCEAN, SKY, MOUNTAIN, FLAME (3x slow, 3x fast)

--closing liturgy

OR – simple toning and circle dance to raise energy; release at peak

  1. Communion/Token feast (“This is the body of the earth, broken for you. This is the fruit of Her vine, spilled out for your nourishment. Never hunger. Never thirst.”)
  2. Dismiss elements
  3. Closing song: “The circle is open, but unbroken! May the peace of the Goddess be ever in our hearts. Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again!”

Needed materials:

  1. Altar cloths

--big black one, little blue one, little red one, larger white one

  1. Plate for challah and challah (north)
  2. chalice (west)
  3. athame (north)
  4. votive candles & thing to put votives on (plate)
  5. smudge stick (air)
  6. little thing of salt and little thing of water (earth)
  7. Two candles per altar
  8. lighter (south)
  9. hardboiled eggs in container (north)
  10. crayons (north)
  11. iPod programmed to play “Dark of the Moon”
  12. Wine, already uncorked (west)
  13. more candles if needed for light