VOTE! 2011 LUGHNASADH/IMBOLC RITUALS

[Earthwoman]

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[Mellinda]

Ritual entry 2011-07-02

To heal loss and let go

Solo or as a family and friends group

Wiccan night time by full moon. Others your choice

Pick a time that feels right for you to heal and let go
Indoors or out doors depending on time of year.


CD of soft music of your choice this ritual is part meditation so cushion or rug to kneel or lye on

Alter cloth of maove or purple
Small table/ coffee table

Four candles
One pink for female or blue for male
One white candle
One black candle
One purple or mauve Matches /lighter
Alter bell

Offering bowl, and some lavender

Purple candle to the middle at the back
White candle to the left black candle to the right, pink or blue in the centre.

Picture/photo not to big of loved one past over to be burnt so copy not original.

Preparing for Ritual

Wash or shower

Wear a loos rob or garment over naked body or naked your choice as long as you are comfy

Prepare Alter space and purify

Place Alter cloth and candles as above making sure it is safe.

Offering bowl to front of middle candle, with some seeds or sprig of dried lavender inside

Place the photo in front of offering bowl and bell

Rug/cushion on floor in front of the table solo or around family group
Family group ritual pick guide and bell ringer




Beginning of ritual

Pick someone to be the ritual guide in family group ritual.

Start the CD

(Guide) Kneel in front of Alter
Take matches and light the purple/mauve candle

Then say “With this light I wish all peace”
(Family gathering then all repeat)

(Bell ringer)
Ring the bell once

Then light the white candle and say “let this light forever be your guide”
(all repeat)

Ring the bell twice

Then light the black candle and say “let this light forever protect you”
( all repeat)

Ring the bell three times

Then light the centre candle P or B and say. “With this light I remember and honour you (say his/ her name)
(all repeat)

Ring the bell four times

Breath deeply for four breaths

Sit or lye and meditate for about 10 minutes on the life of the departed.

Remember the happy times and the sad ones all part of lives circle
Listen to the music and picture the person you are remembering, send them your love on their journey and say your goodbyes.

Now slowly sit up if you lay down, or open your eyes if sitting
look at the pink /blue candle now pick up the photo and say

“ let this offering set you free, be forever remembered in my /our hearts as you depart on your journey”
(repeat)

Ring the bell twice

Light the corner of the picture and place it in the offering bowl with the lavender
Site for a while until the photo is only ashes in the dish

And then say “(Name of person) let you be forever in my/our hearts and free”

Ring the bell once

And say “ Now I/we let you go in this world, to join our ancestor in the other”
Put out the middle P/B candle, then the mauve then the black then the white.

Ring the bell for the last time.

Switch of CD
Take the offering dish and bury the contents in the ground and say “Blessings on us and blessing on you”

Put a stone or shell on the top. “Blessed be”
Ritual is now over.


By L F Tallis (Mellinda)
Wiccan
Bard/Ovate OBOD

[Shaun Hayes]

Light breathing / Healing meditation:

Prepare properly before starting – this is important. Don’t rush or cut corners at this stage.

When settled and candle lit etc spend a few moments just breathing consciously.


Imagine you are at your favourite ‘inner’ beach, hear the waves, smell the sea, feel the warm breeze on your face.

Now walk to the edge of the forest. Step onto the path and feel the difference in temperature. Different heat. The light is now filtered through green. Beautiful green. Hear the birds. The breeze in the trees. Smell the scents of the forest.

You come to a clearing. Lush. To the right far side is a small lake. At the far end of the lake is a waterfall flowing down green mossy stone cliff walls. The water is energised.

Around the lake are large flat warm stones. Sit on one.

Close you eyes.

Breathe in deep and relaxed. Now be aware of breathing air and light into your body. Breathe out air. Breathe in air and light, breathe out air. The light builds like a reservoir within. Feel the light filling down the front of your body. Feel the gentle pressure of light building within with each in breath.

Now with each in breath the light moves to your back, and pulses up your spine with each breath. Each in breath causes the light to progress further up your spine. Breathe in air and light, breathe out air. Light flows down and round your body and then up your spine, also now filling your back, your entire body in fact filling with light. All levels. Bones, circulation, flesh, nervous system all glowing with healing light.

Gathering at the base of your neck. Any restriction releases completely. Filling your head now. Feel a slight pressure – then, as if the top of your head is removed, the light flows out. As if your head is open to the cosmos.

Breathe in air and light. Breathe out air. Breathe in air and light and now also the light now flowing out of your head. So air and light in, air and light out, in a circuit, a flow around your body.

All resistance melts away. You are vibrant with light, shining with light, radiant with light. A light that flows, a light that moves, a light that energises, a light that heals. All you have to do is keep breathing.

After a while you feel it is time to withdraw from this. The amount of light flowing in reduces and stop. You breathe in air. You breathe out air and light.

Breathe normally now and feel your body slowly and gently returning to a physical, skin encapsulated form.

You relax and hear the birdsong once more.

When you are ready you get up and walk back through the forest to the beach, back to your starting place. Then return fully to the ‘normal’ world.

Take a deep breath and smile.

If you repeat this healing meditation you might like to keep a journal. Ideas will come which might be forgotten if not recorded.

Also after your healing you might care to swim in the warm water, or to see what is behind the waterfall perhaps, or to explore the forest a little more. This place is my gift to you. Take care of it for me.

Blessings,


Shaun.

[Heddwen]

LUGHNASADH RITUAL

Our connection to the Earth can be profound at this time in the Cycle. The Goddess is preparing to give birth- the Land is bursting with life. The Sun Gods power recedes now into corn, transforming it into our staple food- bread.

Wherever you find yourself at Lughnasadh, makeyour altar in the north. Collect a selection of first fruits from the hedgerows (or buy a few). Burn red, orange, gold & green candles & choose a heady incense-frankincense, sandlewood or lavender.

Light candles at the four Quarters and state your intention- to honour the festival of Lughnasadh and give thanks for the first harvest and to honour the Deities/Spirit/something appropriate to your belief system.

When you have cast the Circle begin your invocations to the four sacred elements-

EAST call the spirits of the AIR from the mountain topswhere the early morning sun rises and the wild food of the Mother grows free.
SOUTH call the spirits of the FIRE from the fields and meadows lush with ripening growth under the nurturing heat of the bright sun.
WEST call the spirits of WATER from the oceans & rivers sparkling with movement feflecting the languid warmth of the setting sun at twilight
NORTH call the spirits of EARTH from the body of the Mother where all growth begins & to where it must return. Where the sun finds nights rest.

Invoke the Lord and Lady as Demeter and Lugh.

Make growth and fuition the focus of the ritual. Pledge to yourself something that you want to acheive and visualise a positive outcome...hold one of the fruits, making a symbolic connection. The fruit becomes the pledge-it can be transformed by Fire, buried in the Earth or cast upon Water.

Play music, chant, sing and dance and let the Air spirit take your pledges for yourself and for the planet. Pass a loaf through the flame of the orange candle. Present the loaf to the four Quarters, honouring the Suns energy & life force, reborn as the bread of Life. Cut and eat a piece in recognition of this rebirth and festival.

Finally, open the Circle.Thank, bless and release the Guardian spirits and the Deities.

Share food and party!

[Earthwoman]

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