Sample Rituals

Below are some rituals that a group, with whom I used to work, put together (I'll put more up later). Please feel free to borrow from them if you'd like, and if you'd like to add your own rituals to this page, please email me at izolda@folknouveau.com

Winter Solstice Ritual (Yule)

On this night, the longest night of the wheel that is our year, we celebrate death and rebirth. The Holly King once again, gives way to the Oak King. The Sun dies and is reborn. The Great Mother stirs after her long slumber, and we celebrate the gifts of the earth with gifts of our own.

Cast circle. Welcome East (Air), South (Fire), West (Water), and North (Earth) Round:

(Round sung to the tune of Hey Ho Nobody Home)

Raise Cone of Power with music and drumming

Priestess speaks:

"We must find the divinity within ourselves. We are all divine, sacred and beautiful. Let this new beginning help us to realize that we are sacred. We should never be ashamed of our hearts, our minds or our bodies. We are the light of the universe."

Raise the cone of power with drumming and dancing. Sing chant.

Name Chant (Chant everyone's name in turn and further raise power.)When each person, in turn is ready s/he says: "I am sacred, I am divine, I am reborn."

Burn what has passed and drink in what is beginning. Say goodbye to the Holly King and acknowledge his wisdom and welcome the Oak King with vigor and insipiration. Write down what in your life has passed this year and in the cauldron, burn it. Drink in what is beginning for you.

(With red, black, green, and white candles in the cauldron) "As the wheel turns, we light this fire in your honor Mother Goddess. You have created life from death. The sun lives once again. The time of light is waxing. Welcome, ever returning God of the Sun. Hail Mother of all."

Goddess chant: (Not sure where this comes from, but I first heard in on a Wings of Song CD)

Birth and death are not the beginning and end They are the path on which we all walk. The great God of the Sun will once again shine brightly upon the Goddess that is the Earth. We give blessings upon you.

Join hands. "Thanks to the moon and the sun for making their tireless journeys across the sky. Thanks to the Goddess and the God." Thanks to the elements and the directions. Ground the energy, and send the magic out in a spiral into the universe. Open the circle. "The circle is open, but unbroken."

Feast

Merry meet and merry part, and merry meet again. Blessed be.

As part of this ritual (beforehand), we made a bunch of lunch bags containing sandwiches, apples, etc. and we walked around DC and handed them out to the homeless.

Please bring two of the following items, and let me know which ones you want to bring befor ehand:

1. three loaves of wheat bread (Safeway brand is ok)
2. Big package of American Cheese
3. Bag of Apples (20?)
4. package of Oreos or Hydrox
5. Butter or Mayo
6. Package of Paper bags
7. Package of Napkins

We will be making bag lunches and going out to serve a snack to homeless people in the city.

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Spring Equinox (Ostara, Eostre)

(All join hands in circle. Priestess speaks)

Now is the time of Spring's return. The young sun has come of age. The frozen waters break free and begin to flow. It is the time of balance. The night equals the day, the yin and yang flow into one another and dance as one. The scales are tipped evenly, neither having advantage. The symmetry between dark and light is never more pronounced. Life is stirring even as death recedes. New vibrant energy beats within us as it beats within all living things.

Cast circle. Welcome East (Air), South (Fire), West (Water), and North (Earth) Round:

(Round sung to the tune of Hey Ho Nobody Home)

Welcome to the Goddess (She who has awaited the return of her love from the Summerland.)

Goddess chant in three parts: (Not sure where this comes from, but I first heard in on a Wings of Song CD)

As you have awaited your love's return, we have waited with you.

Welcome to the God

God chant

Tamuz, Adonis, Dumuzi Dionysus, Attis, Pelles Osiris

Priestess speaks:

"Now is the time for sowing and planting. Look within your hearts and see the empty spaces waiting to be filled. Take these seeds, touched by the power of the Rising God and plant them in your heart." [[[Pass the cup containing seeds.]]]

As you are balanced within each other, so are we balanced, between our own dark & light, our own male & female."

Raise the cone of power with drumming and dancing. Sing chant.

Animal spirit guide meditation Meditate on the animal you most identify with. Find him or her. Feel as one with them. They are your guide, protector and companion. Let them speak with you. If you find her or him, as you say goodbye for now, promise yourself and them that you will work to help that animal in some way. This is your solemn pact with, not just with say a wolf, but with yourself.

Join hands. "Thanks to the moon and the sun for making their tireless journeys across the sky. Thanks to the Goddess and the God."

We give our thanks to all in nature. As we are sacred, so it is sacred. As we celebrate so nature celebrates with us. Thanks to the elements and the directions. Ground the energy, and send the magic out in a spiral into the universe. Open the circle. "The circle is open, b ut unbroken."

Feast

Merry meet and merry part, and merry meet again. Blessed be.

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Created by: Created by: Izolda's Wild Moon. All photos ©1997, 1998, 1999, 2000
Email: izolda@folknouveau.com
Last Updated: September 28, 2000