ritual – Witch Mama

Red Wing Blackbird Day

This year, February 19 was Red Wing Blackbird Day. Three weeks earlier than the last two years. Red Wing Blackbird Day is a holiday that my family invented and we hold it very dear. This year it started with Rhiannon hearing the trill. “Did you hear that?” she asked as she leapt across the living room.
“Hear what? “
“The blackbird!”
Now we all jump to our feet, running to every window, opening every door, the cold rushing in. We all scan the phone lines, the prairie, the trees. Again, Rhiannon: “There, on the tallest tree in willow grove!” Sure enough, there was the red wing blackbird scout, wind whipping his feathers so we get a peek at his red, looking for the best nesting area in the field, deciding if it’s warm enough for his wives.

YYYAAAAYYYY!!!!!!!!

We are all cheering. We run and get cloaks, wings and birdseed. We run around and around the house, throwing seeds, yelling wishes, welcoming, begging him to stay! Then we make a feast, using whatever we can find in the house, and place our toy red wing blackbird on the altar. The Beatles song “Blackbird” plays in the background:

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free

Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of the dark black night

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

I am a lover of summer. The arrival of the red wing blackbirds is a physical sign of its approach. Soon I will fall to my knees before the first crocus. (Tabitha just wrote that she burst into to tears this week at her first glimpse of purple and yellow blooms in Missouri).

There are now about 100 red wing blackbirds in my prairie. They are coming. In droves. They took on a red tail hawk and won. The red wing blackbirds will be my alarm clock, they will attack my dog, they will terrorize country bikers and walkers, they will shit on my tipi, eat my bees and scare my children. And in August they will rise in tornado like clouds, black birds by the thousands, when I open my front door. And I will build them altars. And I will beg them to stay.

Esbat and Tool Consecration

-4 quarters candles and altar candles are lit, incense is smoking.

-the coven stands around the altar.

-HPS puts a bowl of water on the pentacle and puts the athame in the water.

-HPS: “I exorcise thee, O creature of water, that thou cast out from thee all the impurities and uncleanliness of the spirits of the world of phantasm, in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia.”

-HPS lifts water.

-HP puts bowl of salt on pentacle, puts tip of athame in salt.

-HP: “Blessings be upon this creature of salt; let all malignity and hindrance be cast forth hencefrom, and let all good enter herein, wherefore mayest aid ye, in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia.”

-HP pours salt into water, and puts both on the altar.

-HPS (with sword) “I conjure thee, O circle of power, that thou beest a meeting place of love and joy and truth; a shield against all wickedness and evil; a boundary between the world of men and the realms of the Mighty Ones; a rampart and protection that shall preserve and contain the power that we shall raise within thee. Wherefore do I bless thee and consecrate thee, in the names of Cernunnos and Aradia.”

-3 coveners circle; 1 with salted water, 1 with incense, 1 with altar candle.

-All coveners face east; 1 covener draws pentagram with athame, and says,

“Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, Ye Lords of Air; I do summon, stir, and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the circle.”

-covener kisses blade, lays blade on heart.

-All coveners face south; 1 covener draws pentagram with athame, and says,

“Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, Ye Lords of Fire; I do summon, stir, and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the circle.”

-covener kisses blade, lays blade on heart.

-All coveners face west; 1 covener draws pentagram with athame, and says,

“Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the West, Ye Lords of Water; Ye Lords of Death and Initiation, I do summon, stir, and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the circle.”

-covener kisses blade, lays blade on heart.

-All coveners face north; 1 covener draws pentagram with athame, and says,

“Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the North, Ye Lords of Earth; Boreas, through Guardian of the Northern Portals; thou powerful God, thou gentle Goddess, we do summon, stir, and call you up, to witness our rites and to guard the circle.”

-covener kisses blade, lays blade on heart.

-HP kneels before HPS and says,

“Hail Aradia! From the Almalthean Horn pour forth thy store of love, I lowly bend before thee, I adore thee to the end, with loving sacrifice thy shrine I adorn. Thy foot is to my lip (kisses right foot) my prayer upborne upon the rising incense smoke; then spend thine ancient love, o Mighty One, descend to aid me, who without thee am forlorn.”

-HP stands and steps back.

– HPS draws the Pentagram in the air:

HPS: “Of the Mother darksome and divine, mine the scourge and mine the kiss; the five point star of love and bless – Here I charge you, in this sign.”

HP: “Listen to the words of the Great Mother, She who of old was also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Athene, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Isis, Bride, and by many other names.”

HPS: “Whenever ye have need of any thing, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, then shall ye assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of me, who am Queen of all witches. There shall ye assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets; to these will I teach things that are yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery; and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites; and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love all in my praise. For mine is the ecstacy of the spirit, and mine also is joy on earth; for my law is love unto all beings. Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it; let naught stop you or turn you aside. For mine is the secret door which opens upon the Land of Youth, and mine is the cup of the wine of life, and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of immortality. I am the gracious Goddess, who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man. Upon earth, I give the knowledge of the spirit eternal; and beyond death, I give peace, and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand sacrifice; for behold, I am the Mother of all living, and my love is poured out upon the earth.”

HP: “Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess; she in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of heaven, and whose body encircles the universe.”

HPS: “I who am the beauty of the green earth, and the white Moon among the stars, and the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man, call unto thy soul. Arise, and come unto me, For I am the soul of nature, who gives life to the universe. From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return; and before my face, beloved of Gods and of men, let thine innermost divine self be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite. Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth; for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you. And thou who thinkest to seek for me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou knowest the mystery; that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee. For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.”

-HP and HPS face altar, giving the Horned God salute.

HP: “Great God Cernunnos, return to Earth again! Come to my call and show thyself to men. Shepherd of Goats, upon the wild hills way, lead thy lost flock from darkness into day. Forgotten are the ways of sleep and night , men seek for them, whose eyes have lost the light. Open the door, the door that hath no key, the door of dreams, whereby men come to thee. Shepherd of Goats, O answer unto me!”

Each person steps forward in turn with their tool.

-Lay the athame over the pentacle, touching another already charged athame.

-sprinkle the athame with salt water.

-pass the athame through the incense smoke and replace on pentacle, leaving your hand on the hilt.

Say: “I conjure thee, O athame of steel (wand of wood, etc.) by the Great Gods and Gentle Goddesses, by the virtue of the heavens, of the stars and of the spirits who preside over them, that thou mayest receive such virture that I may obtain the end that I desire in all things wherein I shall use thee, by the power of Aradia and Cernunnos.”

-press the tool to your heart.

-HPS holds up a challice of wine, HP holds his athame point down and lowers it unto the wine.

-HPS draws invoking pentagram in air above cakes, saying,

“O Queen most secret, bless the food and wine into our bodies, bestowing health, wealth, strength, joy and peace, and that fulfillment of love which is perfect happiness.”

– HP gives wine and cakes to HPS; she sips, then HP stands and drinks. Wine and cakes are passed around. One cake and remainder of wine are left for the fairies.

-East: “Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, ye Lords of Air, we do thank you for attending our rites; and ere ye depart to your pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and farewell.”

-blow out east candle.

-South: “Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the South, ye Lords of Fire, we do thank you for attending our rites; and ere ye depart to your pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and farewell.”

-blow out south candle.

-West: “Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the West, ye Lords of Water, Ye Lords of Death and Initiation, we do thank you for attending our rites; and ere ye depart to your pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and farewell.”

-blow out west candle.

-North: “Ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the North, ye Lords of Earth, Boreas, thou Guardian of the Northern Portals; thou powerful God, thou gentle Goddess, we do thank you for attending our rites; and ere ye depart to your pleasant and lovely realms, we bid you hail and farewell.”

-blow out north candle.

All: “The circle is open and yet unbroken. Merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again. Blessed be!”

-blow out altar candles.

Oak Moon

We gathered early Wednesday for full moon festivities. First we had homeschool Waldorf craft day. Felting balls with the children was delightful. The house got steamy from all the boiling water and the children got clean.

Juniper helped the children make nature offerings to use during the ritual. She spoke of how even the smallest of gifts can be meaningful. She had us bring to mind hardships that had occurred during the year and think about ways they made us stronger.

For the evening ritual, the children called the Quarters and lit candles. Because it is the Oak Moon, we processed to our little pin oak tree and hung our offerings upon it. On this dark December night, the moon is visible the longest time of the year. Simple words were spoken:

“Lady of the Night, be our guide;

Lady of the Moon, stand by our side.”

Blessed Be!

Full Moon Ritual

Rhea, Juniper, Melanie, and I, along with all the kids, processed under the bright Moon light to the waiting fire and altar. We held hands in a circle as we gazed at the Moon Herself. I (Chris) then poured out a chalice of milk for Her, along with words of praise. Each person in turn stepped into the middle of the circle to receive a Full Moon blessing. The rest of the circle laid hands on the person while I anointed their forehead with scented oil. “Mother Moon, this is (name) your child. (Name), the blessings of the Moon are upon you.” We tied a white cord around the wrist of each person as they were blessed. We howled at the Moon, had cakes and passed a cup of cider, and some of us stayed outside around the fire to watch Her wend her way across the starry sky.

-Chris

Samhain Cider

2 qt. cider

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/2 cup apricot brandy

Cashew Coven Cakes

1 1/2 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup ground cashews

3 drops almond extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup softened butter

1 egg yolk

2 Tbsp. honey

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the first five ingredients in a bowl. Add butter, egg and honey, creaming with a fork. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Pinch off two inch crescent shapes and bake on a greased cookie sheet for 18 – 20 minutes.

Full Moon and Ritual

The last full Moon, She was huge and full and beautiful a few days past. I called to Wolfie, I said, “Hey, Wolfie, wanna go give the Moon a drink?” He nods, and we fill our offering horn with milk and head out to the patio. The grass, the trees, the trampoline, shine silver. Morgan decides this is a perfect gig for him and his new guitar, and joins us, strumming quietly. Miraculously, he is followed by Rhianon, Archer, and Rowan (Rowan!) who cradles Maeve in his arms. We stand together, watching Her for long moments. I ask Rowan to hold Maeve up to the Moon, and I say, “This is Maeve, o Moon.” As I pour out the horn of milk onto the grass, I say my favorite libation line from Sparky, “Drink long, drink deep, be with us, be well.” It’s over as quickly as it started, and we file back into the house.

This, in our family, is ritual. We have, over the years, stripped away almost every last bit of ceremonial magic (circle casting, quarter calling, pentagram drawing, etc.) from our religious practice. I don’t judge any of those things; they are part of any Pagan’s religious inheritance. For us, however, these simple rituals are a veryhonest and heartfelt way to creatively express our values and understanding of what it means to be Pagans.

Did you see the last full Moon? Wasn’t She beautiful?