THE RITUAL OF DIANA'S BOW AND NEW BEGINNINGS
By Shining Spirits with thanks to Drngfly
Wednesday Worship, July 21, 2004 at SUUSI
HP: The Diana's Bow New Moon
happens three days after the New Moon.
At this time, the moon
looks like an archer's bow,
Diana's hunting bow.
A New Moon is representative
of the Maiden aspect of the Triple-Goddess
and symbolizes
new beginnings and freshness.
We gather tonight
to celebrate new beginnings in our lives.
(HPS holds up the Diana votive and says:)
HPS: Be ye far from us, O ye profane,
for we are about to invoke the power
of the goddess and the god.
Enter their temple
with clean hands and a pure heart,
lest ye defile the source of life.
(Adapted from Dion Fortune)
(HPS and HP circle with candle and feather.)
Chant:
She changes everything she touches,
and everything she touches changes.
Changes, touches; touches, changes.
(The chant builds, then stops. HPS rings chimes.)
HP: Be it known that the ritual is about to begin.
Let none be here but of their own free will.
Be it known
that the practice of our religion
involves secrets,
even in this, the Outer Court.
Share with no one
the names of those gathered in
this Circle tonight.
HPS: You have not arrived here by chance.
You have put yourself on this Path long ago.
We shall walk some of it together and rejoice.
We first began in past sorrows, in past lives.
We were of the Wicca, gazing at the stars,
feeling deep unnamed secrets;
touching the Earth in joy
and sensing life within;
seeing birth and knowing that it was a miracle,
a Mystery, a joy;
being still in the forest,
being warm in the water...
We are all lights, and we follow the Path
through the God and the Goddess,
by all Their names,
and in growing, we grow in brightness,
following the cycles of Sun and Moon,
and glowing in Divine Radiance.
(Invocation from Witches' Home Page)
HPS/HP: And now, let us begin.
(HPS chimes.)
HP: By the air that is her breath
and the fire that
is her bright spirit;
By the water that is her living womb
and the earth
that is her body,
We shall cast a Circle
and make this place sacred and apart.
HPS: Chant with us:
(HPS casts circle with wand.)
Chant: Diana's moon will guide our ways
As we gather in her praise.
HPS: Chant with us.
(HP casts circle with athame.)
Chant: We cast this Circle round and round.
By its power we are bound.
(As HP returns to alter, HPS says:)
HPS:
We'd like you to help us with this
by reaching out.
(HPS take hand of HP and says:)
I cast this circle hand to hand.
(HP takes the hand of the person on his left, saying,)
I cast this circle hand to hand.
(At the same time the 4 Direction Callers & perhaps others
take the hand of the person on their left with the same words.
As this bit is completed...)
HPS: We are one!
The Circle is cast!
The Bell is rung,
The Candles are lit,
The Chant is sung.
The Book is opened,
The Altar is set,
The Cauldron is stirred,
The Group is met.
We now proclaim to everyone
That our Ritual has begun.
(HP taps altar with Athame)
HP: Lemme hear a Blessed Be! Group: Blessed Be!
HP: By her sweet breath which is air,
By the fire, her spirit fair,
By water which fills her place of birth,
And by her body, our sacred Earth.
By these names, our quarters call,
May the Spirits join us all.
A blessing now we ask from each
For new beginnings within our reach.
(Direction teams of three--one with unlit candle, one with ribbon
or scarf or rattle, one to speak. Each team wears the color of
their direction. As each direction is called by the HP, the team
moves-dances around the Circle to the alter. Stop at alter. Candle
carrier places candle on corner of alter. Speaker moves to
microphone, others form a line toward their direction. Drums as
they move about the Circle. As next direction is called, the first
team returns to their place.)
HP: East
East: Spirit of the East, of Air,
be with us as a spirit fair.
New beginnings now we ask.
Guide our minds to know this task.
HP: South
South: Spirit of the South, of Fire,
be with us now is our desire.
The blessing which we ask of you
Is passion as we start anew.
HP: West
West: Spirit of Water, of the West,
join us now with all the rest.
Deep emotions we must know.
Beginnings start with letting go.
HP: North
North: Spirit of Earth, of the North,
our arrow we will let go forth.
We let go, and begin anew.
Please nurture us in what we do.
HP: Spirits of our Circle bright,
Our thanks that you are here tonight.
Chant: Earth I am, water I am.
Air and fire and spirit I am.
HP: By Earth and Wind, by Flame and Sea,
We stand together. So Mote It Be.
(HPS moves slowly and deliberately to the center of the circle
during the speech of the HP. She shrouds her head.
She lifts and opens and then walks around the Circle to the
Directions as they are named, returning to the alter. If no
traveling mike is available, this will all have to be spoken
from the alter. )
HP: In the beginning, there was Chaos.
There was Chaos.
Chaos.
HPS: In the infinite moment
before all Time began,
the Goddess arose from Chaos
and gave birth to Herself...
before anything else had been born...
not even Herself.
And when She had separated
the Skies from the Waters
and had danced upon them,
the Goddess in Her ecstasy
created everything that is.
Her movements made the wind,
and the Element Air was born and did breathe.
(East team dances forth from the East to the Center. Brief and
soft drumming. Scarf/ribbon waving, holding lantern high.)
(HP rings bell.)
And the Goddess named Herself:
Arianrhod--Cardea--Astarte.
And sparks were struck from Her dancing feet
so that She shone forth as the Sun,
and the stars were caught in Her hair,
and comets raced about her,
and the Element fire was born and did burn.
(South team dances to Center. HP rings bell.)
And the Goddess named herself:
Sunna--Vesta--Pele.
About Her feet swirled the waters
in tidal wave and river and streaming tide,
and the Element Water was born and did flow.
(West team dances forward. HP-bell.)
And she named herself:
Binah--Danu--Lakshmi.
And she sought to rest her feet from their dance,
and she brought forth the Earth
so that the shores were her footstool,
the fertile lands her womb,
the mountains her full breasts,
and her streaming hair the growing things.
(North team. HP-bell.)
And the Goddess named herself:
Cerridwen--Demeter--the Corn Mother.
She saw that which was and is and will be,
born of her sacred dance
and cosmic delight and infinite joy.
She laughed: and the Goddess created
Woman in her own image... (Woman comes forward.)
to be the Priestess of the Great Mother.
The Goddess knew that the world
she had created out of Chaos
must be fertile and life giving and life affirming.
She knew that she herself must be fertile
just as her world must be.
And she knew that there must be
pleasure and joy
for herself and her companion.
And so she reached out
and created the God to be her consort.
(HP sounds a bell and presents himself at her left.)
And the Goddess named him:
the Horned One--Cernunos--Bacchus.
She laughed again in delight,
and her laughter created Man (Man comes forward.)
in the image of the God
to be the Priest of the Horned One
and the companion of Woman.
The Goddess spoke to her daughters
and to her sons, saying,
I am the Moon to light your path
and to speak to your rhythms.
I am the Sun who gives you warmth
in which to stretch and grow.
I am the Wind to blow at your call
and the sparkling Air that offers joy.
I give to all my priestesses
three aspects that are Mine:
I am Diana, the Maiden of the Animals,
the virgin of the Hunt.
I am Isis, the Great Mother,
who loves and nurtures.
I am Hecate, the Crone,
who shares the wisdom of her years.
I shall be called a million names.
Call unto me, my daughters and my sons
and know that I am the Goddess.
(Written by Morgan McFarland, reported by Margot Adler,
adapted by Mary Ann.)
HP:
The God spoke to the daughters
and sons of the Goddess, saying,
I am the tall Trees to protect you on your path.
I am the gentle Grass to soften your road.
I am the majestic Ocean wave
and the strong Wind
to propel your travels.
I give to all my priests three things:
Strength for the work ahead,
Courage to face dangers within and without,
and Love to be the focus of all.
Call unto me, my daughters and my sons
and know that I am the God.
(Both return to the alter.)
HPS:
We are between the worlds,
Beyond the bounds of time,
Where day and night,
Birth and death,
Joy and sorrow,
Old habits and new beginnings,
Meet as one.
(HPS chimes. Teams come forward, placing lanterns &
ribbons/scarves at the appropriate corners of the alter.
They return around the Circle to their places. Drumming. )
MAGICAL WORKING
HPS:
Tonight we meet beneath the crescent moon.
We celebrate Diana,
and the moon is her bow.
The New Moon is a time of renewal
and a time of remembering older wisdom
and ancient ways.
The wisdom of the ages,
and your own experiences,
will guide you on your journey,
if you are open to What Is,
to the flow of the Universe,
and to the lessons that come into your life.
Always remember that you are sacred
and a part of the Whole.
HP:
In this time of New Beginnings,
think of the new things that could happen
in your life and all around you.
Think of what you would like to see
manifest in your life.
What are your hopes, your dreams?
What would you like to give birth to
in this moment?
Think, now, of your dreams and wishes.
You may focus only on the one
which is most important at this time,
or you may be aware of all the possibilities
you have for growth and renewal.
(Pause here.)
HPS: (Speaking softly & growing louder)
This is the time when Diana is with you.
She will bring clear focus to the path
of reaching your goals.
Her bow is raised and the arrow aimed.
All you need to do is let go.
HP: But first we must look
to what thwarts our beginnings.
What is it that you must let go?
Is something holding you back
from your dreams?
Are you burdened
with old worries, old fears?
HPS: Now is the time to be rid of them,
so your arrow may fly true.
HP: We invite you now to lock away
those worries and fears.
Let us lock away our burdens
in this cage
never to again be a part of our lives.
HPS: (Picks up cage and says)
We bid you to
place your burdens in this cage.
Allow yourself
to come to your new beginnings
in complete freedom from the shackles of the past.
(HPS & HP together pick up the cage, hold high and say)
So mote it be.
(HP holds cage high and follows HPS around Circle,
waving cage to "catch" the burdens of all.)
HPS: Chant with us softly,
as these are things best not spoken aloud.
Chant:
So mote it be. So mote it be.
Be free of your burdens.
So mote it be.
(Return to alter and place cage on tray and puts on lock.)
HPS: You are be free of your self limits.
Feel the joy!
Feel the freedom!
(HPS holds up arrow/athame.)
Now we shall vest this arrow with your wishes
for the new beginnings you seek,
that Diana may send them forth with her bow.
(HPS & HP each in turn pick up the arrow, hold it up
with face to the sky, pause a moment for wishes.)
Each say: So mote it be!
(They again walk the Circle with HPS carrying the arrow.
She waves the arrow over small groups. Soft drumming. )
Chant:
New beginnings. Growth and change.
My life becomes what I arrange.
(When they return to the alter, HPS holds the arrow
and waves it joyously .)
Chant:
She changes everything she touches.
And everything she touches changes.
Changes, touches; touches, changes.
Then:
We are the changers.
Everything we touch can change.
(Let the energy build with the chant, then stop.)
HPS: As Diana pulls back her bowstring,
Your arrow will fly.
Her power will come to you.
This is the blessing of life --
May your new beginnings bring joy
to you and to those you love.
So mote it be!
All repeat: So mote it be!
HP: Now that you have touched the Mysteries,
now that you have locked away your burdens,
now that you have let loose your arrow,
reach your hands up to our Father, the Sky.
(pause and do)
Then place your hands upon our Mother, the Earth,
grounding yourself and your energies.
Keep what you need and return the rest
to nurture the Earth, as she nurtures us.
Be ever open to the flow
of the Universe and its possibilities.
HPS:
You are blessed in gathering here on this night
to celebrate Diana's Bow.
May your hopes and dreams
produce new beginnings,
beginnings that fulfill your highest purpose,
and guide you to happiness, peace and love.
HP:
Let us now dismiss the Quarters, starting with the North.
(Again the teams come forward widdershens, but more gently.
Speaker uses mike. Others make
line toward their direction. Return as next team approaches.)
Farewell, Spirit of the North,
We thank you as we all go forth.
Your nurturing spirit will with us stay
As we go on from day to day.
HP: East
Farewell, Spirit of the East,
Your spirit now may be released.
Your guiding knowledge now we know
With new beginnings as we go.
HP: South
Farewell, Spirits of the South,
Your passion spreads by word of mouth.
Your fervor within us rings true
As we go forth to start anew.
HP: West
Farewell, Spirits of the West,
You have been a worthy guest.
Emotions led us to release
Our limits, to begin in peace.
HPS:
May the Great Goddess watch over all peoples
and bring them to the flowering of their fulfillment.
HP:
May She nourish and protect them,
who are all, knowing or unknowingly,
Her children.
HPS:
May She bring to them the knowledge
of their fellowship within her hall,
in which all races live,
of their companionship at Her table,
from which all nations eat.
HP:
May all the men and women of the Earth
take up the stewardship of their inheritance.
HPS:
May joy and fulfillment come to those
who care for this bright globe.
HP:
May understanding come to those who labour unaware.
HPS:
Let the grace of the Goddess
be born within us all,
the children of Earth and Heaven.
Let the knowledge of Her fellowship
guide our actions and our lives.
(Goddess Prayer by Prudence Jones, Paganism Today, p. 41-42)
(HP hands wand to HPS.)
HPS:
I shall open the Circle, My Lord.
(HPS walks widdershins with wand to open the Circle.
She returns to the alter and hands the wand to the HP
who puts it back on the alter.)
HP:
The Circle is open, My Lady.
HP and HPS:
The Circle is open but unbroken,
May the Peace of the Goddess,
And The Strength of the God,
Go in your hearts.
All:
Merry Meet and Merry Part,
And Merry Meet again.
Blessed be.
HP: It is a part of my tradition that we hug
one another following a Circle.