Tenth Lunation: Waxing Moon Cycle
Days 1–15
Day of Silence
A day of silence is a great way to learn important life lessons. One of the most important is in allowing life to live itself out through you. You read that right. As much as the New Age teachers would like you to believe otherwise, you are not in control of the whole universe. Seasons come and go, no matter what we think of them. Rain and snow come, despite our protests. Children are born and people die, no matter how much magic we throw at some situations.
Knowing our place in the vastness of time and space, knowing that we cannot control the stars or the ultimate fate of human lives, is a good starting place. But if we narrow our view a bit to see our own lives, we can see that we’re not in charge of a lot that happens. We’re not in charge of how other people feel. And many times, we aren’t even in charge of how we feel. We aren’t in charge of the events that occur in our day. We can’t change the rising and setting of the sun or the turning of the seasons. We can’t control if someone leaves us, or if someone enters our life. It’s all just happening on its own. Life is simply playing itself out.
We have no choice but to be part of it, to put forth our best effort, to intend goodness. After all, what is the alternative? Fighting against life? Bringing anger and discord to an already fragile species, with immensely sensitive nervous systems, living in a fragile ecosystem? What would be the point of that, except to express anger for the way things are?
Anger does not result in changing life, in changing people, in changing the conditions of our existence. Living within the vastness of it all, acting on whatever needs action, not “losing” or “winning,” not giving up but also not forcing our specific effect on the world—that’s how we can live magically and powerfully. This is the important magical practice of allowing the flow of life and not impeding it.
For today’s silent practice, watch yourself to see how frequently you try to fight against the flow of life. Did someone cut you off on the freeway? Did your spouse forget to clean up the dishes? Did your dog just make howdy-doodie on the carpet? If so, watch your responses. Do you act, doing whatever is needed? Or do you go beyond immediate action and protest life’s occurrences? Does your protest serve you? To what ultimate end?
Imbolc Revised
Magical Purpose: Reimagining this celebration.
In the last days of the ninth lunation, we looked at the basic traditional Imbolc ritual and considered it in light of the standard mythic stages. For the next couple of days, reimagine the Imbolc ceremony, keeping in mind all of the mythic stages.
• What does the ordinary world look like?
• How do we know there is a departure?
• What will the crossing of the threshold look like?
• What is the ordeal at Imbolc?
• What is the boon, treasure, or healing that can take place as a result of the rite (representing the return)?
While you are thinking about these questions and planning the mystery play, consider adding the following short list of themes and magical elements that Witches typically incorporate into their Imbolc celebrations:
Themes/Symbols: Candles, torches, lights, wreath crowns, the Maiden, birth/rebirth, first signs of life, promise of spring, holy wells, pilgrimages, the goddess Brigid, corn dollies, youth, innocence, suckling, nourishing after a long period of hunger, blessings of animals, the protection of home, hearth fires, divination, breasts, women’s mysteries, the God aspect is frequently conspicuously missing
Colors: White, red, gold, green
Herbs: Angelica, basil, bay, benzoin, celandine, heather, myrrh
Spring Equinox
Magical Purpose: Reimagining this sabbat.
Our purpose over the next days is to look at the traditional Spring Equinox mystery play and consider how this may be revised, based on mythic stages. Here then is the Spring Equinox mystery play.
Spring Equinox Mystery Play
After the circle is cast, strew flower petals around the circle, especially at each quarter, starting and ending in the east of the circle.
The priest/ess stands in the east over a cauldron (or a very deep fire-retardant cast-iron pot set before him/her). Light a fire in the cauldron. For indoor spaces, use a fuel such as denatured alcohol, or simply light four candles set deep in the pot. If lighting candles, choose four that represent the magical elements: yellow for air, red for fire, blue for water, and green for earth.
The priest/ess takes the wand in one hand and a flower in the other. He/she holds both above the flames and invokes:
We light the fire this holy day,
Before the queens and kings of fey,
Without a care within the heart,
We summon forth the Highest Art.
The coven members pass by the priest/ess. He/she dips a flower into the blessed water/salt and sprinkles each member with the water from the flower. The priest/ess takes seeds in his/her hand and holds these above the flames. With the other hand he/she holds the wand over the seeds. The priest/ess continues reading:
We invoke thee, light of life,
With wand aloft and Witches’ knife,
Be a flame, descend we pray,
By light, by life, by Holy May,
Be a guiding star above,
Kindle now the might of love,
To a foe and to a friend,
We pray thee now, O light descend,
Bless the seed and bless the earth,
Blessed be the spring’s rebirth!
The priest/ess then draws an invoking earth pentagram over the seeds. The coven members file past the priest/ess and say aloud a wish, a feeling, or a quality they would like to see come to fruition between this and the next season. They carry with them small cups of earth. As they state what they wish, the priest/ess hands each coven member a seed. The coven members then plant the seeds in the soil.
After all the seeds are planted, the coven members dance deosil, raising the cone of power, finally directing the power into their seeds/wishes.
Before cakes and wine, the coven members should leap over the cauldron “bonfire” (carefully). After the last person has leapt over the fire, the priest/ess extinguishes it quickly.
Today, journal about the following questions:
• Which phases of the ritual were aligned with the mythic phases of the ordinary world, the departure, crossing the threshold, the ordeal, and the return?
• Were any of the stages missing for you? Which ones?
Spring Equinox Revised
Magical Purpose: Reimagining this sabbat.
Based on your ideas, reimagine and revise the Spring Equinox ceremony, keeping in mind all of the mythic stages.
• What does the ordinary world look like?
• How do we know there is a departure?
• What will the crossing of the threshold look like?
• What is the ordeal at Spring Equinox?
• What is the boon, treasure, or healing that can take place as a result of the rite (representing the return)?
While you are thinking about these questions and planning the mystery play, consider adding the following short list of themes and magical elements that Witches typically incorporate into their Spring Equinox celebrations:
Themes/Symbols: Bonfires, the sun, planting, sewing, wishing, renewal, freshness, beauty of the earth, promise of bounty, the goddess Ostara, eggs (and dyeing them bright spring colors), hares, baby animals, dawn, the element of air, joy, blessing, the “resurrection” of the daylight, wearing of white, sword dances, baking and cakes, the Norse goddess Freyja, balance between light and darkness (with an emphasis on the light aspects)
Colors: White, pink, yellow, all soft floral colors
Herbs: Cinquefoil, dogwood, honeysuckle, iris, jasmine, rose, all seeds, tansy, violet
Beltane
Magical Purpose: Reimagining this sabbat.
Our purpose over the next days is to look at the traditional Beltane mystery play and rewrite it based on the mythic stages. Here then is the Beltane mystery play.
Beltane Mystery Play
After the circle is cast, all coven members dance around the circle deosil, astride poles, brooms, pitchforks, etc. Start and end in the east. After the last dancer comes to the east, all members hold hands and dance a spiral dance toward the center of the circle. Everyone should hold hands and spiral inward while facing the outside of the circle. When they spiral back from the center, they will be facing inward. While spiraling inward, chant:
Oh do not tell the priests of our arts
For they would call it sin,
But we will be in the woods all night
A-conjuring summer in.
And we bring good news by word of mouth,
For women, cattle, and corn,
For the sun is rising up from the south,
With oak and ash and thorn.
As coven members spiral back out from the center, they will be facing one another. As they pass, they kiss one another. Thus the dance must proceed slowly after it spirals out from the center.
Once the spiral dance has been completed, all coven members take two poppet figures (typically one male and one female poppet, but it can be male/male or female/female, depending on the members of your group or your own individual practice) and bless them with water/salt and fire/earth. The poppets are tied together facing each other. The coven members recite the May Eve chant:
Here stand we, merry Witches all
And thus to we begin,
The Beltane spell, to chant it well,
And conjure springtime in.
We have been wandering all the night
Before the dawn of day
And now returning back again,
We have brought you a branch of May.
A branch of May we have brought to you
And here all green it stands,
’Tis but a sprout, but it’s budded out,
The work of the Goddess’s hands.
The hedges and trees, they are so green
As green as emeralds rare,
For the gentle Goddess watered them
With shining dew of air.
The gates of faery open wide,
The path is beaten plain;
And however far ye may have gone,
Ye may return again.
The life of man is but a space
Just like the flowers we bring,
All brave today, and then cut down,
To bloom the next year’s spring.
The moon shines bright, the stars give light,
A little before the day,
Blessed be all, both great and small
And send you a joyful May.
The priest/ess stands in the south of the circle with the athame while another coven member drapes the veil over the priest/ess’s face. Using the wand, the coven member draws the inverted triangle, touching the wand tip to the priest/ess’s pelvic region/above the pubic area, then right breast, left breast, and back to the pelvis. The coven member holding the wand says:
I invoke thee and call upon thee,
O Mighty Mother of us all,
Bringer of all fruitfulness
By seed and root I invoke thee,
By stem and bud I invoke thee,
By leaf, flower, and fruit I invoke thee,
To descend into the body of this, thy servant
And priest/ess ________ (name of priest/ess), here.
Speak with her/his tongue,
Touch with her/his hands,
Kiss with her/his lips,
That thy servants may be fulfilled.
The coven member hands the wand to the priest/ess, who then stands with arms open in the Mother magical pass. Each coven member approaches, and the priest/ess touches her/him in the inverted triangle: below the navel, then right breast, left breast, and below the navel again. The anointing priest/ess should use the fingertips and Magical Supplication Oil for the task.
The priest/ess then aspects the Goddess, speaking whatever comes to heart and mind. Following this, the veil is removed and the priest/ess reads the Charge of the Goddess.
Cakes and wine is completed, then the circle is closed.
Today, journal about the following questions:
• Which phases of the ritual were aligned with the mythic phases of the ordinary world, the departure, crossing the threshold, the ordeal, and the return?
• Were any of the stages missing for you? Which ones?
Beltane Revised
Magical Purpose: Reimagining this sabbat.
Based on the previous day’s workings, reimagine the Beltane ceremony, keeping in mind all of the mythic stages.
• What does the ordinary world look like?
• How do we know there is a departure?
• What will the crossing of the threshold look like?
• What is the ordeal at Beltane?
• What is the boon, treasure, or healing that can take place as a result of the rite (representing the return)?
While you are thinking about these questions and planning the mystery play, consider adding the following short list of themes and magical elements that Witches typically incorporate into their Beltane celebrations:
Themes/Symbols: Bonfires, the Great Rite, sex, poppets, ripening fields, fecundity, fertility, creativity, collecting Beltane morning dew, opening the gates “between the worlds” of humans and faeries, knowledge from the faerie world, decorating doorways, decoration of bushes (in particular, thorn) with ribbons, the Green Man, tree spirits, honey, oats, use of bright flowers of hawthorn, primrose, rowan, hazel, and marigold
Colors: All shades of green, deep red, woad blue, deep yellow, natural soil colors
Herbs: Almond, cinquefoil, false unicorn, frankincense, High John the Conqueror, ivy, maca root, marigold, meadowsweet, motherwort, rose, satyrion root, shatavari root, white peony, woodruff, yarrow
Full Moon Ceremony
During this lunation, please incorporate the following components into your ceremony:
• The Cabalistic Cross (which you should do before Drawing Down the Moon)
• Use of Supplication Incense and Oil prior to Drawing Down the Moon
• Drawing Down the Moon
• Aspecting the Goddess and speaking her words
• Reading the Charge of the Goddess
• A meditation or magical practice of your choosing. By the way, now would be a great time to fold any missed meditations or magical practices into this circle.