Harvest Full Moon
Saturday, September 21, 2002
Noon to Dark
or
Persephone / HPS – Dragnfli
Pluto / HP – Spelcaster
Hecate / Chants & Meditations - Starwind
Demeter / Drumming – Sophia
Rhea / Questioner - Barbie Witch
Faerie Queen/Spirit/Center/White – Smudging, Narration, Libations/Offerings Blessings - Rhiannon (N)
QUARTER/ELEMENTS CALLERS
Gnome/North/Earth/Green, Brown & Orange – Theresa Jones
Sylphs/East/Air/Pale Yellow, Lavender & Grey – Eli Fennell (or Mikal)
Salamander/South/Fire/Red & Gold – Vicky McCaulley
Undines/West/Water/Blues, Purples & Black – Mr. Y
(those calling the directions will need to provide
an altar layout with a clothe, please just keep all other items on the
altar in theme with the direction you are calling
and of the season, you will also assist
with serving the libations)
Libation Faeries – (7)
Katie (N)
Zac & Lucy (S)
Harmony & Chris (E)
Marley & Valente (W)
Mercury, the Microphone Faerie – Jim Giblin (this faerie will assure
that whomever is speaking shall be heard!!!)
Firetender – Joe
Participants – those attending the ritual circle
Path from Patio & Sanctuary through Memorial Garden to the North end of the Ritual Circle
(8) Torches, one at each quarter & cross-quarter
(4) Quarter Altars - tables
(1) Main Altar in NE - table
(1) Throne in NW for Hecate
(1) Firepit with fire in south
sheaves of wheat
poppies
pomegranates
other altar tools
Pomegranite juice Paper cups for juice
Wheat cakes Baskets with napkin covers for cakes
This is to be done by Persephone 15 minutes prior to the beginning of the ritual. Circle Space to be OFF LIMITS to the participants from 5:00pm onwards.
I. Introduction,
Meditative, Chanting Walk through Memorial Garden, Cleansing of Participants
& Entering the Ritual Circle
1) Pluto, Hecate and the Participants are to gather at the NE corner of the sanctuary, at the beginning of the path through the memorial garden. Rhea & the Faerie Queen will be at her position at the end of the Memorial Garden Path, ready to begin smudging and asking the question.
2) Libation Faeries should go to their assigned quarter after being smudged, and Rhea & the Faerie Queen should end up near the main altar when she is finished smudging. Demeter, Persephone, the Faerie Queen Mercury, and the Quarter Callers should be in their positions before the beginning of the ritual.
Persephone and the Faerie Queen will meet with all the Quarter Callers and the Libation Faeries at some time before the
ritual to go over instructions on how everything is to be done.
3) Pluto
to give introductory speech: "Welcome to our Autumnal Equinox
Celebration. I am the God Pluto. This evenings' ritual is based on the Great
Eleusian Mysteries of Greece called the Greater Mysteries of Demeter. These mysteries are centered around the
Demetrian agricultural wheel of the year.
In Greece, as in South Florida, September is a time of preparing to
plant crops for the first harvest, which will come in the late winter and early
spring. This is the opposite seasonal
cycle of your more northern brothers and sisters who are preparing for the
final harvest and the long winter's sleep ahead. And in honor of this tradition, you will be making an offering to
the Cooperative Feeding Program from the Harvest of non-perishable food items
that were given by those attending here this night. For those of you in this clime, however, you are really welcoming
Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld, and Daughter of the Goddess Demeter,
back after her stay with me, Lord of the Underworld, Land of the Dead, husband
to the Holy Maiden. This is the end of
your fallow season and the cusp of the beginning of something new. The compromises that are demanded at this
transitional period when all is in balance, requires the freshness and
willingness of the maiden & the wisdom and knowledge of the crone. You will begin your entrance into the
mysteries by following Hecate on a
chanting, meditative walk through the Memorial Garden and into the ritual
circle to hear of and honor the Greater Mysteries of Demeter. When you get to the end of the pathway you
will meet the Titan, Rhea, and the
Faerie Queen, who will cleanse you with incense before you enter the ritual
circle. They will ask of you 'How do
you enter?' and in reply you shall say, as you will believe, 'In Perfect Love
& In Perfect Trust.'”
Pluto will then move ahead of Hecate to his place at the main altar.
4) Hecate will instruct the Participants
at this point, on the right way to do the walk, meditation, chant, and breathing. The chant is "We all come from the Goddess, and to Her we shall return, like a
drop of rain flowing to the ocean…"
Then, she will begin to lead participants down the path, through the
Memorial Garden to the NE entrance of the ritual circle. Meanwhile, at the end of the Memorial Garden
path, Rhea and the Faerie Queen will be standing
smudging & blessing the participants as they enter. They will ask each Participant before
smudging them, "How do you
enter?" and the Participant will reply, "In perfect love & in perfect
trust." Then the Participants
will enter the circle, and still following Hecate directions, they will walk
deosil around to the NW. When all are
in the ritual circle, Hecate will be seated on a throne
made for her in the NW, and hopefully, the Participants will move around the
circle to the NW side, leaving no gaps.
If there are gaps, Hecate will direct Participants to
come together or spread out, as necessary.
Persephone: "Please
listen to the lessons of the divine and enter this circle 'In Perfect Love
& In
Perfect Trust'. At this time please follow me as I perform
the Rite of Lustration"
All to do the "Rite of Lustration" (or, A Rite of Self-Blessing) – (Reif, 1999, 66-67)
1. Put the fingers of your right hand in the center of your forehead and say:
"Eye of spirit where wisdom
enters."
2. Extend your right arm out toward the right saying:
"May her good enter from the right
hand,"
3. Extend you left are out toward the left saying:
"May her good enter from the left
hand,"
4. Bring both hands to your heart (mid-chest), and say:
"For she dwells within…"
5. Bring your forearms down, palms up, and say:
"And without,"
6. Bring your hands again to your heart, as before, and say:
"In beauty…"
7. Bow your head and say:
"And honor,"
8. Raise your arms up, hands upward, and say:
"Hail!"
Persephone will welcome
participants: "Welcome all to the Greater Mysteries of Demeter. Please concentrate your energies on the
altar in preparation for the ritual to begin."
The altar will be prepared at this point, candles and incense will be lit, the water & salt consecrated, and any other preparations needed for the rest of the ritual completed.
From the main alter, first Demeter and then Pluto will walk around the circle deosil, behind the Participants with their cleansing agents chanting the following.
Demeter
with bowl of Salt & Water, splashing the outer circle as she walks, will
chant: "I cleanse this circle round and round. By earth and water it is bound."
Pluto with burning Sage
& Lavender Smudge stick & feather to direct smoke as he walks, will
chant: "I cleanse this circle round and round. By air and fire it is bound."
As soon as the Circle is cleansed the quarter callers will begin, starting in the North and going deosil (clockwise).
North:
"Hail, Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North. Powers of Earth! We invoke & Call you, Mother, green of the fields,
Perseverance, Come! By the earth that
is her body, send forth your strength, Be here now!
Persephone:
"The circle is cast. We are
between the worlds, Beyond the bounds of time, where night and day, birth and
death, joy and sorrow, Meet as one."
Persephone & Pluto to return to the main altar to invoke the Goddesses & the God – Gaea,
Goddess of the Earth (N); Dionysus, God of the vine, grapes, wine, wild mountains, dancing, ecstasy, Joy and Celebration (E); Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth & Home Fires, temples and the
spiritual flame (S); Aphrodite, Goddess of love, passion and sexuality (W) – All of these deities
were involved in the original version of the Greater Mysteries, and gave gifts to bless the union of the Sacred Couple, Persephone and Pluto.
Persephone:
"Please now welcome the divine presence as in this night and in this
hour I call upon the ancient power of Gaea,
Goddess of the Earth, to attend upon this rite."
Pluto:
"In this night and in this hour I call upon the ancient power of Dionysus, God of Ecstasy, Joy &
Celebration, to attend upon this rite."
Persephone:
"In this night and in this hour I call upon the ancient power of Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth &
Home Fires, to attend upon this rite."
Pluto:
"In this night and in this hour I call upon the ancient power of Aphrodite, Goddess of Love &
Passion, to attend upon this rite."
Persephone: "We come here on this night of the Autumnal Equinox, when day and night are equal, and on this Harvest Full Moon, to celebrate the Greater Mysteries of Demeter, the Mysteries of the Cycles of Life, Death and Rebirth."
Hecate: "I am the Crone. This evening we will witness the Sacred Drama, of the Great Mother Goddess, Demeter & her Maiden Daughter, Persephone. This is the story of the cycles of life and the wheel of the year, of birth, life, death, and rebirth. They teach us the importance of honest labor, preparation, cultivation, caretaking, and compassion. These mysteries teach of the divine origin of the soul. They prepare us for death, and for the new life to come."
Persephone:
"All was green upon the land.
And I, Kore, the Daughter of Holy Demeter played on the woodland
hilltops of pine and cypress. I
searched with the Daughters of Oceanus, and we made wreaths of violets, saffron
crocus, and white narcissus. Lush were
these crowns of fragile beauty, and when set upon our heads, they became the
enchantment of nature's great power. We
maidens walked toward the sea, laughing and dancing, and singing sacred
songs. We reveled in the beauty of
Earth and Sea, then, wreathed and garlanded, we rested from our play."
Demeter: "Far from the Holy Daughter, I, Mother
Demeter, labored. Tending the fields of
wheat and barley and all that grew upon the great Earth. In joy, I watched the red poppies begin to
bloom among the stands of grain now turning to gold. Here was my gift, precious food for the people of the world. Soon it would be harvest-time, and my song
flowed across the land. Time moved
forward, and so came the harvest. The
green of the season had passed, and I reigned in glorious ecstasies as the
Great Harvest Mother."
Hecate: "The season was changing. It was then that I approached the sleeping
maidens, Kore and the Daughters of Oceanus, in a saffron cloak. With the power of my immortal hand, a spell
was laid upon the maidens. Whispering
into the ear of Kore, I caused visions of the lands below to enter Her
dreams. I charged Kore to see what was
transpiring in the dark of the Underworld, and this is what Demeter's Daughter
saw, a great King below, sighing and weeping in loneliness. On a throne of carved black marble He sat,
bent over as one who is forlorn and lost.
Beside Him was an empty throne upon which lay a jeweled silver
crown. Lord Pluto then began to sing a
song of such yearning and sadness that all of the souls below began to mourn
with Him. Pluto sang until His
beautiful and haunting sounds found the ear of fair Kore."
Persephone: "Far above, in the dream, my heart was
flooded with love and compassion for He who has been called the Unseen
One. My heart had awakened not only to
love but to passion. I wished only to
bring my light and beauty to the lands below; to bring the essence of the Sun,
and the beauty of the green Earth, to the Lord Pluto, and to the souls of the
dead also."
Faerie
Queen: "He had seen Her, the
Lord of Tartarus, from His palace whose lamps had grown dim, He went to the
grotto of the black stallions. There,
outside of Elysium, He harnessed the steeds to their waiting chariot. The dry meadows of Nysa turned to flame, and
beyond the red and golden flame, the Earth burst asunder. Great mounds of Earth spewed out as the
black stallions entered the world that had not born them. Beyond the field of ember and flame, the God
of the Underworld drew up his chariot and waited. Hecate raised Kore from the ground, and the Maiden knew
fear."
Persephone:
"I removed my flowered crown, and with courage, cast it into the
remaining flame, my gaze upon the face of my Beloved. Uncrowned, I walked across the field of ember and flame to
embrace the Lord of the Dark. My veil,
embroidered with lilies, was left behind.
Around my shoulders, invisible ones drew a black himation, bordered with
luminous silver threads and set with precious gems. Then, into the waiting chariot I fled, into the arms of
Tartarus. The brilliance of passion filled
my heart as Pluto drove the black steeds around the Earth and then down into
the lands below. With the God of Death,
I descended. Then having arrived below,
I drank from the shining silver spring of Memory, and awoke to the knowledge of
My Queenship. The silver crown appeared
upon my head, and the voices of the dead rang out in jubilation. In joy, I was received and a great
celebration began."
Faerie
Queen: "Then, to the plains of Nysa She came, She
who is Mother of the land, from whom all that is good and bountiful comes
forward. Holy Demeter came in search of
fair Kore. There, on the broad plains
beside the sea, the scar of charred and black remains was to be seen. The poppies and lupines had gone. Only the delicate veil embroidered with lilies
could She find, cast in haste upon the ground.
Holding the veil to Her heart, the Goddess let out a mournful cry. To the edge of Nysa She went, calling out to
the vast sea before Her, but the sea was silent. For nine days She searched the mountain hilltops and the woodland
meadows. She did not eat of ambrosia
nor drink of divine nectar. On the
ninth day, She found Euboleus, child of Faubo and Dysaules. Euboleus told the Sorrowing Mother that Kore
had descended in the chariot of Tartarus."
Demeter: "I, the Divine Mother of all that grows
upon the Earth, tore My golden diadem from My head and rent my flowing
garments. I took the form of the
black-robed Crone, of Melaina. In
grief, I wandered across the Earth, and the land wasted away. The rains came. The farmers cast their seed upon the ground again and again, but
to no avail. To Eleusis I went, hidden
in my Crone's garments. I sat at the
well to rest. It was there that I met
Baubo, wife of the farmer Dysaules, Mother of Euboleus, Triptolemos, and
Eumolopos. In kindness, Baubo asked me,
the grieving Crone, to come with her, and so to the home of Baubo and Dysaules,
I went and was made welcome. In the
home of the Eleusinian family, I sat in silence, eyes cast down. But Baubo made Me laugh, as I lifted up My
garments in a dance. And in that
moment, when the joy of laughter reigned, were my true and holy nature
revealed. I cast the Crone's dark
garments aside and I rose glorious in a brilliant and resplendent light. My golden hair hung in heavy long plaits, my
flowing garments embroidered with red poppies and sheaves of wheat. Upon my head the golden diadem was set and
from my very presence emanated a sweet and gentle fragrance. But even in my great beauty did I still
mourn. Baubo went to the people of
Eleusis, and told them of my sorrow. In
awe and reverence, honoring the bounty that they once had, and fearing famine,
the people of Eleusis built a temple for Me, the Mother Goddess. There I went to reside."
Demeter:
"I am the Erinys, avenging and
sad. The people cry out to me but I
have no will to make the land blossom.
Let it whither! For She who was
born of my womb is no longer at my side.
She dwells in that place of darkness, and I mourn. Together, we brought such beauty to
Earth. She was the child of life,
brighter than the morning star. But
once She heard the song of the Dark Lord, I could no longer keep Her as my
child. She who was once blossoming and
full of beauty has now descended into Death.
And so now all must prepare for famine for I will not move my immortal
hand to bring back the verdant days of Earth, until the Maiden has been
restored to me! May Tartarus be wise
and listen to the words of the Erinys."
Pluto: "I roam my palace, moaning and crying
out, searching for a way to end my grief.
For, although fair Persephone dwells with me, She is no longer at
peace. Her heart is rent in two. In the first flush of Our love did we lie
upon the couch of Aphrodite, entwining our jeweled arms in the fiery embrace of
love and passion. For days upon days
did the Queen of the Underworld rejoice in my arms, the arms of Her beloved,
until one day, came the sound of Her Mother's weeping. And from that day Her heart was rent in two,
one half for the Mother and one half for me, Her Beloved. From that day, She would neither eat, nor
drink, nor lie upon the Sacred Couch, nor take Her place in fair Elysium or
shadowy Tartarus. And so, I mourn, not
knowing how to heal the heart of My Beloved.
Before She came, I was blind, not knowing joy or light. Stern Guardian of the Underworld and Host to
the Dead, this was my lot and my duty.
It was Hecate who told me of the fair Maiden, possessing a bright and
loving nature, and a wisdom that is pure and holy. And so I began to sing to Her.
The Maiden heard my song and love grew.
We journeyed into the deeper Realms, and lay for seeming eternity in the
joys of love and passion. Through our
passions were flowering fields born in the Land of Tartarus, like those of
Earth; no different. An incandescent
light arose even in Tartarus, while the groves of the pomegranate were born in
fair Elysium. Everywhere, light and
beauty awoke, as I and the souls of the dead were blessed by Her presence. But now, She begins to waste away. She only hears the sound of Her Mother's
weeping and will receive no love or food or solace. And so I cry out to the Great Mother of the Land. Holy Demeter, Beloved of all mortals, hear
my voice! And I cry out to Hecate and
to Aphrodite, O come to the aid of the Dark Lord!"
Faerie
Queen: "Now comes the wisdom of Hecate, who sees the love that lies
below. And so brings She, the magic of
Aphrodite. To the depths of Tartarus
Her power flows. Into Tartarus journeys
Aphrodite, bringing myrtle crowns and the red rose. Into Tartarus goes the Great Hecate, to preside over the wedding
vows. Hecate and Aphrodite move through
the Gates of the Underworld and follow the paths of the dead. They bring with them both Dionysus and Gaea,
descending, they come finally to Tartarus' palace. Finding Persephone alone, they bid Her to rise and have
courage. Together, they moved through
the halls of the gemmed palace, until they arrive at the Tartarus'
throne."
Persephone:
"Then Aphrodite spoke, saying, 'Lord Pluto, step down from Your
throne. We have journeyed far to heal
sorrow, so that lamentation will be replace by joy. Pluto, step down and prepare to receive my gifts and the gifts of
Gaea, Dionysus, and Hecate. I bless you
both in Your union of Sacred Love. I
sanctify this union, for it is right and proper and in accordance with divine
will. Persephone, let your beauty rise
again. Grow in power, love and
courage. Great Queen of Tartarus and
Elysium, bring light and life to those souls who have stumbled in darkness.'
Then spoke Dionysus
saying, 'The God of the vine gladly confers his gifts upon You both. May wildness, fertility, and joy bless Your
sacred union. May the beauty of the
high mountains and of the evergreen pine sustain Your love in all times and in
all seasons. Blessing upon you both.'
And Gaea then spoke to
the Sacred Couple saying, 'I, Grandmother Gaea, give You what may seem a
strange and eerie gift, but I assure You that there is wisdom in it. The sacred serpent sheds its skin and is
reborn over and over again. In this act
of renewal is life and continuity. The
snake knows the undulating rhythms of life, for all things change and change
again, in order to be renewed. This
primeval emissary knows the deep and ancient past and can reveal wisdom for the
future. Listen and honor my gift.'
Finally, Hecate anoints the Sacred Couple and blesses the union:
Hecate: "Persephone and Pluto, with the powers
that I have been allotted, I confer upon You my blessings: May you Persephone, continue to grow as
Queen, in power, wisdom and beauty, keeping the light always emanating from
Your heart. May You, Pluto, always
remain open to that light, as it becomes a part of You, who are King of these
Lands. I bless this Sacred Union; it is
perfect and complete, and in accordance with divine will. May its magic bring joy to You and Your
Beloved, and to the souls of the dead also."
Pluto: "Welcome Great Mother of the land. Praises! You have heard my prayers, and have come to our aid!"
Demeter: "Greetings, to Tartarus! Fear not, all will be well. Lord of this mighty realm, Once I thought
that You had conspired with Zeus to rob me of that which is most dear. But now I have seen that this is not
so. Although I grieve for my loss, I
have come to understand the love that You have for my Daughter, and the love
that She has for You. I have missed
Her, but I know the ways of Aphrodite.
Beloved Daughter, love has blessed you.
And who am I to question Aphrodite?
I know that nothing can stop the magic of Her powers. Even I must bow to Her, as I have done, in
the fields of Crete with fair Iasos.
So, be at peace again, for I love thee as I ever have. You are still my child, but You are also a
great Queen, to whom I bow."
Persephone: "Then Mother, will You make the land
bloom again for the people of Earth?"
Demeter: "I fear that I have no will to make the
land green again without the Blossoming Maiden. We know not yet what can be done. Still, knowing of the love between You and Pluto, I do confer my
blessings upon Your Sacred Marriage.
And so, be joyful in your union with the Lord Pluto; together, learn
from the gifts of Aphrodite, Gaea, Dionysus, and Hecate. And now, here are my gifts, come, receive
them. With these sheaves of grain I
bless You both with the powers of rebirth, and this You may impart to the souls
of the dead, that they may be reborn to life on Earth again. And so may remember, both in Death and in
Life, the joy of their eternal souls. I
also bring the pelanos, cakes of wheat and barley. Let us break bread together, so that life and Death may sit at the
table and be at peace. And I bring
ambrosia, and divine nectar. Come, let
us dine together in a great feast, and celebrate the Sacred Marriage."
Hecate: "Look!
Another comes into the Realm of Shades!
It is the Goddess Rhea! Great
Titan, welcome!"
Rhea: "I was upon my mountain in Phyrgia,
when Zeus told me Your story. And so I
drove with speed my harnessed lions to the very Gates of Tartarus. Immortals all, come and listen to my plan
and You will have a feast in which all will truly rejoice. Let fair Persephone stay with the Lord Pluto
from the time the grain is threshed and stored, to the time the seed is brought
up for planting. This will be the
season of the fallow time on Earth.
Then, when it is time for the seed to be planted, may the Maiden appear
at the Gates of Tartarus and be reunited with Holy Demeter. This will begin the Earth's season of growth
and blooming. Have pity on the mortals
above, for they cry out for the Verdant Goddess to return. They cry of for Demeter to return the
fertility of the land. Have pity on
them, else all will reside below, and none will live above. And so it may be, from planting to harvest,
that the Holy Daughter will reside above.
And from the time the seed grain is stored until the time it is brought
up for the planting, that She will reside below. Persephone, come and tell us what You think of this plan."
Persephone: "Now that she who gave me birth has
ceased weeping, so have I also ceased weeping.
Rhea and all have so summed up my needs, that love has awakened in my
heart again. Here are those I
love…Beloved Mother, and Noble Lord.
Yes Great Rhea, I will gladly abide by your plan. Rhea's wisdom has set my mind at peace. And the power of my Mother's understanding
pours from my heart; may we all remember this power. I see that there is a Mystery that provides for me in times of
sorrow and is ready to bring me joy."
Pluto: "Persephone has grown into a great
Queen, and I rejoice to see the Queen happy again. She has chosen, and I acknowledge that freedom She has, to yearly
return to Her Mother above. Even when
She is not with me, I will keep Her in my heart. I see that there is a Mystery that provides for me in times of
sorrow and is ready to bring me joy.
Much praise to all, for my prayers are answered. And joy has returned to Earth and High
Olympus, come and enjoy the splendors of the palace of Persephone and Pluto!'
Persephone: "With Our Sacred love for each other, all souls below awaken
to a rebirth of life within the Land of Death, and to the beauty of the Eternal
Mystery. Bright purple flowers grow
even at the banks of the River Styx, and the Underworld glows with a mystic
light of its own. All souls dance and
sing, celebrating the Sacred Marriage and the power of love and passion, these,
placing the light and the dark into accord and Sacred Union. This is the story of Life, Death, and
Rebirth, the Dromena of Holy Demeter and Royal Persephone. May life bring us beauty, health and good
fortune, and may peace rest lightly upon us all! So be it."
First, Persepone will give a blessing upon the non-perishable food offering to the Cooperative Feeding Program. Some of the offering baskets full of items should be in the ritual circle near the main altar. Then the Faerie Queen will do a prayer and give thanks for libation and give offering to the God & Goddess at the main altar, and will lead the Faeries and Participants in distributing the libations and putting cups in the fire, while Hecate to lead chant & Demeter will drum (with Bear?).
Persephone:
"At this time we would like to Give Thanks to the Goddess and God
for our own life's bounty, and to honor the Mabon Harvest traditions of our
northern brothers and sisters, we give an offering of non-perishable food items
to the Cooperative Feeding Program. We
Bless this Offering to our Brothers and Sisters, reflections of the God and
Goddess. So be it."
Blessing for Pomegranite Juice - "Gracious Goddess of Abundance, Bless
this juice & infuse it with Your love.
In your names, Mother Goddess and Father God, I bless this juice."
Blessing
for Wheat Cakes – "Powerful God of
the Harvest, Bless these cakes and infuse them with Your love. In your names, Mother Goddess and Father
God, I bless these cakes."
Demeter to drum during the handing out of the libations & offerings.
Persephone
& Pluto (in union): "Aphrodite, Hestia, Dionysus, Gaea, we
thank you for your presence, for your circle, for light and love, for night and
change, we ask for your blessing as you depart. Hail and farewell!
Blessed be."
West: "Guardians of the West, Power of Water, we thank you for joining in our circle and we ask for your blessing as you depart. May there be peace between us now and forever. Blessed be!"
South: "Guardians of the South, Power of Fire, we thank you for joining in our circle and we ask for your blessing as you depart. May there be peace between us now and forever. Blessed be!"
East: "Guardians of the East, Power of Air, we thank you for joining in our circle and we ask for your blessing as you depart. May there be peace between us now and forever. Blessed be!"
North: "Guardians of the North, Power of Earth, we thank you for joining in our circle and we ask for your blessing as you depart. May there be peace between us now and forever. Blessed be!"
X. Earthing of Power & Opening of the
Circle
Hecate to direct Participants to Ground the excess energy from the ritual, and begin final Walking Meditative Chant windershins (counter-clockwise) around the Ritual Circle led by Hecate. The chant will be, "The circle is open, but unbroken. May the peace of the Goddess go in our hearts. Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again……" (Starhawk, 1999, 69)