Imbolc Ritual 2005 Outline
Circle Sanctuary Land on Saturday, January 29
Selena Fox, Aspen, UrsaLuna
draft as of 16:15 1/28/05

Altar Making: Round altar with white altar cloth is in the center of the Circle with an elevated holder for the Anniversary Candle, as well as the 13 tapers. Under the altar are baskets for the participants’ candles and Brigid Crosses to be blessed.

Announce: People may take a candle if they didn’t bring one of their own, ask people to place their Brigid Crosses and candles to be blessed in the baskets under the central altar. (Aspen)

Drumming to gather people in (led by Aspen & UrsaLuna)

Welcoming and seasonal statement (Aspen): What we’re celebrating & why we’re here

Quarter Calls:

North: Whitewolf
East: Skye
South: Traci
West: Michael

God & Goddess invocations (Aspen & UrsaLuna): Deity calls honoring the waxing sun/Sky Father and Earth Mother/pregnant Goddess

Land & Community Spirit Attunement (Selena)

Poetic Invocations of Brigid:

Brigid as the Goddess of Inspiration (Eric)
All chant: Brigid we call to you; Brigid we honor you; Brigid we celebrate you!

Brigid as the Healer (UrsaLuna)
All chant: Brigid we call to you; Brigid we honor you; Brigid we celebrate you!

Brigid as the Goddess of Smithcraft (Aspen)
All chant: Brigid we call to you; Brigid we honor you; Brigid we celebrate you!

Brigid as Triple Goddess (Selena)
All chant: Brigid we call to you; Brigid we honor you; Brigid we celebrate you!

Brigid Welcome (Selena)

The Brigid Maiden (Nancie) comes forth with the Anniversary Candle, and places it on the altar. She walks clockwise around the altar, and with a Brigid’s Cross in Her hands, blesses the Community.

Brigid Meditation: UrsaLuna leads the Community in communing with Brigid for personal purifications & transformation, as they hold their unlit candles in holders.

Candle Lighting Energy Work:

At the end of the meditation the participants each reflect silently and place personal well-being and spiritual illumination energies into their candles.

Brigid Chant (Reclaiming) (guided by Lori):
We will never, never lose our way
To the well of her memory
And the power of her living flame,
It will rise, it will rise again.

Circle of Light: While the group chants, the Brigid Maiden begins in the North by lighting a dripless taper candle from the Brigid Fire cauldron, and the taper is then passed around the circle so that each person lights their own candle from it and passes it to the next person until all are lit.

Kindling the Community Flame: Light of Community focus & chant (Selena)

• The Brigid Maiden standing in the center, takes up an unlit taper candle in each hand.
• Each of the 4 quarter callers (North, East, South, West) places their personal candles on the altar and retrieves an unlit dripless taper candle. They return to their quarters.
• Joining of flames: Each quarter caller lights the taper candle from their own candle’s flame. The quarter caller then walks along inside the circle deosil/clockwise and each participant touches their flame to the quarter caller’s flame. The quarter callers proceed in this manner until they reach the point where the next quarter caller began, so that each participant has had a chance to join their flame to the taper candle.
• Community Spirit blessing (Selena).
• Call to the Lady of the Sacred Flame.
• The Brigid Maiden holds her arms out, with a candle in each hand. The 4 quarter callers then approach Brigid in the Center and circle her with the candles while all participants chant/drum & the anvil is struck rhythmically. When chanting reaches a climax two of the quarter-candle people each light one of Brigid’s candles (i.e.: North & West touch their flames to Brigid’s left hand while East & South touch their flames to Brigid’s right hand).
• Drummers play a mellow rhythm while Brigid uses her two candles to light the Circle Anniversary candle on the altar.

Flame of Community Unity & Harmony (Selena)

Community Womb: All participants bring forth their personal candles and place them on the altar, and then form a great Circle.

In The Womb Chant (Marilyn Pearl Valentine) (guided by Lori)
Deep and fallow, shallow in sleep, the
Seeds of life lie tingling in
Earth's wondrous warm belly

Community Meditation: UrsaLuna leads a meditation toward renewal and transformation of Circle Sanctuary and Circle Community to bless Circle during the change process and encourage continued growth. Seal the meditation with “Om” toning.

Healing:

Aspen leads drumming to build healing energy toward individuals (healing hoop) and then toward the larger world. The hoop of healing ribbons (carried by Tessa) is brought in the circle for everyone to bless, touching the ribbons while everyone tones.  Also, Selena, assisted by Meadowen, will facilitate a healing for the tsunami victims.

Blessings of baskets and Brigid's Crosses (led by Tessa):

Brigid’s Crosses and candles are brought in the circle for everyone to send blessings toward, to send the magick into everyone’s homes.

Special Blessings (pregnancies, religious freedom) (Selena)

Feast Blessing (Traci with Meadowen and David)

Thanksgivings: Brigid, Deities, Quarters

Benediction: “Though this circle be open….”

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