04/26/2010 - The Ancient Pathway Imbolc Ritual has been added
Imbolc Ritual of Ancient Pathway
This is an example of how we practice. You should customize this ritual to meet your needs.
Ritual Preparation
- Select two candles for your alter, one in a shade of lavender, the other white.
- Select four additional candles for the elemental quarters. You can maintain the color scheme if you wish, or select a color that represents the energy of that quarter. For instance, you might chose a light shade of blue to represent the Water essence of the West quarter and a fiery red to represent the Fire essence of the South quarter. or find a set of dark purple candles to represent the coming of the sun God.
- Choose your favorite ceremonial broom. You can often find a straw ornamental broom at local craft shows/stores.
- Choose your favorite serving trays or dishes. You can find some inexpensive brass or silver serving trays and goblets at a variety of gift stores.
- Choose a special decanter to hold the wine. Set aside your wine on the serving trays. If you don't partake of wine, use your favorite grape juice or cider.
- Select a bell, you might want to add a decorative ribbon or wrap a vine of silk while colored flowers from your local craft store around the handle to coincide with the colors of the spring festival.
- Choose a gift for honoring the God/Goddess on this festival day. One of our favorite methods of gift giving on this Spring festival is to burn lavender incense. We select a few stalks of the herbs we collected from the Lughnasadh harvest, and wrap them into a special smudge stick.
- A decorative pillow or rug to lie or sit on for your meditation.
Prepare ritual space
Clean the area, not just energy wise but dust and vacuum your space. If your space is outside, you might clean any fallen branches, weeds or even clear any animal indications that may have been deposited in the area. The most important part is to clear and cleanse the space.
Prepare body
It's just as important to prepare yourself as it is your space. On the day of your ceremony take a shower or bubble bath. Make sure your ritual cloths (whether a robe or just jeans and a t-shirt) are clean. Take time to have a meditation to align your energies, prepare your energies for the spiritual work ahead and open your chakra centers.
Open Circle
Finding the compass points, directing the ritual and speaking the blessings is usually performed by a High Priest or Priestess within a coven. If you are a solitary witch, then YOU are the High Priest or Priestess. For our example we will simply refer to the director of ceremonies as the Priest.
The Priest should find compass North, where the ritual will begin with calling in the quarters starting with the North. Set your circle according to the directions. If you are conducting the ceremony alone, you might chose to use a rope of natural fibers to outline your ceremonial circle. If you're performing the ceremony in a coven, mark the location of the quarters so everyone will know where to stand when the circle is drawn. The Priest should guide everyone through the steps for setting up a Door Between the Worlds by raising the vibration of the group and/or area.
Close your eyes and imagine a divine white light emerging from the solar plexus of each person and then raising up toward a center point over the circle. Many call this establishing a "cone of power". Imagine this light spinning clockwise rising your energies and awareness. If your a solitary witch, you will imagine the light beginning at your solar plexus and then moving out to fully encompass your ritual space. Each Quarter Master will then be directed to call the Watchtowers or Elemental Quarters it's usually the choice of the Priest, but each person should call upon the same force. Some witches call Angels, Spirit Guides, or just the elements. It's up to you or your coven. Just as which direction to start with is up the individuals. Many witches begin with the North, where others begin with the east.
Your prayer to summon the directions can be stated in a variety of ways. From old English to a modern statement. Here's an example:
- Light the Northern candle and ring the bell once.
If you are a solitary, turn to the East, or if in a coven the 2nd QuarterMaster faces East and states: "To the Goddesses of the Spring, the Watchtowers of the East and the elements of Air, we call upon your wisdom and summon your energy for clear communications to the feminine spirit within us all. We ask for guidance in using compassion and understanding in all our unions with others."
- Light the Eastern candle and ring the bell once.
Turn to the South and state: "To the Goddesses of the Spring, the Watchtowers of the South and the elements of Fire, we call upon your wisdom and summon your energy for purification of mind/body/and spirit. We ask for your divine protection over all things that we bring forth for renewal. "
- Light the Southern candle and ring the bell once.
Turn to the West and state: "To the Goddesses of the Spring, the Watchtowers of the West and the elements of Water, we call upon your wisdom and strength. We ask for your assistance to prepare the earth for a fertile garden. We ask for your strength as we move forward with the gentle flow of life, in love and acceptance."
- Light the Western candle and ring the bell once.
Invocation to Spirit
The Priest should guide everyone through the steps to:
Call your personal Spirit Guide and solicit their assistance during the ritual. Your personal guide can assist you to maintain focus and concentration during the ritual as well as, aid in your tasks within the circle.
You might call upon them like this:
-
"(State your guides' name), I call upon your guidance and love to assist
me during this spiritual celebration. To help me maintain my focus,
energy and alignment for divine purpose and work."
- Light a candle for your guide and ring the bell twice.
- Call your deity and solicit their assistance aligning yourself with
the deity. In most covens the High Priest/Priestess will summon the
deity. In other covens each person will call upon their chosen deity and
align their energies (this is the method we prefer most. It empowers
each individual instead of setting one person above the rest). Which
ever you prefer light a candle for each deity you summon upon the alter
and ring the bell three times for each deity called.
"I believe in the spiritual existence of myself as a perfect image of (deitys' name). In this reflection that is my physical embodiment, I align myself and my faith in the supreme guidance of my soul with the ancient powers and wisdom of (state the deitys' name once more)."
State Your Purpose
The Priest should state the intent of the gathering. For a Sabbat you'll state your purpose of honoring the Spring, as well as, the aspects of the Goddess, especially the Maiden. You'll continue by blessing the cakes and wine for the ceremony. For Imbolg you might say something like:
-
"I/we have come to honor the nature kingdom, the fertility of the earth
and the Maiden. We/I honor the Mother and the Crone for sharing their
wisdom and light with our spirit as we re-affirm our personal spiritual
path. We give thanks to the season of renewal and honor the many
blessings yet to come."
Honor The God/Goddess
The Priest should preside over the steps to honor and dedicate the items for the festival.
Perform manual and visionary tasks by pulling in images of the Maiden and the Goddesses of the fertile world. You should state your honor and gratitude as well, something like this:
-
"To the Lady Mother we offer our thanks and gratitude for this wonderful
chance of rebirth."
- Light the candle you chose to represent the Spring festival and ring the bell seven times.
"To the Lady Crone of wisdom we give homage to your love and continual light as you guide your children through the processes of life."
"To the Lady Maiden we send abundant blessings as you lead the way onto this fertile path of wisdom and knowledge. We send thanks and gratitude to each of you for this spring season. We honor you all as the world renews it flowering beauty once more."
Dedicate offerings.
Whether you're conducting a ritual of honor or for work, you should present an offering that is commiserate with the event. We like to make an offering of energy through a fragrant bouquet. We light the smudge stick we prepared and allow the lavender herbs to blaze for a few moments. We say part of our prayer, then blow out the flames and allow the incense to continue to smolder. Then we complete the prayer and place the incense in a special holder, we like to use a brass bowl shaped in the fashion of a miniature cauldron.
Finally, because this festival is one of springs new beginnings, we like to add a bowl or several bowls of seeds that we will use to plant in the spring. We've done this in many of the harvest festivals, and with each blessing we add new seed to the alter. Keeping these special ceremonial seeds separate from the rest. By the time we're ready to plant our garden, all the seed we harvested, will have been blessed within the ritual of a Sabbat. To bless the seed, we say something like this:
- Hold the smudge stick in your left hand and light it with the right.
Then hold up the burning stick to the Goddesses with both hands.
"We offer this gift as a symbol of our love and thanks to Maiden, the Mother and the Crone; We honor each aspect of the Goddess, within ourselves, within the world and within the divine universe."
- Lower the smudge and blow out the flames, allow the stick to
smolder. Again with both hands hold the stick up to the Goddess and
state:
"We share the fragrance of this offering with the Maiden Goddess and pray for the fertile year."
- Set the smudge in the bowl and retrieve a bowl of seed, holding it
up to the Goddess:
"We give thanks the Mother Goddess for the abundance of our gardens past; And we share in the blessings of these seeds for gardens yet to come."
- Replace the seeds on the alter, raise the bell and state:
"We give great homage the Crone Goddess for the wisdom and knowledge she bestowed upon our brow last year. We honor her wisdom and vow to use what we have learned as we plant a new garden and set our feet upon this path of renewed faith."
- Ring the bell nine times, in groups of three to honor each aspect of the Goddess.
- Replace the seeds on the alter and ring the bell nine times.
For Honoring
Partake of cakes and wine that you have set upon a platter.
(Some covens like to serve the cakes upon small dishes, while others prefer to hold the cakes in their hand. Which ever you chose, the cakes should start on a platter for the dedication. The wine starts in a special decanter and is poured into ceremonial goblets. Once again different covens have different rituals. Some provide individual cups, much like silver shot glasses, while others insist each witch bring their own goblet.)
To dedicate your cakes and wine, you might say something like:
- Hold the plate of cakes up using both hands and say:
"On this eve of Imbolg we come to honor the Goddesses and share in the fertility and rebirth of the divine universe. We offer these cakes made of carrots and flour {or whatever} and this wine made of grapes {again whatever wine you've chosen} as our thank you for all you have given and all you are about to provide. "
- Ring the festival bell three times, then walk up to each person in
the circle and allow them to take a cake from the tray with the right
hand. Make sure there's one or two cakes left for the two Goddesses.
When everyone has received a cake, each individual should hold it in
both hands and raise it up to the Goddesses; then say:
"With the partaking of this cake I take into my body the essence of Imbolg, the Goddess of renewal. I align my spirit and soul with the physical well being of my body and mind; As the Goddess is the teacher and bridge builder between the earthly and divine worlds."
- Each person eats their cake.
- With your right hand grasp the neck of the decanter. With your left
hand hold your chalice and pour the wine. When everyone has their share
of wine, each person raises their goblet to the Goddess and say
something like this:
"With the partaking of this wine I take into my body the essence of the Goddess, I align my soul with the balance and rebirth of our spiritual family."
- Each person drinks half their wine, then holds the goblet up again.
"We ask the Goddess of Fertility to accept this wine as our offering of honor and thanksgiving on this the festival of Imbolg."
Some people like to pour the remaining wine from the goblets into a large cauldron. As a symbolistic gesture that we are all one and all part of the divine. Some covens go a step farther and light the wine allowing it evaporate into the ethers through the flames. And others add to the ceremony and pour the wine onto the ground, making a circle and pentagram with the liquid.
Meditation
The Priest should guide everyone through a brief meditation. No matter what your ceremony is for, we believe you should add a moment of meditation to the event. In this altered state a witch can contact the God/Goddess and engage them in a private ritual.
You can use this time to thank them for the knowledge and wisdom they brought you last year and how you might use that this year. Whether it be in planting your garden, creating a financial plan or starting a family. In our view, the Sabbat ceremonies are not the time to ask for something for yourself. This is a time of honoring what the God/Goddess has already given you. You might ask for clarity of vision or better understanding of the messages they provided you with the growth and the tasks you were given to move forward this year.
Conclude your meditation by closing your chakra centers.
Thank the Deities and Spirits
The Priest should guide everyone through a statement of thanks.
This is one of the more important steps to any ritual. You spent a good deal of time asking for their assistance, calling the quarters, your personal spirit guide and the deities, so be polite and spend time thanking them as well. Here's a simple example:
- Stand facing the alter, hold your hands together as if you are
praying, only open the top slightly at the thumbs as if you're making a
bowl with your hands. Then state:
"I, (state your magik name), thank the God, Goddess, Divine Spirits and the WatchTowers of the Four Corners for watching over this ceremony of Imbolg. By the light and love of All that Is, we honor the blessings we have received on this day. We thank you for your guidance, your wisdom and your strength as we embark on this new year. We send many blessings to each and all as we walk along the path of enlighentment forever."
Close the Circle
The Priest should guide everyone through a process of closing the circle.
Mentally and verbally close the circle. You don't want to leave the gateway between worlds open for several reasons. You could be inviting forces you don't necessarily want around you. You can also be maintaining a state of heightened perception. While this is great for ceremonies and ritual work, it isn't necessarily good for daily activities. If you find yourself saying "I feel out of it today", then you need to close your senses and get grounded. This is another reason for closing the circle.
- Imagine the "cone of power" you established at the beginning of the
ritual, slowly coming down and dissipating back within the solar plexus
of each person. Move to the center of the circle, holding a ceremonial
sword or knife. Starting in the North, turn counter-clockwise and state:
"We give thanks to the Goddess once more. We honor each other in this state of divine experiences. And we close this circle that binds us to spirit, and can never be broken."
- Snuff out the candles (don't blow them out). (Some people like to leave the two ritual candles burning during the night until they burn out by themselves. Then, if they last, you use these two on the next day of the festival as you continue our honor of Maiden Goddess.)
We prepare a special meal and invite family or friends to join us. These two candles are placed as the center-piece of the table. If the original candles have extinguished before the meal, we will light another candle from the flame of the original; allowing all candles to burn as long as they can.
Physically close the circle by exiting over the broom. Pick up the broom and sweep away any energy that may have been left over.
Clean your working area and prepare your offerings, gifts and candles for burial. If there are any cakes left over from the ritual, set them outside for the animals and spirit folk. Pour out any left over wine on the ground. Once again some people like to pour out the drink in the shape of a pentacle. Wash all dishes and clean all tools.
Ritual Is Concluded
Finally, some people like to share their experiences during the ritual. Some even carry the festival on and hold a party to share in some of the fruits, vegetables and breads they labored over. For the solitary, now is a good time to record the events and make notes about what you felt, what you did and didn't do that you might like to do next time.
Additional Information...
Rituals are a personal actions. Whether they are a single person, a group of people or a coven, you should put yourself and your personal desires and tastes into the ritual. Please use this ritual as a starting point and make it your own.
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