by Eilís Moonbrook

BLESSING 
(Adapted from Starhawk's The Spiral Dance, pp. 71 and 225, by Eilís Moonbrook)

[Each participant should take time to ground, center, or make other mental preparations. Run through a simple tree meditation, if necessary.]

[Two people should purify the space with incense and salt water respectively, then make another pass around the circle together and bless each person as follows:]

Passing the incense over each person in turn:
By air that is her breath
and fire that is her spirit
be one with the Goddess
and one with us all. 

Sprinkling salt water over each in turn:
By water that is her blood
and earth that is her body
be one with the Goddess
and one with us all.

CREATING SACRED SPACE

[With everyone in a circle, join hands and slowly move them above our heads. Feel the circle energy move into a dome above us. Then lower hands, still clasped together, to the ground, feeling the dome stretch into a sphere that extends beneath us. Stand straight again and gently drop hands, saying:]

1. The circle is cast,
2. built of love and trust,
3. never-beginning
4. and never-ending,
5. inner and outer,
6. betwixt and between.
7. Naught but love shall enter in,
8. naught but love shall come from within.

All: So mote it be!

WELCOMING THE ELEMENTS

[Move sunwise to your quarter. As you invoke the element, feel it strongly within yourself and visualize it moving to fill the circle from the direction it calls home. Reach out and truly invite it. All of us should do this, not just the person verbally invoking. When the presence is strong, move on to the next element.]

Spirit of the East, powers of Air,
Caressing breeze and roaring gale,
You who clear the intellect
And breathe new life into our souls,
We welcome you!

Spirit of the South, powers of Fire,
Light of the hearth and wild blaze,
You who drive the will
And consume the old to shape our lives,
We welcome you!

Spirit of the West, powers of Water,
Gentle wave and devouring flood,
You who fill our veins with emotion
And immerse us in the worlds' ebb and flow,
We welcome you!

Spirit of the North, powers of Earth,
Fertile soil and lightless cavern,
You who hold us steady
And give of yourself to sustain our bodies,
We welcome you!

WELCOMING NATURE SPIRITS

Spirits of Nature, dwellers in this place,
You of the forest, of the flowing waters, of the stones,
You of the plants, of the animals, of the Land itself,
You of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water,
Hear our call of welcome.
We ask you to join us now as we celebrate!

You who would cause mischief or harm,
You who are addled or full of spite,
Please accept our offering and depart in peace.
May only love enter here.

[Place food offering outside the circle.]

All: Blessed be.

WELCOMING THE GODS

[We light their candles, reaching out in invitation as we chant, repeating the words until we strongly feel their presence.]

Triple Goddess Chant

Holy Maiden Huntress Artemis, Artemis. Maiden, Come To Us
Silver Shining Wheel Of Radiance, Radiance. Mother, Come To Us
Ancient Queen Of Wisdom, Hecate, Hecate. Old One, Come To Us 
(By Peter Soderberg)

Three-Fold God Chant 

Holy Green Oak King, Tower High, Tower High, Horned One Come To Us 
Holy Holly King, The Evergreen, Evergreen, Horned One Come To Us 
Shining Lord Pan Come Dance With Us Dance With Us, Horned One Come To Us 
(By Ivo Dominguez, Jr. to P.S.'s tune)

INVOKING THE ASPECTS

Leader: As we meet here as a group, we also honor each person’s unique path and background. The Divine has many faces. Let us now welcome the Old Ones to join our celebration—those we know best, those who are dear to us, and those to whom we are dear.

[Anyone who wishes should invoke their individual Gods or aspects, either aloud or silently.]

BELTAINE LITURGY

Alternate stanzas, beginning with the leader:

Gentle breezes stir
the softening air,
nights still sharp
but the frosts are passing.

The sun's rays strengthen,
drawing forth green
caressed and pounded
by quickening rains.

Pink are the mountains
with delicate redbud,
opening the way for
white dogwood clouds.

Tall rise the grasses;
mowers buzz near houses
while cattle grow fat on
the tender new bounty.

Many-colored lilacs burst
forth in nodding bloom;
new rose leaves draw strength
for their midsummer flush.

Children puff delighted
on dandelions' first white globes;
fawns lie hidden while their mothers
graze thick by the roadside.

Birds swoop and twitter,
finding mates and nesting;
in the distance tiny frogs peep,
filling the night with their song.

Gardeners stoop to place tender
seeds and shoots in the fertile earth,
praying and protecting against
the next week's unpredictable cold.

Plant and stone, animals human and not--
all feel the strengthening sun,
warmth and joy, newly vital
in this lovely beginning of summer. 

Leader:
In the past, people would drive their animals between the cleansing Bel-fires on this day, for protection and prosperity through the year. They also jumped the flames themselves—a couple leaping together for happiness and fertility in the coming year, an individual for success and health. The Bel-fire will help to clear away your obstacles so that the new can grow.

Now, everyone should take a piece of paper and write or draw on it something you wish to let go this season. Pour your worry into the sheet, and fold or crumple it up if you like, to keep the trouble in. When you’re ready, approach the Bel-fire and toss the thing in! Know that as the flames eat the paper, your problem is also transformed. 
[Pause for everyone to finish.]

Consider the good things you wish to enter your life in return. When that image is clear and concentrated in your mind, choose three or more lengths of colored thread to represent your desires. If you are not sure what colors are appropriate, you can follow your own counsel or take a look at the chart of color associations. 
[Pause]
Once you have selected your threads, concentrate on your goals and braid them together. As you combine the threads, you bind those aspects of your life closer to you. When you are finished, attach the braid to your body; a bracelet works well. Focusing on your goals, circle the fire deosil three times, then leap over it. Don’t be afraid to make noise! The change has begun.
Chant: (Adapted from Triskelion Coven, Samhain 1994)

Remember the way of the Wind
And breathe and blow,
Remember the way of the Fire,
And sparkle and glitter and glow,
Remember the way of the Water
And ebb and flow
Remember the way of the Earth
Feel the Summer stir in you, and grow...

What is remembered lives
(repeat)

[Hold hands and walk, dance, or run around the circle deosil to raise power. Send some of it to the Earth, because as we celebrate, we also help open the way for Summer.]

RITE OF UNION (Adapted from a work by Richard and Tamarra James, and Lynna Landstreet’s adaptation of it)

Leader:
The God is growing every day. We can see parts of it in the sunlight, the green things rapidly shooting up, and the increasing animals. He is no longer a child. The Goddess has been gaining in power and waiting, becoming more fertile with each passing day. Now they are once again drawn together in their strength, as lovers, and the Lady will move from the Maiden to her Mother aspect. Today we celebrate their union.

Sun God:
I am He who shone forth from the Dark of Night,
When time was begun.
Lady of the Earth and Sea, join Me,
And let all things be formed of Our union.
Thou who art called Arianrhod, Cerridwen, Rhiannon.
[AHR-ee-ahn-RHOAD] [Keh-RID-wen] [Rhee-AHN-nawhn] 
Giver of love, protection, and the joy of life,
Goddess of the Earth, Moon and Sea,
Ruler of the Night,
Mistress of Magic, Keeper of the Mysteries.
Ascend to Me on bright and silvered wing.
For lo, I receive these gifts of Thee:
Life, and love, and gifts from the Sea.
I am the Sun, the Sun that calleth Thee.
I am the growing Green that covers Thee.
Come unto Me, my Lady, come unto Me,
And be welcome.
Hail, and blessed be.

Moon Goddess:
I am She who rose from the depths of the Sea,
When time was begun.
Lord of the Bright Sky, join Me,
And let all things be formed of Our union.
Thou who art called Belenus, Cernunnos, Lugh.
[BEL-eh-nus] [Kehr-NOO-nohs] [Hloo]
Giver of strength, guidance, and the will of life,
God of the Sun, Sky, and Winds,
Ruler of the Day,
Bringer of Justice and Voice of Truth.
Descend to Me on bright and golden wing.
For lo, I receive these gifts of Thee:
Life, and strength, and fullest ecstasy.
I am the Sea, the Sea that calleth Thee.
I am the waiting Earth that welcomes Thee.
Come unto Me, my Lord, come unto Me,
And be welcome.
Hail, and blessed be.

Wine Blessing:

[LADY anoints LORD and hands him the athame.]

LADY: Bright Lord, thou art the Sun.
Thy heat is radiant.
Green man, both Hunter and Prey,
Here is the athame,
The Air and Fire are contained within it,
As are their powers.

[LORD anoints LADY and hands her the chalice.]

LORD: Dark Lady, thou art the Moon,
Giver of dreams and visions.
Wise One, Teacher of the Mysteries,
Here is the chalice,
The Earth and the Sea are contained within it,
As are their powers.

LORD: I am the spark of life,
The well of flame wherein dwells all power and potential.

LADY: And I am the primal matter,
The core of earth that gives shape and form to that power.

Both: Neither one can work without the other.
One without the other is incomplete.

LORD: Mine are wisdom and knowledge, passion and pride.

LADY: And mine are love and dreams, silence and mystery.

Both: To learn you must suffer,
To live you must be born,
To be born you must die.
The beginning, continuation and the end,
Over and over.

LORD: The Sun brings forth light,

LADY: And the Moon holds it in darkness.

LORD: As above,

LADY: So below.

LORD: (Raises athame) And as the athame is one half of our divine
nature,

LADY: So the chalice is the other.

Both: (Athame into chalice) And conjoined they be one in truth,
For it is in the Dance that Life is born,
In the balance that truth is found,
And there is no greater power in all the world
Than that of Love.

DEDICATION OF THE FEAST (From Starhawk's The Spiral Dance, pp. 169-170)

All life is your own, 
All fruits of the earth
Are fruits of your womb,
Your union, your dance.
Goddess and God
We thank you for blessings and abundance.
Join with us, Feast with us, Enjoy with us!
Blessed be.

THANKING THE DEITIES

All:
Mother Goddess, Father God,
Old Ones by our sides,
Thank you for attending our circle here.
Go with our blessings, in beauty and peace.
Blessed be.
[Extinguish candles.]

THANKING THE SPIRITS

All:
Spirits of Nature, dwellers in this place,
We thank you for joining our circle here.
Stay if you will, go in peace if you must.
Blessed be. 

DISMISSING THE QUARTERS

Guardians of the [Direction], Powers of [Element],
Thank you for attending our circle here.
Stay if you will, go in peace if you must.
Blessed be.

OPENING THE CIRCLE

The circle between the worlds
is now open, yet unbroken.
Merry we meet, merry we part,
and merry we meet again.
Blessed be.

[Take a minute to ground any excess energy you may still be carrying—send it into the Earth for her to use as she will.]