Pagan Spirit Gathering 2008 Community Rituals & Celebrations

Summer Solstice Labyrinth at PSG

	Opening Ritual: will be held on Sunday evening, June 15, Summer Solstice. It will include a candlelight processional, a site blessing, a welcoming of Summer, and the lighting of the Gathering's Sacred Fire with the remains of last year's fire. Facilitated by Selena Fox and members of the Circle Sanctuary Community. Closing Ritual: will take place on Sunday, June 22 and will include thanksgivings, blessings for safe travel, and farewell songs. Faciliated by Selena and MoonFeather. Summer Solstice Sun Morning Ritual: will be held on Friday, June 20, and will include Sun invocations, chanting, and meditation around the Sacred Fire in the Stone Circle followed by honoring Mother Earth with the addition of soil or other offerings to the Turtle Mound. By Selena Fox & others. Summer Solstice Community Ritual: Take The Spirit Home – Come and join us in a community celebration of the Summer Solstice and our week long focus on Bringing the Spirit Home. We will be honoring the Summer Solstice fire as our main PSG Hearth Fire. During the ritual we will continue to fan the flames of PSG fun while working on our community and individual commitments to really Bringing the Spirit Home and Keeping It Alive at Home! Communities, camps, and individuals will have opportunities during the week to prepare for the ritual in many different ways and to identity exactly what they are going to do to make every week of our year as sacred and spiritual as the week of festival to connect your “home fire” to this PSG Hearth Fire feel free to bring a small flammable item from home (no wood please to prevent the spread of disease) as you will have an opportunity to add these items to the fire. The ritual will take place on Saturday evening, June 21 and community members are encouraged to dress in ritual clothing. Faciliated by Shel. Candlelight Labyrinth Ritual: A transformative, walking meditation through an all night labyrinth formed by 1000 lighted candles. Facilitated by Bella Mahri, members of Lady of the Sacred Grove and Stone Circle, ATC. Zodiac Potluck Feast: will be held Monday, June 16. Bring food to share. Meet and greet others in the Town and feast together. Magical Gift Circle: A spiritual gift exchange. Everyone taking part will give and receive a gift. Bring a sacred item (i.e., a ritual tool, an amulet, necklace, a divinity statue, a hand-made ritual object, an altar piece, etc.) that has special meaning to you to give away. Bless your gift and include with it your name and something about its spiritual significance. Wrap it in opaque paper, cloth, or other covering. Turtle Mound Meditations: This sacred Mound built at past PSGs will be available for personal meditations and rituals, as well as small group ceremonies, during this year's PSG. Warrior Blessing Ritual: To acknowledge US Military warriors serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, other places; Ask for their safe and speedy return after accomplishing work that they need to do. We will also acknowledge those serving in Homeland Defense and ask for their safety. Finally, we will acknowledge those who have died while walking the warrior path. Secondary Purpose : Provide comfort and a venue for family and friends of those warriors to express concerns and pride. The ritual is for adults and is facilitated by Indywiz (Dave) & the Community. Bast Cat Ritual: A joyous celebration of Bast, the Cat Goddess, with laughter and noise. It's for everyone. Rain, snow, sleet, or hail will not cancel this ritual. Noise makers, costumes, etc. are welcome! By Bella Mahri and Sky Cat, Elders and High Priestess and High Priest of the Lady of the Sacred Grove and Stone Circle, ATC. and Sun Kat Sacred Hunt Ritual: An Ecstatic Ritual for Spiritual Transformation. Having been for a long time an integral facet of PSG in years past, the Sacred Hunt returns after a one year hiatus. Under a waxing moon, deep in a forest glade, amid firelight, dancing shadows, and rapid drumming, the Hunt ensues... This multi-faceted ritual alchemically blends elements of ecstatic movement, drumming, and nurturing community support for a deep, transformational experience. Join us as a Drummer, Villager, or a Hunter... See SilverDrake for further details. Tribal Drum Dance Ritual: Connecting with our ancestors through the pulse of the drum and the rhythms of our body. A ritual to open the Bonfire Circle and bless it as a sacred space for drumming and dancing. Women's Ritual: Sisters of the Earth Tribe Rise! Come sing, dance and be the beauty in the circle of women! As Summer Solstice warms and blesses us, and fireflies delight us under the twilight of the changing evening sky, we will affirm the magnificence that is the gift of a community of women. Together we will connect and reflect as we embrace the divine feminine. We will bless our bodies as sacred temples of beauty, creativity and love! Come look in your sisters eyes, introduce her to the circle of women…. Shakers and rattles are encouraged. Drummers are welcome!! Come sisters! Come sing and dance in the circle of women! Men's Ritual: Ritual to Enki, the Father. Ritual Intent: To celebrate and reclaim the archetype of Father, with the fellowship of other males. Facilitated by Nels. Tea Dance: The annual celebratory dance party for PSG's adult community. Dress outlandishly, let your hair down, and boogie to the beat. Adults only Please! By Utu, T.J., and the Rainbow Community. Pagan Children's Pageant. A Faerie play with songs and dancing, created by the children of PSG. Sweatlodges: Sweatlodge ceremonies in various traditions will be held during this year's PSG. Rites of Passage: Every year at PSG, a variety of weddings, child blessings, and other Rites of Passage ceremonies are held. If you wish to have a Rites of Passage ritual at PSG, submit a program proposal by April 20. Be sure to include the name and contact information of the person who will be facilitating it, and indicate whether it is a private, invitation-only rite or one open to everyone attending PSG. Please note that no day passes are available for PSG, so only registered PSG participants will be able to attend any Passage ceremonies held there. If you are interested in having a Circle minister facilitate your Rite of Passage, contact sharon@circlesanctuary.org immediately, as the schedule fills quickly.
	MEN’S PERSONAL RITE OF PASSAGE EXPERIENCE (MPROPE) Co-facilitators PathWalker and Talon plus MPROPE Team. PSG MEN OVER 18: DISCOVER YOUR GREATEST CORE STRENGTH! The men’s Personal Rite of Passage Experience can help men at any stage of life discover (or re-discover) their greatest source of inner-strength and power. This intensive 20 hour PSG journey of discovery will help participants build Self Love and Acceptance, Banish Negative Energy, Create Positive Vision, and align with their Greatest Source of Inner Strength. Beginning Tuesday afternoon and ending Wednesday mid-morning, participants will experience Meditation, In-depth Discussion, Ritual Bath, Labyrinth Walk, Solitary Overnight Camping, Ritual of Personal Discovery, and more. The experience concludes with a 30 minute final attunement on Saturday morning. Event registration will take place following Monday and Tuesday 10am Towne Green Meetings only. Interested men must attend both Monday and Tuesday meetings and connect with PathWalker & Talon at meeting’s end. No prior registration. Maximum number of participants is four (4).
	Crone Temple of Wisdom: All Women who have finished their menses and would like to participate in the Croning Ritual at PSG should contact Donna at starry8@sbcglobal. net. There is a time commitment required to participate in this program. Challenges will be issued at 8:45am meetings that will cause you to look within and prepare yourself for this rite of passage. During the week, as you prepare yourself, you will be making a crown, decorating a chair into a throne and decorating a staff. Look within now and see if you are one of the chosen to be called to walking the crone's path. Women of the community are invited to join in the following activities in the Crone Temple of Wisdom: Opening Blessing – opening Sunday Crone Goddess Challenges – daily at 8:45am Crone Reunion Workshops geared for the Crones Croning Ritual – Friday Closing Blessing - closing Sunday
	Coming of Age into Womanhood: A celebration for those who have begun their menses. Facilitated by Selena Fox and others. Rite of Passage into Young Womanhood Program facilitated by Nora Cedarwind-Young and Selena Fox: This three-day program is to honor young women who have recently started their menses, and welcome them into the larger community of women. All participants must have recently started their menses and have a support person (parent or guardian) who can attend all the functions with them. The program includes: Meeting with candidates and their support people Making special Spirit Bags. A special workshop to prepare for the ritual. Making clay Goddess figures with a PSG artisan. The Rite of Passage into Young Womanhood Ritual. Being presented to the community of women at the Women's Ritual. Attendance at all these functions, as well as attendance of two Morning Meetings, is mandatory for candidates and their support person. Contact Nora Cedarwind Young at nora@circlesanctuary.org if you are interested in participating.

	Ritual Experiences
	Check out the Memories section of this website for recollections of past PSG ritual experiences.

	Proposals for Other Rituals
	If you are interested in facilitating any other type of large or small group ritual at this year's PSG, please submit your program proposal by May 1, along with your registration. Include a transcript or detailed outline of the ritual along with a summary of your experience in facilitating rituals.