This ritual came from Kate West's book The Real Witch's Book of Spells and Rituals. Another excellent title!
Preparations
In advance of your ritual, the women should prepare a Corn (or wheat) dolly to represent the Goddess, Brighid. She should have a womanly figure and be dressed in white, with white and yellow flowers in her hair and on her dress. They should also make a thin white veil, which will completely cover her until she should be unveiled. They should also make the bedding in the same colors.
The men should prepare a bed into which the figure will fit, and a phallic wand of the same length as the Brighid dolly. While some collaboration will be needed to ensure that bed, dolly, and wand are compatible, the men should not be allowed to see Brighid, and the women should not see the bed and wand until the appropriate time in ritual.
You Will Need:
- Your Brighid Dolly
- Brighid's bedding
- Brighid's bed
- The phallic wand
- 13 tea light candles, with holders
- A small bowl of flower petals, from seasonal blooms
Prior to the ritual, the Priestesses should bring Brighid and her bedding, concealed under a cloth, and place them before the altar. The men should do likewise with the bed and wand. The tea lights in their holders should be evenly spaced around the outer edge of the Circle.
The ritual should begin with the room lit by only one candle. If you still have your Yule candle, this would be ideal.
Sabbat Introduction
Priestess
"Welcome! This is Imbolg, the festival of the first of Spring. Imbolg means 'in the belly' and at this season the first lambs are born. The first buds are on the trees, the first plants show through the frozen earth. The breath of air which comes to us holds the promise of the future. Here we clearly see the signs which tell us that the Winter will pass and the land will be fertile once more."
Priest
"The Goddess changes her robes to those of the Maiden, and the God is once more the virile youth who walks the land."
Priestess
"This is the festival of Brighid, known also as Bridget, Bride, Brigandu, Brigantia and by many other names. Triple Goddess of Poetry and Inspiration, smithcraft, healer, and muse, Brighid is one of the greatest of the Celtic Goddesses. At this time we make her bed that the God might join her and she may, once again, become fertile in the name of the land. Blessed Be."
The Ritual
Priestess
"At Yule a spark of light was born, now in the sight of the Goddess and God of Spring, we would see that flame blossom and grow. We seek within it the warmth and light of the Summer Sun to come."
She lights a taper from the Yule candle and lights one of the tea lights, then continues.
"We call upon Brighid, Goddess of Spring to be with us."
All: "Brighid, be with us."
She passes the taper to the next person deosil in the Circle who lights their tea light and says (if male)
"We call upon the young God, Lord of the Spring to come among us."
All: "Lord of the Spring, be with us."
As the women light their tea lights, they say:
"We call upon Brighid, Goddess of Spring to be with us."
All: "Brighid, be with us."
The taper is passed around until everyone has lit their candles and the Circle is now a circle of light.
The Priestess leads the women to the altar, where they hold up the Brighid dolly, still covered with her veil. She holds it up to the men, with the women crowding around her, and says:
"Behold the image of Brighid, Goddess of Spring. In her, new hope resides. In her, new life may blossom and grow. But how shall this come to be?"
The women now step back from the Priestess although they do not resume their places in the Circle.
The Priest now leads the men to the altar, and says:
"Only together with the God will the Goddess bring life and fertility to the land and the people. For as light needs dark, and day needs night, woman and man, Goddess and God need one another, to bring life into being."
The men unveil the bed. The Priest holds it up, and say:
"This gift we offer that they may join together for the good of all."
He places the bed on the altar. The men now withdraw to the other side of the Circle, where they group together with their backs to the altar.
The women, keeping their backs to the men, and making sure that they cannot peek, make the bed and place Brighid, now unveiled, within its covers. When all is ready they place Brighid in her bed in the center of the altar.
Priestess
"Brighid is abed, and like the sleeping Spring she waits only for the God to awaken her. Let the God seek his Goddess, let them unite in the promise of new life to come."
All the women return to their places, one of them taking the bowl of petals with her.
The men now approach the altar with the wand, still wrapped. Once there they gather round and unveil the wand, placing it within the covers with Brighid. The Priest then moves Brighid and her bed to the center of the Circle and says:
"As surely as the Goddess is here the God is also, for; ever does he seek to be with his Lady and his love. Blessed Be."
The men return to their places and the female Witch passes the bowl of petals around so everyone can take one or two. Everyone dances and chants:
"Lady of the Moon, Lady of the Moon,
Come to us, be with us, Lady of the Moon."
As they dance each person in turn floats their petals down onto Brighid in her bed and makes a wish for something they wish to start in the coming season.
When the dancing is finished, usually after many repetitions, Brighid and her bed are replaced on the altar. After the ritual, they are set in a safe place until the next Sabbats when they can be put away.
The Rite of Cakes and Ale can be performed by the Priestess and Priest or they can help the newest female and male Witches to do so.