A Mabon Ritual for Pagan Pride Day 2003
Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Lauderdale
Performed by the Hollywood Collective of Pagans
September 20, 2003
CHANTERS & DRUMMERS: We are the Flow, We are the Ebb, We are the Weavers, We are the Web (Directions: Drummers lead the beat, Chanters create the rhythm) ALL PARTICIPANTS: (Directions: Everyone holds hands Walk hand in hand through the Memorial Gardens) BANNER CARRIER: (Directions: Ken leads the procession, he gets smudged, anointed and enters the circle first) SMUDGERS (2): (Directions: Front and Back of each person) ANOINTERS (2): You are the center of the universe, welcome and blessed be. (Directions: Anointers draw invoking pentacle with oil on each person’s forehead, they say, “You are the center of the universe, welcome and blessed be”) GATEKEEPERS (2): Challenge – Do you come in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust? (Directions: Gatekeepers may use staffs to stop the person and ask the challenge; Gatekeepers direct everyone to enter the circle and walk desoil) HP: (Directions: Sweep/Purify the circle with a smoke wand) (Drums: low purifying beat) HPS: (Directions: Seal the circle by fire /tiki torch) (Drums: low invoking beat) HPS: By the earth that is her body, and by the air that is her breath, and by the fire of her bright spirit, and by the living waters of her womb, the circle is cast CHANTERS & DRUMMERS: Air I am, Fire I am, Water, Earth and Spirit I am (Directions: Chanters & Drummers keep the flow of this chant crescendo at 13 times) HP: Let the Drums be called starting in the East (Drums: beat & gong) EAST: Air I AM, Let Air Flow through me and bind me to all that is and will be, Air I AM, Air I AM, Air I AM Welcome and Blessed Be! (Drums: beat & gong) SOUTH: Fire I AM, Let Fire Flow through me and bind me to all that is and will be, Fire I AM, Fire I AM, Fire I AM Welcome and Blessed Be! (Drums: beat & gong) WEST: Water I AM, Let Water Flow through me and bind me to all that is and will be, Water I AM, Water I AM, Water I AM Welcome and Blessed Be! (Drums: beat & gong) NORTH: Earth I AM, Let Earth Flow through me and bind me to all that is and will be, Earth I AM, Earth I AM, Earth I AM Welcome and Blessed Be! (Drums: beat & gong) CENTER: Spirit I AM, Let Spirit Flow through me and bind me to all this is and will be, Spirit I AM, Spirit I AM, Spirit I AM Welcome and Blessed Be! (Drums: beat & gong) HPS: May the Great Goddess join us in this merry rite and provide the fertile soil for this harvest and many more to come! (Directions: Arms raised in Crescent position) HP: May the Horn God join us in this merry rite and provide the seed that grows in the soil of the mother, today and forever more! (Directions: Arms folded across chest) ALL: As Above, So Below (Directions: Hands raised up for the As Above, drop from the waist to the earth for So Below) INSERT HANDFASTING HP/HPS: Great Rite: May the union of the male and female provide the nourishment needed for all. Blessed Be. HP: Pass the Hug: May you never hunger (Directions: Start in the North and pass the hug desoil) (Chanters: Low almost whisper chanting, We all come from the goddess) (Drums: Low-swaying beat) HPS: (Building stronger upon direction, crescendo to bind spell) Meditation: I call to you to find your inner shape shifter powers, go deep within yourself and center, find that power within you to ground you to the earth, the dirt, and soil…. Feel your heartbeat slow down, feel the stresses of the mundane slip, slip away….. Feel your feet begin to grow roots deep into the soil, feel the roots of the corn plant become part of you and grow with you; your purpose is to feed and nourish those around you. (Drums: Low beat) Let the DRUMS build the cone of power above us, around us, below us. Let it protect us and fill us with contentment and purpose, let the drums surround us and build the cone of power, let the drums surround us and build the cone of power, let the drums surround us and build the cone of power, let the drums surround us and build the cone of power… (Directions: All ritual participants blend into the larger circle, joining hands and lifting up to the chant “Let the drums surround us and build the cone of power) (Drums: Low to Moderate) Now that the cone of power is raised, we will spell for nourishment and community, our purpose tonight is to bless the food and give thanks for the pagan community that we have… all participate, the circle begins to spin desoil chanting nourishment, community, nourishment, community… and as I will it so mote it be, Blessed Be! (Drums: Moderate to crescendo) HP/HPS: Cakes and Ale: Great Goddess might Horn God, May this food and drink we are about to consume, be a symbol of nourishment for all. Blessed Be (Directions: Cakes & Ale distributed) HPS: Now the time has come to re-enter the mundane… Feel the powers of the elements fade away, feel the circle opening… HPS: By the earth that is her body And by the air that is her breath And by the fire of her bright spirit, And by the living waters of her womb, The circle is open, but unbroken, May the joy of the Goddess live in our hearts. Merry meet, and merry part, And merry meet again. Chanters & Drummers: Circle is Open.