Moondance 2004 Ritual

Dragon Hills
by Mattie
Connections

Materials Needed:

2 bowls of water for the gates of water
2 bowls of mud for the gates of mud
2 feathers for the gates of air
2 smudge sticks for the gates of fire
3 candles on altar
3 candle holders
5 chalices of water for water sharing
Jug of water
Scripts
8 flashlights
Matches
Incense (nag champa, or patchouli)
Freddie
charcoal starter
Candles in bags for the lining of the circle
Sand

Participants:
HPS
HP
4 qtrs 4 qtr gates


Moondance 2004 Ritual

Dragon Hills
by Mattie
Connections

(Have participants enter from east and west. They will then have to enter through 4 gates representing earth, water, air and fire.)

(At the east and west gates have the four people representing the elements standing in a semi-circle in front of the line of participants. One by one walk up to the participant standing in front of them and ask their question, mark then let them through, until all participants have gone through.)

Earth steps up to the entering participant:
"What do you ask of the gate of earth?"
(Answer given or left unspoken - mark forehead with mud)

Water steps up to the entering participant:
"What do you ask of the gate of water?"
(Answer given or left unspoken - sprinkle with water)

Air steps up to the entering participant:
"What do you ask of the gate of air?"
(Answer is given or left unspoken - brush with a feather)

Fire steps up to the entering participant:
"What do you ask of the gate of fire?"
(Answer is given or left unspoken - smudge)

(Once all have entered and are standing in the circle, the quarters are called.)

East:
"In the name of the Lord of Light, with your spark of life and fires that burn in us all, and in my own name, I claim this circle as a place of Protection. Let all who enter here be bound by you to speak and hear the truth."

South:
"In the name of our Mother Earth, whose body gave us the gift of life, and in my own name; I claim this circle as a place of worship. Let all who enter here be bound to perfect love and perfect trust."

West:
"In the name of the Lady of the lakes, oceans, rivers, springs, streams and ponds, with your waters we are sustained and our thirsts are quenched. In your name and in mine I claim this circle as a place of Nature. May all who enter here see and respect the presence of Nature's children within this circle."

North:
"In the name of our father air and wind the one who breathed life into us all, whose air flows through us and around us. In your name and mine I claim this circle as a place of awareness. May all who enter be opened to the presence of the Lord and Lady."

HPS:
"The Circle is cast
We have stepped into a place
Where time does not exist,
Where the worlds come together,
A place where Birth delivers death
Where night runs into day
And where Joy and sorrow
Come together as one
In a time that is not a time
In a place that is not a place
On a day that is not a day
We stand at the threshold
Before the veil of mysteries
May the Ancient Ones help and protect us
On our magical journey."

Priest:
"The circle is a magical symbol, with no beginning and no end. Celebrate in this circle the connectedness which includes us all, the seen and the unseen. Connected also is our spirit, our past, our future, our fears, our hopes and our dreams. In this circle we will connect our heart, our body and our mind energies. Connect now by holding each other's hands and be reminded that what is within is without also All is one. Oneness cannot be demanded only welcomed."

HPS:
"So together here under the Hawthorn moon joined, we represent the union and oneness that we all have to our earth and her children. We are one and the same. Slowly the truths of the past and connections slip bit by bit as the hands of time turn and civilization destroys our openness to share and attune with our mother and her other children. We all belong to the same circle, the circle of perfection. We are here tonight to reaffirm that connection, that oneness to understand that we all exist because of this connection. If the connection breaks then all of our existence ends. We must learn to be one with our sisters and brothers; to open our hearts and spirits to nature as our ancestors once did. We ignite the flames of magic that exists in and around us all."

HPS invokes the nature spirits:
"In complete love I ask and call on thee
Natures spirits
Of the trees , rocks, animals, waters and all that go unseen
We ask for your favor and companionship
Share with us your bonds of life with mother earth and the universe
Remember us and speak to us
Become one with us tonight."

Priest:
"Please join us in chanting and reaffirming our oneness, Usually we send out the energies that are raised but tonight we will bring our energies back in and into the earth to connect ourselves and this circle and make us one."

"When the energies are raised I will raise my hand, and at that moment please lower yourself and place your hands on our Mother and send the energies down and connect."

Begin chant:
"Love is the key, truth is the goal, one is the prize."

Once the energies are raised to their peak raise hand and direct the energies down, connecting all in the circle to mother earth.

After a few moments of them connecting, rise and say:

"Please rise."

All rise

HPS:
"Let this moment of connection stay within us at all times; may we open our hearts and eyes to the unseen world and may we walk with the love of the fey."

HPS:
"Let us now come together for a moment of sharing of water."

(Water sharing-have 4 chalices of water, swirled after circle is cast and swirled again after healing energies used. Quarters will come in and get chalices, pass clockwise from their quarter to the next, while Priest reads:)

"Water is the lifeblood of the earth. And the Moon and Sun play the water of the earth as the heart courses the blood in our own veins. The earth's rivers and streams are her arteries and veins; her seas and oceans the womb from which new creation is made. The clouds and rain are the breath of the earth, which brings refreshed and renewed life."

"We of the Faerie Faith share of water to celebrate our unity with the living earth."

"Share of my water and know that as the rain it is the bringer of life.

Share of my water, and know that as the oceans and seas it is the womb of life.

Share of my water, and know that as the clouds it is the seeker, the traveler with a mission.

I share of the water, and may all know that as the streams and rivers, it is the shapechanger, the destroyer of old, and at the same time, through change, the creatrix of new.

Knowing well that water is the essence of life, we have shared and become one, and now as one, we offer our lives to She who is the Mother of all life, in service and in love."

(HPS pours some water on the ground.)

"As a family we have gathered to share with the elements; earth, water, fire and air. From this circle of mystery we now depart To live our lives in our mother's heart."

(Do Freddie, ring bell)

"It is done!"

Priest:
"Go now, children of the earth, in peace and blessings. The rite is ended!"