Autumn Equinox 1996 Desert Moon Circle Katlyn Breene OPEN CIRCLE, Greek Pentagram Raise Energy, Prietess says: "Take hands and Close your eyes, Breath deeply and naturally, relax and let your mind be at ease, release the outside world. Be completely present in this moment, all is at peace, for in this moment we are uniting with the sacred - Minds and hearts joined in this circle of spirit, creating harmony. We are creating the space where the sacred may enter, Love and trust now bring us together. Let judgment and doubt be gone. Breathe deeply and naturally, the breath unites us, the breath makes us one, the breath unites us, the breath makes us one! Now, Let your body connect with the earth - Feel Earth beneath you, your feet firmly planted, rooted - feel the Earth's grounding balance thoughout your body. The earth will take all you do not need. Release tension, Release Fear. They have no place here. Feel the stars and moon above you, breath deep Let each breath take in their beauty. Breath in their light and breath out all negative thoughts Let thoughts of worry fly away, Let your mind be at peace, Your heart filled with the breath of life- The breath unites us, the breath sets us free! Between heaven and earth - body and breath Between light and darkness, the Equinox Let All our hearts now beat as one Our energy creates the circle, let it flow through you From right to left let the energy flow in a circle- It passes through you and to you... What we call in our hearts goes forth everywhere....echoing Beyond the stars themselves And we have no doubt that we are heard! We are Creating harmony, We are creating the a space where the sacred may enter, We are between the worlds.... "So mote it be!" Prt: "Let us now invoke the God of the vine, Dionysos! (Priest raises arms with grapes to invoke the God) Prt: "Dionysos! Bearer of the vine- Thee I invoke to bless these rites divine- Come joyous and rich with fruit of great delight To please the Goddess this moon lit night. With wild steps, the dance do lead, To celebrate the harvest, the reaping of the seed. God of delight, desired by all- Come now at thy Priestess's call! Raging with thy leafy rod Bless us now ecstatic God! Dionysos, Dionysos, Dionysos!" Dionysos enters circle: "I have come to you against sorrow, against weariness, against they that seek to enslave you. I pour you spiritual wine, that gives delight both at sunset and at dawn. Come with me, and I will give you all that is desired upon the earth. Because I give you that which Earth and its pleasures are but shadows. They flee away, but my joy endures even unto the end. I have hidden myself beneath a mask: I am the God of Great Mysteries." With courage conquering fear shall ye approach me: But the first kiss of love shall be radiant on your lips; and all darkness and terror shall turn to light and joy. Only those who fear shall fail. Those who have bent their backs to the false and become as slaves. I ask you to sacrifice nothing at my altar; I am the God who gives joy. Light, Life, Love; Force, Fantasy, Fire; these do I bring you: There is joy in the planting; there is joy in the tending; there is joy in the harvest, give thanks to heaven and earth!" (Dionysos then holds up grapes on the tray and places them on altar) Prsts: "Let us invoke the Triple Goddess" "Maiden we call, the moon bowed and crescent , Artemis, Kore, divine daughter, be present! Love of spring and fairest flower, Strength most pure, and beauty's power! (Maiden enters and stands with arms raised holding large shell filled with water, she is veiled in white) "Maiden Moon, we invoke thee! Maiden, Huntress, sounding sea Thou art the meadows green fertility! Thou art love- And to thy beauty souls are drawn- Like the chalice, the stag, and the raidiant dawn! We invoke thee, Goddess art thou, The star of light upon the brow, The flame and fuel within each breast Thou art the bowed Moon, Enraptured and possessed! Flow into us and bless this place, Bear the vessel of life and grace! Maiden holds up large shell and touches it to her heart and womb- Saying: "Blessed be the vessel of love, the waters of life, the rose and dove!" She then stands before the altar. Prts. calls the Mother: "Mother we call, fertile bounty of Earth, Demeter, Ceres, divine Mother of birth! We call thee Great Goddess of verdant field, A full and bountiful harvest yield!" (mother enters, veiled in red, holding loaf bread like a child) O Goddess Full, of Gods and men the source, Filled with fertile, all-renewing force; Full Moon, abundant, whose prolific powers, Produce a store of beauteous fruits and flowers, From whose rich womb, as from an endless root, Fruits, many-formed, mature and fertile shoot. Deep-bosomed, radiant, pleased with grassy plains, Sweet to the senses, and with prolific rains. With seasons round, eternal and divine, Whose body with fertile skill and wisdom shine. With the Harvest in thy train, draw near, And with loving heart thy children hear. Come blessed Goddess, listen to our prayer, And make love and life thy constant care! (She stands center of altar, holding loaf of bread- she touches it and raises it to heaven, saying: "Blessed be the Earth and Sun, The Unity of all as one! The Seed, the Harvest, blessed be - Mystery of Mystery!" Prts. then calls the Dark Mother: "Wise one, Crone, Dark Goddess Hecate! In the heart of night we call and invoke thee! Bring thy keys and mirror of night, Let the darkness dance with the light! HEKAS, HE KAT, HECATE, Mother of Magick, faces three! HEKAS, HE KAT, HECATE! To the center we now call thee! HEKAS, HEKAT, HECATE! Come to us in cauldron dark Grant to us thy wisdom's spark. Transform, transmute, and ring us in! Tis' the hour to begin! Wisdom now to us reveal Of the turning of the wheel. HEKAS, HEKAT, HECATE! HEKAS, HEH KAT, HECATE, Grant the ancient sorcery! HEKAS, HE KAT, HECATE, Come and make the Goddess three! (Hecate now enters with staff and turns in 3 circles) HEKAS, HEKAT, HECATE! HEKAS, HEKAT, HECATE! HEKAS, HEKAT, HECATE! HEKAS, HEKAT, HECATE! (Hecate raises black mirror and staff- saying: "Now thy feet have born thee here from weary wheel and circling year, into Hecate's inner mirror..." "Blessed Be the blood of earth, Mirror of night and key of birth" (Triple goddess complete, They stand in tableau - Then sit on thrones, Mother center) Meditation of the Maiden - Light incense (Priest hands out small silver mirrors to all ) Prts: "Look into the silver mirror, gaze into your own eyes, see the reflection of your true yourself - You are beautiful and the Gods shine in your eyes - You are unique within time and the entire universe, and can act as the consciousness of Earth, of the Goddess. Every individual will has the potential and the right To act as a divine force within the Universe. You can be all that the Soul of the World has made you. See the power within yourself, realize the gifts you have been given. The Goddess reveals the power to create within you Foundations, Upon which we can build a world where true freedom, joy and beauty can exist in every heart. Strive with all your hopes and energies to discover your own true will. Within Nature's Mystery the simple can become ineffable and sublime, the physical in divine dance with the spiritual. The Goddess teaches you through the physical world to understand your selves more deeply- And realize our unity with Divine Nature. When you love yourself you love the Gods. When you love yourself you can truely love others. When you love your self you have begun to become one with all.. Prsts says: "The Maiden speaks:" Maiden says: "I am the Gracious Goddess who gives the gift of youth unto the heart of mankind, let there be beauty and strength - power and compassion- honor and humility - mirth and reverence within you. And if it harm none, do what thou will!" Maiden raises shell and says: "Let us share the waters of life!" (She serves all water from shell, pouring it in their hands. Western Quarter assists her, carrying extra water.) Meditation of the Mother - light incense "All take hands. Listen now to the words of the Mother, as you listen look into the faces of your brothers and sisters in the circle. Look into their eyes and see the God and Goddess within them, see in each face the divine presence! The Goddess is the Soul of the World. The soul in which we are all a sacred part. She holds each of us dearly. Her beauty reaches out though Nature to remind us That we are all one with Her and with each other. In living this reality Love is allowed to flow through us, without judgement, without fear. All are divine, and share in the Soul of the World. Each person is a manifestation of the God and Goddess, even if they have obscured this truth from themselves. Truth is expressed in all of Nature and Love is revealed as its heart - the center of creation. To Love is to dance with She from whom life sprang. To act out of love is to embrace the Goddess, To exist fully in the present moment. When the heart is full, fear and distrust, jealousy and anger are transformed, Granting the gift of new harmony and vision- A New vision of our world and all the life that shares it with us. To know the Goddess is to experience the fulfillment of desire. Priestess says: "The Mother speaks!" Mother says:"My law is love unto all beings." Mother now raises bread, and says: "The Autumn's grain is Spring's seed, eat of the life that never dies!" Dionysos says: "Share in the harvest fruit, the divine ecstasy of the spirit! (Mother now serves bread and Dionysos serves grapes to all) Meditation of the Crone, light incense Prsts.: "Place your hands upon your closed eyes, become one with the blessed darkness. The Night is as sacred as the Day, The Predator as sacred as the Prey. All of heaven and earth, every natural element are sacred. To connect with the Goddess is to deny no part of creation. She brings us the wisdom of the darkness. She is the revealer of the great Mysteries- Her wisdom manifests in the close and holy night, in roots and wombs, within our shadow selves, under the earth, and in between one another. Darkness is essential, Darkness is filled with life and idea waiting to be born Seeds need light and darkness to grow. Sometimes we must close our eyes for thoughts to germinate and grow, Darkness is for reflection, for looking within, for healing and renewing - the blind are often the greatest seers. Sound travels better in the dark and stars only share their wisdom at night. In the shadows are the keys of transformation and inner knowing, When we release fear we begin to know the mysteries of the cycle of rebirth, we become free... Prsts: "The Dark Mother speaks" Hecate says: "I reveal unto you a great mystery. Ye stand at the year's crossroad Between the light and dark. In each awaits you a Companion; And that Companion is Yourself." "I who am beyond Wisdom and Folly, arise and say unto you: Tread the spiral path, know the sacred cycle! Let the darkness dance with the light! Achieve the balance within! "KNOW THYSELF!" And you who seek, know that your searching and yearning will avail you not, unless you know this Mystery- If that which you seek, you find not within yourself, you will never find it without. For behold, I have been with you from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire." Priestess now says: "Let the darkness dance with the light! When the body dances the spirit trances! Dance to the drums until you hear the gong, then drop to the earth and give her thanks for the harvest and the healing energy we have raised. Let the dance begin!" Dance and chant begins. Drums pick up, dance until energy is complete, then all drop (at gong from priestess) giving healing to the earth and to themselves. Give thanks to the Gods and close circle