Coven of the Burning Waters
18 March 2000

by MoonIvy

Our Ostara altar

PREPARING OURSELVES FOR RITUAL

As each person comes to the edge of the sacred space, purify his or her body with the smudge stick.
Ask: "How do you enter this sacred space?"
Response: "In perfect love and perfect trust."

When you enter the sacred space, prepare yourself for ritual. Close your eyes and travel to that special place within your souls where Gods and Goddesses are flesh, and the Mother and the Father stand with us tonight.

Say, "I AM" when you are with the Goddess and God.

Reasoning: We are an eclectic group of witches. I am pulling from ancient Hebrew and early Christianity: before it became corrupt. "I AM" is the name used for Jehovah.

PREPARATION OF THE SPACE

One person walks around the space three times while sprinkling salt.

One person walks around the space three times sprinkling water.

One person lights an incense stick and passes it to the person on their left side. When it is passed to you, say, "(Your magickal name) blesses this space" and then pass it to the person on your left side.

One person picks up the athame and passes it to the person on their left side. When it is passed to you, say, "(Your magickal name) blesses this space" and then pass it to the person on your left side.

Reasoning: All elements are a part of sanctifying this magical space--also helps make the space inviting to the elements.

CASTING THE CIRCLE

We cast this circle in the name of the Goddess and God
(draw circle with athame close to the ground. Visualize drawing it in the dirt.)

Leader: We are a circle
All: We are a circle

Leader: Within a circle
All: Within a circle

Leader: With no beginning
All: With no beginning

Leader: And never ending
All: And never ending

CALLING THE QUARTERS

(East)
Behold Air, we ask thee for gentle breezes that blow our worries away so that we may celebrate, and praise the deities in peace. Air we ask for your presence here tonight.

(South)
Greetings Fire, masculine element, passionate friend--we ask thee to light the fires in our hearts, so that we might love the Mother and Father completely and wholly. Fire we ask for your presence here tonight.

(West)
Welcome cleansing waters of birth, mother, and ocean. We ask thee to make our inner-selves children so that we might see the world and those in it with new eyes. And like children, we will forgive quickly those who do wrong against us, so that we might live and treat others with perfect love and perfect trust. Water we ask for your presence here tonight.

(North)
Spirit of the Earth bring us the buds of your land. Build our Circle in your strength and goodness. Prepare us for the birth of a new season. Earth we ask for your presence here tonight.

INVOKING THE GODDESS AND THE GOD

(Goddess)
(Light silver Goddess candle and hold up the silver chalice)
Now is time of balance. The earth is fertile-- animals, crops, and humans. I drink in the power of the Goddess-- let her now live within me and within us all. (Pass the chalice around. Each person may choose to sip from the chalice or pass it to the next person.)

(God)
(Light gold God candle and hold up the gold chalice)
He is the hunter, the lover, and the friend. He has become a man and takes his place beside the Goddess. I drink in the power of the God--let him now live within me and within us all. (Pass the chalice around. Each person may choose to sip from the chalice or pass it to the next person.)

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Spring has returned. Darkness and light are in balance.

As are the Goddess and the God.

(Clasp hands and go around in circle)

Everyone chant three times:
The wheel of life is turning
Living life is in store.
The wheel of life is turning
Death shall be no more.

(God)
Without the female there could be no life. Without the earth--no tree and no flower.

(Goddess)
Without the male there could be no life. Without the seed--no tree and no flower.

(Goddess and God say together)
But together we make life happen.
(Covener portraying God inserts athame into silver chalice held by covener portraying Goddess.)

(All)
With balance in mind, we bring soil and seed together. (Coveners plant seeds in cups filled with soil.)

(All)
These seeds we have planted will surely grow and one day also die; just as we are bound to do.

Sing:

We all come from the Goddess,
And to her we shall return.
Like a drop of rain,
Flowing to the ocean.

Hoof and horn, hoof and horn,
All that dies shall be reborn.
Corn and grain, corn and grain,
All that dies shall rise again.

We will color yellow eggs to welcome the return of the Sun God, and red eggs to symbolize the fertility of the Goddess and the resurrection of life--what has died--will live again.

(After coloring red and yellow eggs color other eggs different colors writing on them plans you have to make your life have more balance. Feel free to give eggs as gifts which is a custom. Eggs symbolize the potential life that is to come. Its circular shape represents the pregnant mother, the cycle of the earth makes around the sun thus causing our seasons to change. This is also a time to eat drink and be merry.)

THANKING THE QUARTERS

Earth, thank you for joining our circle tonight. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be!

Water, thank you for joining our circle tonight. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be!

Fire, thank you for joining our circle tonight. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be!

Air, thank you for joining our circle tonight. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be!

THANKING THE GODDESS AND THE GOD

God, thank you for joining our circle tonight. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be! (extinguish flame of gold candle).

Goddess, thank you for joining our circle tonight. Go if you must, stay if you will. Blessed Be! (extinguish flame of silver candle).

OPENING THE CIRCLE

"When I ring this bell three times this circle will be open but never broken" (ring, ring, ring)

"Blessed Be!"