Orangey light dances around the bonfire as the celebrants come together. Justin bids them enter round the sacred fire. One by one, they file in and circle the bonfire three times before finding their places around the fire. Lastly, LeAnne enters and circles the fire.
As she finds her place across from Justin, she says, "Now let the ritual begin!" She looks to her left, and takes Sarah’s hand. "Hand to hand, this circle is cast."
Sarah turns to her left, and takes Nikki’s hand, saying, "Hand to hand, this circle is cast." This continues all the way to Justin, and then back to LeAnne. Once returning to her, she calls out, "The circle is cast. Our sacred space is whole. So mote it be!"
"So mote it be!" repeats the circle, and they drop hands.
LeAnne smiles, saying in a loud voice, "And now, why don’t we invite the Guardians of the Watchtowers to join us in our celebration tonight? Sarah, why don’t you begin?"
Sarah nods and calls out, "Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East, Element of Air, the spirit of our intelligence and wisdom, we invite you to join us tonight. Hail and Welcome!"
"Hail and Welcome!" repeats the circle.
Robert continues the Call by invoking the South. "Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South, Element of Fire, the spirit of change and passion amongst us, I invite you to join us tonight. Hail and Welcome!"
"Hail and Welcome!" repeats the circle.
Then Rhonda. "Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West, Element of Water, spirit of emotion and intuition, I invite you to join us tonight. Hail and Welcome!"
"Hail and Welcome!" repeats the circle.
Steven finishes calling the elements. "Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, Element of Earth, wonderful earth that gives forth the food for us to eat, I invite you to join us in our celebration tonight. Hail and Welcome!"
"Hail and Welcome!" repeats the circle.
LeAnne raises her arms to the sky and calls out, "Blessed Lady, Goddess and Creator, I invite you to join us this night and lend us your spirit in this joyous celebration of growth and prosperity. Hail and Welcome!"
"Hail and Welcome!" repeats the circle.
LeAnne lets her arms fall as she continues. "The circle is cast. The Lady is with us. Blessed Be!"
"Blessed Be!" repeats the circle.
"Justin, bring forth the bread and wine so that we may continue our blessed ritual. Everyone may sit down," LeAnne says. Justin does so, and she takes it to Sarah, saying, "Now drink of this cup, and eat of this bread, and with all being done and said, we are sisters and brothers, from last to first. May you never hunger and may you never thirst."
And so the cup is passed and the bread is shared, and not a thought given to worldly care. After LeAnne eats and drinks, and sets aside the cup and bread, she says, "This ritual is our first, and as our first, I should like to begin at the beginning… with our creation."
She reads the story of creation, and after which, she asks everyone to stand. They do, and LeAnne raises her hands to the night, saying, "Our friends of the night, of mist, and of firelight, you, who are seldom seen, be with us now, and spread apart the veil of Being that we may look beyond."
Justin comes forward and calls out, "Here we gather at circle again. Let the sleeper wake. May the Old Ones now return. Let the sleeper wake. Once again let the Earth and Sky be clean. Let the sleeper wake. Forests spreading, peace returning... Let the sleeper wake. May the Lady’s touch be on the land once more. Let the sleeper wake.
Blessed Be!"
"Blessed Be!" repeats the circle.
LeAnne faces the east, saying, "Out of the east, the sun wells and whitens, the darkness trembles into the light, and the stars are extinguished like the lamps of a human city. The whiteness brightens into silver, the silver warms into gold, the gold kindles into pure and living fire, and the face of the east is covered with elemental scarlet. The day draws its first breath, steady and chill, and for leagues around, the woods and valleys will sigh and shiver. From every side the shadows will leap from their ambush and fall prone. The day of prosperity has come! This I give to thee, O sacred fire, so that I and my family shall be spared from all evil."
Again, she walks around the fire three times, beginning the invocation:
"Maypole rises to the heavens, lengths of colored ribbon flutter in the morning sunlight, tokens kept and given. Costumed lords and ladies step quick in deosil round weaving love and harmony as the sun goes down."
The circle responds:
"Circle in to touch the sky, and out to manifest. Spiral dance around the ring, grant me my request!"
LeAnne looks to Steven again, and he nods, continuing:
"Venus rules, her passions deep in love and games of war. Taurus vows that he will keep great riches at the door. Cupid’s bow is pointed to shoot right through the heart. Aphrodite’s scented lips breathe, "Romance is an art."
The circle responds:
"Circle in to touch the sky, and out to manifest. Spiral dance around the ring, grant me my request!"
LeAnne looks to Rhonda, and she nods, continuing:
"The maypole is the World Tree, Poteau Mitan of love, that draws from ebony oceans, stars to earthen shore, and carries power to the dance through streamers of each hue, the spark of life that is required to make a Witch’s brew."
The circle responds:
"Circle in to touch the sky, and out to manifest. Spiral dance around the ring grant me my request!"
LeAnne looks to Nikki, and she nods, continuing:
"The first dew of the morning and rowan on the ledge, are secrets of the season renewing each year’s pledge of joy and peace within my home, prosperity and more, magick thunders from my palms and penetrates the core."
The circle responds:
"Circle in to touch the sky, and out to manifest. Spiral dance around the ring, grant me my request!"
LeAnne looks to Justin and he nods, circling the bonfire thrice, and ending up the invocation:
"Deosil thrice around the bonfire, leap the roaring flame. Cast off the old and birth the new in God and Goddess’ name. Protection for the animals, good fortune, healing too. Bonnach Bealtain, oan offering to make my dreams come true."
The circle responds:
"Circle in to touch the sky, and out to manifest. Spiral dance around the ring, grant me my request!"
LeAnne calls out, "So mote it be!"
"So mote it be!" repeats the circle.
She smiles at everyone across the flame-lit circle, and says, "Now let us end our Beltane ritual. Blessed Lady, we thank you for your presence with us tonight, though, like the good Mother that you are, you are always with us, at least in our hearts. Go if you must, stay if you will. Hail and Farewell!"
"Hail and Farewell!" repeats the circle.
Steven continues. "Guardians of the Watchtowers of the North, Element of Earth, thank you for your presence this evening. Go if you must, stay if you will. Hail and Farewell!"
"Hail and Farewell!" repeats the circle.
Then Rhonda again. "Guardians of the Watchtowers of the West, Element of Water, thank you for your presence this evening. Go if you must, stay if you will. Hail and Farewell!"
"Hail and Farewell!" repeats the circle.
And Robert. "Guardians of the Watchtowers of the South, Element of Fire, thank you for your presence this evening. Go if you must, stay if you will. Hail and Farewell!"
"Hail and Farewell!" repeats the circle.
Lastly, Sarah. "Guardians of the Watchtowers of the East, Element of Air, thank you for your presence this evening. Go if you must, stay if you will. Hail and Farewell!"
"Just one more thing to do," LeAnne smiles, "before song and dance time! As hand to hand the circle was cast, it’s time from hand to hand the circle is set free."
LeAnne turns to Robert. "Hand to hand, the circle is opened." And so, in widdershins, on it goes, all the way back around. "The circle is open, yet never broken. So Mote It Be!"
"So Mote It Be!" shouts the group.
LeAnne picks up her pipe, and the others smile and look about, as she says, "Now, this is the music, laughter, and dance part!"
And the sounds of drumbeats and laughter are heard all through the night and all through the forest.
RETURN TO:
RITUALS
The Book Of Shadows
RAINs Purple Pages
