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R itual is the ceremonial aspect of your practice. The time when you pull everything together and present your desires along with your honor and reverence to the deities you choose to work with in a special rite designed for a specific occasion, circumstance, or event. While ritual is often serious, it can also be lighthearted and fun, as long as it is done with respect for yourself, others, and your deities.

This section will be broken down into three different (yet similar) rituals. The first is an Ostara ritual for solitary practitioners. The second is an Ostara ritual for groups such as covens, or larger public groups, while the third Ostara ritual is written for two people.

Ostara Ritual for a Solitaire

Purpose:

To invoke the favor of the four elements and the God and the Goddess to ask them to help you restore balance in your life.

Setting:

Outside—if the weather is uncomfortable enough that it will be a distraction or in some way harm or damage the ritual or yourself, then find a location indoors to perform it.

Supplies:

Altar decorated with representations of earth, air, water, fire, the God, and the Goddess.

Pre-Ritual Preparations:

Set up your altar, being sure to include representations of the four elements—earth, air, water, and fire—along with representations of the God and Goddess. Your representations of the elements should be as close to the actual element as possible. For example, for water, use water. You can make special moon water to use in your rituals by leaving water out all night under the full moon in a clear glass container. Earth should be something such as dirt, salt, or sand. Burning incense is perfect for air. If you have issues with incense scents or the smoke, you can also waft a feather through the air. Fire should be fire—this can take the form of a candle or even a small torch. Your representations of the God and the Goddess can be statues, pictures, or even candles: silver for the Goddess, gold for the God.

Use any of the crafts you created along with some of the other ideas to decorate your altar and give it a pleasing appearance. Remember, this is where you come to honor your deities. Spend some time making their altar look nice for them as well as for yourself. Show that it really does matter to you. Be sure to also include an offering or two from those listed in the previous chapter.

The Ritual:

Begin by casting your circle. Then call in the elements as follows:

Start with the east and hold your representation of the air in your hands as you face east and say:

Sacred air, blessed by the Goddess

and watchtowers of the east,

join with me tonight,

on this sacred day

of equal day

and equal night.

Move to the south and hold your representation of fire in your hands and facing south, say:

Sacred fire, blessed by the Goddess

and watchtowers of the south,

join with me tonight,

on this sacred day

of equal day

and equal night.

Move to the west and hold your representation of water in your hands and facing west, say:

Sacred water, blessed by the Goddess

and watchtowers of the west,

join with me tonight,

on this sacred day

of equal day

and equal night.

Move to the north and hold your representation of the earth in your hands and facing north, say:

Sacred earth, blessed by the Goddess

and watchtowers of the north,

join with me tonight,

on this sacred day

of equal day

and equal night.

Next invite the Goddess to join you. Hold your representation of the Goddess in the air, or light a candle for her, and say:

Maiden Goddess, soon to be Mother, known by many names,

I invoke your presence today, on this day of balance,

of equal day and equal night,

on this day of beginnings,

to join with me in celebration and rejoicing of the conception

of the son, the sun child who will grow stronger each day
until his birth at Yule.

Goddess of the earth, Goddess of all living things,
Goddess of the spring,

join with me now.

Then invite the God. Hold your representation of him in the air, or light a candle for him, and say:

Robust Lord, soon to be Father, known by many names,

I invoke your presence today, on this day of balance,

of equal day and equal night,

on this day of beginnings,

to join with me in celebration and rejoicing of the conception

of the son, your son, who shall become you upon Yule,
his day of birth.

God of the earth, God of all living things, God of spring,

join with me now.

Take a moment to center yourself before continuing, then when ready, say:

Today is the day of the Vernal Equinox.

It is the day the earth awakens, with streams flowing once again.

The sap courses through trees,
bearing the announcement of new life.

Snow melts away, the grass begins its greening,

and soon flowers shall be fragrant on the breeze.

The earth has come alive once more.

Today is a day of balance and a day of new beginnings.

The light and the dark are in balance.

Today brings the dawning of a new spring.

While every ending brings a new beginning,
every new beginning will also have an end.

Today the earth begins to awaken from its slumber
and a new year of growth begins.

Today brings the dawning of a new spring,
of a new year, of a new life.
The earth sets in motion the process of growing, changing,
thriving, changing again, and eventually dying.
But for today, it brings the dawning of a new spring.

As the earth begins its cycle of new life,
so must I begin a cycle of new life.

As the earth sits in balance with the sun and the moon,
with the day and the night,

so must I sit in balance with the world, with my environment,
with my deities, and within my own self.

Each part of my life—spirit, mind, body, and soul—
must obtain balance, so that it does not outweigh any other area,
so that all have equal roles to play in my life.

As I perform this meditation, I ask for guidance and direction,

and for you to point out any areas that need my special attention in
righting them in order to achieve the balance I so desire.

At this time, perform the “Meditation for Evaluating Balance in Your Life” found in the previous chapter. Ensure that any candles that are lit will be safe while doing the meditation. When completed, take a few moments to collect your thoughts and then continue on with the following:

I know my life must have some changes made
in order for me to bring it into balance as it should be.
The areas in my life that are out of balance include:

(List in your head what you learned is out of balance from your meditation.)

In order to restore this balance,

this spring I have new beginnings I want to make,

and I ask my Lord and Lady to guide me on my way.

Take time to think about the new beginnings you want. You may write them down if you want or just make a mental list, but make sure you remember them all, as you will need to recall them. Once you have your list ready, go ahead and continue.

The new beginnings I prepare for and commit to are:

Read or recite your list.

These changes are needed and wanted to restore
full balance to me and my life.

I ask for strength and guidance as I travel the road
laid out before me.

Changes are not always easy, but they can lead to bigger
and better circumstances,

so I will work hard to make these changes a part
of my everyday life to ensure

balance is achieved and remains a constant in my life.

New beginnings may be difficult,
but I have the strength to see it through.

The strength from the old year continues on
and enters into the new year.

I will make a practice of meditating on what the future holds for me.

I will begin that practice right now, in this time and in this space.

Perform the “New Beginnings Meditation” from the previous chapter here. When you are done, take a few moments to gather your thoughts before continuing with the following:

While my path may not always be clear,
and at times my future may seem cloudy,

I will continue down the road I know I am supposed to follow.

I will work hard to obtain and accomplish my goals,

and I will continue to set my sights higher and higher,

never backing down or giving up.

If I should slip and fall,

I will pick myself back up and continue where I left off.

I will not let setbacks get me down or dissuade me
from moving forward on my path.

I will continue to fight for what I need to

and battle my inner and outer challenges when they try
to stop me or slow me down.

I will not listen to the negativity of those around me.

I will surround myself with those who are willing to
support me and stand up for me.

I will surround myself with those who feel the same way

and who are willing to work to achieve their goals
in the same manner.

I will support those who support me.

I will help those in need and support them on their journey as well.

The springtime is the time to plant the seeds,

and these seeds I plant within me.

The springtime is the time for hope.

It is the time for desire.

It is the time for new ideas and inspiration.

I will walk hand in hand with the Lord and the Lady
to follow my path,

one on each side of me.

I will follow their guidance with grace and pleasure.

I will let go of the darkness of the past and realize that uncertainty is not always my enemy, but may indeed be my friend.

May the coming light illuminate the path
that has been set out before me.

I will hold faith close to me and shelter it in my arms.

To the Lord and the Lady I present these offerings.

Lift offerings into the air and state what they are.

These gifts I give to honor the love and devotion I wish to express

and to thank the Lord and the Lady
for their guidance, love, and support.

I honor thee with these gifts.

Place the offerings back on the altar.

The time for changes is now, and I have made
my commitment to make them in my life.

Hold the representation of the God and say:

To my Lord, I thank you for your presence and your love.

In my devotion I bid you farewell.

Depart from me at your will.

If your representation is a candle, blow it out now.

Hold the representation of the Goddess, and say:

To my Lady, I thank you for your presence and your love.

In my devotion I bid you farewell.

Depart from me at your will.

If your representation is a candle, blow it out now.

Turn to the east, and say:

Watchtower of the east,

blessed air,

that which keeps us all alive,

depart from me at your will.

Turn to the east, and say:

Watchtower of the south,

blessed fire,

that which brings heat to us all,

depart from me at your will.

Turn to the west, and say:

Watchtower of the west,

blessed water,

source of life,

in my devotion I bid you farewell.

Depart from me at your will.

Turn to the north, and say:

Watchtower of the north,

blessed earth,

home of where all seeds grow,

depart from me now at your will.

The circle shall be open but unbroken.

Ostara Ritual for a Coven or Other Large Group

This ritual is different from the previous ritual because of the simple fact there are more participants. When groups put on rituals, people do not want to stand around and listen to one or two people talk or drone on in a monotone voice. That is a sermon, not a participatory ritual, and it wouldn’t do much to get people excited about the sabbat. Though this ritual will have the same themes as the solitaire’s ritual and some of the same aspects, it will be presented in a different manner. A manner in which people can take on an active role instead of a passive one listening to other people do all the talking.

One of the joys of larger group rituals is you don’t have to do everything yourself. Tasks for preparation, the ritual itself, and cleanup can all be delegated to different people.

Purpose:

To invoke the favor of the four elements and the God and the Goddess to ask them to help each person restore balance in their life.

Setting:

Outside—if the weather is uncomfortable enough that it will be a distraction or in some way harm or damage the ritual or yourself, then find a location indoors to perform it.

Supplies:

Three altars decorated with representations of earth, air, water, fire, the God, and the Goddess.

Pre-Ritual Preparations:

To begin, you will need three separate altars. Space them out as much as you can. If you are in a small location, you may have to have them pretty close together, but at least try to put them at different directions if possible. If you are able to hold this ritual outside, make good use of the space you have and spread them out as much as you can.

Your first altar is your elements and deities altar. It should include representations of the elements and the deities your group will be working with. The representations of the elements should be as close to the actual element as possible. For example, for water, use water. You can make special moon water to use in your rituals by leaving water out all night under the full moon in a clear glass container. Earth should be something such as dirt, salt, or sand. Burning incense is perfect for air. If people have issues with incense scents or the smoke, you can also waft a feather through the air. Fire should be fire—this can take the form of a candle or even a small torch. The representations of the God and the Goddess can be statues, pictures, or even candles: gold for the God and silver for the Goddess.

Each member of the coven should be responsible for some type of decoration. Use any of the crafts from this book along with some of the other ideas to decorate the altar and give it a pleasing appearance. This is where your group comes to honor their deities. Spend some time making the altar look nice for the deities as well as for your group. Show that it really does matter to you. Be sure to also include an offering or two from those listed in the previous chapter. This could be a job for another person as well.

Your second altar will be your altar of balance. This altar should show that everything has its opposite and this is what brings balance to the universe. For example, a picture or statuary that contains a moon and a sun or the type of scale that you put weights on one side and the item you are weighing on the other would both work. This altar should have one or two people to oversee it and to conduct the working that will take place here.

The third altar is your altar of new beginnings. This altar should include representations of the concept of new beginnings. Certain Ostara decorations lend themselves to this concept, such as eggs or baby animals like chicks and bunnies. You could also include lists of new beginnings the group members would like to make. Have members make the lists beforehand on pretty, decorative paper. Vision boards would also be a great addition and should be prepared beforehand as well. You can either give members advance warning to bring these items, or hold workshops before your ritual to actually create the items that same day. This altar should have one or two people to oversee it and to conduct the working that will take place here.

The Ritual:

When performing a group ritual, you need to have a way to purify each of the participants before they enter the sacred space. The number of people you have will dictate how you do this. For smaller groups, you can either smudge or anoint each person with a purifying oil right before they enter the sacred space. However, if you are hosting a large, public ritual it’s not really realistic to smudge sixty people. Instead, you could use fireproof containers, such as cauldrons, to burn sage in on either side of the entrance. This way each participant will walk right through the smoke. In place of sage, you can also put charcoal tablets into the cauldrons and drip several drops of oil onto them as people pass through the smoke. To do this, you may have to have someone stand at each cauldron and add a few more drops each time the smoke begins to disappear.

Once everyone has entered the sacred space, you will want to cast a circle around the group. This is usually done by the high priest, high priestess, or both. If your group doesn’t use a system of hierarchy, then anyone may cast the circle.

Next you will call in the elements. A different person should call in each element.

Start with the person calling in air. The person to the east should take the representation of air and hold it in his/her hands high for everyone to see, then ask everyone to face east with him/her. When he/she is ready, the person should say:

Sacred air, blessed by the Goddess

and watchtowers of the east,

join with us tonight

on this sacred day

of equal day

and equal night.

Next, the person to the south should take the representation of fire and hold it in his/her hands high for everyone to see, then ask everyone to face south with him/her. When he/she is ready, the person should say:

Sacred fire, blessed by the Goddess

and watchtowers of the south,

join with us tonight

on this sacred day

of equal day

and equal night.

Next, the person to the west should take the representation of water and hold it in his/her hands high for everyone to see, then ask everyone to face west with him/her. When he/she is ready, the person should say:

Sacred water, blessed by the Goddess

and watchtowers of the west,

join with us tonight

on this sacred day

of equal day

and equal night.

Next, the person to the north should take the representation of earth and hold it in his/her hands high for everyone to see, then ask everyone to face north with him/her. When he/she is ready, the person should say:

Sacred earth, blessed by the Goddess

and watchtowers of the north,

join with us tonight

on this sacred day

of equal day

and equal night.

Next, invite the Goddess to join your group. This is also usually done by a high priestess or high priest, but it doesn’t have to be. This person should hold the representation of the Goddess in the air, or light a candle for her, and say:

Maiden Goddess, soon to be Mother, known by many names,

we invoke your presence today, on this day of balance,

of equal day and equal night,

on this day of beginnings,

to join with us in celebration and rejoicing of the conception

of the son, the sun child who will grow stronger
each day until his birth at Yule.

Goddess of the earth, Goddess of all living things,
Goddess of the spring,

join with us now.

Last invite the God. Again often done by the high priest or high priestess, but whoever does so should hold the representation of the God in the air, or light a candle for him, and say:

Robust Lord, soon to be Father, known by many names,

we invoke your presence today, on this day of balance,

of equal day and equal night,

on this day of beginnings,

to join with us in celebration and rejoicing of the conception

of the son, your son, who shall become you upon Yule,
his day of birth.

God of the earth, God of all living things, God of spring,

join with us now.

If you have a high priest or high priestess, one of them should take over right now, otherwise, someone else can take the lead for this part. This person should be sure to walk around and be animated while saying the following:

Today is the day of the Vernal Equinox.

It is the day the earth awakens, with streams flowing once again.

The sap courses through trees,
bearing the announcement of new life.

Snow melts away, the grass begins its greening,

and soon flowers shall be fragrant on the breeze.

The earth has come alive once more.

Today is a day of balance and a day of new beginnings.

The light and the dark are in balance.

Today brings the dawning of a new spring.

As the earth begins its cycle of new life,
so must we begin a cycle of new life as well.

As the earth sits in balance with the sun and the moon,
with the day and the night,

so must we sit in balance with the world, with our environment,
with our deities, and within our own selves.

At this point, the person(s) who are overseeing the balance altar should take over and say:

Each part of our lives—spirit, mind, body, and soul—
must obtain balance, so that one does not outweigh any other area, so that all have equal roles to play in our lives.

Take time now to come forward to this altar

and gaze upon the symbols of balance.

Meditate briefly on what is out of balance in your life.

The overseers should continue inviting people to step forward to the altar. As they come forward, the overseers ask them questions such as “What is out of balance in your life?” or “What areas of your life are taking over and what areas are you lacking in?” The number of people you are working with will dictate how long this will take. Most people will only remain a few minutes and several people will be able to gather around the altar at one time.

Once everyone has had a chance to approach the altar, the overseer should close the altar down with:

Some changes must be made in order for us to bring our lives into balance as it should be.

In order to restore this balance,

this spring we have new beginnings we want to make,

and we ask our Lord and Lady to guide us on our way.

At this time, those overseeing the new beginnings altar should take over and say:

New beginnings are needed to make necessary changes in our lives.

Take time now to come forward to this altar

and gaze upon the symbols of new beginnings.

Meditate briefly on what new beginnings you need in your life.

The overseers should continue inviting people to come forward to the altar and ask questions such as “What new beginnings do you have planned?” and “What changes do you want to make in your life?” After everyone has had a chance to come forward to the altar, it should be closed down by saying:

These changes brought forward in the minds of our people today
are needed and wanted to restore full balance to our lives.

We ask for strength and guidance as we travel the road
laid out before us.

Changes are not always easy, but can lead to bigger
and better circumstances,

so we will work hard to make these changes a part
of our everyday lives to ensure

balance is achieved and remains a constant in our lives

The ritual leader should again take control and say:

New beginnings may be difficult,
but we have the strength to see it through.

The strength from the old year continues on,
and enters into the new year.

While our path may not always be clear,
and at times our my future may seem cloudy,

we will continue down the road we know we are supposed to follow.

We will work hard to obtain and accomplish our goals

and always continue to set our sights higher and higher,

never backing down or giving up.

The springtime is the time to plant the seeds,

and these seeds we plant within ourselves.

The springtime is the time for hope.

It is the time for desire.

It is the time for new ideas and inspiration.

We will walk hand in hand with the Lord and the Lady
to follow our paths,

and we will follow their guidance with grace and pleasure.

To the Lord and the Lady we present these offerings.

Lift offerings into the air and state what they are.

These gifts we give to honor the love and devotion we wish to express

and to thank the Lord and the Lady
for their guidance, love, and support.

We honor thee with these gifts.

Place the offerings back on the altar.

The time for changes is now, and we have made our
commitments to make them in our life.

The leader will hold the representation of the God and say:

To our Lord, we thank you for your presence and your love.

In our devotion we bid you farewell.

Depart from us at your will.

If the representation is a candle, it can now be blown out.

The leader will hold the representation of the Goddess and say:

To our Lady, we thank you for your presence and your love.

In our devotion we bid you farewell.

Depart from us at your will.

If the representation is a candle, it can be blown out now.

The person at the east should instruct everyone to face east as he or she says:

Watchtower of the east,

blessed air,

that which keeps us all alive,

depart from us at your will.

The person at the south should instruct everyone to face the south as he or she says:

Watchtower of the south,

blessed fire,

that which brings heat to us all,

depart from us at your will.

The person at the west should instruct everyone to face the west as he or she says:

Watchtower of the west,

blessed water,

source of life,

in our devotion we bid you farewell.

Depart from us at your will.

The person at the north should instruct everyone to face the north as he or she says:

Watchtower of the north,

blessed earth,

home of where all seeds grow,

depart from us at your will.

Everyone performing the ritual should end with:

The circle shall be open but unbroken.

Ostara Ritual for Two People

This ritual is designed for just two people to complete. These can be any two people, it does not have to be a male and a female. This ritual may be performed by spouses, friends, siblings, even a parent with a child.

Because this ritual has a lot to do with balance, you will be sharing the responsibilities for performing the actual ritual. You should also share in the preparation of the ritual. For this ritual, you will set up your altar just the same as if you were performing it as a solitaire.

Purpose:

To invoke the favor of the four elements and the God and the Goddess to ask them to help each person restore balance in their life.

Setting:

Outside—if the weather is uncomfortable enough that it will be a distraction or in some way harm or damage the ritual or yourself, then find a location indoors to perform it.

Supplies:

An altar decorated with representations of earth, air, water, fire, the God, and the Goddess.

Pre-Ritual Preparations:

Set up the altar being sure to include representations of the four elements—earth, air, water, and fire—along with representations of the God and the Goddess. The representations of the elements should be as close to the actual element as possible. For example, for water, use water. Special moon water can be made to use in your rituals by leaving water out all night under the full moon in a clear glass container. Earth should be something such as dirt, salt, or sand. Burning incense is perfect for air. If anyone has issues with incense scents or the smoke, you can also waft a feather through the air. Fire should be fire—this can take the form of a candle or even a small torch. The representations of the God and the Goddess can be statues, pictures, or even candles: gold for the God and silver for the Goddess.

Use any of the crafts you created along with some of the other ideas to decorate your altar and give it a pleasing appearance. Each participate should make at least one decoration for the altar. Remember this is where you come to honor your deities. Spend some time making their altar looks nice for them as well as yourself. Show that it really does matter to you. Be sure to also include an offering or two from those listed in the previous chapter.

The Ritual:

Begin by casting your circle. Then, call in the elements as follows:

Start with your representation of air. One person should hold it in his/her hands and as you are both facing east say:

Sacred air, blessed by the Goddess

and watchtowers of the east,

join with us tonight

on this sacred day

of equal day

and equal night.

The second person should move to the south and hold the representation of fire in his or her hands and as you both face south say:

Sacred fire, blessed by the Goddess

and watchtowers of the south,

join with us tonight

on this sacred day

of equal day

and equal night.

The first person should now move to the west and hold the representation of water in his or her hands and as you both face west say:

Sacred water, blessed by the Goddess

and watchtowers of the west,

join with us tonight

on this sacred day

of equal day

and equal night.

The other person should go to the north and hold the representation of the earth in his or her hands as you both face north and say:

Sacred earth, blessed by the Goddess

and watchtowers of the north,

join with us tonight

on this sacred day

of equal day

and equal night.

Next invite the Goddess to join you, if one person is female, she should hold the representation of the Goddess in the air or light a candle for her, and say:

Maiden Goddess, soon to be Mother, known by many names,

we invoke your presence today, on this day of balance,

of equal day and equal night,

on this day of beginnings,

to join with us in celebration.

Goddess of the earth, Goddess of all living things,
Goddess of the spring,

join with us now.

Then invite the God. If one of the participants is a male, he should hold the representation of the God in the air or light a candle for him, and say:

Robust Lord, soon to be Father, known by many names,

we invoke your presence today, on this day of balance,

of equal day and equal night,

on this day of beginnings,

to join with us in celebration.

God of the earth, God of all living things, God of spring,

join with me now.

Whoever spoke last should allow the other to speak next. Take turns through these next lines to keep the balance between the two of you:

Today is the day of the Vernal Equinox.

It is the day the earth awakens, with streams flowing once again.

The sap courses through trees, bearing the announcement
of new life.

Snow melts away, the grass begins its greening,

and soon flowers shall be fragrant on the breeze.

The earth has come alive once more.

Today is a day of balance and a day of new beginnings.

Today brings the dawning of a new spring.

The light and the dark are in balance.

All existence comes together in balance.

At this point the two of you should turn and face each other, holding both hands.

Using the list on the next page as a starting point, you will take turns stating a concept. The other person will respond with its opposite or its counterpart and then give the next concept on the list. The first person will respond with that concept’s opposite and go on to the next word. This will continue back and forth. Each time you come up with a word or concept, your partner will balance it out with the opposite. When you get through the list, come up with more words on your own, and see how many pairs you can come up with.

dark

yin

day

active

peace

love

wet

noon

slow

white

lost

male

here

life

protect

stop

left

up

end

over

perfect

friend

thick

pain

soft

easy

last

open

These will give you a jumping point to move on to other concepts. Feel free to jump around or simply use ones that you come up with instead. When you can’t think of any more, you may release hands on move on with the ritual.

At this time, you may perform the “Meditation for Evaluating Balance in Your Life” from the previous chapter. When you are done, you will take turns as you continue on. The first person will pose the following question to the other who will then answer it (either out loud or silently to him/herself) and then will ask the same question of the first person. Take your time thinking about your answers and actually answering the question. Do not feel rushed and do not rush the other person. You may even want to sit during this time to allow for a more meditative state of mind while giving these questions some deep thought. If you are comfortable enough with the other person, you may want to sit while facing each other and holding hands. The first person will say:

On this day of balance, take a moment to think—

a moment to reflect on your life.

Is your life in balance, and if not, what do you need to change in order to make it so?

The second person should answer. You will know when the other person is finished if they are answering silently as they will then repeat the question for you to answer. When the first person is done answering the first question, they may move on to this next one.

Spring is the time of new beginnings, of new life.

As the flowers burst through the ground,

and the buds burst into leaves and flowers,

new life surrounds us all.

What do you need to plant to bring new growth into your life?

This question is done the same as the previous one, the second person may answer out loud or silently and when finished answering, ask the first person the same question. When the first person is done answering, he/she will move the ritual on.

At this time you will each again take turns with the first person starting.

We have brought forth our desires, our needs,
to bring balance and new growth into our lives.

Whether that growth be spiritual, emotional, mental, or physical, we ask for the blessings of our lord and lady.

We ask for strength and courage when needed.

We ask for empathy and compassion when needed.

Help us to see the path set before us.

Help to light our way.

Say the following together:

To the Lord and the Lady we present these offerings.

Lift offerings into the air and state what they are.

These gifts we give to honor the love and devotion we wish
to express and to thank the Lord and the Lady
for their guidance, love, and support.

We honor thee with these gifts.

Place the offerings back on the altar.

Begin to close your ritual down. If a male is present, he should hold the representation of the God and say:

To my Lord, we thank you for your presence and your love.

In our devotion we bid you farewell.

Depart from us at your will.

If the representation is a candle, blow it out now.

If a female is present she should hold the representation of the Goddess and say:

To my Lady, we thank you for your presence and your love.

In our devotion we bid you farewell.

Depart from us at your will.

If the representation is a candle, blow it out now.

Both turn and face west while one says:

Watchtower of the west,

blessed water,

source of life,

in our devotion we bid you farewell.

Depart from us at your will.

Both turn and face north while the other one says:

Watchtower of the north,

blessed earth,

home of where all seeds grow,

depart from us at your will.

Both turn and face the east with the first one saying:

Watchtower of the east,

blessed air,

that which keeps us all alive,

depart from us at your will.

Both turn to face the south and the second person says:

Watchtower of the south,

blessed fire,

that which brings heat to us all,

depart from us at your will.

Both say together:

The circle shall be open but remain unbroken.

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