Your Team of Heroes
Every team of heroes—whether it’s a mythological band of Argonauts or a comic book superhero team or the crew of your favorite science fiction show—is made up of people with different abilities and skills who play different roles. Some are the diplomats and some are the warriors, some the healers and some the scientists. Some know lore and history, while others have technical expertise, street smarts, or skills at handling various weapons or emergencies. They’re not all the same.
In this chapter, you’ll choose what role you’ll play on the team of heroes. There is a dedication ritual for each of the four paths, which follows a craft and rite in which you select your path. Remember, the team of heroes needs people in each path, and no path is more necessary or important than another. Each has its role to play and having people on each path is critical. It may be that among a coven, working group, or group of friends, almost everyone is on the same path. If, for example, you are a medical professional and most of your group is too, everyone may be a healer or a scientist. Rest assured there is another group out there in which everyone is a warrior! Together, we make up the vast tapestry of heroes in the universe we live in.
So what does it take to be a hero? What makes the good guys the good guys? We all learned this in comic books or from Harry Potter or Star Wars or the TV shows we watched when we were ten—the good guys are the ones who help people rather than hurt them. The heroes try to rescue, preserve, heal, and stop bad guys from hurting people. If that’s what you’re trying to do, you’re a hero. You’re on the team. However, if you enjoy cruelty and want to hurt people for the lulz, you’re not on the team. Actually, you’re a bad guy. You can reform and join the team, and that happens both in comics and in real life, but if you’re enjoying making people miserable, feeling good about inciting hate, and laughing at suffering, these rituals aren’t for you. This is about how good people come together to help.
Now, that doesn’t mean they all agree about everything. That’s another thing that hero stories tell us, whether ancient ones like the Iliad or modern ones like the Avengers. Good guys disagree. Heroes have arguments and sometimes want to whack each other on the side of the head, but at the end of the day they come together and face the threat together. We can disagree. We can disagree about strategy and tactics and where and when we should go and what we should prioritize, but when push comes to shove, heroes work together to save the world.
Choosing Your Role
You’re in a museum. It’s a crowded weekend afternoon, and the exhibit spaces are full of tourists and locals alike viewing the art and artifacts. Suddenly, there’s a bang. You turn around and see flames and broken glass around one of the exhibit areas. People are screaming. There’s blood on the floor, people stampeding in all directions. You see a man who seems to be holding two more Molotov cocktails. He turns and sprints into the next exhibit hall. What do you do?
A. I pull out my phone and start filming. The world needs to know what is happening here today.
B. I go after the man. Somebody’s got to take him down before he does any more harm.
C. I try to help anyone who is injured. I get kids who don’t seem to be with anyone to safety.
D. I grab the priceless art treasures nearest the flames and carry them to safety outside.
All of these are useful and good responses to the crisis. Which one you thought would best describe your reaction tells you what your natural role is in the Crisis era of saecular Winter.
If you chose A, your natural role is communicator. People can’t make good decisions without good information. People can’t form good opinions without knowing the truth.
If you chose B, your natural role is warrior. When threatened with physical danger, someone has to act physically to stop it, whether it’s a bomber, an active shooter, or a natural disaster like a flood or hurricane.
If you chose C, your natural role is helper. People are bleeding, kids are lost and screaming, and someone needs to step in to help the people who are in crisis.
If you chose D, your natural role is conservator. Your job is to preserve treasures that are bigger than the present, or to conserve information—scientific, historic, artistic—that otherwise might be destroyed.
All of these things work together. Someone grabs the painting and someone else grabs the screaming toddler and both of them run out of the building. Someone goes after the guy with the Molotov cocktails and someone films it so that there is no misinformation about what happened. No one role is more important than another. These team positions are supposed to play together harmoniously.
Your role is defined not just by your temperament, but by your position in life and your skills. For example, I am a warrior by temperament, and had the Crisis era happened thirty years ago nothing would have made me happier than to go after the guy with the Molotov cocktail, but I am fifty-something and do not have the skills to go all Die Hard. Today, my actual skills are best served by being a helper. I can get those kids out of the building, stop people from panicking, and try to help the injured. Think about the role you would realistically play based on who you are today. What would you do in the museum scenario above?
Note there is not an option E—run over everyone on your way out the door and save your skin first. You are a hero. Heroes do not behave that way. There is also not an option F—lie on the floor and scream until someone saves you. What if no one does? In a Crisis era you have to take some action, even if it’s only being responsible for your own evacuation.
Crafting a Commitment
In our society, one of the ways we symbolize a commitment is by wearing something special. Wedding rings are only one example. Medical professionals, clergy, fire and rescue, and others who have taken particular oaths often wear specific things as symbols of those oaths. These symbols serve to show others that they are committed, but there are also many symbols that are just for the person who is wearing them. For example, many people wear small or discreet symbols of their faith, while others wear headscarves or kippahs. Others wear mother’s rings with a stone for each child, prayer beads, flag pins, rainbow jewelry, or even plastic bracelets that serve as reminders of their support of certain causes. This next craft is making a bracelet that symbolizes which of the four paths you are committing to.
You will need:
three eighteen-inch strands of cord. You may use silk, cotton, leather, or any other material you like. You will need three strands of the same type in three different colors. (If you mix different materials, like leather and silk, you will find it difficult to braid evenly.) See the following color chart for ideas about what colors to get. You may use different colors or several shades of the same one. Cord in different colors is available in most craft stores or online.
beads or charms that symbolize your intentions. These may be as simple or elaborate as you like. Make sure, however, that they will fit over the cords you have chosen. You may use any material, including shells with natural holes in them, metal, wood, stone, or ceramic. (Be certain that metal ones do not have sharp edges that will cut through the cord.) You can use just one or two, or many more if you prefer. If the holes are very large, you may put them over the braided strands of the finished bracelet rather than braiding them into the weave. You may also attach charms with jewelry rings, which are readily available in craft stores. You will need a small pair of pliers to open and close the rings if you use them.
Choosing your colors
|
Communicator |
Warrior |
|
yellow |
red |
|
white |
black |
|
gold |
bronze |
|
Helper |
Conservator |
|
blue |
green |
|
purple |
brown |
|
silver |
copper |
As an example, my bracelet has three strands of leather cord: a light teal and a dark teal and a purple, symbolizing my role as a helper who also conserves the lore of the past and tells stories for the present day. There are eight beads on it, all of which are blue or silver.
Another example belonging to someone else is two strands of silk cord, one green and one brown, and one strand of copper metallic cord. This bracelet has five wooden beads in different shapes and a copper charm of a treble clef to symbolize the conservator’s vocation as a musician.
Making the bracelet
Once you’ve chosen your cords and your embellishments, tie your cords together near one end, leaving about two inches above the knot. At this point you’re going to look at this and think this is much too long—after all, it’s just got to slide over your hand! However as you begin to braid you will see how much the cord seems to shrink as the weave takes up length.
If you are putting the beads or charms on the cords, slip them on just before you snug the next piece in. If you plan to put the beads or charms on over the whole bracelet, braid it completely first.
Braid until you have a section that will not only go comfortably around your wrist, but will also slip over your hand to put it on. Some cords will give more than others, so hold the bracelet together and try slipping it on and off before you tie it. Once you have a comfortable fit, tie the free end of the braids together and cut off any cord in excess of two inches beyond the knot.
If you are slipping your beads over the full braid, put them on now. Then tie the bracelet to a comfortable fit and trim off any excess unbraided cord. You can wear the bracelet as a reminder of the course you have chosen, or you may put it on your home altar or somewhere else you will see it.
A Cycle of Rites of Dedication
In ancient times, rites were usually performed in cycles: a group of rites that together told an entire story or created an effect (for example, a journey and a return). Very rarely were rituals done in isolation, unconnected to a larger context.
A modern example of a cycle of rites is the Christian Holy Week following the season of Lent. Holy Week is a lunar festival, as many ancient festivals were, meaning that instead of occurring on a set date it differs each year depending on the moon. Easter is the culmination of Holy Week and is the first Sunday after the first full moon following Spring Equinox. Holy Week begins one week before, on Palm Sunday, which celebrates Jesus’s arrival in Jerusalem. Next is Maundy Thursday, which commemorates the Last Supper and his betrayal. The next day is Good Friday, when Christians observe Jesus’s death on the cross and burial in a tomb. Saturday is a solemn day of mourning, and Sunday, Easter, celebrates his resurrection. This is a very typical cycle of rites for the period and place in which this worship arose—in the Hellenistic world in the early Roman Empire. People would have found this cycle very familiar because it has much in common with older forms of worship. None of these rites are designed to be celebrated without the context of the full cycle. Together, they lead the worshiper through betrayal, death, descent, and return.
Thus, when we are looking at rites of dedication, particularly ones that are designed to help different people with different roles find their way in the team, the rites need to be connected. Hence, they are structurally similar and meant for a group to perform all four, not just one. Together, they create a full picture of responses to the crisis and complete the dedication of a team.
If you are solitary, you may skip the following section, as obviously you will perform only one as you are only one person. You will adapt the rite that is appropriate for you as needed to your situation.
Ancient festival dates often varied and it is not always possible for a modern group to keep to traditional dates. It’s also difficult for some groups to do too many rites close together due to childcare, work schedules, and so on. However, there are two possibilities for putting a modern cycle together: the first spreads the rites out over a full festival season, and the second condenses them into a week.56
The first creates a cycle around our secular holidays from Memorial Day to the Fourth of July, celebrations that typically focus on the United States, its history, and its future. The cycle begins with Mercury on May 15, one of the ancient festival days for the god who rules over communication.
The second rite takes place on Memorial Day, the last Monday in May, when traditionally we celebrate those who have given their lives for the United States in the past. It’s a fantastic time to continue the work of dedicating those who will protect and guide during the present crisis, honoring those who came before, and reaffirming that we continue their work through many forms of service. The second festival is Apollo’s in his role as conservator and patron of arts, science, and learning—those things we strive to preserve.
The third rite is that of Diana Nemorensis on its traditional date of June 13. If you are unable for some reason to do the rite on that date, select the full moon of June instead.
The last rite honors Mars and is on July 4. It is appropriate to dedicate soldiers and first responders on this date because it celebrates the Declaration of Independence and the principles that they are called to serve.
Thus, the cycle is as follows:
May 15: Mercury
Memorial Day: Apollo
June 13: Diana Nemorensis
July 4: Mars
If you need to condense the rites into a week to perform them at a different time of year or to do them close together, it’s recommended that you choose a week on the waxing moon with the last rite landing as close as possible to the full moon. Thus,
Wednesday: Mercury
Sunday: Apollo
Monday: Diana
Tuesday: Mars
If you are doing only one rite or feel that you need to do them at different times as events occur, there are also guidelines with each rite to help you plan.
Together these rites create a complete picture, with everyone able to find a rite that suits their role in the Crisis era. We will begin with Mercury.
Mercury
The Romans pictured Mercury as a young man often barely out of his teens, a fleet-footed youth who delivered messages faster than the wind. He was often portrayed wearing winged boots to show how fast he traveled.
It’s easy to characterize the role of communicator as simply about passing on information, and that’s true, but there is more to it than that. Today, we are swimming in a sea of information. As attention turns to fake news and deepfakes, what we need most is to know the truth. We need means of separating accusations from facts, wishful thinking from actual events, and rumors from news. One of the functions of the communicator is to tell the truth. Sometimes that’s saying things the mainstream won’t. Often it’s pointing out that something is unsubstantiated. After all, today anyone can say anything and have it go viral.
How do you tell which source to trust? How do you know whose information is real? In a crisis situation like a hurricane making landfall, having real information about storm strength, evacuation routes, and timing may make the difference between your family’s survival and you being a sad statistic. In a disaster, the rumor that a certain place is safe for evacuees when it isn’t can cost lives. Imagine this scenario—a hurricane is battering New York with high winds, blowing out windows of high-rise buildings and making furnishings into projectiles. The rumor spreads online that people are instructed to take shelter in subway stations. And then the tunnels fill with water, as they did in Superstorm Sandy. Water pours in torrents down staircases, and lights go out as power lines short. Imagine what is happening in those tunnels in the dark, cold water. That is the cost of rumor. That is the cost of misinformation.
You need the truth. Mercury is not just about information, but true information. When you dedicate yourself to Mercury, you are pledging to provide truth—whether that means only retweeting bulletins from reliable weather sources, debunking misinformation, or refusing to spread rumors.
The other side of communication is advocacy, the war of words. Rhetoric, persuasion, debate, and reasoned argument are Mercury’s gifts. Those who advocate for peaceful change are also communicators. Attorneys, nonviolent activists, writers, and other “opinion leaders” are communicators. These are powerful roles. They must be undertaken with responsibility and due concern for the very real changes they make in people’s lives. Who has custody of a child? Who has the right to live where? Who goes to jail and who goes free? Whom should people vote for? Who moves people to act or cease acting? At its zenith, the communicator has the power of Martin Luther King Jr. and commensurate responsibility.
Of course this role has a dark side: the demagogue who stirs up outrage for power and attention. Maybe they’re a radio personality with millions of listeners. Maybe they’re a blogger with dozens. Maybe they’re rich and famous. Maybe they’re you. The role of advocate, of communicator, comes with responsibility. Just as the first side of Mercury’s role is truth, the second is responsibility. Are you urging people to actions that are beneficial? That are helpful to them and to others? Or are you shirking responsibility, saying it doesn’t really matter what you say, that you’re just being ironic? It matters. Just as untruthful information can cost lives, advocacy based on hate or irresponsibility can destroy them. This rite asks Mercury to grant his gifts of truth and responsibility to those who take up the role of communicator.
This rite should be performed on May 15, one of Mercury’s traditional festival days. You will need two officiants to lead the ritual. They may be any gender, but they should be mature and thoughtful communicators.
You will need:
yellow candles (a large one for the altar and as many smaller candles as you wish—at least one for each person who is asking for Mercury’s blessing)
a means to light the candles
an incense burner and incense (lavender or rosemary is ideal)
a goblet of white wine and a libation bowl
Optional extras:
a statue or image of Mercury
a vase of mixed flowers (iris and daffodil are particularly appropriate)
a white or yellow altar cloth
symbols of the service of those who are asking for a blessing, including their (silenced) phones
The Rite
Officiant One: Swift Mercury, bringer of news, clear speaker and friend of humanity, we call upon you tonight. [Light the large yellow candle, then all of the others except one each for the people who are seeking Mercury’s blessing.]
Officiant Two: Bright messenger, help us to speak bravely, truthfully, tactfully, and at the proper time. We know that the wrong words can harm, and that we are responsible for what we say just as we are responsible for what we do. [Light the incense.]
Officiant One: If I urge a man to avenge himself and he harms the innocent, am I not also culpable?
Officiant Two: If I persuade a woman to do something that is harmful to her, am I not also culpable?
Officiant One: If I claim to speak with authority and I lie, am I not culpable?
Officiant Two: If I accuse the innocent, am I not culpable?
Officiant One: Mercury, healer of bodies, voice of truth, help us to speak with restraint so that our words are measured and reasonable.
Officiant Two: Mercury, bright star of morning, help us to speak with courage so that our words inspire others.
Officiant One: Words are power.
Officiant Two: Words are strength.
Officiant One: Words are healing.
Officiant Two: Words are truth.
Officiant One: Help us all, who dedicate our lives to communication, to speak powerfully, truthfully, and compassionately.
If the officiants are themselves on the path of communicators, they should go first and set an example of how to make the dedication. Each person who is on this path should make their dedication separately and aloud, and then light one of the yellow candles. For example, “Mercury, I am asking for your blessing on my work as a camera operator for the local news. Please help me provide accurate and helpful information to my community.” Another example: “Mercury, I am asking for your blessing on my work on political campaigns. Please help me be truthful, articulate, and work toward the greatest good for the greatest number of people.” Another example: “Mercury, I am asking for your blessing on my work as a fundraiser for an organization that fights cancer. Help me speak convincingly and compassionately so that people can benefit from the work that we do.” There are many different ways that people may be on the path of the communicator, so make sure each person has plenty of time to think about and decide what they are going to say before the ritual. This is definitely not a one-size-fits-all dedication!
When everyone who is making a dedication has had a chance to speak, officiant two steps forward.
Officiant Two: God of Bright Blessings, we thank you for your aid, now and in the years to come. [Pour a libation into the bowl.]
Officiant One: We know your power. We know the power in each impulse shooting through the ether, each fast-as-light bit of information running on your winged feet. Help us use this power wisely, for wisdom also is yours. You transform torrents of facts into useful stories. Grant us that wisdom. Help us heal our world through the power of words.
Officiant Two: Thank you. May all assembled here go forth in your clarity.
You may allow the candles and incense to burn while you share refreshments according to your tradition, or you may put them out right away. Each person who did the dedication should take their candle home with them as a reminder of their promises. The libation bowl should be emptied outside if that is possible.
Apollo
Apollo is the protector of the works of people, of civilization. Apollo preserves the things that people need to thrive, including medicine and the sciences, music and visual arts, law and architecture. These are the things that eras of crisis put at risk. Cities are destroyed, infrastructure crumbles, buildings burn with all their furniture and handicrafts and clothes and electronics and all that we hold precious. Power flickers out. Water taps give nothing but brown sludge. Food doesn’t arrive at markets, not through flooded tunnels or over destroyed bridges. Smashed musical instruments sit in the rubble of a school, torn pages of books blowing away in the wind. Apollo is the preserver of all these things, the things that humans create that make life safe, comfortable, and happy. If your role is a conservator, your patron in this work is Apollo.
“Keep Calm and Carry On” was a slogan the British used during World War II that sums up perfectly the conservator’s work. No matter what is going on in the world, the water system needs to keep working. The groceries need to be restocked as best as they can be and the store needs to be open with the registers working. Schools need to be open if they safely can be because children don’t stop growing for the four or five years of a Crisis era. People still need flu shots and dental cleanings. They still need tires for their cars and kibble for their cats. And, even in the most terrible times, people need joy. They need music and beauty and all the things that make life precious. These are not frivolous things. Art and love and joy are what lift us up, and the darker things are, the more we need to be lifted and illuminated.
The conservator’s job is to make sure that civilization endures. After all, a saecular Crisis era is a relatively short time in the history of the world. Consider the people who carefully packed ancient artifacts from the British Museum and hid them down coal mines in Wales during World War II. For them, this was the work of a lifetime. For the statues, this was four years out of the more than two thousand they have endured. And yet if they had been destroyed, what a tragedy it would have been! There will be an afterward. The conservator makes sure that precious things are still here when it’s over and preserves the ordinary, day-to-day functions of society as much as possible during the Crisis era.
This rite should be celebrated on Memorial Day, which is the last Monday in May. It is the day we remember those who have died in the service of the United States; therefore, it is an appropriate time to request Apollo’s help to continue their work of conserving the things we hold dear. It’s important that this rite be during the day rather than at night because of Apollo’s relationship with Helios, the sun.
If you are doing this rite alone, simply speak the parts for the officiant and the dedicant both.
You will need:
white candles (a large one for the altar and as many smaller candles as you wish—at least one for each person who is asking for Apollo’s blessing)
matches
an incense burner and incense (laurel or bay is preferred)
a goblet of red wine and a libation bowl
More wine (or another beverage if you prefer something nonalcoholic) for sharing
Optional extras:
a statue or image of Apollo
bay leaves or laurel leaves to dress the altar
musical instruments or instruments of craft—paintbrushes, measuring tapes, or even calculators
a white altar cloth
gold-colored anything (it is especially appropriate to use gold-colored candleholders, bowls, goblets, or any other vessels in respect to Apollo’s solar aspect)
The Rite
Choose a room where there is either little natural light or where you can draw curtains to block out outside daylight. You want to begin in near darkness. In the darkness, everyone waits silently until the officiant is ready to begin.
Officiant: [Strike a match and light the incense, then put the match out. Speak slowly and quietly.] In darkness, there is mystery. In darkness, in the bay-scented smoke of the darkest cave, Apollo speaks to Pythia. He whispers. In darkness, we wait.
Again the officiant should wait, letting the incense burn until it begins to seem like a long time, though it is probably only a minute or two. Then light the large white candle.
Officiant: Proud Helios, Apollo who returns with the dawn, light in darkness, we greet you. Grant your blessings to us this day. We come to you in a time of trouble, when so much of the knowledge of humanity is at risk, when so much of the work of our hands stands in jeopardy. God of civilization, who gives us books and paintings, mathematics and biochemistry, air-conditioning and smartphones, help us to preserve all that is valuable to us in this time of crisis. Some of us who stand here are dedicated to preserving particular parts of the gathered wisdom of humanity and the vital fabric of life. Let us join our lights with yours.
Each person who is asking for Apollo’s blessing will come forward and light one of the smaller white candles off the main candle. They will speak, in their own words, their request for help with their particular work. Some examples: “Let me be a light in the world by preserving and teaching scientific knowledge. As a high school biology teacher, I transmit important knowledge to a new generation. Help me preserve this knowledge by passing it on.” “Let me be a light in the world through my work as a volunteer docent at Local Historical House. Help me to preserve this architectural treasure and teach future generations about how our ancestors lived and thought.” “Let me be a light in the world through my work as a water treatment plant operator for Local Water and Sewer Company. Help me to make sure that our community continues to have clean, safe drinking water no matter what is going on in the world around us.” There are many more possible examples, as this is the broadest of the four categories. Let each person speak according to their own heart.
When everyone has had a chance to speak, the officiant should open the curtains or doors to other rooms and let in as much natural daylight as possible.
Officiant: Apollo, bright and penetrating light, help us to do these things that we have promised. Keep us faithful to our charges. Guide us to act with wisdom and restraint. [Pour a libation in wine.] We do your work, preserving the achievements of those who came before us and contributing to the building of the world. Help us to be a bulwark against chaos, that all that is precious may survive and come forth with us into day. We thank you.
Each of the participants, including those who did not ask for Apollo’s blessing specifically on their work, may provide thanks for whatever they wish. Some examples: “Thank you for recorded music so that everyone can enjoy it.” “Thank you for HVAC engineers and technicians so that our homes and workplaces can be warm in winter and cool in summer.” “Thank you for UPS, which delivers my packages.” “Thank you for libraries so that everyone can read books and learn.” “Thank you for injectable insulin, which keeps me alive.” “Thank you for chocolate, which brings us so much happiness.” They can be very serious or simply joyful. Remember, beauty and happiness are not frivolous. They are the reason we keep going—the promise of light at the end of the tunnel, the promise that life is not just a grim slog until you drop, exhausted and used up. We need joy. The officiant should try to steer the thanks more toward joy as people speak.
Officiant: We give thanks for the privilege of being part of this great work. [Pour more wine or another beverage into the goblet.] Wine has long been a symbol of civilization. It is the perfect melding of nature and craft, of cultivation and skill, of weather and happy accident and long experience. When we share it, we partake of something humans have enjoyed for thousands of years. We share the gift of that liminal place between Apollo and Dionysus, where reason meets emotion and science meets art. Share with us now, and give thanks.
The officiant drinks and then passes the goblet clockwise around the circle and everyone takes a sip. If there is still more in the goblet when it returns to the officiant, they may pour the rest in libation.
Officiant: We go forth, and Apollo goes with us.
You may let the candles burn while you break for a meal or other refreshments. The smaller candles should be taken home by the people who lit them as reminders of their requests.
Diana Nemorensis
Apollo has a twin sister, Diana. One of her symbols is the hound. Companion of hunters, herders, and travelers in dangerous places, the hound is the friend of humanity, perhaps its dearest friend. Anyone who has known the love of a dog knows that there is no purer love. Long ago, before people had fields and crops and cattle, dogs were our first friends. We were their pack, or they were ours—companions on the hunt. With a dog, the hunters can run down large prey: deer and boar that are too swift or too dangerous to face without a fleet and fierce companion. And when the hunt is over, the hound sleeps beside the fire of those she loves, a gentle and loving friend to children, to the elderly, and to all who are part of her pack.
The Romans had an important shrine at Lake Nemi just south of Rome that was dedicated to Diana Nemorensis. This shrine was magnificent, set on the shore of a perfectly round lake known as Diana’s Mirror. A natural remnant of an ancient volcanic caldera, it reflected the night sky in its cold, pure water. Around it the forests belonged to the shrine and were kept untouched because they belonged to Diana of the Forest, she who guards and protects humans who go into the wild. The shepherd who seeks his lambs on dangerous, broken ground has his dog beside him, and likewise the traveler who journeys far from home. The midwife called out in the middle of the night to a remote farm walks with her dog at her side, and the lost child is found by the keen nose of the hound. Today the search and rescue dog hunts for survivors of an earthquake and the service dog assists those with special needs. Diana Nemorensis is the guardian of those who help.
Usually Diana Nemorensis is depicted as a beautiful young woman—or three women to show her triple nature as the moon goddess, the huntress, and the guardian of the doors to the underworld, a role that associates her with Hecate. She was also represented by a white doe or a white hound, and Diana’s hounds could pursue the evildoer and bring them to justice. In the story of Actaeon, her hounds tore apart the man who had spied on her and her virgin attendants bathing naked. However, more often she was invoked as a protector than avenger, especially of children, young women, the elderly, and those who were helpless.
The ritual that follows is designed to ask for Diana Nemorensis’s blessing and aid upon those whose role is to help others. This rite can be performed either alone or with a group. If it is with a group, only those who have chosen the role of helper should ask for Diana’s blessing, as the role comes with responsibilities. Others in the group presumably have chosen other roles and will do the rites appropriate for them.
Before the rite, those who intend to ask for Diana’s blessing should think about exactly what their role entails and be prepared to say it at the appropriate point. The traditional date of Diana Nemorensis’s festival is June 13, but you may choose the night of any full moon. If you are doing this rite alone, simply speak the parts for the officiant and the dedicant both.
You will need:
dark blue candles (a large one for the altar and as many smaller candles as you wish—at least one for each person who is asking for Diana’s blessing)
a means to light the candles
an incense burner and incense (cedar, pine, or another forest scent is preferred)
a goblet of white wine and a libation bowl
a bowl of fresh strawberries (The wild strawberries of Lake Nemi are famous, and even today the Lake Nemi Strawberry Festival involves a procession of young girls in white dresses with red ribbons.) 57
a round mirror
Optional extras:
a statue or image of Diana
an image or statue of a dog (preferably a hound, though any dog will do)
evergreen branches of any kind (fir, pine, cedar, or even magnolia)
a white altar cloth
a dog (If you have a well-behaved dog, it is perfectly appropriate to have them at your side in this rite.)
Silver or silver-colored anything (it is especially appropriate to use silver candleholders, bowls, goblets, or any other vessels in respect to Diana’s lunar aspect)
The Rite
Set up your altar with the altar cloth and the evergreen branches if you are using them. Place the image of Diana and/or the image of a hound in the center. Place the largest blue candle in front. Cluster the other blue candles around with the incense and burner. Put the goblet of wine and the libation bowl on one side and the bowl of strawberries on the other. Place the mirror front and center so that the candlelight will reflect in its surface.
Gather quietly before the altar and turn off any nearby electric lights that will be distracting. You want a twilight level of light once the candles are lit.
Officiant: Diana Nemorensis, Lady of the Forest, protector of those who serve others, be with us tonight. [Light the largest blue candle, then all of the others except one each for the people who are seeking Diana’s blessing. Then light the incense.] We are asking for your blessing tonight upon those who do your work, who are your hands, helping others and caring for other people and for other living creatures. We are asking for your blessing on [name, name, and name]. May the first of you come forward.
The first person who is asking for Diana’s blessing comes forward and speaks directly to the goddess, as though they were introducing themselves based on the work they have already considered asking her to bless. Some examples: “I am asking for your blessing on my work as a nurse so that I may be better prepared to save lives”; “I would like your blessing on my work as a social worker so that I can better serve the children who come into my care”; and “I would like your blessing on my work as an insurance adjuster so that I can better help people who have lost their homes and possessions to fires, storms, and other disasters.” Remember, it does not have to be work they do for a living. They may also help others as a volunteer. “I am asking for your blessing on my work as a CERT volunteer in my community.” “I request your blessing in training service dogs and your blessing for the dogs I train.” Their words may be as long or as short as they wish. When they have finished, they light one of the blue candles and the officiant speaks.
Officiant: Diana Nemorensis has a lake so clear it is known as Diana’s Mirror. A full moon reflects on it so clearly that it seems the moon shines up from the bottom of the lake. Look into Diana’s Mirror. You will see her face looking up, her representative and her hands.
The person asking for the blessing leans over and looks in the mirror surrounded by candles. Of course it is their own face they see. They are Diana’s representative.
Officiant: May Her blessing be upon you.
That person steps back and the next comes to take their place. Repeat until all who seek Diana’s blessing have had their turn. This may be very emotional for the participants. If so, allow it to be. Compassion and love are often accompanied by tears and embraces. Let it be what it is. When everyone has had their turn, the officiant speaks again.
Officiant: Lady of the Forest, Diana Nemorensis, thank you for your blessings on those who serve others. Help them to guide, protect, and give hope to those in need. May your light shine through them. Thank you. [Lift the bowl of strawberries.] Let us share in the sweetness of Diana’s grace. [Pass the bowl around the circle, each person who wishes to taking a strawberry and eating it. Place the bowl back on the altar.] We go in peace, filled with your love. [Put out the central candle and the incense.]
The other candles may be allowed to burn while the group breaks for refreshments of some sort. It’s recommended that you do so to help everyone ground, though what kind of food you have is up to you. You may have a full potluck dinner, just snacks, or cakes and ale if your tradition calls for them.
After people have eaten, the smaller candles can be extinguished for the participants to take home as reminders of their dedication. The libation and any remaining strawberries should be put outside.
Mars
Just as there is a time for peace, there is a time for war. While we do not seek it—particularly not the bloody war of brother on brother that is civil war—like the Romans, we know that it comes. The fire of ekpyrosis burns in its time. Just as there is a time to lay down arms, there is a time to take them up. This ritual is for those who are literally taking up arms, who are preparing to kill if necessary, or to die in protection of the community. This is not advocacy or the war of words. This is physical combat, the role of the soldier, the person whose job it is to step into harm’s way, to take down the active shooter at the mall, to go into the burning building that may collapse, to plunge into the storm surge to get someone into a helicopter basket. This ritual is for our society’s warriors.
The Roman god of war, Mars, is usually depicted as a mature man with a beard, helmet, armor, and a long spear. He is not a beautiful and rash youth. He is old enough to understand the fearsome responsibility he undertakes, to guard the community with his strength, his blood, and if necessary his life. For the first four hundred years of the city, there was no temple to Mars within the walls of Rome. He is a god of wild places, and his animal is the wolf, that consummate pack hunter who kills as part of a team and who lives in a complex social order. Mars is the wolf. He stalks the boundaries, living beyond the pale of the civilized city that he and his band of brothers guard with their lives. Remember as well that while military service was the province solely of men among the Romans, wolves are hunters, male and female alike. The wolf pack does not exclude females, and Mars does not exclude females from his worship.
Mars was celebrated at an open-air altar outside the walls on the Campus Martius, the parade ground where military training was held and where soldiers mustered while either leaving for war or returning. As there are today, there were military ceremonies there to induct soldiers into service, to promote or award those who had distinguished themselves, and to remember those who had fallen. The complexity of those ceremonies is beyond the scope of this book, but the thrust of them is twofold: honor and valor accrue to the brave, honorable soldier, while at the same time those who shed blood are set apart. They are not the same as the ordinary citizen, and ritual is required to step into that state and return from it.
The ritual that follows is designed to hallow and bless those who take up the arms of Mars. Some will literally take up weapons as soldiers, while others will be police, first responders, volunteers, or those who put themselves in harm’s way in defense of the community. This ritual is designed for a group in which one or more people are taking this step. There is also a variation to ask for Mars’s blessing on loved ones who are not able to be present.
This rite should be performed on July 4, the day when Americans celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, our first compact and commitment to the principles of liberty. If there is a member who is a veteran or a seasoned first responder or a soldier, they should act as officiant. Otherwise, the officiant should be a mature person.
You will need:
red candles (a large one for the altar and as many smaller candles as you wish—at least one for each person who is asking for Mars’s blessing. More candles rather than fewer is better.)
a means to light the candles
an image or statue of a wolf (plus an additional one for each person asking for Mars’s blessing, preferably small enough to put in a pocket or a pendant that can be worn on a necklace)
an incense burner and incense (dragon’s blood, sandalwood, or pine is preferred)
a goblet of red wine and a libation bowl
Optional extras:
a statue or image of Mars
pieces of carnelian
a vase of red and white carnations
a red altar cloth (or red, white, and blue if appropriate)
symbols of the service those who are asking for a blessing perform—badges, medals, etc.
The Rite
Set up your altar with the altar cloth and flowers if you are using them. Place the large image of a wolf and/or the image of Mars in the center. Place the largest red candle in front and cluster around it the other candles, the pieces of carnelian, the smaller wolf images, and the incense and burner. Place the symbols of service among them if you are using them. Put the goblet of wine and the libation bowl in front of the candles and images.
Gather quietly before the altar.
Officiant: Father of Wolves, He who leads the pack, Mars of the bloody spear, warrior and defender, today we call upon you. [Light the large red candle, then all of the others except one each for the people who are seeking Mars’s blessing. Then light the incense.] We make offering to you as people have for thousands of years, to ask that you hallow our warriors who fight for us, keep them safe in their travails, and return them to us in due course of time.
Group: We ask your blessing upon [insert name(s) of those seeking the blessing].
Officiant: You enter into a Mystery belonging to the gods. You put yourselves forward as the sacrifice, your blood to be spilled if necessary. You put yourself in great peril, not just in peril of death, but of injury and pain. You will be forever changed.
If the officiant is a veteran or an experienced servant of Mars, they should talk about what this service has meant to them, how it has changed them, and what this Mystery is in their lives. If there are others in the group who also have served this way, they should also share their experiences. Needless to say, those who have not should not interject—they are not initiates of this Mystery and it is inappropriate.
Person who is noninitiate: In ancient times, those who guarded the boundaries from peril had the blessing of the community. We ask you to guard us. We ask you to remember that the service you are consecrated to is the service of home. You serve the weak, the young, the old, the vulnerable. You protect those who cannot protect themselves from whatever hazards may come, whether those hazards be natural or man-made. We are grateful to you, for you guard us.
Officiant: Do you [names] pledge yourself to the service of Mars freely and without reservation, to be the wolf pack that guards the boundaries, to serve with honor and courage, to take up the mantle of heroes of our community?
Dedicants: We so swear.
Officiant: Do you swear to act with integrity and loyalty to those who depend on you, to serve truth, justice, and all that is best in the community that loves you and sends you forth as its champion?
Dedicants: We so swear.
Each Dedicant separately: May Mars help me fulfill my vow. [Add additional vows as desired. Light one of the remaining red candles, then pour a solemn libation to Mars from the wine goblet to the libation bowl.] Take this wine in token of my blood, shed if it must be in defense of my home and those I love.
Officiant: [Wait until each person has done their vows. Take up a wolf token for each person] Mars, Mavors, Genitor, Gradivus, Quirinus, Pater, Silvanius, Ultor, bless these dedicants who take up your service, as others have since the dawn of time. Stand with them in the shield line and be with them in the watches of the night. Grant them courage, honor, judgment, and wisdom in what they do. Grant them valor and restraint. Grant them wily cleverness and brave honesty. Lead your wolves so that they may guard our community. We garland them as our champions. We send them forth with our blessings and yours. Mars, be with them. And bring them safely home when the storm is past. [Give a wolf token to each.] Take these blessed amulets as a symbol of your charge.
Dedicants: [Take the tokens with thanks.]
Officiant: Mars, Wolf-father, thank you for your attention and your blessings. Now we shall honor our champions.
Allow the incense and candles to burn while you serve a meal in honor of the dedicants. This can be a potluck, can be celebratory rather than solemn, and can include people who were not part of the rite, like children too young for the serious rite or other loved ones who are not Pagan. After the meal, the officiant should extinguish the candles and put them somewhere safe, as well as pour the libations outside on the ground. The dedicants can help with this if they wish.
Variation if the dedicants can’t be present
This variation on the rite is appropriate if the people who are being called to serve are not able to be present. For example, someone has already been deployed and is far away, or someone’s son isn’t sure about this stuff. This is asking for a blessing upon those who serve rather than being an oath-taking for them.
Set up the altar as above, only add photographs of those whom you seek Mars’s blessing upon.
Officiant: Father of Wolves, He who leads the pack, Mars of the bloody spear, warrior and defender, today we call upon you. [Light the large red candle, then all of the others except one each for the people who are seeking Mars’s blessing. Then light the incense.] We make offering to you as people have for thousands of years, to ask that you hallow our warriors who fight for us, keep them safe in their travails, and return them to us in due course of time. We ask for your blessings upon [insert names], that they may know your protection and may serve with valor and honor. As I name each person again, would someone who asks for blessing on their behalf come forth? [Say the dedicant’s first name.]
Person representing that person: [Light a red candle on their behalf.] Mars, Father of Wolves, please keep [name] safe, and help them do their duty with honor, compassion, and courage. [Add whatever additional prayer you wish, and then pour a libation in wine on behalf of the person.]
Officiant: [When they have finished, select one of the wolf tokens and give it to them.] May this token symbolize the blessing of Mars, Father of Wolves, and his protection upon [name].
This repeats until all the people who seek blessings have had their turn.
Officiant: Mars, Mavors, Genitor, Gradivus, Quirinus, Pater, Silvanius, Ultor, bless these who take up your service, as others have since the dawn of time. Stand with them in the shield line and be with them in the watches of the night. Grant them courage, honor, judgment, and wisdom in what they do. Grant them valor and restraint. Grant them wily cleverness and brave honesty. Lead your wolves so that they may guard our community. We garland them as our champions. We send them forth with our blessings and yours. Mars, be with them. And bring them safely home when the storm is past.
Break now for a meal together. It may be a potluck or more elaborate as you like. Allow the candles and incense to burn until the meal is ending. The persons who asked for blessings on behalf of others should take the candles, their photographs, and the wolf tokens home for them. If the people who asked for the blessing think it’s appropriate, they may send the wolf tokens to the people they were hallowed for. The other candles should be put away safely. The libation should be poured outside.
These rites may be very emotional, and they should be. This is about sending forth our champions to guard the community, knowing that their danger is real and that they are standing in harm’s way on our behalf. This is profound. It should be deeply emotional. Don’t be upset or ashamed if it is. Embrace it. That is what this is.
The Team Gathers
As the storm deepens, we each play our part. We each serve one another, stick together, are brave and work hard, and live our values. We were born for this, and we can do it, just as millions have before us. We are not feeble creatures. We were born to face the storms.