PaganWaysUK.myfreeforum.org

Mystress · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 4:34 am Post subject:

Friday is an exam date for War on Terror (it's only on fridays and goes from 12-2:30). I didn't think about it, but it's probably going to be the whole class time... I'm not sure, but the way he is, I realized that it may not just be an hour exam...

I could post the sample ritual and think of something else we could do. I apologize for getting your hopes up.

_________________
Merry Part, Merry Meet Again

RavenStar · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:52 am Post subject:

Hey don't worry.. post it up and anyway. I'd love to be involved with something and still think it's a great idea.

Koko · Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 7:06 pm Post subject:

Wow Raven...I got something right???? Now I am impressed....

Mystress, go with it, possibly we can start just a bit early or later so you could at least drop by. Any ideas anyone? Oh, what is the time we will all be getting together? Are we still going to try to get together?
_________________
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." - Anatole France

Mystress · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:45 am Post subject:

Hi all,

sorry for the delay, probs. after talking with a professor, it was time for a mandatory floor meeting in the dorm (safety talk concerning recent spat of sexual assaults around campus...)

This may viewed as not so much a script, but a framework. Feel free to adjust or otherwise put your own mind and heart into it. Also, since it's in cyberspace, it'll mean using your imagination. You can also physical do aspects of the ritual (for example, light a candle on your altar; burn a sheet of paper with your weakness you wish to get rid of in a flame..).

The part toward the end of the Sabbat ritual, involving the change from the Goddes to the God and the Priest crowned with the horned helmet, I thought we could give that to the Priest (Sir Rik?) to put his own personal stamp on it.

Time: 8pm GMT (I think that's 2pm here in New Orleans... although there was that daylight savings in UK last weekend, which confused me further....) [ Prof hasn't answered back about how long exam might be, but as soon as I can, I'll login].

Who would like to be Priest, Priestess, Summoner, ? and if you just want to include something, please join in.

This might be a bit rough, but perhaps we can look at it as our first attempt at future religious events together

Since this is long, I'll post the ritual paper next. You might want to copy and paste it and have it in a screen during the Samhain Chat, or print it off. If you give me your email, I can email it Word.doc.

Look forward to it (even if I'm not there, I'm encouraged by the concept that, even if we may be Solitary or of different traditions, we can share our beliefs together as a community.
_________________
Merry Part, Merry Meet Again

Mystress · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:47 am Post subject:

Samhain

Order of Events:
Cast Circle
Sabbat
Clearing the Temple
Cakes and Ale/Feast

Tools:
Candles E-Yellow
S-Red
W-Blue
N-Green
Altar facing east

2 white (orange for Samhain) candles
Thurible
Dish of salt
Dish of water
Bell
Deity figures-

Bowl of anointing oil
Goblet of wine
Libation Dish
Sword
Athames (Priest/ess)

Autumnal flowers, branches, pine cones, small pumpkins,

Flowers on altar
Altar cloth/candles orange
Horned helmet rests beside the altar
North quarter cauldron containing material for fire

Priest
Priestess
Summoner

Cast Circle

Censerer lights incense and altar candles (but not circle candles)
Joins rest of coven in northeastern corner to wait

Priest/ess enter circle from east (northern side of east candle) later, rest come this way

They move to stand in front of altar, facing east, Priest rings bell 3 times:
“Be it known the temple is about to be erected; the Circle is about to be cast. Let those who desire attendance gather in the east and await the summons. Let none be here but of their own free will.”

Priest & ess each take an altar candle and move around the altar, deosil, and across to the east. Priestess lights the east candle from the one she carries:

‘Here do I bring light and air in at the east, to illuminate our temple and bring it the breath of life.”

They move around to the south, where Priest lights candle:

“Here do I bring light and fire in at the south, to illuminate our temple and bring it warmth.”

They move to the west, where Priestess lights the west candle:

“Here do I bring light and water in at the west, to illuminate our temple and wash it clean.’

They move to the north, where the Priest lights the north candle:

“Here do I bring light and earth in at the north, to illuminate our temple and to build it in strength.”

They move to the east, then back to the altar and replace the candles. Priest takes up the sword (or athame) and, returning to the east, now walks slowly around the Circle with sword-point following the marked line

As he walks, he concentrates power into the Circle line. When completed, he returns to the altar.

The bell is rung 3 times.
Priest places the point of his athame in the salt:

“As salt is life, let it purify us in all ways we may use it. Let it cleanse our bodies and spirits as we dedicate ourselves in these rites, to the glory of the God and the Goddess.”

Priestess takes up the salt dish and uses the point of her athame to drop 3 portions of salt into the water. Stir now-salted water with athame:

“Let the sacred salt drive out any impurities in the water, that we may use it throughout these rites.”

Priest takes up thurible
Priestess the salted water
They again move around the altar to the east
Starting there, they slowly walk clockwise around the Circle
Priestess sprinkling salted water along the line of the Circle and
Priest passing censer along its line,
Until they return to their starting point.
They then return to the altar and replace the tools
Priest drops a pinch of salt into the oil and stirs it with his finger
He then anoints the Priestess

(Keltic cross on forehead)

Priest: “I consecrate thee in the names of God and the Goddess, bidding you welcome to this their temple.”

They salute (/),
Priestess anoints Priest, with same words and salute
They then both move together, around to the east
Priestess carrying the oil
Priest his athame
He makes 2 cuts across the line of the Circle, thus opening

(entering and leaving the Circle )

One by one coveners enter
As they do, they are each anointed (males by Priestess, females by Priest)
Greeted:
“I consecrate thee in the names of the God and the Goddess, bidding you welcome to this their temple. Merry Meet.”

The coveners move around to stand all about the altar
Alternating male and female
When last two admitted,
Priest closes Circle by drawing his athame across the line again, connecting the two “broken” lines
(entering and leaving Circle0.

Priestess sprinkles a little of the oil there
Priest raises his athame and draws a pentagram to seal it

They then return to the altar
Ring bell 3 times
Priest/ess:
“May you all be here in peace and in love. We bid you welcome. Let now the quarters be saluted and the gods invited.”

Covener closest to east turns outward and moves to stand facing the east candle
With her athame raised
Draws an invoking pentagram
“All hail to the element of air; Watchtower of the East. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle.”
Kisses blade and returns to Circle.

Covener closest to the south candle turns to face the south candle
Draws an invoking pentagram:
“All hail to the element of fire; Watchtower of the South. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle.”
Kisses blade and returns to Circle

Covener closest to west candle turns to face the west candle
Raise athame, draw invoking pentagram:
“all hail to the element of water; Watchtower of the West. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle.”
Kiss blade and returns to Cirlce

Covener closest to north then faces north candle
Raise athame, invoking pentagram;
“All hail to the element of earth; Watchtower of the North. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle.”
Kiss blade returns to Circle

Priest or ess raises athame and draws pentagram;
“All hail the four quarters and all hail the gods! We bid the lord and Lady welcome and invite that they join with us, witnessing these rites we hold in their honor. All hail!’

All: “All hail!”

Priest: “Let us share the cup of friendship.”

Priest takes the goblet and pours a little of the wine onto the ground (or libation dish),
Say names of gods (Names - Samhain related)
He then drinks and passes goblet to Priestess
She drinks and passes it to nearest covener on her left
Drinks and passes it
Goblet goes around the Circle and it returns to altar
Bell rung 3 times

Priestess: “ Now are we all here and is the temple erected. Let none leave but with good reason, till the temple is cleared. So mote it be.”

All: “So mote it be!”

Greater Sabbat of Samhain

Get rid of weaknesses, bad habits
The realms of living and dead permeable
Night of the Dead
Goddess leaves for the Underworld; dark half of year of the God, the Hunter
New Year’s

Bell rung 3 times by covener acting as summoner

Summoner: “Haste! Haste! No time to wait! We’re off to the Sabbat, so don’t be late!”
Priest/ess: “To the Sabbat!”
All: “To the Sabbat!”

Priest and ess leading
Coven moves deosil around the Circle
Walking or dancing
Small drums, tambourines to give beat
Coven circles as many times as wish
At some point, as they move around, priest/ess should start singing hymn to the gods
Song or Chant;

All can join in as the procession continues

Priest:
“Now is the time of change. Now do we leave the light and enter the darkness. Yet do we do so gladly, for we know it to be but the turning of the mighty Wheel of the Year.”

Priestess:
“At this time of the year the gates between the worlds are open. We call open our ancestors, our loved ones, to pass through and join with us at this time. We invite them to delight in celebration with those they love.”

Enactment of seasonal motif
Play, mime or dance – in our case, perhaps we can each say what Samhain means to us personally

Life – death – new life
Death of old king and crowning or new king
Turning wheel of the year
Killing-off of those animals (cattle) that wouldn’t survive harsh winter
Return of the dead to rejoice briefly w living
Gathering of the harvest and storing for winter
Creation of the world, chaos transformed to order

Bell rung 3 times

Priest/ess:
“The old year ends.”

All:
“The new year begins”

Priest/ess:
“The Wheel turns”

All:
“And turns again/’

Priest/ess
“
[ ritual in which Priest is crowned with helmet and saluted. The purpose of this is the departure of the Goddess to the Underworld and the God approaching in the dark half ]

Coveners one by one, may place offering on altar
Then each Covener embraces/kisses Priest
Then each Covener moves to cauldron and throws his/her paper (with the weakness written on it) into the flame and return to their place in the Circle

Priest meditates on the coming dark half year

The bell is wrung 3 times

Clearing the Temple

Priest:
“We came together in love and friendship; let us part the same way. Let us spread the love we have known in this Circle outward to all; sharing it with those we meet.”

Priestess raises sword, or athame in salute.
All coveners raise their athames
Priest:
“Lord and Lady, our thanks to you for sharing this time together. Our thanks for watching over us; guarding and guiding us in all things. Love is the law and love is the bond. Merry did we meet; merry do we part; merry may we meet again.”

All:
“Merry meet; merry part; merry meet again.”

Priest:
“The temple is now cleared. So mote it be.”

All:
“So mote it be!”

All kiss their athame blades.

Cakes and Ale/Feast [ chat and share]
_________________
Merry Part, Merry Meet Again

Mystress · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 1:56 am Post subject:

That's the rough idea. If you wish to invite loved ones who have moved on, perhaps you can do so after the Summons. with perhaps reference to the transition of Goddess and God and the shadow and light (but it's better what comes from within you , and not my suggestions).

Wish you the very best in this Samhain
_________________
Merry Part, Merry Meet Again

RavenStar · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 9:22 am Post subject:

That all seems pretty comprhensive.

A shall do my very best to log in at 8pm but it all depends what time I can get Ben to sleep. Paul's on nights and Em's staying at her dad's this weekend so I'll be on my own.

I apologise now if I'm late.

Mystress · Posted: Fri Oct 31, 2008 5:28 pm Post subject:

Perhaps we can postpone it an hour.. without it being too late for our Brit friends. we can try to shorten parts of the ritual if it gets late...

preparing for exam... not keen on it but must endeavor to do best I can...
_________________
Merry Part, Merry Meet Again

Minty · Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2008 2:33 am Post subject:

BUM!!! I can't believe that I missed this.....waaaaahhhhhh......I really hope that it went well for all those taking part, though

Tell me how it went..........pplleeeeaaaasssseeeee **looks all innocent**
_________________

Koko · Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 9:04 pm Post subject:

I missed it too. I had to go in and get a new splint for my ankle. The old one was crumbling under the toes and was getting very uncomfortable. So, I too would love to hear how things went. Please....

_________________
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." - Anatole France