Materials Needed:

collaidal
Willow branches for East gate
Hawthorn leaves
white flowers

Outline circle with 16-20 candles, each in sand in a white bag. Elements, candle at East.

On altar:
two candles, chalice of water, white flowers, hawthorn leaves, 4 large cups of water, athame, bell, rag, matches, lighter, ritual

In center:
Linda
Sherry
Krys

Four corners:

East: Sandy & Shelly
bowl of water
wands
candle
candle holder
matches
flashlight

South: Odessa
salt dish
salt
flashlight

West: Annie
small bowl of water
flashlight

North: Carol T.
small cauldron
insty charcoal
herbs
matches
flashlight

Ritual - Field, 8:30

Chant as people come to the gate and enter:

We are the tide, we are the ebb,
We are the weaver, we are the web.

As each person enters by the East gate, sprinkle them with water: dip Willow branches in water. Say to each as sprinkled:

"By the trials of Willow are you cleansed to grow with strength and protection of the Hawthorn."

Give people a Hawthorn leaf as they enter the gate.

People move around clockwise, forming a circle, with participants breaking off and going to their places.

We are the tide, we are the ebb,
We are the weaver, we are the web.

When everyone is in place, four quarters will lead everyone in spinning circle. Have everyone in circle chant while four corners lead all around in circle:

We are the tide, we are the ebb,
We are the weaver, we are the web.

(Chanted faster & faster until what is being said is:)

Tide, ebb, weaver, web.

Invocation of the Elements:

East - Fire:

We ask for the presence of the sacred fires
That dance within the form of every creation,
That they might lend their light,
Their guidance, and passion
In this circle.

South - Earth:

We ask for the presence of the sacred earth,
That her fruitfulness and joy,
Strength and beauty
Be with us tonight.

West - Water:

We ask for the presence of the sacred waters,
That they may give us the powers
Of introspection and the depths
To enable a worthy rebirth.

North - Air:

We ask for the presence of the sacred air,
Whose winds bring the voices of the ancient ones,
Whose very breath sustains the energy of our beings,
And whose inspiration
May whisper to our souls.

"The circle is cast;
This sacred ground is consecrated to the Lady,
And the time of our meeting is in eternity.
We are present at the veil of the mysteries of the ancient ones.
Help and protect us on our journey."

FOUR ELEMENTS:

"So be it."

HPS:

"Dear Mother, we see you in the sun, the moon, and the earth. We know you in our hearts. Bless and guide us as we celebrate this night."

What is this night?

HPS:

Now is the first light of the Hawthorn moon. This is a time for much needed balance and protection. To attain the balance, it is traditionally a time of abstinence, cleansing and purification. It is a time to seek within ourselves our connection with the Goddess within.

Tonight we step out of Springtime's light. We stand on the bridge between Willow and Hawthorn, between dark and light, between yin and yang. The abstinence and cleansing at this time is necessary because the energies of Hawthorn in their crudest form are geared more towards physical satisfactions. And although physical union is a celebration of our bodies, we need to remember that a higher purpose for Hawthorn is the creation of the divine child within, the offspring of the union between our yin and yang, rather than a physical child in the belly, often a product of the Beltane energies.

After the excesses of Beltane, we are given a brief respite to ready ourselves for the often intense yang energies that we'll experience in the summer months ahead, both spiritually and physically. We do this by both a physical fasting and by going deep within ourselves to regain our internal balance. Tonight the first sliver of Hawthorn Moon appears in the sky, as if to encourage us in our journey within.

What is the meaning of this night?

During Hawthorn moon we set up boundaries, both external and internal. The external boundaries separate us >from the outside world to give us the space and time needed for inner exploration. The internal boundaries let us objectively view our past and remove old habits and beliefs in order to make room for new experiences and growth.

We begin now to throw away dead habits and establish those which speed us in our growth, as a mother bird sweeps her nest clear of last year's loose grasses and twigs, freshening it for nesting.

This is a moon to clear away both spiritual and physical deadwood, and to clarify our dedication and focus. During Hawthorn Moon we have always cleaned the Temples, purifying the sacred places we have dedicated to the Goddess and the God. Likewise, our bodies are also temples, sacred manifestations of the divine, and thus must be cared for with the same reverence and dedication as the Temples.

During Hawthorn, there is a war between your High Self and your Low Self, between the desire for physical gratification and spiritual growth; a war between what we want and what we need.

The Hawthorn takes us deep into ourselves. It allows us to tame our emotions. Only when we are still and quiet can we hear our spiritual guides, who will teach us of the journey we are about to make into the fullness of the year. If wisdom in its fullness blesses us, we can shift the path.

PAUSE

We have been as adolescents, seemingly invulnerable to the energies we have been building up throughout the first part of the year. We were as a hawk on a cliff; perched, full of tension facing an opportunity for rebirth and change. If you accepted the change in willow, then during hawthorn your dedication becomes much more internalized, where wisdom begins to shed its light on the true purpose of your rebirth and dedication.

The essence of Hawthorn enables us to cherish and value that very special aspect of the Goddess that she has manifest within us. Thusly, this essence can be used to protect the integrity of your being, as well as to access the deep spiritual guidance within you.

Kneel or sit now. Let the Hawthorn be in your hand. Feel the strength of the earth beneath you, and know that that strength will sustain you through this passage.

PAUSE

But we are not alone in this - there is guidance; there is wisdom in the earth and in the sky. Open your eyes now to the stars above you, and know that the potential for your soul's greatness is as vast as the celestial realms.

PAUSE

Listen now for the sound of the wind in the leaves, for the soft whisper of the voice of intuition which is your guide during your journey.

PAUSE

Look now to the flame of the cauldron, and know that the passion and joy of creation are within your very heart. And that in the stillness of your thoughts you can hear the whispers of guidance which will direct you to the flame of the passion within your soul, that you may manifest on this earth the greatness and the vast potential of the spirit within you.

PAUSE

This is the time to call on the silence within, for only in the darkest hours do the stars above shine brightest. The gift of the upcoming moon is to give you the greatest guidance. Hawthorn transforms us from the tense, anxious, Hawk, perched on a cliff, to the Night Crow, who with new-found courage, at night, flies alone.

PAUSE

Corners say:

Stand Up!! (loudly)

How do we recognize ourselves on this night?

We are the reborn, we are transformed. We are the Crow, that at night flies alone. We do not surrender to our physical passions, nor are we overcome with the euphoria of the battle. We remember the yin energies of the past months, and apply them to the yang energies soon to come. We are the seekers of guidance...We are the guides.

Who helps us?

Our spiritual guides. We call these guides the Goddess.

What is our Goddess?

She is the earth, the air, the fire, the water. She is the source of all life.

Who is our Goddess?

She is the Virgin of Light, the Crone of Darkness, the Mother of Time.

(Get everyone to hold hands)

Where is our Goddess?

She is all that ever was, that is, and that ever will be. She surrounds us, she guides us, she lives within us.

Who is our Goddess?

Behold, She is all the universe... but we find her in ourselves.

HPS:

"Dear Mother, we offer our prayers and our energy for the healing and transforming of ourselves, and with us, the planet."